Federally-backed crop insurance programs appear to have been saved from the chopping block.
According to Politico, Republican leaders have made a deal with House Agriculture Committee Chair Mike Conaway of Texas to address crop insurance programs in an omnibus spending bill later this year. The Senate soon followed suit.
In a statement, Conaway thanked his colleagues who made it clear that gutting crop insurance in the two-year budget deal was not acceptable.
“Our nation’s farmers and ranchers did their part in reining in our nation’s debt in the 2014 Farm Bill, saving an estimated $23 billion,” Conaway wrote. “It is imperative that we do not undermine their trust by attacking the primary tool they use to manage the tremendous risks involved in producing food and fiber.”
He continued, “Crop insurance is working as intended, and private industry deserves to be lauded, not thrown under the bus. I take our leadership at their word when they committed to me and many of my colleagues that we will eliminate these harmful provisions in the not-so-distant future, which is why I will vote in support of the budget agreement today. I encourage my rural-minded colleagues to follow suit and put their support behind this agreement by passing the budget deal on the floor today. While not the easiest path forward, this is a win for rural America and should be viewed as such. I will continue fighting against policies that hurt our farmers and ranchers, and I am thankful to leadership for working with us to avoid these harmful cuts.”
Texas Farm Bureau President Russell W. Boening sat down with TFB Radio Network reporter Curt Lancaster yesterday to discuss the importance of crop insurance to our nation’s farmers and ranchers. That interview can be heard here: http://bit.ly/1N8zJcv.