NCIS Comments on Senate Agriculture Committee Farm Bill Passage

The following statement should be attributed to Tom Zacharias, president, National Crop
Insurance Services.

“We commend the Senate Agriculture Committee for its commitment and
determination to write and pass a Farm Bill that saves taxpayers money and provides
confidence to farmers and their lenders as they make business decisions for upcoming
growing seasons. The fact that the Committee successfully reached a bipartisan
consensus in today’s political environment is proof that the Farm Bill is important to all
corners of this nation’s economy and its citizens, both rural and urban.

“The bill passed out of the Committee today responded to calls from growers of most
major crops by keeping crop insurance strong and ensuring that it will remain at the
forefront of modern‐day farm policy. We appreciate the Committee’s efforts to improve
the crop insurance title and limit the adverse impacts of other programs on crop
insurance. The fact that farmers are in the fields planting following a difficult 2011
growing season shows how well the current crop insurance system is working.

“We look forward to working closely with lawmakers to make sure the 2012 Farm Bill
provides a strong safety net for the men and women who produce the world’s best
food, feed, natural fiber, and fuel supply.”

Crop insurance is a public‐private partnership designed to reduce taxpayer risk exposure and
speed assistance to farmers after disaster strikes. Since 2008, private crop insurance companies
have paid out more than $28 billion to farmers to help them recover from losses and remain in
production. Over the same period crop insurance funding has been reduced by more than $12
billion, meaning crop insurers are doing more with less. Avoiding further cuts and maintaining a
strong crop insurance system has been hailed among agriculture’s top priorities for the 2012
Farm Bill.

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