U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), alongside Senator John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Agriculture Committee Ranking Member John Boozman (R-Ark.), introduced the FARMER Act, a bill aimed at bolstering federal crop insurance to better support American farmers. The legislation proposes significant enhancements to federal crop insurance, including increased premium support for high coverage levels and reduced producer deductibles. The objective is to mitigate the need for disaster assistance in the future by providing more comprehensive coverage. Ernst says, “Time and time again, it’s become painfully obvious that our farmers need improved access to high-coverage crop insurance plans that adequately cover all the challenges in a growing season. To protect our ag community, I’m fighting to improve federal crop insurance and ensure that dollars in the Farm Bill actually go towards safeguarding our food and fields, not pie-in-the-sky climate change policies.” The bill garnered support from key stakeholders, such as Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig, Iowa Soybean Association Director Pat Swanson, and Iowa Corn Growers Association President Jolene Riessen, who noted the need for such protections during the state’s record drought, lower commodity prices, and high input costs. The current Farm Bill, which includes crop insurance subsidies for farmers, expired Sept. 30, 2023, but was extended for another year. Attempts in Congress to reach an agreement on the new Farm Bill have stalled for months, and there has been little appetite from either chamber to act quickly on a new version.
Sen. Ernst Looks To Bolster Crop Insurance With FARMER Act
