The Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau (CIRB) and coalition partners collaborated to create a "Crop Insurance Myths vs Facts" resource guide that debunks common misconceptions about the crop insurance program. We invite crop insurance coalition partners to use these templates as a starting point for your organization (and members) to share positive crop insurance messages on Twitter and Facebook. 

If you have resources that you would like to see featured in future toolkits, please contact CIRB!
Coalition Update

D.C. Update

President Trump has approved federal disaster declarations for Nebraska and Iowa. This week, the Senate could hold a vote on a $14.2 billion disaster aid package that the House passed in January, and Secretary Perdue expects some form of flood relief to be included in the final bill.

Another legislative option Congress could consider is offering tax breaks for disaster victims which could include deductions for casualty losses, extending tax filing deadlines, easing limits on deductible contributions to charity or waiving penalties for tapping retirement accounts.

RMA Regional Director Collin Olsen encouraged farmers and ranchers to contact their crop insurance agent if they are concerned about prevented planting. "The agent can provide details on your prevented planting coverage and how and when to file a claim," he explained. To help farmers recover, USDA has set up a resource center at farmers.gov/recover.

Our thoughts are with those across the Midwest who have been impacted by major flooding that has damaged billions of dollars worth of agriculture, businesses and infrastructure. If CIRB can be of assistance, please reach out to our staff. Please use this toolkit as an opportunity to emphasize the timeliness and certainty of the crop insurance program during natural disasters.

Resources

  • Click here for common myths and facts on disaster assistance.

  • Click here to read more about USDA's options to assist farmers impacted by flooding. Click here to learn more about prevented planting insurance provisions from USDA RMA.

  • Click here for information about the positive impact crop insurance has had in your state.
Sample Twitter Posts

Click  here  to see a list of coalition partners' twitter accounts. Follow and retweet messages from these groups to show the broad support for crop insurance.

Key hashtags: #ProtectCropInsurance, #cropinsurance, #realagfact

  • States like #NE, #IA and others continue to see catastrophic flooding and many fields are still underwater. Access USDA RMA fact sheet for prevented planting insurance provisions here: http://bit.ly/2Wp6Ctf

  • #CropInsurance keeps farmers farming through tough times and is the only #farmsafetynet available to producers of all sizes in all regions. #ProtectCropInsurance

  • "#CropInsurance provides growers with a much-needed safety net to mitigate the effects [of natural disasters]" -@wheatworld President and farmer @ScholzBen. Read more to understand how recent flooding demonstrates the importance of #CropInsurance http://bit.ly/2CyBSyH

  • Beginning farmer Luke Howard said, #CropInsurance "was a lifesaver for us." Read more to understand why new producers call the program vital to their operations: http://bit.ly/2Wq2YQ4

  • Recent natural disasters underscore the importance of a strong #farmsafetynet. #CropInsurance is a rapid response to natural disasters. #ProtectCropInsurance (Include below graphic.)
  • Private sector delivery allows #farmers who have losses & have met their deductible to receive their indemnity payment in < 30 days. #ProtectCropInsurance (Include below graphic.)
  • When disaster strikes, #cropinsurance helps farmers recover quickly. #ProtectCropInsurance Watch here: http://bit.ly/cieconomy
  • Retweet this important resource from USDA RMA: https://twitter.com/usdaRMA/status/1110230369897340928

  • Retweet this message from the National Association of Wheat Growers: https://twitter.com/wheatworld/status/1110252318061199361
Sample Facebook Posts  

Feel free to cut and paste or customize the below posts. 

  • #CropInsurance is a true insurance product proven to be efficient and effective when natural disasters strike. Even with the flooding that has occurred prior to planting in Nebraska and Iowa, crop insurance can provide some assistance. Click here to learn more about prevented planting coverage. http://bit.ly/2Wp6Ctf

  • Farmers across the Midwest have been impacted by catastrophic flooding this week. Multiple resources are available to farmers. For information on prevented planting, click here: http://bit.ly/2Wp6Ctf For additional information on livestock assistance and other USDA resources, go to: https://www.farmers.gov/recover (Include below graphic.)

Contact  Kerry Lynch  or  Marissa Dake  with questions. Resources will also be posted online at  cropinsurance.org/legislative-action-center/myths-and-facts/ .