Press Releases

2011 Indemnity Payments Eclipse $9 billion, Set New Record
For the first time in history, indemnity payments surpassed the $9 billion mark, National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS) said today, noting that payments made to farmers for damages to the 2011 crop would continue to climb:

In response to the Deficit Reduction Plan unveiled today by President Obama
Tom Zacharias, President of National Crop Insurance Services, released the following statement:

Greg Meek Presented the NCIS Membership Services Award
Greg Meek, formerly of Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company of Iowa, West Des Moines, IA, was presented with the National Crop Insurance Services Membership Services Award at the 2011 Crop Insurance Industry Annual Convention.

Joel Weiss Presented Crop Insurance Industry Leadership Award
Joel Weiss, Great American Insurance Company, Lawrence, Kan, was presented with the 2011 Crop Insurance Industry Leadership Award at the 2011 Crop Insurance Industry Annual Convention.

Mike Gaynier Awarded the Crop Insurance Industry Outstanding Service Award
Mike Gaynier, Spartan Crop Insurance, Ithica, Mich., is the recipient of the 2011 Crop Insurance Industry Outstanding Service Award in recognition for outstanding service and outreach to small, limited resource, and socially disadvantaged farmers.

Crop Insurance Deadline Near
Farmers Encouraged to See Agent Soon

Crop Insurance Industry Agrees USDA’s Good Performance Program Benefits Farmers
The private insurance industry supports USDA’s decision to implement a good performance‐based program for famers.

Bob Parkerson to retire as NCIS President on August 31. Tom Zacharias to be named President
National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS) announced today that Robert (Bob) Parkerson, NCIS’ President and member of its Board of Directors, will retire effective August 31, 2010, and Tom Zacharias, NCIS’ Executive Vice President, has been named his successor.

Crop Insurance Industry Testifies Before House Committee on Agriculture
July 22, 2010
Bob Parkerson, president of National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS), testified today on behalf of the crop insurance industry before the U.S. House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management.

Statement Of Robert Parkerson, President, National Crop Insurance Services, Before The U.S. House Of Representatives, Committee On Agriculture, Subcommittee On General Farm Commodities And Risk Management
July 22, 2010
Mr. Chairman, Mr. Ranking Member and other Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for inviting the National Crop Insurance Services to appear at today’s hearing to discuss the Standard Reinsurance Agreement (SRA) and its implications for the future of the crop insurance industry. 

Crop Insurance Industry to Testify Before House Committee on Agriculture Press Availability for Bob Parkerson
July 19, 2010
The crop insurance industry announced today that Bob Parkerson, president of National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS) has been invited to testify before the House Committee on Agriculture Thursday about the state of the crop insurance industry, including implications of the recently signed Standard Reinsurance Agreement (SRA) and 2008 Farm Bill.

Negotiations May be Complete, but Industry Remains Vexed By the Funding Reductions in Final SRA
July 1, 2010
The crop insurance industry and the program will withstand the $6 billion reduction in funding handed to them by the USDA’s final Standard Reinsurance Agreement (SRA) contract released on June 29, 2010. Companies have until July 12th to sign the agreement.

Crop Insurance Companies Still Very Concerned with Components of the Standard Reinsurance Agreement
June 14, 2010
The crop insurance industry is surprised that even after repeated requests by Congress, producers and the Industry, the Administration still plans to cut the crop insurance program by $6 billion over the next ten years.

NCIS Statement Regarding Professor Bruce Babcock's ACRE Plan
May 14, 2010
Testimony of Professor Bruce Babcock released in advance of the House Committee on Agriculture hearing scheduled for May 14, 2010, on the 2012 Farm Bill, raised the idea of providing protection to farmers from systemic risk by using an area-based revenue plan.

Crop Insurance Industry Lends Perspective To Ewg's Analysis Of Farm Programs
OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS — May 6, 2010
The crop insurance industry cautioned today against relying on partial assessments of the Federal crop insurance program.

Industry Calls for Long Term Analysis in Judging Crop Insurance Market Performance
OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS — April 5, 2010
USDA's Risk Management Agency (RMA) released late last Friday an update of their disputed Millman study of returns to private crop insurers participating in the Federal Crop Insurance Program.

Private Industry Still Sees Wide Gap in SRA Negotiations
OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS — February 24, 2010
Although modestly less severe than initially proposed, the funding reductions for the crop insurance program offered yesterday by USDA/RMA in the latest round of negotiations to revise the Standard Reinsurance Agreement (SRA) remain excessive and unrealistic.

Avtar Gill Awarded the Crop Insurance Industry Outstanding Service Award
OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS — February 24, 2010
Avtar Gill, Gill Insurance, Caruthers, Calif., is the recipient of the Crop Insurance Industry Outstanding Service Award in recognition for outstanding service and outreach to small, limited resource, and socially disadvantaged farmers.

