National Association Wheat Growers President Discusses Crop Insurance

At the end of October, national ag groups activate their members to call their senators and helped stop a $3 billion cut, over 10 years to crop insurance as part of the omnibus appropriations bill. Following the significant pushback from the agricultural community and many Members of Congress, Congressional leadership committed to reversing the crop insurance cuts when Congress turns to an omnibus appropriations bill later this year. At last week’s Tri-State Grain Growers Convention, National Association of Wheat Growers President and Washington state wheat grower Brett Blankenship shared
Blankenship: “Well, we are confident that the chair and the ranking member on the Senate Ag Committee — Senators Roberts and Stabenow — will hold the line and be true to the their word that those appropriated funds will not come out of the ag committee, or the Farm Bill or even out of jurisdiction in the ag committee. However, there are always attacks on crop insurance and we need to be vigilant with all members of Congress that agriculture paid its fair share negotiating the last Farm Bill. Agriculture donated to help balance the budget. If other sectors of the economy ever gave in the way agriculture already has — we would have a balance budget. It is unacceptable to us that they come to agriculture first for more cuts and we are going be vigilant and stand against that.”