Michael Swanson is a Chief Agricultural Economist for Wells Fargo with more information about the ag economy than most of us can wrap our heads around. He recently spoke at the 2016 Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau Annual Meeting and tried to break down some of his information in a seminar entitled “Challenges Facing the World Agriculture Market.” Chuck Zimmerman …
AFBF Outlines the Struggle for Crop Insurance
The American Farm Bureau Federation had the opportunity to address the 2016 Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau Annual Meeting with Congressional Relations and Senior Director, Mary Kay Thatcher. We’ll have to be on our toes this year, she said to Chuck Zimmermann about funding for crop insurance and other ag programs. There has been talk about going back to regular order, …
Climatologist Shares Predictions at CIRB
Few things fascinate farmers more than weather– and it interests crop insurance agents quite a bit too! Chuck Zimmermann managed to sneak in a few minutes with the historical climatologist who presented at the 2016 Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau Annual Meeting. James Garriss of the Browning Report not only studies the history of climate and weather, but also has a …
Emerging CIRB Leaders Build Future of Crop Insurance
Sheri Bane kicked off the 2016 Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau Annual Meeting with her opening remarks. When Chuck Zimmerman caught up with her later he was able to learn more about the organizations first year with the Emerging Leaders Program. “We had company representatives nominate up and coming leaders within their organizations,” Bane explains. “Those six people began the program late last …
Crop Insurance Takes Hit in Budget Proposal
The Obama administration’s 2017 budget proposal includes reforms to the crop insurance program that would end up costing farmers more. Two specific changes are proposed – one would reduce subsidies for revenue insurance policies that insure the price at the time of harvest and the second would reform prevented planting coverage, including removing optional buy-up coverage. According to USDA, the …
Coalition Urges Congress to Maintain Farm Safety Net
Nearly 50 organizations representing agricultural interests sent a letter last week to Congressional leaders urging them not cut crop insurance or other farm programs through the omnibus appropriations act. “The crop insurance program is the lynchpin of the farm safety net and is crucial to the economic security of rural America,” reads the coalition’s letter to Congress. “The crop insurance …
Ag Lawmakers Oppose Crop Insurance Cuts
While many are praising a budget deal that averts a government shutdown and the prospect of one until after next year’s elections, the deal isn’t being welcomed by many agricultural state lawmakers. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts (R-KS) announced he will vote against the budget deal negotiated behind closed doors because of its raid on crop insurance funding. “I …
Exploring Crop Insurance & Conservation Practices
Crop insurance provides an important risk management tool for farmers, especially in the short term. Conservation practices look to the long term to reduce farmers’ risks. Our friends at Farm Foundation will hold another one of their free forums on Thursday, Oct. 8, to examine how the relationship of crop insurance and conservation practices has evolved over the years, and …
Global Crop Insurers Meet in KC
Agricultural leaders from more than 30 nations have been meeting in Kansas City this week to discuss the challenge of feeding a growing world population and how crop insurance can help farmers accomplish this goal. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack welcomed the International Association of Agricultural Production Insurers (AIAG) and provided his perspective on the importance of crop insurance for both …
CIRB Wrap Up
Before the Crop Insurance and Reinsurance (CIRB) annual meeting was a wrap, Chuck sat down with Sarah Hubbert with CIRB to get her perspective on how the event went and a glimpse into what they have planned for the future. “As CIRB staff, it has been really exciting to see how much this annual meeting has really grown over the …