Amid one of the worst growing seasons on record for Michigan’s farmers, state Rep. Julie Alexander, chair of the House Committee on Agriculture, today led a coalition of 63 lawmakers in urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture increased flexibility under the Federal Crop Insurance rules.

“Our farm families have been struggling with the instability of commodity prices, rising input costs, the implications from changing national trade policies and, now, the wettest 12-month period on record in the continental U.S.,” said Alexander, of Hanover. “Without assistance, the stories of family farms being sold will continue to rise and the increased rural mental health and opioid issues triggered by stress will continue to change to the makeup of our farm communities.”

According to the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, agriculture is Michigan’s second-largest economic sector, contributing roughly $104.7 billion in economic activity.

The coalition of lawmakers led by Alexander signed a letter of support that will be sent to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue.

“We encourage you to help ensure this planting season is not a total loss by providing increased flexibility under Federal Crop Insurance rules for utilizing forage and cover crops, including corn silage, on prevented plant acres,” the letter reads. “Time is of the essence in enacting these changes. . . waiting much longer will remove the option for farmers to plant at all because the seed will no longer be available.”

Increased flexibility would allow farmers to plant on land normally prohibited by federal crop insurance rules, allowing for more crops to get to market and be raised for feed for a farmer’s livestock.

As of June 12, Michigan farmers had only planted 63 percent of planned corn seeds and 43 percent of soybean seeds, according to the Michigan Farm Bureau. From May 2018 to May 2019, this year has been the 12-month period wettest on record, preventing many farmers from planting before the June deadlines elapsed. The deadline for full coverage of crop insurance was June 5 for corn and June 15 for soybeans.

Full text of the letter and its signatories can be found here.