The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1941-06-25
Crop Insurance
Continued from Page One)
Montana Tagging in Sale

| moHtdHd Ed99iH9 III Odic
This discrimination in rates for
Montana is undoubtedly the reason for
the lag in sale of crop insurance to
Montana farmers. 1t is generally con-
coded that the only farmers in Mon
tana who take out Federal Crop In
surance are those whose risks are
especially high, and those who are
employees in the AAA and are fear
full of losing their jobs unless they
carry the insurance. This last group
is quite small. 1t must be admitted
that under present rates, crop insur-
ance is being carried only by those
farmers in Montana who constitute
the poorest risks. If insurance was
generally carried by all farmers over
the state, there is little doubt that
premiums paid in would be several
times losses paid out.
Higher Than North Dakota
Comparison of county rates in Mon
| tana with those in North Dakota seem
| to indicate discriminating between
these two states. Trail Co., North
Dakota, for example, has a yield of
1873 with premium rate of IL. Cas-
cade county, Montana, has a yield of
1875 but premium rate of 2.11.
Cavalier county, North Dakota, has
yield of 100 and a premium rate of
Ill. Judith Basin county, Montana,
with a yield of 1913 has a premium
rate of 2.06.
Special Practices Being Considered
Tom Arlington and Arthur Cum
mings, representing the Federal Crop
Insurance Corporation presented to
| the conference at Bozeman a plan
for special practices. Under this plan,
| farmers who carried out special prac-
tees such as summer fallow would
be given increased yield 1t was
stated this plan would not be put in
effect in all counties, but would be
confined to perhaps 8 to 10 counties.
The plan calls not only for increased
yield but an increase in premium as
well, since it was stated that the risk
of the crop insurance corporation
would be greater, so an additional
premium would have to be added. 1t
is felt by many people, both AAA of
ficials and farmers that the increase
in yield allowed, will be offset by
the increase in premium, and crop in
surance will not be made more popu-
lar by the adoption of such practices.
1t is felt that the sale of Crop In
surance to Montana farmers would be
greatly increased if the rates were
reduced. Many feel that with i'm
proved farming practices and with
generally better moisture conditions,
the Crop Insurance Corporation could
safely cut the premium rate in half
for all counties. State AAA officials
expressed the opinion that if prem
ium rates are reduced by only Ia it
of crop insurance in the state to
great extent
r. U. Sponsored Crop Insurance
The Farmers Union was the only
farm organization which supported
the Crop Insurance Act. Farmers
Union people feel that the organiza-
ton has direct responsibility for
the success of crop insurance. State
leaders are telling members to write
their senators as we'll as the Federal
Crop Insurance Corporation, demand
ing a reduction in premium rates |
charged Montana farmers.
This reduction would be effective |
for the 1912 crop insurance. A sales
campaign for crop insurance will get |
under way sometime in July for the |
out that the higher price of wheat |
will do farmers little good if they |
have no wheat to sell. But Montana
farmers are not going to pay prem
ium which would be sufficient to pay
off total loss every years.