119-hr2435

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2435 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 2435

To amend the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to 
 assist farmers relying on the noninsured crop disaster assistance 
program by lowering the cost of purchasing coverage, reducing paperwork 
burdens, and increasing payouts under that program, and to incentivize 
 farmers to transition gradually to a comprehensive insurance policy 
 under the whole farm risk management insurance plan by offering 
progressive premium discounts on a commitment to purchase a whole farm 
 plan of insurance.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 March 27, 2025

 Mrs. Hayes (for herself, Mr. Larson of Connecticut, Mr. Courtney, Ms. 
 DeLauro, and Mr. Himes) introduced the following bill; which was 
 referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

To amend the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to 
 assist farmers relying on the noninsured crop disaster assistance 
program by lowering the cost of purchasing coverage, reducing paperwork 
burdens, and increasing payouts under that program, and to incentivize 
 farmers to transition gradually to a comprehensive insurance policy 
 under the whole farm risk management insurance plan by offering 
progressive premium discounts on a commitment to purchase a whole farm 
 plan of insurance.

 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

 This Act may be cited as the ``Save Our Small Farms Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. ADMINISTRATION AND OPERATION OF NONINSURED CROP ASSISTANCE 
 PROGRAM.

 

Section 196 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act 
of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333) is amended--

    (1) in subsection

    (a)

    (1)
            (C) --
        (A) in the matter preceding clause
            (i) , by 
 inserting ``best facilitates'' after ``assistance 
 program that'';
        (B) in clause
            (i) --
            (i) by striking ``best facilitates the use 
 of that'' and inserting ``the use of those''; 
 and
            (ii) by striking ``and'' at the end;
            (C) in clause
            (ii) --
            (i) by striking ``ensures the availability 
 of that'' and inserting ``the public 
 availability of those''; and
            (ii) by striking the period at the end and 
 inserting a semicolon; and
            (D) by adding at the end the following:
 ``
            (iii) the expansion of crops listed on 
 the national crop table of the Agency with a 
 local average market price;
 ``
            (iv) the voluntary graduation of program 
 participants to the whole farm risk management 
 insurance plan developed under 

section 522
            (c) (7) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 
 U.S.C. 1522
            (c) (7) ); and
 ``
            (v) the establishment of pilot projects 
 for purposes of addressing emerging needs of 
 producers and collecting data to support the 
 development of policies or plans of insurance 
 offered under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 
 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.).'';

    (2) in subsection

    (b) , by striking paragraph

    (4) and 
 inserting the following:
 ``

    (4) Streamlined application process.--
 ``
        (A) Definition of whole farm plan.--In this 
 paragraph, the term `whole farm plan' means the whole 
 farm risk management insurance plan developed under 
 

section 522
            (c) (7) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 
 U.S.C. 1522
            (c) (7) ).
 ``
        (B) Establishment.--
 ``
            (i) In general.--The Secretary shall 
 establish a streamlined process for the 
 submission of records and acreage reports under 
 paragraphs

    (2) and

    (3) , respectively, for--
 ``
            (I) diverse production systems, 
 such as those typical of urban 
 production systems;
 ``
            (II) other small-scale production 
 systems; and
 ``
            (III) direct-to-consumer 
 production systems.
 ``
            (ii) Inclusions.--The streamlined process 
 established under clause
            (i) shall include--
 ``
            (I) reduced acreage report 
 requirements; and
 ``
            (II) allowing the submission to 
 the Secretary of 2 reports per year so 
 as to accommodate later acreage 
 reporting.
 ``
            (C) Revenue-based option.--
 ``
            (i) Establishment.--Notwithstanding 
 paragraphs

    (2) and

    (3) or subsection

    (a)

    (1)
        (A) , 
 the Secretary shall establish a streamlined 
 revenue-based coverage option that is 
 available, on a voluntary basis, to any 
 producer eligible for assistance under this 
 section.
 ``
            (ii) Submission of historical revenue.--
 The Secretary shall accept the Internal Revenue 
 Service Tax Form Schedule F, or successor 
 forms, as sufficient for the establishment of 
 historical adjusted revenue, subject to the 
 condition that approved insurance providers may 
 request additional verifiable records in cases 
 where there is documented evidence, made clear 
 to the applicant, that farm tax records are 
 incomplete.
 ``
            (D) On-ramp to whole farm plan.--
 ``
            (i) In general.--In the case of a 
 producer using diverse production systems 
 described in subparagraph
        (B)
            (i) that may be 
 eligible for the whole farm plan, the 
 Secretary, acting through the Administrator of 
 the Agency, shall establish a streamlined 
 revenue-based option under the noninsured crop 
 disaster assistance program under this section 
 to assist the producer to transition, on a 
 voluntary basis, from the noninsured crop 
 disaster assistance program under this section 
 to the whole farm plan. The Secretary may 
 provide for such other options as may be 
 necessary to assist producers with such a 
 transition who are unable to purchase a whole 
 farm plan.
 ``
            (ii) Requirements.--The streamlined 
 revenue-based option established under clause
            (i) shall offer a premium discount of--
 ``
            (I) 25 percent for the first crop 
 year for which a producer--
 ``

