Research Results from New York University (NYU) Update Understanding of Crop Insurance (Fitting a square peg in a round hole): Agriculture – Crop Insurance

2024 SEP 11 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Investigators publish new report on crop insurance. According to news reporting from New York University (NYU) by NewsRx journalists, research stated, “The suite of U.S. federal farm programs available to organic farmers includes conservation programs through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP), risk management through crop insurance, and the Organic Certification Cost Share Program (commonly referred to as Organic Cost Share or just Cost Share).”

Our news reporters obtained a quote from the research from New York University (NYU): “Of these programs, the Organic Cost Share is the most widely used. Many organic farmers do not enroll in conservation programs or purchase crop insurance. The underutilization of federal farm programs by organic producers is well known in the organic community, but there is a lack of systematic evidence about the rationale for not applying for or using programs. Using qualitative data collected through structured interviews, we find that many organic producers want to participate in the Organic Cost Share, EQIP, CSP, and crop insurance. Many are successful, but others face institutional, cultural, and programmatic barriers that prevent them from participating. A key recommendation from this study is the creation of specialized, highly trained crop insurance and conservation agents with expertise in organic farming systems to facilitate the application process and program use for conservation programs and crop insurance.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “The Organic Cost Share Program would have more impact if its funds were used to support beginning organic farmers in addition to small-scale farm operators.”

For more information on this research see: Fitting a square peg in a round hole. Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development, 2024,13(4). (Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development - https://www.foodsystemsjournal.org). The publisher for Journal of Agriculture, Food Systems, and Community Development is Lyson Center for Civic Agriculture and Food Systems.

A free version of this journal article is available at https://doi.org/10.5304/jafscd.2024.134.002.

Our news journalists report that more information may be obtained by contacting Sara Jean Whelan, New York University.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)