In what was one of the most challenging years for agriculture, the crop insurance sector rose to the occasion to help stabilize an industry shaken by the COVID-19 pandemic, tornadoes, hurricanes, wildfires, political unrest and a massive derecho storm that ravaged thousands of farm and ranch acres in farm country. In her opening remarks at the National Crop Insurance Services (NCIS) annual meeting, NCIS president and ProAg CEO Kendall Jones said federal crop insurance provided $114 billion in protection for farmers on just under 400 million acres in 2020. To date, $7.4 billion in indemnities has been paid to insured customers, with farmers paying $3.75 billion from their own pockets to help fund this protection. The combination of federal program policies and private-sector delivery systems is a reason for pride in past performance and optimism moving forward, Jones said. “Our industry’s success has reduced the need for taxpayer-funded ad-hoc disaster legislation – a defining attribute that will only grow in importance as farmers and ranchers continue to deal with extreme weather,” Jones said. “Our industry strives to expand coverage options and increase the pool of insureds to reduce risk. We have an impressive track record of adapting to the technologies and farming techniques our customers embrace to drive efficiency and protect the soil that supports their families.” See more from Jones’ remarks and more from the NCIS annual meeting.