Crop Insurance Bill Removes Barriers for Farmers to Adopt Vital Risk Reduction Practices

(WASHINGTON, DC) The Cover Crop Flexibility Act, introduced today by Sens. John Thune (R-SD) and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), would remove a disincentive in federal crop insurance that discourages farmers from planting cover crops.

“A strong crop insurance safety net is even more important as climate change makes extreme and variable weather events like the record-setting rainfall in 2019 more frequent.

“The Cover Crop Flexibility Act would allow farmers to recoup some economic losses in devastating weather years and increase their climate resilience for future planting seasons. It would lay the groundwork for federal crop insurance to reward farmers for conservation actions, such as planting cover crops, that are proven to reduce risk, as well as improve soil health and water quality.

“We welcome this bipartisan effort to update and strengthen a critical risk management tool by incentivizing climate-smart farming practices.” 

• Callie Eideberg, Director, Agricultural Policy and Special Projects