FSA, RMA monitor crop insurance

Brad Pfaff, state executive director of the Wisconsin Farm Service Agency (FSA), reminds Wisconsin farmers that FSA is required to assist the Risk Management Agency (RMA) to improve the integrity of the Federal Crop Insurance Program through the prevention of fraud, waste and abuse.

FSA is required to monitor the crop insurance program, report problem to RMA and assist RMA and insurance providers when auditing certain claims. FSA offices are responsible for the oversight plan which includes close monitoring and oversight of the crop insurance program locally and growing season inspections on a selected number of insured producers. This plan also includes an expanded exchange of data between FSA, RMA and local reinsured companies. Information provided to the FSA office and reinsured companies by insured producers will be reconciled in an effort to research and identify inconsistencies. FSA County Committees have the opportunity to suggest changes to the crop insurance program, but are not involved in the decision making process. FSA also assists RMA by gathering facts and reporting observations as they pertain to weather, crop plantings, maintenance and harvest. Producers who become aware of potential crop insurance abuse should report in information to the local FSA office.

“Producers must ensure they inform agents of entity changes in their farming operations and changes in the risks and interests in the crops insured,” said Pfaff. FSA and RMA annually reviews discrepancies between records and have found inconsistencies in a number of cases. These often resulted in the loss of insurance benefits.

Tags: community, superior, farms