Blumenauer, Norman Demand Crop Insurance Transparency

WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 -- Rep. Earl Blumenauer, D-Oregon, issued the following news release on Sept. 28, 2023:

Projected to cost $100 billion in this decade alone, the Federal Crop Insurance Program is the most expensive program in the farm safety net, yet federal law prohibits the USDA from disclosing basic information about subsidy recipients. Today, Representatives Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Ralph Norman (R-SC) introduced the Crop Insurance Transparency Act to require USDA to publicly disclose the names of producers and insurers who receive federal crop insurance subsidies and the amount received.

"At time when federal crop insurance payments are at an all-time high it is an abject failure that a majority of our small farmers and ranchers do not even have access to the crop insurance safety net. Reform begins with accurate, transparent information. I thank Representative Norman for his partnership on this issue," said Congressman Earl Blumenauer.

"One-third of all crop insurance subsidies never make it to farmers, but instead go to massive insurance companies. For the sake of transparency, it's time to shed some light on how these funds are utilized. After all, crop insurance ought to benefit our farmers, not the pockets of big insurance companies and their agents," said Congressman Ralph Norman.

The Crop Insurance Transparency Act:

* Requires the USDA to publicly disclose the names of producers who receive federally subsidized crop insurance, the amount of federal subsidy they received, and the federal portion of indemnities paid toward insured losses;

* Requires USDA to publicly disclose the names of private insurance providers that receive federal subsidies, the amount paid to cover company administrative and operating expenses, and the federal portion of indemnities and reinsurance costs;

For a one-page fact sheet, click here (https://blumenauer.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/blumenauer.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/2023-09-22-crop-insurance-transparency-act-one-pager.pdf). For full bill text, click here (https://blumenauer.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/blumenauer.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/blumen_074_xml.pdf).

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Original text here: https://blumenauer.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/blumenauer-norman-demand-crop-insurance-transparency