The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry held a hearing titled “Commodities, Credit, and Crop Insurance: Perspectives on Risk Management Tools and Trends for the 2018 Farm Bill.” Ron Rutledge, President and CEO of Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company of Iowa (FMH), provided testimony showcasing the vital role that federal crop insurance plays for America’s farmers and the rural economy.
“Crop insurance provides farmers, ranchers, and their lenders with certainty that ad hoc disaster assistance cannot provide,” Rutledge said. “It provides assistance in a timely manner when disaster strikes. And importantly, farmers are always expected to pay for the protection of crop insurance, unlike ad hoc disaster assistance which is fully-funded by taxpayers.”
Click here to watch a video archive of the hearing, including testimony from 16 other agriculture stakeholders including many who turn to crop insurance during times of natural disaster. Click here to read the full press release.