News

Crop insurance enhancements requested in next farm bill

Farmers are asking Congress to support affordable and flexible crop insurance in the 2023 Farm Bill.

During Friday’s Senate Ag Committee field hearing in Michigan, crop farmer Jake Isley testified on the importance of programs keeping pace with rising costs.

“With input costs higher in every area of my operation, I cannot afford to have the crop insurance premium subsidy reduced in the next farm bill,” he says.

Isley also asked for improved specialty soybean coverage, increasing the soybean reference price for calculating ARC and PLC, and providing the option to update base acres.

Northern Michigan cherry grower Juliette King McAvoy says her farm would not be able to survive without crop insurance as the frequency and intensity of weather-related crop losses have increased.

“There are not many business models that can withstand the kind of volatility that we are experiencing and it’s the only way that I’m confident enough to continue planting orchards that are long-term investments,” she says.

King McAvoy says programs could be improved by making them easier to access and providing more diversity among crops covered. 

Many other farmers stressed the importance of a do-no-harm approach to crop insurance during the hearing.