Shaheen Introduces Legislation to Reform Crop Insurance, Save Taxpayers More Than $40 Billion

(Washington, DC) – U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH),a senior member of the U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee and Ranking Member of the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies (Ag-FDA) Subcommittee,is introducing legislation to reform the federal government’s crop insurance program, save roughly $40 billion over the next ten years, level the playing field for smaller farms and target fraud and abuse in the program. The bill comes asalready struggling small, diversified farmsface rising costs from President Trump’s tariffs and skyrocketing fuel and fertilizer prices due to the conflict with Iran.
“American taxpayers shouldn’t be footing the bill for crop insurance companies and large agri-businesses to turn a profit on crop subsidies while small farms that actually need support don’t receive it,”said Senator Shaheen.“When I meet with farmers in my state they tell me crop insurance doesn't work for them and that the Trump Administration’s reckless policies are driving up their costs. It’s time we invest in small farms that are feeding our local communities. My legislation is a commonsense way to get help to the farmers who need it most while saving Americans money and shining a spotlight on those who abuse the federal crop insurance program.”
The federal crop insurance program is expected tocost taxpayers over $14 billion this yearalone. According to the Congressional Budget Office, Shaheen’sAssisting Family Farmers through Insurance Reform Measures(AFFIRM) Actwould save more than $40 billion over ten years by placing commonsense limitations, increasing transparency measures and reducing wasteful spending in the crop insurance program without reducing support for farmers who need it.
Specifically, theAFFIRM Actwould:
A copy of the bill text can be foundHERE.
Shaheenfirst introducedtheAFFIRM Actwith then-Senator Jeff Flake (R-AZ) in 2015, andagain with then-Senator Pat Toomey(R-PA) in 2020. The legislation is endorsed by a coalition of groups including Taxpayers for Common Sense, R Street, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, the National Taxpayers Union, Farm Action Fund and the Environmental Working Group.
Senator Shaheen has a strong record of working to support farmers in New Hampshire. In theFiscal Year 2026 Ag-FDA appropriations legislation, Shaheen defended conservation tools used by the state’s agricultural producers, maintained funding for Farm Service Agency staffing in county offices in the Granite State, made $10.5 billion in farm loans available to help producers access capital across the country and funded research that helps improve cultivation practices in New England. Last year, Shaheenheld twoseparate roundtable discussions with New Hampshire farmers and agricultural producersfrom across the stateto discuss the impacts farms experienced as a result of President Trump’s freeze on tens of billions of dollars of federal funding at USDA. In 2024, Shaheen successfully helped to securedisaster supplemental fundingfor farmers impacted bycrop losses in 2023.
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