Saxby Chambliss: “Senator Lugar's amendment replaces the current safety net with several measures--two of which are related to crop…”

“Senator Lugar's amendment replaces the current safety net with several measures--two of which are related to crop insurance and revenue protection. I greatly appreciate Senator Lugar's interest in expanding crop insurance coverage, because there are very few farmers in my State who are even eligible to purchase the coverage Senator Lugar uses as a component of his safety net. I appreciate his interest in expanding the Group Risk Income Protection--GRIP--and Group Risk Protection--GRP-- which are county-level revenue plans of insurance, but I have serious concerns about building the safety net around these programs as a replacement to traditional commodity programs. While GRIP and GRP may be popular, workable programs in Indiana, they are not in Georgia. Of the 159 counties in my home State, these policies are only offered in: for soybeans, 7 counties; for corn, 9 counties; for wheat, 4 counties; for cotton, 16 counties; for peanuts, about 25 counties. In Georgia in 2006, only 47 of these policies were sold and earned premium; 47 for the whole State out of over 13,000 total policies sold and earning premium. Only seven of those triggered indemnity payments. One of those 47 producers called my office and said he wished he had never taken it because it did not provide individualized coverage.”