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(NAFB) – The Crop Insurance Coalition urges lawmakers to protect crop insurance from budget cuts in the upcoming fiscal year 2022 budget process.

The coalition of 58 partners recently sent a letter to key lawmakers detailing the request. Letters were also sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. The coalition says farmers need access to a strong and secure federal crop insurance program.

The letters say the last several years have brought an onslaught of uncertainty for America’s farmers and ranchers – from weather extremes to the disruptions of international markets to COVID-19 and its unique challenges. Given the challenges rural America faces and the nature of crop insurance, the coalition says cuts to the program should be avoided.

Referring to ad hoc programs supporting farmers over the last three years, the letter states, “it would only serve to undercut these efforts to propose harmful changes to a crop insurance program.”