Senators Marshall, Hoeven, and Boozman Lead Effort to Bolster Crop Insurance and Reduce Costs for Farmers

Washington – U.S. Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) joined U.S. Senators John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), a senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee and Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee, and Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman John Boozman (R-Arkansas) in reintroducing the Federal Agriculture Risk Management Enhancement and Resilience (FARMER) Act – legislation that strengthens crop insurance and makes increased levels of coverage more affordable for producers.

“The FARMER Act is a major step toward ensuring the farm safety net stays intact and up to date for those who work tirelessly to provide us with food and fuel. I hear repeatedly from farmers in Kansas that crop insurance is the top priority in the Farm Bill because it provides a critically needed rapid response when disaster strikes,” said Senator Marshall.“Investing in crop insurance means protecting rural economies and securing our nation’s food supply.”

“Crop insurance remains the number one risk management tool for our farmers, but it doesn’t provide the kind of affordable coverage options that all producers need. The result has been the repeated need for ad-hoc disaster assistance. Ultimately, producers buying higher levels of coverage will lessen the need for ad-hoc disaster assistance in the future,” said Senator Hoeven. “That means less emergency spending by the federal government, greater certainty for farmers and a more resilient ag economy. Those are wins across the board.”

“Farmers must have the risk management tools they need to plan for the future. The Farmer Act would make critical improvements to the farm safety net and deliver support to producers across the country who rely on these programs. I appreciate Senator Hoeven for continuing to lead on this issue as we work provide certainty to America’s farm families,” said Senator Boozman.

The legislation is also cosponsored by Senators Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Mississippi), Jim Justice (R-West Virginia), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), and Jerry Moran (R-Kansas). 

Specifically, the Federal Agriculture Risk Management Enhancement and Resilience (FARMER) Act would:

• Increase premium support for higher levels of crop insurance coverage, which will enhance affordability and reduce the need for future ad-hoc disaster assistance.
• Improve the Supplemental Coverage Option (SCO) by increasing premium support and expanding the coverage level, providing producers with an additional level of protection.
• Direct the Risk Management Agency (RMA) to conduct a study to improve the effectiveness of SCO in large counties.
• Not require producers to choose between purchasing enhanced crop insurance coverage or participating in Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, giving them flexibility to make decisions that work best for their operations. 

This legislation is supported by the American Farm Bureau Federation, American Soybean Association, American Sugarbeet Growers Association, Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau, Crop Insurance Professionals Association, Farm Credit Council, Midwest Council on Agriculture, National Association of Wheat Growers, National Barley Growers Association, National Corn Growers Association, National Cotton Council, National Sunflower Association, USA Dry Pea and Lentil Council, U.S. Beet Sugar Association, U.S. Canola Association, U.S. Durum Growers Association, and Western Peanut Growers Association.

The full text of the legislation can be found here.