C r o p I n s u r a n c e VisitWebsite ag-risk.org Abbott Understands Firsthand the Need for Crop Insurance If you've ever traveled in central and eastern Washington in the summer, you couldn't miss seeing the vast wheat fields that seem to go on for miles and miles. Washington farmers planted just over 2.2 million acres of winter and spring wheat in 2016. And more than 90 percent of that wheat was protected by crop insurance. Mike Abbott grew up on a family farm just north of Davenport, Washington, and now farms with his brother in the areas of Davenport and Harrington. They grow wheat and barley and understand first hand why buying crop insurance is so important. "Crop insurance gives us a security blanket in bad years," Abbott said. 2015 was not a good year for the Abbotts or any farmer in Washington. An unusual drought affected the state and farms lost more than $335 million in agricultural outputs. The brothers relied on crop insurance for their loss. "I'd rather not collect crop insurance to be honest with you," Abbott said. "It's nice to have, but if there are any critics out there, I'd say take one year in my shoes-on a bad year-and we Farmers like Mike and his brother all across the state help support the rural areas where they live.http://www.ag-risk.org