(INDIAN WELLS, Calif.)\u2014The current crop insurance system, which depends on cooperation and coordination between private-sector insurers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is working well and serves as an example of how effective such partnerships can be.<\/p>\n
That was the message delivered yesterday by Brandon Willis, administrator of the USDA\u2019s Risk Management Agency, at the crop insurance industry\u2019s annual meeting. Willis pointed to the partnership\u2019s track record for eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse as proof of its success. <\/p>\n
Occurrences of improper indemnity payments to farmers, which can result from data entry and reporting mistakes, fell to 2.2 percent in 2015, Willis told the group. That\u2019s compared to a 5.5 percent improper payment average for other USDA programs in 2014 and a 4 percent average for programs across all government agencies.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis demonstrates that the crop insurance program can withstand the scrutiny [from its critics],\u201d Willis explained. \u201cIt\u2019s a good story. It tells the story that crop insurance is a well-run program with an error rate far below the government average.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added that the USDA and private insurers will continue to identify and address the causes of errors and constantly make improvements to the system.<\/p>\n
In addition to efficient and accurate program management, Willis said that the partnership excelled in implementing a complicated farm bill in 2014. In particular, he noted how hard work by both the public and private sectors made it possible to expand coverage options to beginning farmers and ranchers, organic production, and specialty crops.<\/p>\n
This expanded coverage has helped crop insurance find new supporters, noted Willis, which will be essential to defending farm policy in the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s important that we have a safety net that works for everybody,\u201d he concluded. \u201cCrop insurance has worked\u2026and it is my hope that we can work together\u2026to have a program that we are proud of and that farmers are proud of.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
(INDIAN WELLS, Calif.)\u2014The current crop insurance system, which depends on cooperation and coordination between private-sector insurers and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), is working well and serves as an […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17,1,21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6533","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-headlines-and-media","category-news","category-press-releases"],"yoast_head":"\n