CROP INSURANCE STRUGGLE: Stabenow’s plan aims to provide a larger variety of more affordable crop insurance options for producers, but without pulling any funding from key Democratic priorities in the farm bill like climate or nutrition funding. In order to do that, her plan would force producers who want to enroll in the new crop insurance offering to opt out of separate farm risk safety net programs like Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage. Senate Ag Republicans, who as Meredith also scooped last week are planning to release their own farm bill framework in the coming months, are not thrilled with the prospect of forcing farmers to make that choice. “That’s not gonna work,” Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.) said. Senate Ag Committee ranking member John Boozman (R-Ark.), told Garrett he doesn’t “really have an opinion right now,” and that his team was looking over the proposal. Nonetheless, he was happy to see a proposal aiming to break the farm bill deadlock. “I think that putting these ideas out is a good step in the right direction,” Boozman said. “I don’t know that we’ll end up exactly with this proposal, but it is a proposal, it’s something we can work with.” Funding pinch: Stabenow may also face some pushback from within her own party. Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.), one of the most vulnerable Senate Democrats up for reelection in November, told MA he hadn’t been read in on the specifics of the proposal. But he noted the reference price for wheat “needs to be a little higher.” “That costs money and people gotta be willing to spend the money, if we have a higher reference price,” Tester added. Asked about Tester and others’ push for an increase in some reference prices, Stabenow said she’s talked with the Montana Democrat about the issue, as we’ve reported. But she noted the complex funding puzzle with limited new money available. “This is not an isolated discussion we can have. It's in the context of the way things work together,” Stabenow said. Stabenow continued: “And so, I certainly am supportive of doing something on reference prices for those who will not already be getting increases. But I am constantly reminding folks that we've got over 130 commodities who benefit from buying crop insurance — which pays out immediately.” Stabenow also said crop insurance has been “the number one way” for farmers to receive disaster assistance. “And so, we just need to do things in a balanced, effective way. And reference price increases — farmers usually don't get those payments for a year or two after.” “I'm not opposed to reference price increases. This is about what's the best thing for farmers. That's the most effective,” Stabenow added. Some commodity groups have been privately skeptical of the plans. And, the American Farm Bureau Federation told MA that “farmers need both increased Title 1 funding and expanded crop insurance products to meet the modern challenges of agriculture.” Sam Kieffer, AFBF’s vice president of public policy, said the influential ag lobby appreciates Stabenow “for her continued efforts to navigate a new farm bill” and looks forward to working with her “to update and improve the cornerstone of the farm safety net.” “Since the last farm bill, farmers and consumers have experienced record-high inflation, a pandemic and global uncertainty, so strong risk management tools are more important than ever,” Kieffer added.
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