    (aa) certifies that the 
 producer will transition from 
 the noninsured crop disaster 
 assistance program under this 
 section to the whole farm plan 
 not later than 3 years after 
 the date of the certification; 
 and
 ``

    (bb) provides revenue 
 history with respect to that 
 crop year;
 ``
            (II) 50 percent for the crop year 
 following the crop year described in 
 subclause
            (I) if the producer--
 ``

    (aa) certifies that the 
 producer will transition from 
 the noninsured crop disaster 
 assistance program under this 
 section to the whole farm plan 
 not later than 2 years after 
 the date of the certification; 
 and
 ``

    (bb) provides revenue 
 history with respect to that 
 crop year; and
 ``
            (III) 50 percent for the crop 
 year following the crop year described 
 in subclause
            (II) if the producer--
 ``

    (aa) purchases insurance 
 under the whole farm plan not 
 later than 1 year after the 
 date of the certification; and
 ``

    (bb) provides revenue 
 history with respect to that 
 crop year.
 ``
            (iii) Tax form schedule f.--The Secretary 
 shall accept the Internal Revenue Service Tax 
 Form Schedule F (or a successor form) with 
 respect to a producer for purposes of 
 establishing revenue history under clause
            (ii) .
 ``
            (iv) Revenue history sharing.--The 
 Secretary shall submit to the Federal Crop 
 Insurance Corporation the revenue history 
 submitted to the Secretary pursuant to clause
            (ii) .
 ``
        (E) Rulemaking.--Not later than 90 days after the 
 date of the enactment of the Save Our Small Farms Act 
 of 2025, the Secretary shall issue regulations to 
 ensure that premium discounts under this paragraph are 
 only available to producers who transition to a whole 
 farm plan, as described in subparagraph
            (D) 
            (i) .'';

    (3) in subsection
            (c) , by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (5) Notice of certain losses.--Notwithstanding any other 
 provision of law (including regulations), a producer of a hand-
 harvested or rapidly deteriorating crop may submit to the 
 Secretary notification of a loss of that crop 120 hours or more 
 after the loss in order to be eligible for assistance under 
 this section.
 ``

    (6) Appraisal of loss.--
 ``
        (A) In general.--In any case in which an 
 appraisal of crop acreage is requested by a producer or 
 determined to be necessary by the Secretary for a year 
 in which a notice of loss is filed under this 
 subsection, particularly in any case in which a loss 
 adjuster is not available within 72 hours of the 
 notice, the Secretary shall permit the following 
 alternatives to an in-person appraisal by a loss 
 adjuster:
 ``
            (i) Remote appraisal, including time-
 stamped photographs, drone footage, and other 
 technology applications.
 ``
            (ii) Appraisal by field office staff of 
 the Agency with requisite training, in 
 conjunction with a remote appraisal under 
 clause
            (i) .
 ``
        (B) Training.--The Secretary shall require field 
 office staff to attend noninsured crop disaster 
 assistance appraisal training for purposes of 
 subparagraph
        (A)
            (ii) .'';

    (4) in subsection

    (e)

    (3) , by striking ``65 percent'' and 
 inserting ``100 percent'';

    (5) in subsection
            (i) (2) --
        (A) in subparagraph
        (A) , by striking ``and'' at the 
 end;
        (B) in subparagraph
        (B) , by striking the period at 
 the end and inserting ``; and''; and
            (C) by adding at the end the following:
 ``
            (C) notwithstanding subparagraphs
        (A) and
        (B) , in 
 the case of a limited resource, beginning, or socially 
 disadvantaged farmer, as determined by the Secretary, a 
 veteran farmer or rancher (as defined in 

section 2501

    (a) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and 
 Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279

