North Dakota Producers Call Farm Bill A ‘Priority’

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota farmers and ranchers are set on a new Farm Bill to maintain the federal programs that help keep their operations going in tough times.

North Dakota Corn Growers Association executive director Dale Ihry says there's a strong sense of need for a 2018 Farm Bill.

The Bismarck Tribune reports corn growers held four meetings in the eastern half of the state last week to gauge what producers would like to see in U.S. farm policy. The issues brought up in those meetings will be shared with the corn growers' national organization to form the group's policy and lobbying agenda.

A priority for producers is maintaining, and possibly improving, crop insurance. One suggestion is restructuring how payments are calculated for the popular Agriculture Risk Coverage insurance program.