Gene Grimsley Presented Crop Insurance Industry Leadership Award
OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS — February 24, 2010
Gene Grimsley, Agro National Insurance, Council Bluffs, Iowa, was presented with the Crop Insurance Industry Leadership Award at the 2010 Crop Insurance Industry Annual Convention.

Fundamental Problems Exist with the USDA's Proposed 2011 Standard Reinsurance Agreement
OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS — January 20, 2010
The private crop insurance industry today released a proposal for the 2011 Standard Reinsurance Agreement (SRA). The SRA is the contract under which the private insurance companies agree to deliver the federal crop insurance program to the nation's farm producers.

Crop Insurance Protects Freeze-Damaged Crops in Florida Against Coldest Temperatures in 20 Years
OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS — January 12, 2010
Florida has just over $3 billion in liability in crop insurance on crops ranging from citrus and citrus trees to nursery and fresh market tomatoes.

Farmers unable to harvest urged to contact crop insurance agent before December 10, 2009
OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS — November 19, 2009
With the wet weather continuing to wreak havoc on the Midwestern corn and soybean harvest, National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS) is urging farmers to contact their crop insurance agent as soon as possible.

Crop Insurance Scores Well in Profitability and Effectiveness Analysis
OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS — October 8, 2009
A study released today by National Crop Insurance Services shows that over a 17 year period (1992-2008) the Federal Crop Insurance Program has been significantly less profitable than the Property and Casualty (P&C) insurance industry, is riskier than the Property and Casualty industry, and has consistently lower expense-to-premium ratios.

Producers with Grain Quality Questions Urged to Contact Crop Insurance Agents and Companies
OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS — September 28, 2009
National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS) is urging farmers with grain quality concerns to contact their crop insurance agent or company to determine coverage options in case of damage to crops from disease, weatherrelated events, or other causes.

Multiple deadlines facing farmers
OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS — September 8, 2009
This is the time of year when farmers face multiple deadlines. They are harvesting their spring planted crops and, depending on the yield and revenue potential, they may need to consider the basics of how to report damage to their crop insurance agent...

CUNA Mutual Acquires Full Ownership of Crop Insurer PROAG
MADISON, WIS/AMARILLO, TX — September 3, 2009
CUNA Mutual Group has reached agreement with Producers Ag Insurance Group (ProAg) to become sole owner of the multi-peril crop insurer, serving farmers and agricultural producers nationwide...

Record Crop Insurance Indemnity Payments in 2008
OVERLAND PARK, KS — July 20, 2009
The results are all but final...a record $8.6 billion in crop insurance indemnity payments were made to U.S. farmers for losses in 2008 because of droughts and flooding in parts of the country along with substantial price declines for some of the majority commodities...

Illinois Farmers Receive Significant Crop Insurance Indemnity Payments
OVERLAND PARK, KS — May 8, 2009
The crop insurance industry has paid over $565 million to the farmers in Illinois for losses due to crop loss or decrease in commodity prices for 2008...

Indiana Farmers Receive Significant Crop Insurance Indemnity Payments
OVERLAND PARK, KS — May 8, 2009
The crop insurance industry has paid over $512 million to the farmers in Indiana for losses due to crop loss or decrease in commodity prices for 2008...

Iowa Farmers Receive Significant Crop Insurance Indemnity Payments
OVERLAND PARK, KS — May 8, 2009
The crop insurance industry has paid over $1.1 billion to the farmers in Iowa for losses due to crop loss or decrease in commodity prices for 2008...

Kansas Farmers Receive Significant Crop Insurance Indemnity Payments
OVERLAND PARK, KS — May 8, 2009
The crop insurance industry has paid over $409 million to the farmers in Kansas for losses due to crop loss or decrease in commodity prices for 2008...

Minnesota Farmers Receive Significant Crop Insurance Indemnity Payments
OVERLAND PARK, KS — May 8, 2009
The crop insurance industry has paid over $687 million to the farmers in Minnesota for losses due to crop loss or decrease in commodity prices for 2008...

Missouri Farmers Receive Significant Crop Insurance Indemnity Payments
OVERLAND PARK, KS — May 8, 2009
The crop insurance industry has paid over $322 million to the farmers in Missouri for losses due to crop loss or decrease in commodity prices for 2008...

Nebraska Farmers Receive Significant Crop Insurance Indemnity Payments
OVERLAND PARK, KS — May 8, 2009
The crop insurance industry has paid over $412 million to the farmers in Nebraska for losses due to crop loss or decrease in commodity prices for 2008...

North Dakota Farmers Receive Significant Crop Insurance Indemnity Payments
OVERLAND PARK, KS — May 8, 2009
The crop insurance industry has paid over $825 million to the farmers in North Dakota for losses due to crop loss or decrease in commodity prices for 2008...

Ohio Farmers Receive Significant Crop Insurance Indemnity Payments
OVERLAND PARK, KS — May 8, 2009
The crop insurance industry has paid over $517 million to the farmers in Ohio for losses due to crop loss or decrease in commodity prices for 2008...

