02.10.23

Hoeven Outlines Efforts to Maintain Strong Crop Insurance, Farm Safety Net & U.S. Sugar Policy

Senator Addresses Valley Crop Insurance Annual Meeting, Secured Commitments from USDA Officials to Support Key Ag Priorities

FARGO, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven, Ranking Member on the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee and a senior member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, today addressed the Valley Crop Insurance annual meeting, where he outlined his efforts to maintain strong farm policy to support the nation’s agriculture producers and agri-businesses. This includes:

  • Maintaining crop insurance, the primary risk management tool for many producers.
  • Improving the farm safety net, including the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs.
  • Ensuring continued support of U.S. sugar policy.
  • Strengthening livestock disaster programs, including the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP), the Livestock Forage Program (LFP) and the Emergency Livestock Assistance Program (ELAP).
  • Cutting red-tape and ensuring programs are farmer-friendly.

“Our nation’s farm policy not only helps ensure the continued success and competitiveness of U.S. ag producers, but it is essential to maintaining an affordable and high-quality food supply, which every American benefits from every day,” said Hoeven. “That’s why we are working to advance the priorities of North Dakota’s farmers and ranchers as we begin writing the next farm bill. Just this week, we raised these issues with key USDA officials, including Under Secretary Bonnie, RMA Administrator Bunger and FSA Administrator Ducheneaux. We appreciate their continued commitment to work with us on strengthening U.S. farm policy, including our risk management programs, the farm safety net and sugar policy.”

Hoeven raised these priorities at a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing with U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) officials this week, including: 

  • Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Robert Bonnie.
  • Risk Management Agency (RMA) Administrator Marcia Bunger.
  • Farm Service Agency (FSA) Administrator Zach Ducheneaux.

Hoeven secured a commitment from the three officials to continue supporting crop insurance, as well as ARC and PLC. Bonnie also committed to the senator that he would properly manage sugar policy for U.S. farmers, including sugar beet growers in the Red River Valley. 

These efforts follow a discussion that Hoeven hosted last year with Senator John Boozman, Ranking Member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, in North Dakota with local producers and commodity groups, providing them the opportunity to give direct input as work begins on the next farm bill. 

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