Alabama bills aim to allow ALFA to offer health plans to farmers
ALABAMA (WHNT) — Two Alabama bills aim to allow farmers the ability to get their health insurance directly through nonprofit agricultural organizations like ALFA.
Alabama lawmakers are considering Senate Bill 84 and House Bill 477. If passed, they would expand health insurance options for farmers across the state.
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State Sen. Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) said he introduced SB84 in February.
Many farmers like Marshall County's Hunter Tolleson have voiced their support for the bill on social media.
Tolleson runs Grown by Grace Farms and said since he and his wife both work on the farm, her having to get another job for insurance puts a strain on labor.
'My wife does a lot more on the farm than you would imagine, being that it's just me and her, I do a lot of the manual labor but hey she can keep right up with me but like I said she works off the farm, saves our tail though,' Tolleson said.
If the couple were able to get insurance through the farm, Tolleson said it would change their dynamics.
'At first she would still need to work a little bit, just for you know saving up money for farm improvements,' Tolleson said. 'But, in the future, she could possibly come home but without that kind of health insurance you know it wouldn't be an option at all.'
Both bills have a ways to go on their respective sides of the Alabama legislature before they could head to Governor Ivey's desk to be signed into law.
Tolleson said if this bill were to pass, it could change the future of farms in Alabama.
'You're going to have a lot more farms, a lot more local farms especially expanding, have the ability to expand honestly,' Tolleson said. 'Right now, it's just not possible and if you want to eat you know farmers are your ticket to eat.'
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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