Latest Agribusiness Headlines
All the headlines from our Agribusiness Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Sentenced for Crop Insurance Fraud, Kansas Farmer Must Repay $604K
Feb 12 2020 // A Kansas farmer has been sentenced to 2.5 years in prison for federal crop insurance fraud and bankruptcy fraud. Kevin Struss, 63, of Wakeeney, was also ordered to pay $604,303 in restitution. Struss pleaded guilty in...
Chubb Closes Out 2019 with Strongest Growth in Years
Feb 6 2020 // Chubb has plenty to celebrate about its 2019 fourth quarter. The global insurer enjoyed a large jump in net income due mostly to rate hikes and property/casualty underwriting gains. Chubb’s catastrophe losses also...
South Carolina Lawmakers Consider Relief Fund for Farmers
Feb 6 2020 // The South Carolina House is considering a bill that would create a relief fund for farmers that could be used before federal aid is granted or if help from the U.S. government never comes. The House Agriculture Committee...
Forget Robots. Dogs May Be Taking Crop Inspection Jobs.
Feb 5 2020 // Dogs specially trained by the federal government’s Agricultural Research Service scientists have proven to be the most efficient way to detect huanglongbing—also known as citrus greening—according to a paper just...
South & Western to Service AmTrust Farm/Ranch Business in Oklahoma, Texas
Feb 4 2020 // South & Western General Agency Inc., with offices in Addison, Texas, and Memphis, Tennessee, has reached an agreement with AmTrust to underwrite and service AmTrust’s Farm and Ranch business in Oklahoma and...
Moore to Lead New Epic National Farm & Ranch Practice
Jan 31 2020 // EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property and casualty insurance brokerage and employee benefits consultant, has expanded their insurance offering in the Farm & Ranch Insurance market with a new...
Kentucky Agencies Peel & Holland, Riddle Insurance & Subsidiary R. Barga Finalize Merger
Jan 30 2020 // Peel & Holland Insurance has merged with Riddle Insurance of Madisonville, Ky., and its subsidiary, R. Barga and Company Insurance of Benton, Ky. The companies provide business property and casualty insurance, surety...
Kentucky to Pilot Hemp Research Program for 1 More Year Before Expanding
Jan 28 2020 // Kentucky’s Department of Agriculture will continue operating its hemp program as a research pilot program for another year before transitioning to a commercial program, the agency said. Congress gave state...
How Parametric Insurance Can Help Fill the Gap Where Traditional Insurance Falls Short
Jan 27 2020 // Although parametric solutions have been generally available since the late 1990s, they have more recently found their way into corporate insurance. Parametric insurance solutions offer a means to guarantee direct payout...
4 Racehorses Die at New Orleans Track in 10-Day Span
Jan 24 2020 // Four thoroughbred racehorses were euthanized after competing at a New Orleans track in a 10 -day span, prompting criticism from an animal advocacy group based in Washington D.C. Officials at the New Orleans Fair Grounds...
IMA Texas Expands to Fort Worth; Adds Schuler, Wallace
Jan 21 2020 // IMA Inc., a national insurance brokerage firm with offices in Dallas, is expanding to Fort Worth with the addition of two insurance veterans, Trey Schuler and Gavin Wallace. Schuler and Wallace will work in tandem. The...
Ohio Grain Handling Company Fined $292K After Employee Deaths
Jan 21 2020 // A federal agency fined an Ohio-based grain handling company over alleged safety violations that led to the deaths of two employees last year. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined The Andersons Inc....
Expanding into Iowa, Keystone Insurers Group Signs Kingsgate Insurance
Jan 15 2020 // Keystone Insurers Group (Keystone) has expanded into Iowa with the addition of pioneer partner Kingsgate Insurance of Fort Dodge to the agency partnership organization. Kingsgate Insurance was founded in 1990 in Fort...
Oklahoma Bill Would Create Entity Focused on Natural Disaster, Hazard Mitigation
Jan 13 2020 // Legislation filed in Oklahoma would establish an organizational framework for addressing mitigation of natural disasters in that state. House Bill 2776, The Oklahoma Hazard Mitigation Assessment District Act, provides the...
MS Amlin Launches Specialist Equine MGA, David Ashby Underwriting
Jan 13 2020 // MS Amlin, the London-based re/insurer, announced the launch of David Ashby Underwriting Ltd (DAU), a specialist equine MGA. MS Amlin will serve as lead underwriter for the MGA and provide 50% of capacity for DAU through a...
Missouri City Sues Dairy, Alleging River Contamination
Jan 8 2020 // A southern Missouri city alleges in a lawsuit that a Dairy Farmers of America plant is regularly releasing untreated wastewater into a river. Cabool is seeking $1.2 million in reimbursement, claiming in the suit that it...
Texas Governor Warns of 10K per Minute Attempted Cyber Attacks from Iran
Jan 8 2020 // Gov. Greg Abbott is warning Texans to be “particularly vigilant” regarding potential cyber terrorism from Iran, suggesting that heightened tensions with the country have caused an increase in attempted attacks...
Farmers Expands Program, Now Insuring Uber Drivers in 14 States and D.C.
Jan 7 2020 // Farmers Insurance has expanded its relationship with Uber by providing commercial automobile insurance to its ridesharing drivers in 12 additional states and the District of Columbia. In addition to the District of...
Better Flood Protection Needed in Missouri, Governor’s Advisory Group Says
Jan 3 2020 // Missouri’s levees need to be strengthened and repaired, especially in rural areas hit hard by prolonged flooding in 2019, according to an advisory group appointed by Gov. Mike Parson. St. Louis Public Radio reported...
Airbnb Insurance Leader Langone Becomes RIMS President for 2020
Jan 2 2020 // The risk management society, RIMS, announced that Laura Langone, head of Insurance Operations at Airbnb, Inc., will lead the association as president for the 2020 term. As president, Langone is succeeding Gloria Brosius,...
