Joco Today

U.S. Senators Roger Marshall, John Hoeven, and John Boozman have introduced the Federal Agriculture Risk Management Enhancement and Resilience (FARMER) Act, aiming to enhance crop insurance while reducing costs for farmers. Senator Marshall emphasized the importance of this legislation in maintaining a robust farm safety net, which is crucial for farmers who face unpredictable disasters.

"The FARMER Act is a major step toward ensuring the farm safety net stays intact and up to date for those who work tirelessly to provide us with food and fuel," said Senator Marshall. He noted that Kansas farmers prioritize crop insurance in the Farm Bill due to its essential role in disaster response.

Senator Hoeven highlighted the necessity of affordable coverage options within crop insurance. "Crop insurance remains the number one risk management tool for our farmers, but it doesn’t provide the kind of affordable coverage options that all producers need," he stated. Hoeven argued that higher levels of coverage would reduce reliance on ad-hoc disaster assistance and emergency spending by the federal government.

Senator Boozman added his support, emphasizing the need for effective risk management tools for future planning. "The Farmer Act would make critical improvements to the farm safety net and deliver support to producers across the country who rely on these programs," he said.

The bill is also supported by several other senators including Mitch McConnell, Joni Ernst, Cindy Hyde-Smith, Jim Justice, Chuck Grassley, Deb Fischer, and Jerry Moran.

Organizations such as the American Farm Bureau Federation and National Corn Growers Association back this legislation.