Visalia-based Buckman-Mitchell Insurance has been named by “Insurance Business America” magazine as one of the nation’s top specialty brokers of 2017.

Specifically, the company was recognized as the best in the agribusiness category for its work selling agricultural insurance, noting that Buckman-Mitchell “found a competitive edge in today’s rapidly changing marketplace,” according to a press release from the business.

Buckman-Mitchell, which also has a Fresno office, has specialized in providing insurance to the agricultural industry since 1916.

“Based in one of the most productive agricultural regions in the world, Buckman-Mitchell provides crop insurance and other commercial programs for agribusinesses and also has a handful of special programs for members of groups such as the Allied Grape Growers and California Fresh Fruit Association, as well as citrus packing houses and dairy operations. The company is licensed in 43 states, and its clients operate across multiple states,” states the brief profile on the company that “Insurance Business America” included in its list.

“From a crop insurance perspective, the Buckman-Mitchell staff includes those who have farmed and those who have been involved in the intricacies of the government programs. The agency has an understanding of how to align the farmer’s needs with the various government programs,” company officials stated in a press release.

“After receiving numerous nominations of specialty insurance brokerages from coast to coast, this annual list was narrowed down to 60 agencies with significant business and revenue in a single area of specialty. Working with businesses from microbreweries to innovative tech startups, these specialists are the cream of the crop in their respective areas, giving themselves a competitive edge in the modern insurance world,” the magazine states.

The categories used in making the list also include providing insurance for liability, boats, construction and real estate and even the cannabis industry.