New York farmers who signed up for an eligible crop insurance policy this year will receive an automatic premium reduction due to an extra $430,000 New York state received from the U.S. Department of Agriculture”™s Risk Management Agency to reduce premiums for eligible crop insurance holders.
“Crop insurance is an essential risk-management tool that can help producers balance the financial risk of rising input costs and volatile crop prices,” Patrick Hooker, state Department of Agriculture commissioner, said in a statement. “With the addition of this federal aid, crop insurance is becoming more and more affordable for our producers, allowing them to purchase higher levels of coverage that will ultimately result in better financial protection.”
As part of the Risk Management Agency”™s crop insurance education grants, 16 states, including New York, received a collective total of $3.5 million to reduce producer premiums. New York received more than 12 percent of that funding. he federal assistance will reduce premiums by up to $150 per non-catastrophic, or buy-up, crop insurance policy for eligible New York producers. ?The premium reduction will be applied automatically to all eligible 2010 crop insurance policies with reporting deadlines before Sept. 30. If the total producer-paid premium is less than $150, the amount of premium reduction will be capped at 100 percent of the producer premium due. Producers will receive assistance for each eligible policy they hold, up to $50,000. Administrative fees will not be covered under this assistance.
The state also received a $1.25 million grant from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to improve cattle feed safety. The goal is to enhance cattle feed laboratory testing and inspection programs directly related to animal and human health. Under the agreement, New York will receive $250,000 annually for five years in return for enhancing the state”™s feed safety programs.
“New York is the third largest dairy state in the nation in dairy production ”“ ensuring quality feed for our animals is a priority,” Hooker said. “This funding will allow us to conduct more testing in the lab and enhance the inspection process in order to better safeguard our livestock and ultimately protect human health.” There are currently 116 feed manufacturers and over 300 feed distributors in New York inspected by the state Agriculture Department.
