Recently, the Big “I," along with over 60 other industry groups, sent letters to Biden administration officials, including Tom Vilsack, secretary of Agriculture, and Shalanda Young, director of the Office of Management and Budget, as well as congressional leaders, urging them to oppose any proposed cuts to the Federal Crop Insurance Program (FCIP) in President Joe Biden's FY2025 budget. 

The Big “I" stands firmly in support of a resilient and dependable FCIP, aiming to provide assurance for American farmers and communities.

“As the challenges for America's farmers and ranchers continue to grow, we believe crop insurance as a safety net is only becoming more important to stability in rural America," the widely supported letter notes. “During this tumultuous time, one of the few certainties that farmers could rely on was the protection provided by their federal crop insurance policy." 

The president's FY2025 budget is likely to be released in March. Presidential budgets are largely symbolic and do not have binding authority over federal spending levels. Those levels are determined by Congress. The Big “I" will continue to advocate for a robust and strong FCIP and oppose any suggested cuts to the program either by the administration or by Congress. 

Corey Miller is Big “I" director of federal government affairs.