USA - Taylor County farmer arrested for crop insurance fraud

09.09.2025 549 views

A man in Taylor County, KY, has been sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison for crop insurance fraud.

U.S. Attorney Kyle G. Bumgarner of the Western District of Kentucky and Special Agent in Charge Miles Davis of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Inspector General made the announcement.

According to court documents, 61-year-old Robert “Robbie” Thomas Hunt of Campbellsville, Kentucky, was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in prison, followed by 2 years of supervised release, for committing crop insurance fraud from 2014 through 2021.

Hunt was also ordered to pay restitution of $1,686,002 and was fined $250,000. Hunt pleaded guilty to crop insurance fraud on March 27, 2025.

Between 2014 and 2021, Hunt sold crops under the names of other people and significantly underreported his true production on crop insurance claim forms, resulting in over $1.6 million in fraudulent insurance overpayments.

Hunt’s case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Inspector General, and Risk Management Agency, Special Investigations Staff.

Source - https://www.wbko.com/

29.09.2025

Bird flu outbreak leads to cull of 760,000 hens in Spain

A major outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza has been confirmed in a flock of more than 760,000 layer hens at a farm in Olmedo, Valladolid, central Spain.

29.09.2025

Laos harvests development progress through the tourism–agriculture nexus

Following the considerable connectivity gains from the construction of the Laos–China Railway, Vientiane must pursue a development strategy that maximises these benefits. 

29.09.2025

Proactive risk management key to unlocking Canadian agriculture’s future

A new report released by the Canadian Agri-Food Policy Institute (CAPI) calls for a shift toward proactive, comprehensive risk management to strengthen the long-term resilience of Canadian agriculture.

29.09.2025

Escalating drought threatens Europe's ecosystems and agriculture

Europe is facing a severe drought that is already affecting agriculture, according to the Joint Research Centre’s report on Drought in Europe – June 2025. Fast and coordinated actions can help reduce risks and impacts.

29.09.2025

USA - Georgia’s $100 Million Blockchain Almond Bet

Georgia is placing a $100 million bet that its agricultural future lies not just in fertile soil and orchards but also on blockchain.

29.09.2025

Chinese Investors Build New Agriculture Plants in Kazakhstan

On September 25, Chinese investors launched two major agro-industrial projects in Kazakhstan’s Zhambyl region.

28.09.2025

New FAO report assesses progress towards food and agriculture SDG indicators

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) today released a new report assessing progress on 22 indicators under the Organization’s custodianship spanning six Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDGs 2 (Zero Hunger), 5 (Gender Equality), 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), 14 (Life Below Water), and 15 (life on Land). 

28.09.2025

Minister announces financial relief for Greek livestock farmers facing disease crisis

Greece will suspend tax and insurance obligations for livestock farmers who lost animals in recent sheep pox outbreaks, Rural Development and Food Minister Costas Tsiaras told Parliament.