    (a) )), or a producer 
 participating in the streamlined revenue-based option 
 pursuant to subsection

    (b)

    (4)
            (C) , $600,000.'';

    (6) in subsection

    (k)

    (2) --
        (A) by striking ``defined by the Secretary, or a 
 veteran'' and inserting ``determined by the Secretary, 
 a veteran''; and
        (B) by inserting ``, or a producer participating in 
 the streamlined revenue-based option pursuant to 
 subsection

    (b)

    (4)
            (C) '' before the period at the end;

    (7) in subsection
            (l) , by striking paragraph

    (3) and 
 inserting the following:
 ``

    (3) Premium discount.--The coverage made available under 
 this subsection shall be available to limited resource, 
 beginning, or socially disadvantaged farmers, as determined by 
 the Secretary, veteran farmers or ranchers (as defined in 
 

section 2501

    (a) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and 
 Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279

    (a) )), and producers 
 participating in the streamlined revenue-based option pursuant 
 to subsection

    (b)

    (4)
            (C) , in exchange for a premium that is 25 
 percent of the premium determined under paragraph

    (2) .''; and

    (8) by adding at the end the following:
 ``
            (m) Delivery.--The Secretary shall collaborate with outreach and 
technical assistance providers, extension offices, and State 
departments of agriculture to advertise the noninsured crop disaster 
assistance program under this section, particularly to limited 
resource, beginning, or socially disadvantaged farmers, as determined 
by the Secretary, veteran farmers or ranchers (as defined in 

section 2501

    (a) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 
(7 U.S.C. 2279

    (a) )), and producers eligible to participate in the 
streamlined revenue-based option pursuant to subsection

    (b)

    (4)
            (C) .''.

SEC. 3. WHOLE FARM REVENUE PROTECTION.

 

Section 522
            (c) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1522
            (c) ) 
is amended--

    (1) in paragraph

    (1) --
        (A) in subparagraph
        (B) , by striking ``and'' at the 
 end;
        (B) in subparagraph
            (C) , by striking the period at 
 the end and inserting ``; and''; and
            (C) by adding at the end the following:
 ``
            (D) increase participation by producers--
 ``
            (i) marketing direct-to-consumers;
 ``
            (ii) marketing through intermediated 
 sales in local and regional markets;
 ``
            (iii) using farm identity-preserved 
 marketing; or
 ``
            (iv) undertaking producer education on 
 how to use direct market prices.'';

    (2) in paragraph

    (7) --
        (A) in subparagraph
        (A) , by striking ``, with a 
 liability limitation of $1,500,000,'';
        (B) in subparagraph
        (B) , by inserting ``or in 
 combination with'' after ``in lieu of'';
            (C) in subparagraph
            (C) --
            (i) in the matter preceding clause
            (i) , by 
 striking ``may'' and inserting ``shall'';
            (ii) in clause
            (i) , by striking ``or'' at 
 the end;
            (iii) by redesignating clause
            (ii) as 
 clause
            (iii) ; and
            (iv) by inserting after clause
            (i) the 
 following:
 ``
            (ii) utilize a resource-conserving crop 
 rotation (as defined in 

