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I'm Dr. Anthony Liesiewicz, and this is Climate Connections. Farming is risky and it's getting riskier as climate change causes more extreme weather. To increase their resilience, some farmers grow a variety of crops, so if one fails, they have others to fall back on. But farming this way can make it harder to get crop insurance.
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Very small and very diversified farms are not well served through the crop insurance system.
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Julia Barton of the Organic Farmers association says federal crop insurance, which helps cover losses after disasters, was designed for conventional farms that grow a single crop, like corn or soybeans. For a long time, it was not a feasible option for small diversified farms because they needed a separate policy for each crop. So about 10 years ago, the USDA began offering coverage for multiple crops under one policy. But Barton says hurdles remain. Many small farmers struggle to find an agent who can help them navigate the process. And those who rotate crops may struggle to provide the year over year documentation the program requires. Her group advocates for more reforms and discounts.
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It's important that we have safety nets in place to support farmers while they are being as resilient as they can be.
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Climate Connections is produced by the Yale center for Environmental Communication. To learn more about climate change, visit climateconnections.org org.
Title: Small farmers need a better safety net, trade group says
Host: Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz
Release Date: June 19, 2026
This episode explores the challenges small and diversified farmers face in accessing crop insurance amid a changing climate. Dr. Leiserowitz discusses with Julia Barton from the Organic Farmers Association about how federal crop insurance programs are often ill-suited for smaller farms, especially as climate change increases the risks posed to agricultural livelihoods.
Climate change is leading to more extreme weather events, making farming increasingly precarious.
Diversification (growing multiple crops) is one strategy farmers use to hedge against these risks.
"Farming is risky and it's getting riskier as climate change causes more extreme weather."
— Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz [00:03]
The current federal crop insurance system favors large, conventional farms cultivating a single crop.
Small and diversified farms are at a disadvantage, often unable to obtain proper insurance coverage.
"Very small and very diversified farms are not well served through the crop insurance system."
— Julia Barton, Organic Farmers Association [00:24]
Originally, farmers needed a separate policy for each crop, making coverage impractical for small, diversified operations.
About a decade ago, the USDA allowed multi-crop coverage under one policy, but the process remains complicated.
Small farmers face two main hurdles:
"For a long time, it was not a feasible option for small diversified farms because they needed a separate policy for each crop."
— Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz [00:32]
"Many small farmers struggle to find an agent who can help them navigate the process. And those who rotate crops may struggle to provide the year over year documentation the program requires."
— Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz [00:49]
The Organic Farmers Association advocates for additional reforms and discounts to better support small, diversified farms.
Crop insurance safety nets should be strengthened, especially as climate impacts intensify.
"It's important that we have safety nets in place to support farmers while they are being as resilient as they can be."
— Julia Barton [01:12]
Diversification Dilemma:
"Very small and very diversified farms are not well served through the crop insurance system."
— Julia Barton [00:24]
Systemic Barriers:
"Many small farmers struggle to find an agent who can help them navigate the process. And those who rotate crops may struggle to provide the year over year documentation the program requires."
— Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz [00:49]
Resilience and Policy:
"It's important that we have safety nets in place to support farmers while they are being as resilient as they can be."
— Julia Barton [01:12]
This episode highlights how climate change creates new risks for farmers and exposes shortcomings within federal insurance programs, particularly for small and diversified farms. It spotlights the urgent need for systemic updates so that all farmers can access the support and resilience tools necessary in a warming world.