News & Events
Profax 3/22/2010 - 3/22/2010
ISN’T IT INTERESTING??! One of the Federal Crop Insurance Program’s biggest critics is Dr. Bruce Babcock, a Berkley
graduate and teacher at Iowa State University. His constant whining from the socialistic podium is that agents are paid
too much, companies are the only benefactors in the crop insurance program and that taxpayers are wasting unnecessarily
$1.165 billon on agents and companies. He mirrors the global warming crowd with skewed numbers, does not
understand crop insurance and sips from the public trough! Here’s what’s interesting: Babcock bellyaches that the
average agent commission per crop policy increased from $426 in 2001 to $1,442 in 2008—the record high commodity
price-year! He’s all bent out of shape because of the increases. While espousing a waste of taxpayers dollars, his salary at
Iowa state is purported to be $210,000 PLUS a private remuneration contract of another $150,000 for $360,000 per year
[this does NOT include publicly funded retirement, health, vacation and other bennies!]. Babcock makes MORE in ONE
DAY [$1,550] at taxpayer expense than the risk-taking insurance agent gets PAID IN A YEAR for servicing a complicated
crop insurance policy. It ain’t the time it takes to sell a policy Mr. Babcock—it’s the time it takes to learn, understand,
deliver and service a risk management tool all year long! “Very interesting”!
CANOLA GROWERS SEEKING PLANT DATE EXTENSION: The ND Canola Growers Association is seeking an additional 5-day
extension to the late plant dates in ND for canola. North Dakota farmers raise 90% of all canola in the US and are
petitioning the RMA for the extension for the 2011 crop year. The Minnesota growers association is making the same
request to its RMA Regional Office. Newer varieties have lessened the chance for crop failures and research is indicating
that a 2-3 degree warm up in soil temps will increase the yields up to 20% justifying a later plant date. Current canola
deadlines range from May 10 in the southwest to May 31 in the northeast.
DOWN AND DIRTY: If the RMA in DC thinks crop agents are overpaid and some Ag Committee leaders think crop agents
ought not to build new homes while some academics like Bruce “Berkley” Babcock think agents make too much money
and our nation’s Ag Secretary Tom Vilsack say there’s little work to selling crop insurance---then we as agents need to
take the gloves off and get “down and dirty”! Okay let’s call a spade a spade. The latest survey by the American
University Institute for the Study of Public Policy Implementation ranked the RMA with a score of 55.5 for overall
assistance to farmers. They were ranked 195 out of 208 [almost embarrassing] while their pay and benefits were scored
at 80.3 which were ranked 7 out of 216!! Agents make too much money?? Who’s calling the kettle black? Dr. Babcock
makes more per day than a crop agent makes in commission per policy in a year’s time. Babcock is director at a “big ag
school”—Iowa state and Ag Secretary Vilsack is former Governor of the biggest ag state in the country—Iowa. These
over-paid, ill-informed, sidewalk farmers need to put on their bib-overalls and roll up their sleeves like crop agents have
to do! There is no excuse for this ignorance!
2009 LOWEST ROAD FATALITIES SINCE 1950s: The DOT reported total traffic deaths declined by 9% in 2009 to 33,963 –
the lowest toll since 1954. By comparison, just four years ago [2005], there were 43,510 people killed in traffic accidents.
The bad economy, tougher drunk driving enforcement and more safety features are credited with the decline. Safety
factors include more seat belt usage, side air bag protection, electronic stability controls and better roadways. One area
of concern is “distracted drivers” caused by cell phones and text messaging.
“NO VACANCY”! “Sold Out” or “Seats Unavailable” are frustrating words when traveling, shopping, or planning a trip
whether it be on the Internet, phone or in person. Don’t let this happen to you with the upcoming PIAND “Tech Days”!.
Because of the nature of material, personalized questions, and space available, each location will be limited to the first 40
registrations. NDPIA National Director Dan Weber is one of our “techie” members and says we ought to have 296 of the
300 PIAND members who have computers, internets, and software programs in attendance. “As fast as things are
changing, we ought to have a Tech Day every month to keep up—don’t get left behind, register NOW before it is too late!
This is not for “new“ or “old” techies but for all of us who sell insurance”, says Weber. “Why do we want to let companies
like GIECO and the direct writers get ahead of us with the newest and latest ideas such as ‘social networking’ in an
insurance agency? Why should we let THEIR websites draw customers away from us? Steven Anderson is good. He is an
insurance specialist not a nerd in some college computer lab!“ The two one-day seminars will be held in Bismarck and
Fargo, March 30 & 31. Registration forms are available at www.piand.com
