A bill to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to consider certain acreage not planted due to a lack of irrigation water to be eligible for prevented planting payments, and for other purposes.
- Bill Number
- S. 4862
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Agriculture and Food
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-06-23: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- Last Updated
- 2026-07-06T17:40:23Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose The legislation directs the Secretary of Agriculture to treat certain farmland as "prevented from planting" for crop insurance and related payment programs when irrigation water is unavailable, even if the land has functional irrigation equipment. This expands eligibility for prevented planting payments under programs governed by existing USDA rules.
Key Provisions
- Definitions: Establishes terms for "covered program" (USDA programs applying 7 CFR 718.103), "irrigation water" (water from sources like snowmelt, reservoirs, or aquifers), and the Secretary's role through the Farm Service Agency.
- Eligibility criteria: Acreage qualifies as prevented from planting if producers reasonably expected insufficient water, irrigation infrastructure is ready, the land was irrigated and planted with the same crop in at least one of the prior four years, and the land cannot support dryland farming for that crop.
- Payment reductions: Payments are cut by 50% in years 5–8 of consecutive claims, 75% in years 9–10, and 100% thereafter, with permanent ineligibility after 10 years.
- Regulatory updates: Requires changes to 7 CFR 718.103 to recognize drought at the irrigation source and to require consultation with Farm Service Agency county committees and State technical committees for disaster determinations.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill modifies current prevented planting rules by explicitly including lack of irrigation water as a qualifying condition, which was not previously covered in the same way. It introduces a phased reduction and eventual elimination of payments for repeated claims on the same acreage, creating a new limit on long-term eligibility not present in prior regulations.
Potential Impacts
- On government agencies: The Farm Service Agency and Commodity Credit Corporation would update procedures, conduct additional consultations, and administer reduced or denied payments, potentially affecting program administration and verification processes.
- On citizens: Farmers relying on irrigation in drought-prone areas could receive payments for unplanted crops meeting the criteria, though repeated claims would face increasing cuts.
- On international relations: No direct effects identified in the legislation.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Agricultural producers and landowners using irrigation.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture, specifically the Farm Service Agency and Commodity Credit Corporation.
- State and local technical committees involved in disaster determinations.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill operates within Congress's authority to regulate federal agricultural spending programs. It does not alter constitutional structures but could influence the scope of farm support under existing statutes by expanding and then limiting eligibility for payments.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Sen. Bennet, Michael F. [D-CO]
Recent Actions
- 2026-06-23: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
- 2026-06-23: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to consider certain acreage not planted due to a lack of irrigation water to be eligible for prevented planting payments, and for other purposes. — issued 2026-06-23 — PDF (4 pages)