Washington, D.C. — Rep. Barry Moore (AL-02) delivered an official letter to Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack requesting an update on the Hurricane Insurance Protection – Wind Index Endorsement (HIP-WI) and amending it from an all-or-nothing system to a tiered system.

Moore delivered his request for an improved system of administrating hurricane insurance funds after listening to farmers throughout the Wiregrass who have suffered losses due to hurricanes.

“I know firsthand the damage that a hurricane can do to a farmer’s crops, and fortunately, in 2020, many counties in the Second Congressional District of Alabama were able to take advantage of the Hurricane Insurance Protection made available to them,” wrote Moore. “However, the counties that were not triggered by this all-or-nothing system still had extreme losses but were not eligible for HIP-WI. If the product was expanded to include a tiered system, farmers could purchase protection from devastating winds caused by a named hurricane, even if the winds are below hurricane-force within their county.”

Alabama Farmers Federation Governmental and Agricultural Programs Department Director Mitt Walker said the organization appreciates the congressman’s steadfast support of farmers.

“He understands so much of what farmers face each growing season is completely out of their control, especially when it comes to weather events such as hurricanes,” Walker said. “We appreciate his efforts to ensure farmers have a variety of risk management tools that are effective in their time of need.”

The full letter is available here.