USDA Hopes to Speed Crop Insurance Payments

October 20, 1999

Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman says USDA is working to speed payments to insured farmers whose crops were damaged or lost by floods from recent hurricanes. Counties in North and South Carolina are affected.

Under most conditions, loss adjusters are required to verify insured acres before authorizing payments. Glickman's Tuesday announcement allows adjusters to accept the acres certified by the farmer so payments are not delayed waiting for flood waters to recede. Verification of self-certified acres will be checked at a later date to avoid fraud.

Another rule change reduces the number of samples needed to determine crop losses. Generally the amount of paperwork and time needed to complete a claim will be reduced.