South Dakota Farmers Receive Significant Crop Insurance Indemnity Payments
OVERLAND PARK, KS — May 8, 2009
The crop insurance industry has paid over $396 million to the farmers in South Dakota for losses due to crop loss or decrease in commodity prices for 2008...

Texas Farmers Receive Significant Crop Insurance Indemnity Payments
OVERLAND PARK, KS — May 8, 2009
The crop insurance industry has paid over $763 million to the farmers in Texas for losses due to crop loss or decrease in commodity prices for 2008...

Crop Insurance Industry Donates Money to Hidden Harvest Charity
OVERLAND PARK, KS — March 16, 2009
The crop insurance industry presented a check for over $2,500 to the Hidden Harvest charity located in the Coachella Valley in southern California. The money was raised during the crop insurance industry's annual convention in February.

Industry Opposes Proposed Cuts to Federal Crop Insurance Program
OVERLAND PARK, KS — February 27, 2009
The crop insurance industry is very concerned about how the Obama Administration's proposed cuts to the crop insurance program would affect the farmers and ranchers it protects, and the private insurance companies who administer the program.

2008 Crop Insurance Indemnity Payments Near $6.5 Billion
OVERLAND PARK, KS — February 24, 2009
Because of droughts and flooding in parts of the country along with substantial price declines for corn and soybeans, indemnity payments on crop losses during the 2008 growing season reached nearly $6.5 billion in mid February with more claims yet to be processed.

Judy Anderson Given Crop Insurance Industry Leadership Award
OVERLAND PARK, KS — February 18, 2009
Judy Anderson, Rural Community Insurance Services, was presented with the Crop Insurance Industry Leadership Award at the 2009 Crop Insurance Industry Annual Convention. This award is given to individuals who are directly involved in the Crop Insurance Industry and who consistently serve the Industry by providing outstanding leadership.

Ruth Gerdes Awarded the Crop Insurance Industry Outstanding Service Award
OVERLAND PARK, KS — February 18, 2009
Ruth Gerdes, Auburn Agency, is the recipient of the Crop Insurance Industry Outstanding Service Award in recognition for outstanding service and outreach to small, limited resource, and socially disadvantaged farmers. Randy Tronnes, Chairman of the National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS) Board of Directors, and Robert Parkerson, President of NCIS, presented the award at the 2009 Crop Insurance Industry Annual Convention.

Spring Crop Insurance Deadline Nears
OVERLAND PARK, KS — February 17, 2009
March 16 is the deadline for farmers across the country to buy crop insurance on many spring planted crops. It is especially important this year because eligibility for federal crop disaster aid is now dependent upon having crop insurance.

NCIS Launches New Website
OVERLAND PARK, KS — January 8, 2009
National Crop Insurance Services, a trade association for the crop insurance industry, has launched a new website. The URL is: www.cropinsuranceinamerica.org

Crop Insurance Scores Well in Profitability and Effectiveness Analysis
OVERLAND PARK, KS — December 1, 2008
Independent study by Grant Thornton LLP shows that Federal Crop Insurance Program compares favorably to property and casualty industry.

Fall crop insurance required for disaster eligibility in 2009
OVERLAND PARK, KS — August 11, 2008
Any producer who wants to be eligible for disaster assistance on 2009 summer crops must have crop insurance coverage on all insurable fall planted crops before the sales closing deadline (September 30, 2008 for winter wheat, barley, and forage production for instance.)

The Crop Insurance Industry Provides Reassurance to Farmers Impacted by the Midwest Floods
OVERLAND PARK, KS — June 19, 2008
Flooding across the Midwest has devastated communities across several states. Among those hardest hit are farmers, who have lost homes, livestock and thousands of acres of farmland.

Crop insurance deadline March 17
OVERLAND PARK, KAN — February 29, 2008
In most states farmers have only until March 17 to sign up for federally subsidized crop insurance on spring planted crops, or to make any changes to existing policies.

Linneman Receives Crop Insurance Industry Leadership Award
OVERLAND PARK, KS — February 15, 2008
Curt Linneman, Vice President and Claims Manager for Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company of Iowa, was presented with the Crop Insurance Industry Leadership Award at the 2008 Crop Insurance Industry Annual Convention.

Agent Presented with Crop Insurance Industry Outstanding Service Award
OVERLAND PARK, KS — February 14, 2008
Evan Stineman III, Farmers Crop Insurance, Harlingen, TX, was presented the Crop Insurance Industry Outstanding Service Award in recognition for outstanding service and outreach to small, limited resource, and socially disadvantaged farmers.

AGR Deadline Near for Rhode Island Producers
OVERLAND PARK, KS — January 14, 2008
Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR) insurance for farmers and ranchers is again being offered in Rhode Island for 2008. The deadline to apply for AGR, or to make changes to existing AGR policies, is January 31, 2008.