section 1240L
            (d) (1) of 
 the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
 3839aa-24
            (d) (1) )); or'';
            (D) in subparagraph
            (D) , by striking ``may'' and 
 inserting ``shall'';
        (E) in subparagraph
        (E) --
            (i) in clause
            (i) , in the matter preceding 
 subclause
            (I) , by striking ``18 months after 
 the date of enactment of the Agriculture 
 Improvement Act of 2018'' and inserting ``1 
 year after the date of the enactment of the 
 Save Our Small Farms Act of 2025'';
            (ii) in clause
            (ii) , in the matter 
 preceding subclause
            (I) , by striking 
 ``subclause'' and inserting ``clause''; and
            (iii) by adding at the end the following:
 ``
            (iii) Additional review.--Not later than 
 1 year after the date of the enactment of the 
 Save Our Small Farms Act of 2025, and annually 
 thereafter, the Corporation shall--
 ``
            (I) review any limitations on 
 insurable revenue (including the 
 overall limitation and limitations 
 specific to animals, animal products, 
 greenhouse and nursery, and 
 aquaculture) to ensure the limitations 
 are adequate to cover the financial 
 risks associated with the production of 
 high-value agricultural products; and
 ``
            (II) submit to the Committee on 
 Agriculture of the House of 
 Representatives and the Committee on 
 Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of 
 the Senate a report that includes a 
 summary of the most recent review 
 conducted under subclause
            (I) and any 
 expected changes to the policy for the 
 following reinsurance year.
 ``
            (iv) Public report.--Not later than 18 
 months after the date of the enactment of the 
 Save Our Small Farms Act of 2025, the Board 
 shall make publicly available a report 
 describing the decisions made by the Board with 
 respect to each factor described in clause
            (ii) .'';
        (F) by redesignating subparagraph
        (F) as 
 subparagraph
        (G) ; and
        (G) by inserting after subparagraph
        (E) the 
 following:
 ``
        (F) Modifications to improve effectiveness for 
 specialty crops and diversified farms.--
 ``
            (i) In general.--Not later than 18 months 
 after the date of the enactment of the Save Our 
 Small Farms Act of 2025, the Corporation shall 
 implement the following modifications to the 
 plan developed under subparagraph
        (A) :
 ``
            (I) Establish that appropriate 
 income reported on Internal Revenue 
 Service Tax Form Schedule F (or a 
 successor form), shall be sufficient 
 for the establishment of historical 
 adjusted revenue, subject to the 
 condition that approved insurance 
 providers may request additional 
 verifiable records in cases where there 
 is documented evidence, made clear to 
 the applicant, that farm tax records 
 are incomplete.
 ``
            (II) Presume that declines in 
 total market price are due to 
 unavoidable natural causes, unless the 
 Corporation demonstrates the extent to 
 which the decline in lower market price 
 is the direct result of an uninsured 
 manmade event.
 ``
            (III) Require that any adjustment 
 of the revenue guarantee by an approved 
 insurance provider, after the approved 
 insurance provider accepts a revised 
 farm operation report from the insured, 
 is contingent on approval from the Risk 
 Management Agency, and allow the 
 insured an opportunity to appeal any 
 denial by the Risk Management Agency of 
 that revenue guarantee adjustment to 
 the National Appeals Division.
 ``
            (IV) With respect to whole farm 
 revenue protection policies, raise the 
 limit on growth expansion for all 
 producers to the lower of--
 ``

    (aa) 100 percent of 
 historic revenue; and
 ``

    (bb) $500,000.
 ``
            (V) In the case of a rejection of 
 an application from a producer for a 
 whole farm insurance plan, the approved 
 insurance provider involved shall 
 notify the producer of such rejection, 
 and include in such notification a 
 written rationale with sufficient 
 detail for the producer to understand 
 any deficiencies in the application and 
 how to cure those deficiencies.
 ``
            (VI) Expand the maximum commodity 
 count eligible for the diversification-
 based premium discount under 
 subparagraph
            (C) to apply to 10 
 commodities produced. The Secretary may 
 raise that maximum commodity count 
 eligible for the diversification-based 
 premium discount to include more than 
 10 commodities if determined necessary.
 ``
            (VII) Moderate the impact of 
 disaster years, as determined by the 
 Secretary, on historic revenue by--
 ``

    (aa) counting indemnities 
 as historic revenue for loss 
 years, including payments made 
 under the noninsured crop 
 disaster assistance program 
 established by 

section 196 of 
 the Federal Agriculture 
 Improvement and Reform Act of 
 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333); or
 ``

    (bb) using an assigned 
 yield floor similar to the 
 limitation described in 

section 508

    (g)

    (6)
        (A)
            (i) , as determined 
 by the Secretary.
 ``
            (VIII) Allow prices and yields 
 used to establish coverage in other 
 Federal crop insurance policies to be 
 used as prices and yields for whole 
 farm revenue protection policies.
 ``
            (IX) Establish a process for 
 records and acreage reports submitted 
 by producers for the noninsured crop 
 disaster assistance program established 
 by 

section 196 of the Federal 
 Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act 
 of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333) to be accepted 
 as documentation for the requisite 
 actual production history for whole 
 farm revenue protection policies.
 ``
            (X) Increase agent incentives to 
 market whole farm revenue protection 
 by--
 ``

    (aa) providing annual 
 additional administrative and 
 operating subsidies, at a rate 
 determined by the Secretary, to 
 approved insurance providers 
 for any new whole farm revenue 
 policies written in a given 
 year; and
 ``

