Insurance Tops Corn Growers' Risk Practice

By Mark E. Ruquet

NU Online News Service, March 29, 11:11 p.m. EST?Corn growers feel insurance is the most important tool in their risk management practice, with a younger generation of farmers more inclined to purchase coverage, according to an association survey.[@@]

The St. Louis-based National Corn Growers Association this week released a survey of 804 corn growers, 91 percent of whom said they purchase some form of insurance as part of their risk strategy.

The telephone survey, done in December 2003, questioned farmers who grew more than 500 acres of crops in their farm operation.

The primary form of insurance farmers purchased was revenue insurance by 62 percent of those surveyed; followed by private hail with 53 percent; then catastrophic multi-peril at 40 percent. Eight percent said they purchased a group risk policy.

In looking at the survey results, said Ron Litterer, chairman of NCGA's public policy action team, the association is looking at ways growers can handle its risk exposure without depending on disaster bills to come to their aid in a time of crisis.

He said the two major difficulties with dependence on federal bailout are that small farms suffering isolated losses do not have the political clout to get a disaster bill passed, and that when there is an agricultural disaster--for example extended drought--and a disaster farm aid bill is passed, it is not fair that those who have not purchased insurance end up with the same protection as those who have been paying insurance.

The federal government, which underwrites the crop insurance program, has made some adjustments, such as a reduction of premium for those who have insurance when such a bill is passed.

"What we are trying to find is a way for crop insurance to work so disaster bills become a thing of the past," explained Mr. Litterer. "I don't know if that can ever happen."

Younger farmers, age 18 to 49, are more likely to purchase insurance than some of their older counterparts. Unfortunately, noted Mr. Litterer, the survey pool for the younger farmers is smaller because there are fewer young people getting into the profession.

Cash flow concerns was the number one reason for purchasing insurance, respondents said, followed by price for the insurance and weather forecasts.

The survey was good news for independent agents. Sixty-three percent of the respondents said that they get their insurance information from crop insurance agents. Only four percent said they use the Web to obtain information.

When it comes to satisfaction with their insurance program, most said they were moderately satisfied, on a scale of 1 to 5. Private hail insurance scored best, while catastrophic multi-peril got a lower rating.

In terms of payments, 74 percent of farmers who filed claims in the last five years said their claims were figured accurately.

Details of the survey can be found at www.ncga.com.

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Insurance Tops Corn Growers' Risk Practice

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