Farmers Can Expect Crop Insurance To Be A ’23 Farm Bill Priority
As hearings are starting up about the 2023 Farm Bill, one theme that continues to maintain importance is the role crop insurance plays. Pennsylvania Congressman Glenn ‘GT’ Thompson, Ranking Member of the House Ag Committee has traveled to around 29 states in the past year gathering information for the next farm bill.
In an article by Hoosier Ag Today, Thompson says that crop insurance is what gets attacked by members of Congress each time the Farm Bill comes around.
“I think it's ignorance. There are those who just don't understand it. Crop insurance is not like buying fire insurance. If you suffer a devastating loss if your house burns down, fire insurance, by and large, are going to rebuild your house,” said Thomson. That’s not cropped insurance. Crop insurance is a public/private partnership. Farmers have skin in the game; they make an investment. It’s really trying to deal with weather… The weather has a huge impact on agriculture, probably more than any other industry.”
That’s why Thompson and his colleagues are working to clear up any confusion around the matter.
“A couple of years ago, probably 4 years ago, we formed a crop insurance caucus. That's where we use that to educate both members and their staff on the realities are of crop insurance. It’s a public/private partnership. I expect, as we go through this next Farm Bill process in 2023, there will be some amendments that will try to attack crop insurance, but, as I like to say, I don't like a fair fight. So, that's my approach. We're working to proactively educate members of Congress and their staff about just how successful this program is and how important it is,” said Thompson.
Traditionally, both the Senate and House ag committees have been known for being bipartisan, however, recently concerns have been surfacing that this may not be the case.
“The agriculture committee continues to be very bipartisan. Now, we've had our moments the past little over a year. The two budget reconciliation bills that were imposed upon the committee, really by Nancy Pelosi and the Democratic leadership, were awful. It was the first time I’ve really seen the insertion of partisan politics into the agriculture committee,” said Thompson. “But it didn't come from the members on the committee, it didn't come from the staff, it came from the democratic leadership.”
Thompson adds it feels like they are behind schedule with this Farm Bill.