Professional Critics Are Never Happy
Critics of farm policy are impossible to please and are adept at arguing out of both sides of their mouths. For example, when crop prices around the world are low, they often blame U.S. farm policy for the falling prices and criticize it for harming farmers in poor developing countries. Then, when crop prices rebound, […]
Insurance Basics: Value Matters
Here’s a hypothetical situation to ponder: In 2010, you purchased a brand-new car for $30,000. Since then, you’ve driven 100,000 miles, worn out a couple of sets of tires, and accumulated an impressive collection of dents, scrapes, and pings. Now, that five-year-old vehicle is worth $10,000. Unfortunately, you’re in a wreck and total the car. […]
ICYMI: Farm policy is essential to maintaining ag production in the U.S.
Agri-Pulse March 23, 2016 If there is one place that, in recent years, overwhelmingly demonstrates the need and importance of U.S. farm policy, it is California. For the past four years, this top agricultural producing state has experienced record drought conditions and for farmers like my husband and me, it has taken a toll on […]
Thank You, Commodity Classic Participants
This week kicks off the Commodity Classic, a huge trade show sponsored by the corn, soybean, wheat and sorghum industries. As agricultural leaders gather to discuss current issues and set policy priorities for the coming year, we wanted to take a moment to thank farmers from each sector for their continued support of crop insurance. […]
Why Farmers Need This Program
I always knew I was going to be a farmer. I grew up learning from my grandfather who turned me loose and gave me a lot of responsibility on his farm from a young age. I was driving machinery by the time I was 10 years old and running my own harvest crew by the […]
New NCIS Video: Availability A Key to Crop Insurance’s Future
Crop insurance providers recently released the first in a series of educational videos meant to highlight three policy attributes that are essential to maintaining a strong crop insurance system in the face of future market and weather challenges. The first three-minute segment examines the widespread availability of crop insurance, whereas future videos will look at […]
CROP INSURANCE IN ACTION: Shawn Holladay, Lamesa, Texas
Shawn Holladay, a fourth-generation cotton farmer from Dawson County, Texas, looks to agriculture as his sole source of income. It’s not a bad argument for wanting the status quo to continue. Ask one who’s been in farming for decades for his proverbial ‘staying power’ and he will likely tell you farming is a beloved legacy, […]
Columbus Dispatch Guest Opinion: In Tough Years, Crop Insurance is Vital
Farming in central Ohio tends to be very even-keel, largely due to the great soil we sit on and the favorable climatic conditions in most years. Local crops, including corn, soybeans and wheat, tend to come in at fairly predictable yields, offering local farmers some peace of mind in a business known for its risk. […]
USDA Unveils New Crop Insurance Product: Whole-Farm Protection Insurance
Specialty crop farmers, organic farmers and diversified producers will now be able to purchase the protection of crop insurance as part of a Whole-Farm Revenue Protection insurance policy. “Crop insurance options continue to adapt to meet the farm safety net needs of today’s farmers,” said Risk Management Agency (RMA) Administrator Brandon Willis. Whole-Farm Revenue Protection, […]
California Drought Causing Weather Extremes in Central Valley
Weather extremes triggered by the prolonged drought have caused much of the damage to crops in California’s Central Valley in addition to lack of waters, says Doug Benik, a farmer and crop insurance agent from Fresno County. While most assume that the absence of rainfall is largely behind much of the crop damage and losses […]
