[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4170 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4170
To amend the Agricultural Act of 2014 to modify provisions relating to
base acres, loan rates, and textile mills, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
April 18, 2024
Mr. Warnock introduced the following bill; which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Agricultural Act of 2014 to modify provisions relating to
base acres, loan rates, and textile mills, 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 ``Southern Commodities, Rates,
Opportunities, Production, and Support Act'' or the ``Southern CROPS
Act''.
SEC. 2. BASE ACRES.
Section 1112 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9012) is
amended--
(1) by redesignating subsections (b) through (d) as
subsections (c) through (e), respectively;
(2) by inserting after subsection (a) the following:
``(b) Base Acre Increase for Underserved Farmers of Covered
Commodities.--
``(1) Definition of underserved farmer of covered
commodities.--In this subsection, the term `underserved farmer
of covered commodities' means an underserved producer (as
defined in section 508(a)(7)(A) of the Federal Crop Insurance
Act (7 U.S.C. 1508(a)(7)(A))) or a limited resource or
economically distressed farmer (as determined by the Secretary)
of 1 or more covered commodities.
``(2) Opportunity to increase base acres.--As soon as
practicable after the date of enactment of the Southern CROPS
Act, the Secretary shall provide a 1-time opportunity for an
underserved farmer of covered commodities to increase base
acres on a farm if--
``(A) the underserved farmer of covered
commodities--
``(i) is an operator on the farm and
provides a significant contribution of active
personal labor on the farm; or
``(ii) has, or has an option to obtain, a
significant ownership share of the farm or a
business producing covered commodities on the
farm, as determined by the Secretary; and
``(B) the average number of acres on the farm
planted or prevented from planting as described in
subclauses (I) and (II), respectively, of paragraph
(3)(A)(i) to covered commodities during the 2018
through 2022 crop years is greater than the number of
base acres on the farm.
``(3) Base acre increase.--
``(A) In general.--Subject to subparagraph (B), the
number of base acres added to a farm under paragraph
(2) shall be equal to the difference between--
``(i) the sum obtained by adding--
``(I) the 5-year average of the
acreage planted on the farm to all
covered commodities for harvest,
grazing, haying, sileage, or other
similar purposes for the 2018 through
2022 crop years, according to records
submitted to the Farm Service Agency or
the Risk Management Agency; and
``(II) the 5-year average of any
acreage on the farm that was prevented
from planting to 1 or more covered
commodities during the 2018 through
2022 crop years because of drought,
flood, or other natural disaster, or
other condition beyond the control of
the producers, according to records
submitted to the Farm Service Agency or
the Risk Management Agency; and
``(ii) the number of base acres for covered
commodities on the farm.
``(B) Limitations.--
``(i) Maximum.--Not more than 160 base
acres shall be added to any farm under
paragraph (2).
``(ii) Prohibition on reconstitution of
farm.--The Secretary shall ensure that
producers on a farm do not reconstitute the
farm for the purpose of increasing the number
of cumulative acres added to the farm under
paragraph (2).
``(C) Distribution.--Base acres added to a farm
under paragraph (2) shall be added to the base acreage
of each covered commodity on the farm in the proportion
that--
``(i) the acreage planted or prevented from
planting to the covered commodity on the farm;
bears to
``(ii) the acreage planted or prevented
from planting to all covered commodities on the
farm.
``(4) Reduction of base acres.--If an underserved farmer of
covered commodities on a farm for which base acres have been
increased under paragraph (2) does not own or operate the farm
for any of the 2025 through 2029 crop years, the Secretary
shall reduce the number of base acres on the farm by the number
of base acres added to the farm under paragraph (2) for that
crop year, in the same proportion among covered commodities on
the farm described in paragraph (3)(C).''; and
(3) in subsection (d) (as so redesignated), in paragraph
(2)(C), by striking ``(b)(1)(C)'' and inserting ``(c)(1)(C)''.
SEC. 3. LOAN RATES.
(a) In General.--Section 1202 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7
U.S.C. 9032) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking ``2023''
and inserting ``2024''; and
(B) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by
striking ``2023'' and inserting ``2024'';
(2) by redesignating subsections (c) and (d) as subsections
(d) and (e), respectively; and
(3) by inserting after subsection (b) the following:
``(c) 2025 and Subsequent Crop Years.--Beginning with the 2025 crop
year, the Secretary shall establish a loan rate for a marketing
assistance loan under section 1201 for a loan commodity equal to the
lesser of--
``(1) an amount equal to 110 percent of the loan rate for
the loan commodity described in subsection (b); and
``(2) an amount equal to the greater of--
``(A) the loan rate for the loan commodity
described in subsection (b); and
``(B) the sum obtained by adding--
``(i) the loan rate for the loan commodity
described in subsection (b); and
``(ii) the product obtained by
multiplying--
``(I) the loan rate for the loan
commodity described in subsection (b);
and
``(II) using data calculated and
published by the Economic Research
Service, the quotient obtained by
dividing--
``(aa) the difference
between--
``(AA) the
forecasted crop input
expenses (including
interest, labor,
property taxes, seed,
fertilizer and lime,
fuel, oil, electricity,
pesticides, and net
rent to landowners) for
the applicable crop
year; and
``(BB) the average
of the crop input
expenses for the 5-year
period immediately
preceding the
applicable crop year;
by
``(bb) the average of the
crop input expenses described
in item (aa)(AA) for the 5-year
period immediately preceding
the applicable crop year.''.
(b) Conforming Amendment.--Section 1204(h)(1) of the Agricultural
Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9034(h)(1)) is amended by striking ``(a)(20) or
(b)(20),'' and inserting ``(a)(20), (b)(20), or (c),''.
SEC. 4. TEXTILE MILLS.
Section 1207(c)(2) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C.
9037(c)(2)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``Effective beginning on August 1, 2013,''
and inserting the following:
``(A) August 2013 through july 2025.--Effective
during the period beginning on August 1, 2013, and
ending on July 31, 2025,''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) Beginning august 2025.--Effective beginning
on August 1, 2025, the value of the assistance provided
under paragraph (1) shall be 4 cents per pound.''.
<all>