(West Des Moines, Iowa) – Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Company of Iowa (FMH) has entered its 125th year as an American-based, family-run insurance provider.

One of the oldest crop hail insurers in the United States, FMH was founded on the need to protect the livelihoods of farmers from the devastation of severe weather to crops. The company will celebrate its 125th anniversary in March of 2018.

“We’re very proud to be entering our 125th year of business,” said President and CEO Ron Rutledge. “We could not have made it this long without the trust of generations of farmers, commitment from independent insurance agents, support of our reinsurers, and dedication of our employees both in the office and field.”

Since its inception in 1893, FMH has remained committed to providing farmers with comprehensive risk management solutions by expanding its lines of business and reach to a national service area. Current operations include private and federal crop insurance, reinsurance products and services, as well as farm and ranch insurance.

“Farmers Mutual Hail continues to thrive entering our 125th year because of our mutual heritage that puts the policyholders first, because of the conservative management which has spanned six generations, and because of the continuous commitment of our employees who are proud to be a part of the FMH family,” said Rutledge.

In an environment of increasing foreign buyouts, FMH champions its mutual company structure as an asset that will preserve its legacy as an American owned and operated business, making FMH proud to call itself “America’s Crop Insurance Company.”

“Crop insurance is – and has always been – our main business. As others were leaving the industry, we invested in it by purchasing John Deere Insurance Company, further proving our commitment to protecting farmers,” added Rutledge.

The 2015 acquisition of John Deere Insurance Company also allowed FMH to enter the precision ag space by offering Precision Crop Insurance Solutions, which provide farmers the ability to use precision data for crop insurance claims adjustments and required reporting.

“Change is inevitable and like all companies, Farmers Mutual Hail has embraced the endless change that every company goes through to continue to be successful,” said Rutledge. “But even with all of the changes that have occurred over the last 125 years, FMH has held on to the things that make it unique like our family atmosphere and our commitment to doing things right.”