Agreement to Remove Crop Insurance Cuts Reached, NSP Applauds Ag Leadership

Agreement to Remove Crop Insurance Cuts Reached, NSP Applauds Ag Leadership

In the wake of the announcement this week of a two-year budget agreement, House Agriculture Committee Chairman K. Michael Conaway and Ranking Member Collin Peterson announced an agreement to avoid the cuts to crop insurance, which are included in the vote today on the Bipartisan Budget Agreement of 2015. While the language to cut crop insurance funding will remain in the bill, House leadership has agreed to reverse this provision in the omnibus bill later this year.

Following this announcement, National Sorghum Producers Chairman James Born released this statement:

“The work done in the last 48 hours to protect crop insurance, an essential farmer safety net element fought hard for through the 2014 Farm Bill process, is a true testament to the agriculture leaders we have representing farmers and ranchers across the United States.

On behalf of the sorghum industry and our producers, I extend my deepest gratitude to House Agriculture Committee Chairman Mike Conaway and Ranking Member Collin Peterson for their leadership in this matter. I also thank Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow for their efforts in the Senate.

I would also like to thank the numerous Members who supported House Agriculture Committee leadership and the grassroots efforts by our members and proponents to ensure crop insurance remains intact as a vital component to the farm safety net.

Agriculture’s voice was heard loud and clear this week under the tremendous leadership of Chairman Conaway, and as agriculture income has dropped in the past two years, we remain united in working together to protect the agriculture safety net.”

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NSP represents U.S. sorghum producers and serves as the voice of the sorghum industry coast to coast through legislative representation, regulatory representation and education. To learn more about NSP, visit www.sorghumgrowers.com.