Rod Grams: “I want to briefly express my support for the crop insurance reform package that is being considered today, and the…”

“I want to briefly express my support for the crop insurance reform package that is being considered today, and the additional emergency assistance that was appended to the bill. This crop insurance reform is critically needed in the heartland of America. As the sponsor of the first crop insurance reform legislation introduced in the 105th and 106th Congress, I have worked hard on crop insurance reform and on keeping this issue at the forefront of congressional priorities, so it is gratifying to finally see this measure completed by conferees and the Congress. I worked with a committee of Minnesotans representing producers, lenders, agriculture economists, and other stakeholders to build a consensus on solutions to the current discontentment in rural America with the federal crop insurance program. I am pleased that the final bill contains the expansion of pilot programs I worked for, expansion of the dairy options pilot program that I cosponsored, and higher premium subsidies at the higher levels of coverage that was the critical portion of my original legislation. The premium subsidies will be crucial to help farmers manage their risk, and possibly reduce the need for ad hoc disaster assistance. Many producers believe that the current crop insurance program is too costly to take part in, and this reform measure should increase participation and thus spread risk more widely.”