Washington, DC - More than 100 crop insurance leaders gathered for the 2015 Crop Insurance and Reinsurance Bureau Annual Meeting, which ended Friday in Bonita Springs, FL. Speakers explored the "Charting the Course" theme and discussed the future of the farm safety net. The program included a policy forecast, an outlook on climate change, and a panel discussion on Big Data's impact on crop insurance. The meeting included the welcoming of new CIRB Chair, Sheri Bane (COUNTRY Financial).

Incoming CIRB Chair Sheri Bane recognizes outgoing Chair Greg Mills

"It is critical that decision makers understand the important role that crop insurance plays in rural America, and those of you in this room are essential to the delivery of that message," CIRB Chair Sheri Bane said. "I am proud of how far CIRB has come and firmly believe our organization is well-equipped to chart the course for our industry into the future."

Mary Kay Thatcher (American Farm Bureau Federation) and Jim Wiesemeyer (Informa Economics) provided a look into the policy challenges that 2015 may bring and the outlook for the 2016 election. Brandon Willis (USDA Risk Management Agency) discussed the future of the public-private partnership and provided a program update from the agency. 

Historical climatologist Evelyn Browning Garriss (The Browning-Newsletter) discussed the impact of the changing climate on economic and social trends throughout the world. A panel discussion featuring Deb Casurella (MyAgData), Tom Worth (USDA's Risk Management Agency), and Bev Paul (American Soybean Association) provided unique perspectives on how data is changing the face of agriculture and the Federal crop insurance program.

Panelists Deb Casurella, Tom Worth, and Bev Paul joined CIRB's Tara Smith to discuss the impact of "big data" technologies on crop insurance