The President’s budget plan released this week calls for an $ 18 billion dollar cut to the Federal Crop Insurance program over 10 years. South Dakota Corn Grower’s President Keith Alverson says that attack on crop insurance has been tried in the past by the administration and while he’s not surprised by that says they’ll work to keep that from happening.

He says there is good backing Congress for the crop insurance program and that should help beat back the President’s plan to cut it.

Alverson says crop insurance is an important safety net for growers and keeping it intact is essential going forward.

The President’s request comes after Congress rejected a $ 3 billion cut to crop insurance late last year.