Congress has made an agreement with the White House on a deal that would raise the debt ceiling and set the budget for two years. In order to pay for it the deal calls for a $3 billion cut to the crop insurance program. See story here
Specifically, the budget deal announced last night includes harmful cuts to the private sector delivery system. Today, crop insurance is a successful public-private partnership. This proposal would weaken that partnership and with it, the rural economy. The House is expected to take up the budget as early as tomorrow.
It is critical you call your elected Representatives TODAY and ask that they oppose the inclusion of cuts to crop insurance in the budget deal.
Call your House Representative: http://www.house.gov/representatives/
Call your Senators: http://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/
Talking Points
- I’m calling in reference to the recent deal that would raise the debt ceiling and set the budget for the next two years. I ask that you oppose the deal because of the deep cuts it makes to crop insurance.
- I strongly oppose changes that would harm crop insurance, including cuts to the private sector delivery system.
- Crop insurance is an affordable, effective tool for managing risk.
- The cuts included in the current budget proposal would threaten the timely service that farmers have come to rely on when they need to get back on their feet after times of disaster.
- Additionally, the crop insurance delivery system has already sustained $12B in cuts since 2008.
- These proposals to harm crop insurance make little sense after crop insurance protection helped farmers and ranchers survive one of the worst droughts in our nation’s history – without calls for expensive, 100% taxpayer funded disaster assistance.
- Farmers and ranchers, lenders, input suppliers and processors, insurance and reinsurance organizations agree that crop insurance is the centerpiece of agricultural risk management.
- With over 290 million acres protected, crop insurance is a sound investment and helps ensure the production of a stable food, fiber, feed, and fuel supply.
- I urge you to oppose the budget deal unless this harmful crop insurance language is stripped from the package.
Information Provided from the Professional Insurance Agents of Indiana.
