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Panelists urge broader, simpler crop‑insurance tools for specialty crops and livestock
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Summary
Speakers told the House Agriculture subcommittee that Whole Farm Revenue Protection, micro‑farm policies and USDA livestock programs help producers, but complexity, agent capacity and insurer pullbacks threaten access for specialty and high‑risk crops and livestock producers.
Witnesses at the House Agriculture subcommittee hearing said federal risk‑management programs remain critical but need adjustments to serve a broader set of commodities and producers.
Mandy Minnick, senior vice president at AgWest Farm Credit, praised Whole Farm Revenue Protection and micro‑farm policies as “instrumental” for specialty crops—examples she cited included apples, grapes, wasabi and kiwi berries—but said those policies are complex and some crop insurance agencies are unwilling to buy or administer portfolios because administration is time‑intensive. She told the committee that “if producers can't access them, then it doesn't support that.”
Brian Gilbert of First National Bank described the importance of USDA’s Livestock Risk Protection program and a bank‑owned crop insurance agency that helps clients tailor risk strategies. He said the Livestock Risk Protection program’s delayed premium payment structure for some contracts has been “really beneficial.”
Committee members and witnesses raised reports of private insurers declining to offer coverage in perceived high‑risk areas and noted that while recent budget and policy measures provided some relief for insurance providers, access gaps remain—especially for geographically concentrated specialty crops and one‑off commodities such as oysters. Minnick urged streamlining administrative processes, expanding commodity coverage where warranted, and ensuring agents remain compensated to sustain service availability.
Why it matters: crop insurance and related USDA programs are underwriters of credit; gaps in coverage or agent capacity can translate directly into limited borrowing capacity or higher costs for producers.
Ending: Witnesses recommended targeted program adjustments—broader commodity eligibility, simpler administration, agent retention incentives, and monitoring for insurer withdrawals—so crop insurance continues to enable credit and market participation for diverse producers.
