Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act
Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act would expand eligibility and increase support for crop insurance aimed at new entrants and veteran producers. Specifically, it extends the period during which a farmer is considered a beginning farmer or a veteran farmer from 5 to 10 crop years, making more producers eligible for special program definitions. It also restructures the premium assistance available to these groups by creating a sliding scale of additional subsidy (percentage-point adjustments) that applies over up to 10 reinsurance years, with larger adjustments in the early years (15 points for years 1–2, then 13, 11, and 10 points from years 5–10). A conforming amendment is also included to remove a specific subparagraph, aligning the statute with the new definitions and subsidy structure. Overall, the bill aims to reduce the cost of crop insurance for beginning and veteran farmers and ranchers and thereby encourage entry into farming and the retention of experienced producers.
Key Points
- 1Definition expansion for assistance eligibility:
- 2- Beginning farmer or rancher definition (7 U.S.C. 1502(b)(3)) would change from 5 crop years to 10 crop years.
- 3- Veteran farmer or rancher definition (7 U.S.C. 1502(b)(14)(B)) would change so both qualifying clauses use 10 crop years (replacing 5-year references).
- 4Increased and structured premium assistance:
- 5- The current basis for “Notwithstanding” in the subsidy structure is reworded and replaced with a detailed subparagraph (B) that specifies the exact extra percentage points for early reinsurance years.
- 6- New schedule: 15 percentage points for the first two reinsurance years; 13 points for the third year; 11 points for the fourth year; and 10 points for each of the fifth through tenth years.
- 7- This creates a more generous subsidy for beginning and veteran farmers across the initial decade of policy participation.
- 8Conforming amendment:
- 9- Section 522(c)(7) would be amended by striking subparagraph (F) to align with the new definitions and subsidy framework.
- 10Administration and context:
- 11- The bill would be cited as the Crop Insurance for Future Farmers Act and introduced in the House (March 14, 2025). It would amend the Federal Crop Insurance Act to implement the above changes.