Farm-state GOP senators call for higher crop insurance subsidies [Video]

Republicans on the Senate Agriculture Committee proposed a $4 billion injection into the crop insurance program so that the government would pay a larger share of the premiums on policies offering the highest levels of coverage. “We need more farm in the farm bill to get it passed,” said Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota, the lead sponsor, on Tuesday.

Leaders of the Senate and House Agriculture committees were at an impasse over calls for more farm support spending — keeping “the farm in the farm bill” — when funding is tight. Democrats such as Senate Agriculture chairwoman Debbie Stabenow adamantly oppose cuts in climate or SNAP funding.

“Everybody is working in good faith, trying to get it done,” said Arkansas Sen. John Boozman, the senior Republican on the committee. But one of his colleagues said, “We’ve got to stick to our guns on this,” meaning an expansion of federal spending on crop insurance.

Under the so-called FARMER Act, the …