(Indian Wells, California) \u2013 \u201cAn investment in crop insurance is an investment in America\u2019s economy,\u201d Brandon Willis, the acting administrator to the USDA\u2019s Risk Management Agency, said today at the 2013 crop insurance industry conference. He challenged the group of crop insurers and farm leaders to take that message to the general public, which he said, \u201cbenefits greatly from the crop insurance program.\u201d<\/p>\n
For example, Willis explained that agriculture is key to our nation\u2019s future and that crop insurance underpins its success.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf having a food supply is in our nation\u2019s interest\u2026we need the best and brightest to be engaged in agriculture, providing that food for us,\u201d he explained. \u201cWithout crop insurance we will not get the best and brightest back on our farms.\u201d The reason, he told the group, is because of the high risk and intensive capital involved in farming. Willis also noted that, thanks to agriculture, \u201cAmerican families pay less for food at the grocery store than people in any other nation.\u201d And the sector is also a major employer, with more than 1 million U.S. jobs tied to agricultural exports alone.<\/p>\n
In addition, Willis believes that crop insurance\u2019s success during the historic drought of 2012 should be touted.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe lack of calls for disaster assistance speaks volumes to the effectiveness of the crop insurance program,\u201d he said, noting that prior to crop insurance\u2019s rise in popularity taxpayers were footing the bill for billions in costly ad hoc disaster programs.<\/p>\n
Since the last major drought in 1988, Willis said the amount of insurable farm acreage covered by insurance has risen from 25 percent to 85 percent for corn, soybeans and wheat, 80 percent for rice, and 90 percent for cotton.<\/p>\n
Since just 1998, 100 million more acres are enrolled in crop insurance and protects 30 additional crops.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
(Indian Wells, California) \u2013 \u201cAn investment in crop insurance is an investment in America\u2019s economy,\u201d Brandon Willis, the acting administrator to the USDA\u2019s Risk Management Agency, said today at the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":52,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3837","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-press-releases"],"yoast_head":"\n