The importance of crop insurance

The importance of crop insurance

Tim Hammerich
Tim Hammerich
News Reporter
This is Tim Hammerich of the Ag Information Network with your Farm of the Future Report.

The food security we enjoy in this country is thanks in part to crop insurance. National Crop Insurance Services recently interviewed farmers about the importance of crop insurance including Michigan blueberry growers Shelly Hartmann who says growing a specialty crop comes with risks.

Hartmann… “There are so many risks in agriculture these days, it's very difficult to be able to do everything precisely right. Crop insurance is really a big tool that we use here to help us offset any unexpected weather events, production losses, market loss as well. We need to protect crop insurance.”

Organic farmer Michael Sahr says he also relies on crop insurance to protect his family farm.

Sahr… “We've been there 130 years. Our family. I'm pretty proud of that. Crop insurance has been a great advocate for the farmers to keep them floating. Without crop insurance, we'd have so much devastation that the farmers would go out of business, and you would be paying a lot more money for your food.”

And crop insurance agent David Colville emphasizes the importance of insurance as Congress approaches the next farm bill.

Colville… “A lot of people depend on agriculture in this area and it's important as an agent to keep them protected. I would like Congress to do no harm.”

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