Farmers are an indispensable part of our society. The crops they grow and livestock they raise provide us with the food we eat, products we use and clothes we wear. Agriculture is a major industry in the U.S., with more than 2 million farms across the country’s rural regions. In 2020, agriculture, food and related industries contributed $1.055 trillion to the U.S. gross domestic product, according to the USDA’s Economic Research Service.
98% of American farms are family-owned, contributing to 88% of production. Small family farms continue to be a key part of U.S. agriculture, operating across almost half of U.S. farm land and generating 21% of agricultural production, according to the USDA. Most U.S. poultry, including eggs, and hay is produced by small family farms.
Cotton, oilseed production and cash grains are largely provided by midsize to large-scale farms, while the majority of beef production and high-value crops such as fruits, vegetables and tree nuts are dominated by large-scale and non-family farms.
Around 40 percent of U.S. land is farmland, accounting for 900.2 million acres. Of that land, more than 460 million acres were protected through the Federal Crop Insurance Program in 2021. Acquiring crop insurance is a vital step for farmers to ensure their farmland is covered in the event of inclement weather or a natural disaster, and to protect against poor market prices.
Crop damage insurance claims are filed annually, with adverse weather conditions being the leading cause of crop loss in the U.S. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s total economic impact figure for 2021, there were more than $12.5 billion in crop and rangeland losses from major disasters that year.
Severe drought conditions led to a rough year for Montana farmers in 2021. The week of Nov. 23, 2021, was the most intense period of drought since the U.S. Drought Monitor started in 2000, affecting 33.10 percent of Montana land. The period of intense drought also fueled wildfires that blazed throughout the state, scorching acres of farmland in the process.
In 2021, more than 1 million acres of land were scorched in Montana wildfires. The extreme conditions prompted disaster programs to provide assistance to ranchers in farmers impacted by the blaze. Donations from other states were sent to Montana to help ranchers in need, displaying the camaraderie within the agricultural community across the nation.
With more than 26,000 farms and ranches across the Treasure State, agriculture is Montana’s number one industry. The state’s primary crop is wheat, ranking first in the nation in the production of certified organic wheat. Montana also tops the list in the production of peas and lentils.
Protecting the farmland in this vast state is important not only to its residents, but to the entire nation. In a state prone to wildfires and extreme weather, crop and livestock insurance is crucial for ranchers and farmers. K-Factor Advocates’ team of public insurance adjusters have a deep knowledge of the insurance and agricultural industry. Before filing a crop damage insurance claim, consider the impact hiring a public insurance adjuster could have on the overall outcome of your settlement amount.
ABOUT OUR TEAM
If you’re looking for a Public Adjuster in Montana, K-Factor Advocates has a skilled team of professionals that specialize in insurance claim negotiation, policy language and interpretation, and claims estimating. The K-Factor team has helped hundreds of clients navigate the challenges of the claims process, securing fair settlements in order to restore their damaged property.
