Protecting America’s Orchardists and Nursery Tree Growers Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8251
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-13: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- Last Updated
- 2026-04-20T22:18:46Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This bill, titled the Protecting America's Orchardists and Nursery Tree Growers Act, amends the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) in the Agricultural Act of 2014 to provide more flexible and timely support to orchardists and nursery tree growers who suffer losses from natural disasters, insects, pests, or diseases. The goal is to help these producers replant and recover more effectively.
Key Provisions
- Expanded Definitions: Includes biennial (every two years) crops alongside annual ones, and pests in addition to insects as qualifying causes of loss.
- Economic Viability Criteria: Assistance is available if trees die, are damaged beyond recovery, or no longer produce a financially sustainable crop, regardless of the farm's past production history.
- Secretary's Discretion: The Secretary of Agriculture can adjust or waive acreage limits (maximum eligible land size) as needed.
- Timing Requirements: Recipients must complete funded activities (e.g., replanting) within 2 years of approval, or longer if necessary for tree survival.
- Replanting Flexibility: Funds can support alternative tree varieties, planting densities (spacing), or locations, but the payment amount is capped at the level for using the original variety, density, and location.
- Faster Application Processing: The Secretary must approve or deny applications and notify applicants within 120 days.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- Broadens eligibility by adding biennial crops and pests.
- Simplifies and expands "economic viability" rules, removing prior restrictions tied to production history.
- Introduces new flexibilities (e.g., acreage waivers, replanting alternatives with cost limits, strict timelines, and mandatory 120-day decisions), which were not in the original TAP.
Potential Impacts
- On Citizens/Farmers: Enables quicker recovery for orchard and nursery operations, potentially reducing financial losses from tree damage and encouraging adaptation (e.g., resilient varieties or new sites).
- On Government Agencies: Increases USDA's administrative workload for faster processing and discretionary decisions, but provides tools to tailor aid efficiently.
- Broader Economy: Supports U.S. fruit, nut, and nursery industries, stabilizing food supply chains and rural economies.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Primary Beneficiaries: Eligible orchardists (fruit/nut growers) and nursery tree growers.
- Government: U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), particularly its Farm Service Agency administering TAP.
- Indirect: Agricultural suppliers, insurers, and rural communities reliant on tree crops.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Legal: Grants administrative discretion to the Secretary, which could lead to case-by-case interpretations but includes payment caps to prevent overuse of funds.
- Constitutional: No major issues; aligns with Congress's spending power under Article I for agricultural support programs.
- Political: Bipartisan sponsorship (Reps. Huizenga and Panetta) signals targeted aid to specialty crop producers, potentially influencing future farm bills amid climate and pest challenges.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (1)
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-13: Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- 2026-04-13: Introduced in House
- 2026-04-13: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Protecting America’s Orchardists and Nursery Tree Growers Act — issued 2026-04-13 — PDF (5 pages)