Latest Agribusiness Headlines

California Farms Take Risks When Going Green

Jul 23 2010 // California dairy farmers might soon start converting their cow waste to fuel, but in doing so, they may be taking on more insurance risks — risks that their insurance agents might not be aware of, said James D....

4 ‘Ace’ Agencies, 4 Success Stories

Jul 19 2010 // Despite Soft Market, Firms Have Managed to Grow They’re all different – one’s big city; one’s suburban; one’s country; one’s small-to-medium size town. They operate in different parts of...

Crop Insurers Reluctantly Agree to $600 Million a Year Subsidy Cut

Jul 15 2010 // All 16 private insurance companies that participate in a federal crop insurance program have signed off on the new federal reinsurance agreement that cuts the subsidies they get by $600 million a year for the next 10...

Hayride Death Stirs Debate Over Kentucky’s Farm Safety Laws

Jul 12 2010 // The death of a woman thrown from a hay wagon during a ride at a county fair has opened a debate over whether there should be improvements to Kentucky laws on farm equipment safety. Dale Dobson, head of the Farm Safety...

Farmers Introduces Institutional Business Owners Policy Through Texas Agents

Jul 7 2010 // Farmers Group of Cos. has introduced an institutional business owners policy (iBOP) for institutions across America, which will be offered by Farmers agents in Texas. iBOP is designed to serve a spectrum of religious...

Crop Insurer NAU Sold to QBE

Jul 2 2010 // Lightyear Capital LLC, a New York-based private equity firm, has completed the sale of crop insurer The NAU Group to QBE Holdings, Inc. NAU is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of QBE. As consideration for the merger, QBE made...

Arizona Fire Burns 10,000 Acres

Jun 22 2010 // The wildfire burning near Flagstaff, Ariz., has claimed more than 10,000 acres and is only 10 percent contained three days after it started, the National Interagency Coordination Center has reported. NICC’s latest...

Zangwill-Infantino Forms Insight Insurance Consulting

Jun 17 2010 // Laurie Zangwill-Infantino, former president of the Insurance Skills Center (ISC), has formed a new consulting firm, Insight Insurance Consulting. Insight Insurance Consulting will focus on professional development for...

Farmers & Mechanics Offers Service Line Homeowners Coverage

Jun 14 2010 // Farmers & Mechanics Insurance in West Virginia is now offering a new Service Line coverage, which pays to repair underground outdoor water, sewer and electrical service lines that fail because of perils that would not...

Arkansas Class Action Suit Against Farmers Union Can Proceed

Jun 7 2010 // The Arkansas Supreme Court has affirmed a lower court order certifying class action status in a case involving an insurer’s depreciation practices in property claims against “actual cash value” homeowners...

Midwest Farmers Say Federal Risk Management Program Too Complex

May 19 2010 // Farmers from across the Midwest told a U.S. House committee that a crop risk management program introduced in the 2008 farm bill is a good tool but it’s way too complex. The Average Crop Revenue Election program...

Missouri to Add Fees, Require Liability Insurance for Wild-Animal Raisers

May 17 2010 // Missouri lawmakers have approved new regulations, including fees and an insurance requirement, for people who raise wild animals such as lions, bears and tigers. Legislation sent to the governor will require anyone...

May 17 2010 // 26.4% The U.S. Department of Agriculture said crop insurance companies posted profits of 26.4 percent last year, and the federal government wants to reduce its spending on crop insurance. Participating farmers pay premiums...

Barbados Meeting Analyzes Caribbean Climate Adaptation Study

May 14 2010 // Over the last two days, May 12-13, over 40 representatives from Caribbean and international agencies held a meeting in Barbados to discuss the initial results from a recent investigation into the Economics of Climate...

United Farm Bureau of Indiana Ratings Affirmed; Countryway Downgraded

May 12 2010 // A.M. Best Co. has affirmed the financial strength rating (FSR) of A- (Excellent) and issuer credit ratings (ICR) of “a-” of the United Farm Bureau of Indiana Group (the Group) and two members, United Farm...

Zurich’s Q1 Operating Profit up 19% to $1.3 Billion; Net Income $935 Million

May 6 2010 // The Zurich Financial Services Group reported a strong performance for the three months ended March 31, 2010. First quarter performance highlights included the following: • Business operating profit (BOP) of $1.3...

Midwest’s Sunflower Industry Happy With Crop Insurance Rule

May 4 2010 // Officials in the sunflower industry who fought for years to gain better crop insurance say final rules for a simplified insurance plan might mark the end of the battle. It should mean better security for farmers, and...

Indiana Supreme Court Sides With Insureds in Farm Liability Dispute

May 4 2010 // The Indiana Supreme Court has found that an insurance company was wrong in denying coverage for injuries to an employee of an independent contractor under a farm personal liability policy. Indiana farmers Rick and Katrina...

U.S. Targets Crop Insurers’ Profits

Apr 29 2010 // The federal government wants to save taxpayers billions of dollars by reducing spending on crop insurance after years of big profits by insurers, but the industry claims the reductions could hurt rural areas. The U.S....

Federal Drought Assistance Limited in Klamath

Apr 27 2010 // Klamath, Ore., farmers who did not buy federal crop insurance last year are not likely to see much in the way of disaster assistance for this year’s drought. The Herald and News newspaper reports that despite...