Broadcast Newsline: April 24, 2009

Crop insurance is an important risk management tool for cotton producers, every bit as important as any other production input.

This week’s Cotton Newsline is 4 cuts. All cuts are Rickey Bearden, West Texas producer from Plains, Texas. He is Chairman of the National Cotton Council’s Crop Insurance Task Force and recently testified before the House Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management. 

Suggested introduction cut 1:
Crop insurance is an important risk management tool for cotton producers, every bit as important as any other production input.  According to Rickey Bearden, a West Texas producer and chairman of the National Cotton Council’s Crop Insurance Task Force, improving the risk management options for producers has been a top priority for the cotton industry for many years. The Council supported passage of the Agricultural Risk Protection Act in 2000 based largely on its goal to make higher levels of coverage more affordable to farmers.

Suggested introduction cut 2:
Bearden says it is critical that the Risk Management Agency establish a comprehensive strategy to identify why inconsistencies continue to exist across crops and establish a strategic plan for addressing these issues.

Suggested introduction cut 3:
According to Bearden, progress is being made. The RMA cotton program is improving and the industry supports the efforts to further reduce instances of fraud and abuse.

Suggested introduction cut 4:
Bearden says another improvement that the cotton industry has asked RMA to consider is allowing a producer to purchase different levels of coverage for irrigated and non-irrigated production. 

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