Farmers’ AID Relief Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 7462
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-03-20: Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-02T08:07:11Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This legislation amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to improve the process for determining eligibility for indemnity payments (financial compensation for crop losses) under the Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index endorsement (HIP-WI), a program established in 2020 to protect farmers from wind damage caused by hurricanes. The goal is to ensure more reliable and complete data is used, especially when standard data sources are unavailable due to disasters, starting with the 2027 crop year.
Key Provisions
- Data Usage for Eligibility:
- The Secretary of Agriculture must primarily use the IBTrACS data set (a comprehensive archive from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that includes details like hurricane season, name, location, wind speeds, category, and wind extent) to decide if a county qualifies for HIP-WI indemnity payments after a hurricane.
- An alternative data set may be used only if the IBTrACS data is incomplete (as determined by the Secretary) and one of these conditions is met:
- A National Weather Service weather station in the county or an adjacent one is damaged.
- Other data sources in the area are damaged.
- Such stations or sources provide incomplete data.
- Compilation of Alternative Data:
- The Secretary must create and publicly post an alternative data set on the Department of Agriculture's HIP-WI website.
- This data must cover a specific time during the hurricane, match the types and format of IBTrACS data, and come from weather stations operated by certified land-grant colleges or universities (public institutions focused on agriculture and related fields, as defined in federal law).
- These stations must comply with National Weather Service standards (e.g., those in the November 2023 directive on weather data instructions).
- Implementation Timeline:
- The Secretary must issue necessary regulations and update HIP-WI guidance within 180 days of enactment.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Adds a new subsection (q) to Section 508 of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1508), which previously lacked specific rules for data sources in HIP-WI eligibility determinations.
- Introduces mandatory use of IBTrACS as the primary data source and creates a structured process for alternatives, addressing potential gaps from damaged infrastructure—changes not explicitly outlined in the original 2020 HIP-WI program.
Potential Impacts
- On Government Agencies: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), particularly its Risk Management Agency, will need to invest resources in data compilation, public posting, certification of university weather stations, and regulatory updates, potentially streamlining disaster response but increasing administrative workload.
- On Citizens: Farmers and agricultural producers in hurricane-prone areas (e.g., coastal counties) could receive more timely and accurate indemnity payments, reducing financial losses from crop damage when data issues arise; this may enhance access to federal crop insurance for small and mid-sized farms.
- On International Relations: No direct impacts, as the bill focuses on domestic U.S. agricultural insurance and data from U.S. agencies.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Farmers and Agricultural Producers: Primary beneficiaries, especially those in hurricane-vulnerable regions like the Southeast U.S., who rely on HIP-WI for wind-related crop protection.
- U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Risk Management Agency: Responsible for implementation, data management, and oversight.
- Land-Grant Colleges and Universities: Their weather stations become key data providers, potentially increasing their role in federal disaster assessments.
- Crop Insurance Providers: Approved insurers under the federal program may see changes in claims processing, affecting payout efficiency.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Strengthens the Federal Crop Insurance Act by mandating transparent, standardized data use, which could reduce disputes over eligibility denials; requires compliance with existing National Weather Service standards, ensuring data reliability without creating new enforcement mechanisms.
- Constitutional: No apparent challenges, as it involves administrative rulemaking under Congress's commerce clause authority over agriculture and insurance.
- Political: Supports rural and agricultural communities by addressing disaster recovery gaps, potentially appealing to farm-state lawmakers; the 180-day regulatory deadline promotes swift action but may face scrutiny over data accuracy determinations by the Secretary.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Carter, Earl L. "Buddy" [R-GA-1]
Cosponsors (2)
Rep. Bishop, Sanford D. [D-GA-2], Rep. Allen, Rick W. [R-GA-12]
Recent Actions
- 2026-03-20: Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit.
- 2026-02-10: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- 2026-02-10: Introduced in House
- 2026-02-10: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Farmers’ Assistance and Immediate Disaster Relief Act — issued 2026-02-10 — PDF (5 pages)