RH News | Archive

Irwin Nelson, Legislative Committee Chairman
Carol McClelland, Exec. Director
Jim Cavanaugh, Lobbyist

DRASTIC CUTS IN CROP INSURANCE PROGRAM

BACKGROUND: The second draft of the 2005 Standard Reinsurance Agreement (SRA) has been released by the Risk Management Agency (RMA) and it proposes a $41 million cut from the crop insurance delivery system as well as extensive new regulatory burdens on agents who deliver crop insurance to producers - while amazingly, at the same time requesting a $20 million budget increase for RMA operations. The reality of this is that if companies are forced to absorb such considerable cuts to their profit margins (specifically through a $25 million reduction in A&O expense reimbursement), they will be looking at agent commissions as the most feasible way to make up the difference. We must act as one voice to alert the White House and Congress that independent insurance agents will NOT sit back and allow RMA to dismantle America's most sound risk management tool.

IMMEDIATE ACTION NEEDED

With a July 1, 2004 deadline looming, your national association leaders have been working with other groups to lobby for a fair and sound SRA for the 2005 crop year, as well as working hard in Washington, D.C. to make our concerns known to the White House, the Department of Agriculture, and the Office of Management and Budget. We only have a two-week window to let President Bush and our Nebraska Senators and Congressmen know how damaging these unnecessary cuts will be to the program and farm producers!

E-mail and/or fax President Bush, Nebraska's Senators, and your Congressman today! Download and personalize this sample letter (click here and save the file to your computer for editing), and print your letter on your letterhead for faxing.

AGENTS & FARMERS WILL PAY FOR THESE PROGRAM CUTS-- PLEASE E-MAIL &/OR FAX TODAY!! THANK YOU!

White House Contact Information:
Email
President George W. Bush: president@whitehouse.gov

Phone numbers
Comments: 202-456-1111
Fax: 202-456-2461

U.S. Senators:
Chuck Hagel - chuck_hagel@hagel.senate.gov Fax (202) 224-5213
Ben Nelson - ben_nelson@bennelson.senate.gov Fax (202) 228-0012

U.S. Representatives:
Doug Bereuter - 1st District - No Email, Fax (202) 225-5686
Lee Terry - 2nd District - talk2lee@mail.house.gov Fax (202) 226-5452
Tom Osborne - 3rd District - No Email, Fax (202) 226-1385

For more information call Carol McClelland at (800) 377-3985.