Farmers' coalition urges Congress to keep promise

Fifty farm interest groups, including the National Farmers Union (NFU), have asked Congress to keep the promise made to American farmers that Congress would not cut crop insurance or other farm programs through the omnibus appropriations act.

The groups included equipment manufacturers, banks, insurance companies, credit lenders and other entities.

“Cuts to crop insurance translate into further consolidation within the crop insurance sector, providing less choice for family farmers who depend on this cost-effective safety net program,” NFU President Roger Johnson said. “We appreciate the deal struck during the budget negotiations between majority leadership and House and Senate Agriculture Committee leadership. As Congress negotiates an omnibus spending bill, we are urging them to keep their promise to leave the farm bill intact and not make cuts to the federal crop insurance program.”

A letter written to the Congressional leaders said the agricultural community supports balancing the budget, which is why they supported the 2014 Farm Bill that saved $16.6 billion.

“The crop insurance provision contained in the budget would gut the private sector delivery of the crop insurance program by cutting the target rate of return by 38 percent,” the coalition’s letter to all members of Congress said. “Under the current target rate of return, crop insurance companies have realized negative net returns since 2011. Further reducing the target rate would only drive the industry further into the red.”