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Mission Statement: Working to improve crop insurance through unity and leadership.
Purposes: CIRB's purposes are to:
- act as a liaison between member companies and regulatory agencies,
- educate Congress on all aspects of crop insurance,
- work with Congress in the passage of legislation that strengthens the crop insurance program,
- protect private hail insurance from federal regulations that weaken or destabilize it,
- promote crop insurance to the general public,
- provide educational support to members, to develop educational products for members and the general public,
- work cooperatively with other trade groups and associations,
- and other purposes as determined by the Executive Committee.
Membership: Open to all direct writers of crop insurance, reinsurance companies, reinsurance brokerages, foreign companies, agricultural groups and associations and other groups and individuals with an interest in crop insurance.
Full Membership: Restricted to direct writers, reinsurance companies and reinsurance brokerage groups. Dues are established annually and based upon direct written premium for insurance companies and a flat rate for reinsurance operations.
Associate Membership: Open to all others with an interest in crop insurance. Dues are a flat rate.
Year Founded: 1964
Location: CIRB is centrally located in Washington, DC, just a few steps from the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate offices and only a few blocks from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Address:
Crop Insurance Research Bureau, Inc.
201 Massachusetts Ave, NE Suite C-5
Washington, DC 20002
Phone: (202) 544-0067
Fax: (202) 330-5255
E-Mail: mtorrey@cropinsurance.org
Staff: CIRB has recently entered into an agreement with the Michael Torrey Management Group, under which Michael Torrey serves as CIRB's Executive Vice President. In this role, Torrey works with the Executive Committee and with all members to continually meet the organization's needs, oversee CIRB's annual budget and finances, and handle planning for CIRB annual meetings. In addition, Jessica Hixson serves alongside Torrey as Director of Operations, with responsibility for coordinating many of the daily functions of the organization, and Paul Bleiberg serves as Legislative Affairs Coordinator, with a focus on monitoring congressional action with respect to the federal crop insurance program.
Under a separate agreement, Torrey continues to serve as CIRB's Federal Affairs Representative through Michael Torrey Associates. Torrey has extensive experience within both the U.S. Department of Agriculture and on Capitol Hill. His legislative experience includes serving on the staff of former U.S. Senator Bob Dole. Most recently, he was a member of the Bush Administration as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional Relations at USDA.
Additionally, CIRB retains W. Kurt Henke, one of the industry's most qualified legal experts. Mr. Henke's experience with regulatory and legal matters specific to crop insurance is unequaled in the business.
Finally, Paul Horel, CIRB's outgoing President, will continue to serve until the end of 2009.
Structure: CIRB is governed by a Board of Directors representing each full member company and the Executive Committee that directs and works with the president. Additionally several standing committees exist to provide a forum for discussion and recommendations on education, research, public relations, compliance, policy, procedure, federal affairs, and reinsurance.
Annual Meeting: CIRB holds an annual meeting for membership and others in January or February. The purpose of the meeting is to provide speakers and presentations of national repute on subjects of interest to membership.
Congressional Staff Briefing: Several years ago CIRB initiated Congressional briefings for staff members of both House and Senate Agriculture Committees to educate them about crop insurance as well as communicate current issues. Due to the success of these briefings, they are now conducted every two years following the bi-annual election cycle.
CIRB TESTIFIES BEFORE HOUSE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE HEARING
On Thursday, July 22, 2010, Steve Rutledge of Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company of Iowa represented CIRB at a House Agriculture Risk Management Subcommittee hearing on the state of the crop insurance industry. At the start, Full Committee Ranking Member Frank Lucas (R-OK) pointed out that a hearing would have been more practical during the Standard Reinsurance Agreement negotiation as opposed to afterwards; Subcommittee Chairman Leonard Boswell (D-IA) replied that Congress can still have its say "before all is said and done." read more...
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201 Massachusetts Avenue, NE Suite C5 | Washington, DC 20002 | Phone: (202) 544.0067 | Fax: (202) 330.5255
