When Missouri officials must sue the federal government on behalf of beleaguered farmers, we must ask: Why is no sensible administrative remedy available?
Here's the scenario.
The deadline was Wednesday for Northwest Missouri farmers to report crop acreage to the Risk Management Agency (RMA), which operates and manages the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation that provides crop insurance to American farmers. According to a state lawsuit filed against the U.S. Agriculture department in federal court this week, the reporting deadline for the rest of the state is July 30.
Severe rainfall and flooding, however, has delayed much planting and prevented farmers from accurately assessing crop acreage.
Gov. Jay Nixon asked federal officials to extend the deadline, but was denied. Federal officials said in an Associated Press story the law prohibits them from granting an extension, but they will work with farmers to maintain crop insurance.
At the governor's request, Missouri Attorney General Christ Koster filed a lawsuit to block the U.S. Department of Agriculture from enforcing its deadline.
"Farmers get enough headaches from Mother Nature without any more from Uncle Sam," Nixon said. "The heavy rainfall and flooding recently experienced in Missouri makes it impossible for the majority of Missouri producers to meet the current deadlines. A simple extension is a reasonable request, and its denial by the USDA makes no sense. That's why I've asked General Koster to take action to prevent the federal government from enforcing this unreasonable deadline that would hurt the majority of Missouri's farmers and our number one industry."
We understand the reasoning, but we fail to understand the lack of an administrative remedy - namely, a simple extension in response to unforeseeable circumstances dictated by nature.
Farmers and government officials both have been around for a long time. Certainly, this year's situation is not unprecedented.
Why must top state officials, federal officials and members of the judiciary become involved? Why must Missouri farmers bear the added burden of wondering whether they will be insured?
The state has advised farmers to continue submitting acreage reports while the legal action is pursued.
That's all well and good, but this entire episode seems a massive hassle over an inflexible federal regulation.
We appreciate federal officials' willingness to work with Missouri farmers this year on a temporary fix, but what's needed is a permanent administrative solution to prevent recurring conflicts.