On the recordMay 23, 2013
I appreciate the confidence my friend from Oklahoma has about what business decisions will be made. Let's assume they don't walk away from crop insurance; they will be walking away from conservation compliance if they are not required to do that. If this agreement falls apart--and it is an agreement that was delicately put together with over 30 different farm organizations, as well as conservation and environmental folks, to work together to support crop insurance. But to require environmental compliance--they may or may not make decisions about crop insurance. I do know if they do leave, the folks in the program, which are small- and medium-sized programs--as a matter of economics, like any other kind of insurance-- will see their costs go up. We do know that. We also have this broader question that relates to the large farmers the Senators are talking about where the benefit to having comprehensive conservation compliance for our country is a benefit we want to make sure we keep intact. It would be undermined with the passage of this amendment.
