Federal Crop Insurance News

USDA: Crop Insurance Covers Loss from Irrigation Tunnel Collapse

Farmers in western Nebraska and eastern Wyoming left without a way to water crops following the collapse of a massive irrigation tunnel in July will be covered by federal crop insurance. That word came Friday from the U.S. Department of …

Most Produce Farmers Hit by Recent Hurricanes Not Covered by Federal Crop Insurance

In the U.S, government-backed insurance plans help compensate farmers for losses after natural disasters. Unfortunately for the produce growers that were ravaged by recent hurricanes, a lot of the nation’s vegetable and fruit crops aren’t covered. Hurricanes Irma and Harvey, …

Sen. Schumer Pushes for Malt Barley Crop Insurance in New York

Sen. Charles Schumer is calling on the U.S. Department of Agriculture to make crop insurance for malt barley available to more New York farmers to help the craft brewing industry in the state. Schumer was at the 1886 Malt House …

Insurance Claims for Unplanted Crops Jump 48%

Insurance claims filed by U.S. farmers for crops they couldn’t plant have jumped 48 percent this year, government data show, the latest indication of how adverse weather is curbing production of corn and other crops. Total claims so far in …

Farm Bill Costs Soar Despite Great Harvest

U.S. farmers are about to reap a bumper harvest not just in corn and soybeans but also in new subsidies that could soar to $10 billion, blowing a hole in the government’s promise that its new five-year farm bill would …

Viewpoint: Costs Bury Insurance Savings Promised in Farm Bill

When does a $23 billion spending cut result in no savings at all? When it’s part of the U.S. farm bill. Just a few weeks ago, the newest bill — a grab bag of subsidies for farmers and federal nutrition …

Deere Mulls Sale of Crop Insurance Business

Deere & Co., the world’s largest maker of agricultural equipment, hired Citigroup Inc. to look at strategic options for its crop insurance unit as it sells assets to focus on core businesses such as manufacturing. No formal decision has been …

Private Crop Insurers Win As Taxpayers Lose in New Farm Program, Say Critics

U.S. farmers last week finalized their crop insurance plans for spring planting with critics of the government-subsidized program saying insurers are set up for a bonanza after passage of the new five-year farm bill last month. Farmers who sign up …

Farmers Told to Expect Crop Insurance Program to Expand

The federal crop insurance program is expected to expand in 2014, a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) official told farmers at the American Farm Bureau Federation’s annual convention. Tim Hoffmann, director of product administration and standards for the Risk Management …

Environmental Group Says $7.8 Billion Wasted by Crop Insurance Program

A report commissioned by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) says that the federal crop insurance program over-compensated Corn Belt farmers by $7.8 billion during the 2012 drought. Insurance payouts that year totaled $14 billion whereas $6.2 billion would have been …