Drought Assistance Improvement Act

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Latest Action

Feb 14, 2025

Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry.

Summaries (1)

Introduced in House - Jan 15, 2025 00

Drought Assistance Improvement ActThis bill modifies access to two Farm Service Agency (FSA) administered programs: the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) and the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program (ELAP).The bill modifies the LFP to allow for one monthly payment when a county has four consecutive weeks of a D2 rating (severe drought) and two payments for eight consecutive weeks of D2. Currently, one payment is available for eight consecutive weeks of D2. As background, LFP makes payments to eligible livestock producers who have suffered grazing losses on drought-affected pastureland, including cropland planted specifically for grazing.The bill also expands coverage under ELAP for losses caused by adverse weather or drought. The bill includes under ELAP the loss of a crawfish harvest due to adverse weather or drought. As background, ELAP provides payments to producers of livestock, honey bees, and farm-raised fish as compensation for losses due to disease, adverse weather, feed or water shortages, or other conditions that are not covered under other programs.The FSA must establish ELAP documentation standards for (1) collecting data, (2) the production of crawfish, and (3) defining loss conditions due to drought.

Actions (5)

Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry.

Type: Committee | Source: House committee actions | Code: H11000

Feb 14, 2025

Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit.

Type: Committee | Source: House committee actions | Code: H11000

Feb 14, 2025

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Type: IntroReferral | Source: House floor actions | Code: H11100

Jan 15, 2025

Introduced in House

Type: IntroReferral | Source: Library of Congress | Code: Intro-H

Jan 15, 2025

Introduced in House

Type: IntroReferral | Source: Library of Congress | Code: 1000

Jan 15, 2025

Subjects (1)

Agriculture and Food (Policy Area)

Text Versions (1)

Introduced in House

Jan 15, 2025

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Full Bill Text

Length: 2,915 characters Version: Introduced in House Version Date: Jan 15, 2025 Last Updated: Nov 15, 2025 6:25 AM

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 441 Introduced in House

(IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 441

To improve drought related disaster assistance programs of the
Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 15, 2025

Ms. Letlow introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To improve drought related disaster assistance programs of the
Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1.

This Act may be cited as the ``Drought Assistance Improvement
Act''.

SEC. 2.

Section 1501 (c) (3) (D) (ii) (I) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.

(c) (3)
(D)
(ii)
(I) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7
U.S.C. 9081
(c) (3)
(D)
(ii)
(I) ) is amended--

(1) by striking ``at least 8 consecutive'' and inserting
the following: ``not less than--
``

(aa) 4 consecutive weeks
during the normal grazing
period for the county, as
determined by the Secretary,
shall be eligible to receive
assistance under this paragraph
in an amount equal to 1 monthly
payment using the monthly
payment rate determined under
subparagraph
(B) ; or
``

(bb) 8 consecutive''; and

(2) in item

(bb) (as so designated), by striking ``1
monthly payment'' and inserting ``2 monthly payments''.

SEC. 3.

FISH PROGRAM.

(a) Documentation Standards.--

Section 1501 (d) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.

(d) of the Agricultural
Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9081
(d) ) is amended--

(1) in paragraph

(1) , by inserting ``drought,'' after
``adverse weather,'';

(2) in paragraph

(2) , by inserting ``adverse weather or
drought,'' after ``disease,''; and

(3) by adding at the end the following:
``

(5) Documentation standards.--For purposes of this
subsection, the Secretary, in consultation with eligible
producers of farm-raised fish, shall establish a documentation
standard for each of the following:
``
(A) Collecting data.
``
(B) Production of crawfish, as related to
reductions in harvest.
``
(C) Defining loss conditions due to drought.''.

(b) Reduced Crawfish Harvest Eligibility.--Subsection 1501
(d) (2) of
the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9081
(d) (2) ) is further amended
by inserting ``and loss of crawfish harvest due to adverse weather or
drought'' after ``cattle tick fever''.
<all>

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 441 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 441

 To improve drought related disaster assistance programs of the 
 Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 January 15, 2025

 Ms. Letlow introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
 Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To improve drought related disaster assistance programs of the 
 Department of Agriculture, and for other purposes.

 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 ``Drought Assistance Improvement 
Act''.

SEC. 2. LIVESTOCK FORAGE DISASTER PROGRAM.

 

Section 1501
            (c) (3)
            (D) 
            (ii) 
            (I) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 
U.S.C. 9081
            (c) (3)
            (D) 
            (ii) 
            (I) ) is amended--

    (1) by striking ``at least 8 consecutive'' and inserting 
 the following: ``not less than--
 ``

    (aa) 4 consecutive weeks 
 during the normal grazing 
 period for the county, as 
 determined by the Secretary, 
 shall be eligible to receive 
 assistance under this paragraph 
 in an amount equal to 1 monthly 
 payment using the monthly 
 payment rate determined under 
 subparagraph
        (B) ; or
 ``

    (bb) 8 consecutive''; and

    (2) in item

    (bb) (as so designated), by striking ``1 
 monthly payment'' and inserting ``2 monthly payments''.

SEC. 3. EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR LIVESTOCK, HONEY BEES, AND FARM-RAISED 
 FISH PROGRAM.

    (a) Documentation Standards.--

Section 1501
            (d) of the Agricultural 
Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9081
            (d) ) is amended--

    (1) in paragraph

    (1) , by inserting ``drought,'' after 
 ``adverse weather,'';

    (2) in paragraph

    (2) , by inserting ``adverse weather or 
 drought,'' after ``disease,''; and

    (3) by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (5) Documentation standards.--For purposes of this 
 subsection, the Secretary, in consultation with eligible 
 producers of farm-raised fish, shall establish a documentation 
 standard for each of the following:
 ``
        (A) Collecting data.
 ``
        (B) Production of crawfish, as related to 
 reductions in harvest.
 ``
            (C) Defining loss conditions due to drought.''.

    (b) Reduced Crawfish Harvest Eligibility.--Subsection 1501
            (d) (2) of 
the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9081
            (d) (2) ) is further amended 
by inserting ``and loss of crawfish harvest due to adverse weather or 
drought'' after ``cattle tick fever''.
 <all>

View original source ↗

119-hr441