In Brief: Bankers Call for Reform of Crop Insurance

Two bank trade groups have asked Congress to change crop insurance laws to help farmers and their lenders.

The Independent Bankers Association of America and the American Bankers Association worked with several farm and insurance groups on a proposal to reform the program so more farmers will buy crop insurance policies.

The bank groups want lawmakers to increase the subsidies farmers receive from the government when they purchase policies with high coverage levels. Bankers also want to make it cheaper for farmers raising low-risk crops to buy coverage. They are also asking that the government reimburse insurance companies' product development expenses, the proposal said.

Congress is expected to take up crop insurance reform legislation next year.

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