Cornucopia’s Take: Crop insurance rules can disadvantage organic farmers. The National Center for Appropriate Technology is offering a survey for commercial growers and ranchers to help create recommendations to the USDA on crop insurance improvements. The deadline is October 31.
NCAT survey seeks grower feedback on crop insurance
Take Survey by October 31
NCAT
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Source: NCAT Facebook Page |
Calling all growers: Help create a more level crop insurance playing field by taking a 20-minute survey.
Background: Crop insurance not only helps farms and ranches survive weather-related losses, but is required for many loans. The 2014 Farm Bill required the USDA to create new insurance products tailored to the needs of organic, diversified, and specialty crop growers. The USDA responded by creating organic premium price elections for many commodities—reflecting the generally-higher value of organic crops. The USDA also launched a new insurance product—Whole-Farm Revenue Protection—allowing farms to insure virtually any combination of commodities (including livestock) under a single policy.
Why we are doing this survey: So far, few growers have taken advantage of these new opportunities. NCAT is conducting a national survey of needs and attitudes. Based on the results, we will make recommendations to the USDA on further improvements to crop insurance for organic, diversified, and specialty crop growers.
Who is eligible: Confidential and anonymous, the survey takes just 20 minutes—on any computer, smart phone, or other mobile device. It is open to anyone who is farming or ranching commercially in the United States.
We are offering a $20 honorarium to early responders. (Honorarium funds are limited.)
How you can help: (1) Take the survey at www.ncat.org/cropinsurance. (Growers only, please.) (2) Share the link with friends. (3) Share this social media-ready post.
Partner organizations: The ATTRA Project, Center for Farm Financial Management, Florida Organic Growers, Food Action, Kansas Rural Center, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute, Midwest Organic & Sustainable Education Service (MOSES), Montana Organic Association, National Center for Appropriate Technology, New England Farmers Union, Oregon Tilth, Rural Advancement Foundation International (RAFI-USA).
For more information: e-mail [email protected].
Funding for the survey is provided by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award #2014-51300-2222.
