Ohio Farmers Union

Serving Family Farmers and Consumers Since 1934



United to Grow Family Agriculture Since 1934

  • About
    • The Farmers Union Triangle
    • Vision
    • OFU Leadership
  • Issues
    • 2020 Virtual Lobby Days
    • OFU Policy & NFU Policy
    • 2019 Lobby Day Registration
    • Get Involved!
    • NFU Climate Leaders
  • Education
    • 2019 OFU Essay Contest
    • Ohio Farmers Union Scholarships
    • Farm Safety
    • Renewable Energy Curriculum
  • Insurance
    • Hastings Mutual Insurance Co.
    • Health & Other Offerings
    • Ohio BWC Group Coverage
  • Join Us
    • Member Benefits
    • Insurance
  • Blog

Actions by Sen. Sherrod Brown and others could help bring crop insurance rates down

December 1, 2011 By Ron Sylvester Leave a Comment

Share
Share on Google Plus
Share
Share on Facebook
Share
Share this
Pin
Pin this

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Following action taken by from U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH), the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that it would begin to update its methodology for setting crop insurance premium rates to ensure that corn and soybean producers throughout the Midwest pay lower, more-fair rates. The move follows a letter sent by nine senators, led by Brown, calling on the USDA to follow the recommendations of a 2011 independent study commissioned by the USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA). The study recommended changes to the methods used to calculate crop insurance premiums for corn and soybean producers, who pay a higher premium than they should in the Midwest when compared to relative risk.

“Crop insurance is a critical risk management tool for Ohio farmers, but Midwest producers have been shouldering more than their fair share of the burden for too long,” Brown said. “Beginning to update how crop insurance premiums are calculated is a huge win for Ohio farmers, but the USDA’s Risk Management Agency can and must do more. The recommendations of the independent study should be implemented promptly and in full.”

Under current methodology, crop insurance rates are set for producers using historical crop production and price data. Many experts have contended that farmers in Midwestern states like Ohio overpay for crop insurance because natural disasters are much less frequent than in other regions of the county. The RMA-commissioned study, released earlier this month, showed that the Midwestern corn and soybean farmers had a markedly lower risk for corn and soybean production than implied by current crop insurance rates.

In Ohio, the methodology adjustments announced today could reduce corn farmers’ rates by 7 percent and soybean farmers’ by 9 percent on average. Brown believes full implementation of the independent study’s recommendations could result in even greater reductions to premiums.

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: Crop Insurance, Sherrod Brown

Leave a ReplyCancel reply

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • RSS
  • YouTube

Latest News from the Ohio & National Farmers Union

OFU Rallies for Rural Schools

Fair School Funding Plan Integral for Rural Public Schools COLUMBUS – The League of Women Voters of Ohio and Ohio Farmers Union held a Statehouse … Read More

Public Schools Build Connections in Rural Communities. Vouchers Tear Them Down.

by Melissa Cropper, president, Ohio Federation of Teachers This op-ed was orignally published on Barn Raiser: Rural communities depend on … Read More

National Farmers Union Week of Action for Strong Farm Bill

National Farmers Union (NFU) today concluded the Week of Action that gathered more than 100 farmers from across the country to the halls of Congress … Read More

How Do Tariffs Affect Family Farms?

A Talk in Kent, Ohio with Ohio Farmers Union and Others Have you noticed the price of eggs? Who hasn’t! How do government actions and tariffs … Read More

Check Out the Entire Blog

NATIONAL FARMERS UNION

Click to Take Action



Contact

Ohio Farmers Union
P.O. Box 363
1011 N. Defiance Street
Ottawa, Ohio 45875
Phone: (419) 523-5300
Toll Free: (800) 321-3671

Copyright Ohio Farmers Union© 2025 | Site by: RCS Communications