Committee reviews voluntary farm‑safety training and possible insurance premium discounts for producers

The Interim Agriculture and Water Management Committee reviewed options to encourage farm and ranch safety training linked to insurance premium discounts. Legislative Council staff summarized the study charge (Senate Bill 2157) to assess whether voluntary safety training could justify insurer discounts. Officials from the state Insurance Department, Workforce Safety & Insurance (WSI) and North Dakota State University described existing programs and how a state‑coordinated training approach might increase participation.

Nut graf: Committee members focused on whether incentives should be market‑driven or state‑endorsed, whether discounts would be actuarially justified, and how to reach seasonal and H‑2A workers. Presenters stressed the difference between voluntary safety encouragement and mandatory regulation.

What agencies told the committee: Blaine Bergstedt, property and casualty division director at the North Dakota Insurance and Securities Department, said the department supports incentives but would prefer market development rather than a mandated, uniform discount. He explained carriers submit actuarial justification when…