Organizations representing crop insurance companies held a virtual joint 2021 Crop Insurance Convention this morning where they heard from the leadership of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Chair Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) and Ranking Member John Boozman (R-AR). American Association of Crop Insurers (AACI) executive director Scott Graves welcomed Sen. Boozman, while Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB) executive vice president Michael …
CIRB Annual Meeting was Virtual Success
The 57th Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB) Annual Meeting was a virtual success. Michael Torrey, CIRB Executive Vice President, said they were pleasantly surprised to have a record turnout for their first ever virtual meeting, which gave many more a chance to participate. “Allowing several individuals within companies, and participants from overseas, and even a lot of non-members, to …
Role of Crop Insurance in Climate Change Policy
The Role of Crop Insurance in Climate Change Policy was the theme for the closing panel of the 57th annual Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau meeting held virtually Thursday. The panel included Bruce Knight, Strategic Conservation Solutions, LLC; Callie Eideberg, Environmental Defense Fund; Jonathan Coppess, University Of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, College of Agricultural & Consumer Economics; and Josh Tonsager, National Association …
Virtual CIRB Meeting Gets Ag Economic Update
The food and agriculture economies are continuing to feel the impact of COVID-19 as the pandemic enters a second year of global disruption. “Beginning in mid-March, when it was declared a pandemic in the United States…the impact on agriculture was immediate,” said American Farm Bureau Federation chief economist John Newton, speaking today at the virtual 57th annual Crop Insurance and …
CIRB Hemp Perspectives
One of the most timely sessions at the Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau annual meeting last week was Hemp Perspectives, moderated by CIRB Executive VP Michael Torrey. The session offered a look at the volatile world of the new U.S. hemp industry through the eyes of a processor, a farmer and an insurance provider. Steve Bevan, president of GenCanna Global, …
2020 Economic Outlook
Economist Bob Young told those attending the 2020 Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau Annual Meeting that the general economy is not in a bad place, and he expects some economic growth in the year ahead. When it comes to the agriculture sector specifically, Young has questions about what will happen with all of the acres that were not planted in …
CIRB Emerging Leaders Class Grows
The Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB) named 13 industry professionals to its 2019-2020 Emerging Leaders Program (ELP) class. In its 5th year, this is the largest class to date, with participants selected from CIRB’s membership. The program gives the opportunity for selected professionals to increase their knowledge of advocacy and communications while providing networking experiences with industry leaders. Most …
CIRB Still Growing Together After 56 Years
The 56th annual Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB) ended on a high note Friday after an informative two days of presentations on important industry topics such as the farm economy, trade, climate change, and hemp. The theme of the meeting this year was “Together we Grow” and CIRB Executive Vice President Mike Torrey says one area where the organization …
Crop Insurance Update from USDA RMA at CIRB
USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) Administrator Martin Barbre gave an update to Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB) members during their annual meeting last week. One of the big topics of discussion was the recently announced availability of two programs that protect hemp producers’ crops from natural disasters. “We’re trying to get to a level where we can insure producers’ …
CIRB Honors Sen. Roberts for Crop Insurance Support
The “Father of the Modern Crop Insurance Program” was honored today for his lifetime of service to farmers and the industry by the Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB). CIRB Chairman, Zane Vaughn of ARMtech, presented Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) with the crop insurance industry’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Chairman Roberts is the only Member of Congress to …