    (bb) with respect to a 
 whole farm revenue protection 
 policy, requiring approved 
 insurance providers to pay to 
 the agent who sold that policy 
 an amount equal to the total 
 administrative and operating 
 subsidy earned on that policy.
 ``
            (XI) Require approved insurance 
 providers to accept or reject 
 applications, by written decision, 
 within 75 days of receipt of the 
 application, with failure resulting in 
 a reduction by 15 percent of the amount 
 of the administrative and operating 
 subsidy that the approved insurance 
 provider receives from the Corporation 
 for that policy.
 ``
            (ii) Administrative improvements.--Not 
 later than 18 months after the date of the 
 enactment of the Save Our Small Farms Act of 
 2025, for purposes of improving the plan 
 developed under subparagraph
        (A) , the 
 Corporation shall carry out the following 
 activities:
 ``
            (I) Create and maintain a web-
 accessible tool for producers to locate 
 agents experienced in selling a whole 
 farm revenue protection policy.
 ``
            (II) Provide additional 
 educational and training opportunities 
 to approved insurance providers and 
 insurance agents, which may include 
 entering into agreements with 1 or more 
 entities--
 ``

    (aa) to provide technical 
 assistance to interested 
 producers;
 ``

    (bb) to conduct education 
 and outreach to agents and 
 insurance providers; and
 ``
            (cc) to develop best 
 practices for underwriting.
 ``
            (III) Conduct a pilot program to 
 create a pricing library for agents and 
 insurance providers, also accessible to 
 the public and entities that provide 
 technical assistance to farmers using 
 data from--
 ``

    (aa) the Agricultural 
 Marketing Service;
 ``

    (bb) the noninsured crop 
 disaster assistance program 
 established by 

section 196 of 
 the Federal Agriculture 
 Improvement and Reform Act of 
 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333);
 ``
            (cc) approved policies of 
 the Board;
 ``
            (dd) land-grant colleges 
 or universities and other 
 institutions of higher 
 education;
 ``

    (ee) grower boards or 
 commissions; and
 ``

    (ff) other relevant 
 sources, as determined by the 
 Secretary.
 ``
            (iii) Availability of pricing library.--
 The Risk Management Agency may, as determined 
 by the Secretary, offer the pricing library 
 described in item

    (aa) to agents and insurance 
 providers in connection with policies other 
 than policies developed under subparagraph
        (A) .
 ``
            (iv) Public report.--Not later than 18 
 months after the date of the enactment of the 
 Save Our Small Farms Act of 2025, the Board 
 shall make publicly available a report 
 describing the decisions made by the Board with 
 respect to each modification described in 
 clauses
            (i) and
            (ii) .''; and

    (3) in paragraph

    (18) , by adding at the end the following:
 ``
            (D) Continuation of plan.--The Administrator of 
 the Risk Management Agency shall continue to offer the 
 micro farm insurance plan offered pursuant to 
 subparagraph
        (A)
            (ii) in all States and counties of the 
 United States.
 ``
        (E) Modifications to improve effectiveness for 
 micro farms.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
 the enactment of the Save Our Small Farms Act of 2025, 
 the Corporation shall implement the following 
 modifications to the micro farm insurance plan offered 
 pursuant to subparagraph
        (A)
            (ii) :
 ``
            (i) Allow vertically integrated 
 operations to access coverage under a micro 
 farm policy.
 ``
            (ii) Allow producers with a micro farm 
 policy to also purchase crop-specific Federal 
 crop insurance policies for crops insured under 
 the micro farm policy.
 ``
            (iii) Expand the maximum approved revenue 
 to establish eligibility for a micro farm plan 
 of insurance to $1,000,000 or more, as 
 determined by the Secretary.''.

SEC. 4. SINGLE INDEX INSURANCE POLICY.

    (a) In General.--

Section 522
            (c) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act 
(7 U.S.C. 1522
            (c) ), as amended by 

section 3, is further amended by 
adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (20) Single index insurance 

=== policy ===
-
 ``
        (A) === Definitions. ===
-In this paragraph:
 ``
            (i) Covered crop or commodity.--The term 
 `covered crop or commodity' means any crop or 
 commodity (including a specialty crop) on a 
 farm except timber, forest products, animals 
 for sport or show, and pets.
 ``
            (ii) Covered 

=== policy ===
-The term `covered 
 policy' means the single index insurance policy 
 described in subparagraph
        (B)
            (i) .
 ``
            (iii) Covered weather condition.--
 ``
            (I) In general.--The term 
 `covered weather condition' means any 
 of the following weather conditions 
 that are found to be closely correlated 
 with agricultural income losses:
 ``

