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BISMARCK – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Water, issued the following statement today encouraging North Dakota’s agricultural producers to participate in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Risk Management Agency (RMA) public comment period on recommended changes to the Pasture, Rangeland, Forage (PRF) Rainfall Index Crop Insurance Program. Senator Cramer has repeatedly heard from North Dakotans on this issue and has worked with the Administration and his colleagues through his seat on the 2018 Farm Bill Conference Committee to improve the program.
“As we often see when dealing with the bureaucracy, the PRF insurance program tries unsuccessfully to use a national model to predict a very local issue. That’s why I worked with my colleagues in the House and Senate to include provisions in the last Farm Bill authorizing the Agriculture Secretary to examine possible changes to ensure conditions on the ground are being accurately reflected in the data recorded. That provision is a direct result of outreach from producers in Western North Dakota,” said Senator Cramer. “I am glad to see the department is extending the comment period in order to hear from our livestock producers about the changes being proposed. All concerned citizens should offer their input.”
In July of 2017, then-Representative Cramer and North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring met with livestock producers in Dickinson to discuss this issue. Their meeting led to Senator Cramer securing a provision in the House version of the 2018 Farm Bill to bring reform to the program.
USDA is accepting comments on recommendations for improving the program and recently extended the comment deadline from November 5 to December 21.RMA will review all comments and determine what recommendations should be implemented for the 2022 crop year.