Though growers are pleased that the program continues to exist, they are wary of cuts to direct subsidies. Farmers in Kansas are thrilled that their crop insurance program has been maintained as a part of a scaled down farm bill that has been passed by the U.S. House, but they are still leery as it doesn’t look as though the opportunity that it will provide will be quite as lucrative as what it used to be. They are still watching to see which elements of it will make it into…
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Crop insurance push made for conservation requirements
Rep. Mike Thompson wants the subsidized coverage to require compliance for eligibility. Among the differences between the current federally subsidized crop insurance program and the older systems of farmer subsidies is that it has detached itself from having to comply with conservation in order to be eligible. Older programs all required that farmers preserve wetlands, soils, wildlife habitat, etc, in exchange for the assistance. However, since 1996, farmers no longer had to meet the conservation minimum USDA requirement in order to be able to receive crop insurance subsidies, even at…
Read MoreUS Senate approves change to controversial crop insurance program
Crop insurance sees reforms at the hands of the Senate Crop insurance has been a matter of debate for U.S. lawmakers for more than a year. The attention drew more attention in the wake of the 2012 drought that threatened crops through much of the Midwest. The damage caused by this disaster successfully highlighted many of the problems that exist in the country’s current crop insurance program, spurring federal lawmakers to address these issues for the sake of economic stability and progress. Senate approves change to farm bill Late last…
Read MoreCrop insurance subsidy could come to an end for tobacco farmers
Growers of these plants in Kentucky are strongly opposed to this new proposal to end their programs. An amendment to the 2013 Farm Bill was proposed, this week, by Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-California) and Senator John McCain (R-Arizona), which would eliminate eight of the USDA tobacco crop insurance programs. This has caused concern to the Council for Burley Tobacco, which has asked farmers to contact their Senators. The council notified tobacco farmers of the changes that have been proposed for the crop insurance program and have requested that they contact…
Read MoreCrop insurance in the farm bill is now up for debate in the Senate
The cuts to the federally subsidized program are facing consideration by Senators this week. This week, the Senate is now debating the proposed cuts to the federally subsidized crop insurance program, as an element of the enormous farm bill which is also being considered. On Monday, the Obama administration said that it wanted greater cuts to the subsidies and coverage. They stated that they wanted more crop insurance cuts in the legislation, and that the farm subsidies should also be reduced. The current proposal would cost nearly $100 billion per…
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