WASHINGTON — Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), along with Sen. John Thune (R-SD), has put forth a new bipartisan bill that seeks to help farmers struggling as a result of bad weather.
The Cover Crop Flexibility Act of 2021 will ensure that farmers will not incur crop insurance penalties if bad weather hinders them from planting crops in a given season, according to Stabenow’s office.
“When extreme weather gets in the way of planting, farmers aren’t able to grow beneficial cover crops without facing a crop insurance penalty,” says Stabenow. “This commonsense change permanently fixes that problem and is a win for the environment and for farmers.”
We’re told the legislation is backed by 37 agricultural organizations, including the Michigan Farm Bureau and the Michigan Corn Growers Association.
