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Senator says strong crop insurance top priority for farm bill

A member of the Senate Ag Committee says farmers are telling him crop insurance is their top priority for the 2018 Farm Bill.

Indiana Senator Joe Donnelly has been hosting farm bill listening sessions around the state and says the ag community’s message is clear.  “We have to have a strong crop insurance section,” he says.  “And we will.  There’s also a strong understanding of the need to combine the nutrition programs with the ag programs because that will get us the critical mass we need to ensure the bill gets through.”

He says he doesn’t anticipate another big fight over the nutrition program in this farm bill.   “I think that maybe we learned from the last time,” he says.  “I’m sure that the SNAP program will be a thoughtful one.  We don’t want to waste a single dollar – we’re not able to.  But we also want to make sure that children in need can also get a decent lunch and a decent breakfast.”

Donnelly made his remarks during his Donnelly Days stop at Purdue University’s Indiana Corn and Soybean Innovation Center last Thursday.