    (aa) High winds.
 ``

    (bb) Excessive moisture 
 and flooding.
 ``
            (cc) Extreme heat.
 ``
            (dd) Abnormal freeze 
 conditions.
 ``

    (ee) Wildfire.
 ``

    (ff) Hail.
 ``

    (gg) Drought.
 ``

    (hh) Any other severe 
 weather or growing conditions 
 applicable to small-scale 
 farmers, as determined by the 
 Secretary.
 ``
            (II) Data.--The existence of a 
 weather condition described in 
 subclause
            (I) shall be determined by 
 indices that prioritize using data from 
 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
 Administration, as available, but may 
 use other federally or State certified 
 weather data sources, public and 
 private satellite data, and weather and 
 climate data and models, if necessary, 
 as determined by the Secretary.
 ``
        (B) === Policy ===
-
 ``
            (i) In general.--The Corporation shall 
 carry out research and development, or offer to 
 enter into 1 or more contracts with 1 or more 
 qualified persons to carry out research and 
 development, to develop a single index policy 
 to insure against agricultural income losses 
 due to 1 or more covered weather conditions.
 ``
            (ii) Coverage.--Research and development 
 on the covered policy under clause
            (i) shall 
 require that coverage is available in all 50 
 States (including Indian Tribes), the District 
 of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, the 
 Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, 
 the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and the Virgin 
 Islands of the United States.
 ``
            (iii) Option to buy-up or buy-down.--
 ``
            (I) In general.--Research and 
 development on the covered policy under 
 clause
            (i) shall consider permitting a 
 holder of the covered policy to elect 
 to buy-up to 150 percent, subject to 
 subclause
            (II) , or buy-down to 5 
 percent, of the median county-level 
 adjusted gross income for farms, in 5-
 percent increments, to reflect the 
 income of the individual farm business 
 of the holder insured under the covered 
 policy.
 ``
            (II) Limitation.--A holder of a 
 covered policy may buy-up under 
 subclause
            (I) only if the farms of the 
 holder insured under the covered policy 
 have at least 3 covered crops or 
 commodities.
 ``
            (iv) Priority features of 

=== policy ===
-In 
 carrying out research and development on the 
 covered policy under clause
            (i) , the following 
 features may be given priority:
 ``
            (I) Agricultural income losses 
 under the covered policy include--
 ``

    (aa) losses for all 
 covered crops or commodities; 
 and
 ``

    (bb) losses to the value 
 of packing, packaging, or any 
 other similar on-farm activity 
 that the Corporation determines 
 necessary to remove a covered 
 crop or commodity from the 
 field.
 ``
            (II) Payments are made under the 
 covered policy not later than 30 days 
 after the occurrence of a covered 
 weather condition in the county in 
 which the applicable farm of the farmer 
 is located or an adjacent county.
 ``
            (III) Provision of seasonal 
 coverage periods.
 ``
            (IV) Provision of special 
 consideration to concerns facing 
 individual farm businesses--
 ``

    (aa) that have less than 
 $350,000 in adjusted gross 
 income; and
 ``

    (bb) with respect to 
 which a farmer is an 
 underserved producer (as 
 defined in 

section 508

    (a)

    (7)
        (A) ).
 ``
            (V) Paperwork requirements are 
 reduced for farmers seeking to obtain a 
 covered policy.
 ``
            (v) Consultation.--In carrying out 
 research and development on the covered policy 
 under clause
            (i) , the Corporation--
 ``
            (I) shall hold stakeholder 
 meetings to solicit producer and agent 
 feedback; and
 ``
            (II) may consult with licensed 
 actuaries with experience developing 
 index policies insuring agricultural 
 production.
 ``
            (C) Report.--Not later than 1 year after the date 
 of the enactment of this paragraph, the Corporation 
 shall make publicly available a report that describes--
 ``
            (i) the results of the research and 
 development carried out under this paragraph; 
 and
 ``
            (ii) recommendations to Congress with 
 respect to those results, including--
 ``
            (I) any challenges to developing 
 the covered policy; and
 ``
            (II) options to address those 
 challenges.''.

    (b) Technical Amendment.--

Section 531

    (a)

    (18) of the Federal Crop 
Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1531

    (a)

    (18) ) is amended by striking ``

section 2501

    (e) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 
(7 U.S.C. 2279

    (e) )'' and inserting ``

section 2501

    (a) of the Food, 
Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279

    (a) ).''.
 <all>