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Farmer Sign-On Letter: Diversified & Small Farms Deserve a Strong Safety Net

October 26, 2023

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Diversified, small, and mid-sized farmers deserve to have a strong safety net. Yet, most don’t. Why? Crop insurance isn’t accessible or worthwhile for most small, mid-sized, and diversified farms.

Take it from Andy Petran, a Land Stewardship Project member and Farmington, Minn.-area farmer, who wrote the following in a recent Star Tribune op-ed: “Farming has always been difficult, but climate-induced extreme weather events have increased the level of risk. To help overcome bad years and bad luck, the federal farm bill offers farmers subsidized crop insurance. Yet the program as it currently functions favors large operations producing a few select crops, making it impractical or impossible for many small farmers to participate. A recent survey of farmers under 40 found that only 5% had crop insurance. That’s a crisis for agriculture.”

A single extreme weather event or season of drought can put an uninsured farmer in serious financial distress or out of business, especially if they’re a beginning farmer without years of operating experience to build their own financial resiliency. As the impacts of climate change continue to accelerate, our farmers, who are on the front lines of climate change, are at extreme risk — this is especially true for farmers growing food crops. This means the security and future of our farm and food system is at risk.

That’s why Land Stewardship Project members are organizing to include the Whole Farm Revenue Protection Improvement Act (WFRPIA) in the next Federal Farm Bill. If passed as part of the next Federal Farm Bill, this legislation will realize the potential of the existing Whole Farm Revenue Protection Program to provide financial resiliency and stability for producers historically left out of federal crop insurance programs. The bill addresses common barriers to this promising but complex insurance program by streamlining paperwork, expanding the Micro Farm pilot policy, raising the annual growth limit, strengthening the diversification discount, appropriately compensating crop insurance agents who sell WFRP policies, and more.

View LSP’s fact sheet on the Whole Farm Revenue Protection Improvement Act here.

Senator Tina Smith has been an active co-sponsor of this legislation, but Senator Amy Klobuchar has not yet expressed her support. To get this bill across the finish line, we need to demonstrate to Senators Smith and Klobuchar that this must be a top priority for them.

If you are a Minnesota farmer, please take just one minute to add your name to our Farmer-Sign-On Letter by November 10 to urge our U.S. Senators to make the WFRPIA a top priority for the next Farm Bill!

Add Your Name Here

LSP staff and farmer-members who are traveling to Washington, D.C., in mid-November will hand deliver this letter to our Senators’ offices to make sure they see the farmer constituents they have who are counting on them to get the Whole Farm Revenue Protection Improvement Act passed into law. Please add your name today! 

Category: Action Alerts
Tags: 2023 Farm Bill • crop insurance • federal ag policy • Whole Farm Revenue Protection Improvement Act

Contact

Amanda Koehler. LSP policy manager, e-mail, 612-400-6355

Upcoming Events

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July 2025

Friday July 18

9:30 am – 2:30 pm
Russell Hedrick Soil Health Event: Lac qui Parle County
Friday July 18
9:30 am – 2:30 pm
Russell Hedrick Soil Health Event: Lac qui Parle County
1174 295th Ave, Dawson, MN 56232

Details are here.

Tuesday July 22

9:00 am – 2:30 pm
Ray Archuleta Soil Health Series: Sartell
Tuesday July 22
9:00 am – 2:30 pm
Ray Archuleta Soil Health Series: Sartell
2611 17th St N, Sartell, MN 56377, USA

Details are here.

12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Unlocking Conservation Resources for Communities & Farms
Tuesday July 22
12:00 pm – 2:00 pm
Unlocking Conservation Resources for Communities & Farms
Far North Spirits, 2045 220th Avenue, Hallock, MN 56728, USA

Join Renewing the Countryside and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) this summer at one of their eight conservation events in a town near you, where you will:

  • Learn how conservation benefits Minnesota’s rural communities.
  • Hear from a panel of local speakers.
  • Discover available NRCS Farm Bill programs and the economics of on-farm practices.
  • Enjoy a complimentary lunch, plus a chance to win door prizes.
  • Network with local farmers, neighbors, and conservation professionals.
  • Receive helpful materials and personalized support on next steps after the event.  

For more information, click here. 

Locations & Dates:
Each event is free, open to all, and runs from noon to 2 p.m. at the venues listed. Space is limited, please register in advance.

  • Hallock (Kittson County) – Tues, July 22 @ Far North Spirits
  • Elbow Lake (Grant County) – Wed, July 23 @ Elbow Lake Community Building
  • Sleepy Eye (Brown County) – Thur, July 24 @ Sleepy Eye Brewing Company
  • Milaca (Mille Lacs County) – Tues, July 29 @ Gorecki Community Center
  • Mora (Kanabec County) – Thur, July 31 @ Sapsucker Farms Yellow Belly Cidery
  • Owatonna (Steele County) – Tues, August 5 @ Owatonna Public Utilities Building
  • Jordan (Scott County) – Wed, August 6 @ Ridges at Sand Creek
  • Fairmont (Martin County) – Thur, August 7 @ Red Rock Center for the Arts
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Agrivoltaics: Growing Forages & grain Crops
Tuesday July 22
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
Agrivoltaics: Growing Forages & grain Crops
Online Webinar

This free webinar series is about cattle and sheep solar grazing and growing forages or grain crops under solar panels.

The practice of grazing livestock under solar panels has become increasingly popular. It is often referred to as agrivoltaics or solar grazing. This system involves the use of land for both solar energy production and livestock grazing or crop production. In this session, Sabrina Florentino will talk about forage production research and the Rauenhorst Farm Agrivoltaics Project on growing row crops under solar panels.

To register, click here. 

Wednesday July 23

9:00 am – 2:30 pm
Ray Archuleta Soil Health Series: Villard
Wednesday July 23
9:00 am – 2:30 pm
Ray Archuleta Soil Health Series: Villard
15290 127th St, Villard, MN 56385, USA

Details are here.

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  • ‘Bringing Small Grains Back to Minnesota’ Meeting Aug. 2 in Madison  July 14, 2025
  • Get Your Farm Photographed & Receive Free Images! July 10, 2025
  • ‘Fishing, Farming & Food: Rush Creek’s Fish Kill Anniversary & Why it Matters’ Event July 12 Near Lewiston July 8, 2025

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