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[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E102]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
THE FLOOD INSURANCE FOR FARMERS ACT OF 2019
______
HON. JOHN GARAMENDI
of california
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, January 29, 2019
Mr. GARAMENDI. Madam Speaker, today I introduce the ``Flood Insurance
for Farmers Act of 2019,'' with my colleague Congressman Doug LaMalfa
(R-CA). This bipartisan bill builds upon the ``Flood and Agriculture
Risk Management (FARM) Cost Reduction Act of 2017'' and legislation I
sponsored in the 114th Congress.
The ``Flood Insurance for Farmers Act of 2019'' would provide access
to discounted rates under the National Flood Insurance Program to
families who have farmed the Sacramento Valley floodplain for
generations. This will help keep agricultural land in production, which
is the best way to push back against irresponsible subdivisions in the
floodplain that place lives at risk and force farms onto the auction
block.
Under current law, areas designated by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) as ``Special Flood Hazard Areas'' require that
all new, expanded, or repaired structures be raised above potential
flood level. In much of the Sacramento Valley, this would require
raising barns and silos upwards of 10 feet, which is cost prohibitive
for many farmers or simply inconsistent with continued agricultural
land use.
Currently, FEMA assumes there is zero protection if a levee does not
meet the federally mandated 100-year level of flood protection and
charges full-cost rates under the National Flood Insurance Program.
This effectively precludes Sacramento Valley farmers from making
capital improvements on their operations or securing the necessary
financing for such capital improvements. Our bipartisan bill would lift
this de facto federal prohibition on new construction and repairs of
agricultural structures in high flood-risk areas designated by FEMA.
Specifically, the ``Flood Insurance for Farmers Act'' would direct
FEMA to develop a new flood mapping zone for basins in the Sacramento
Valley and elsewhere nationwide protected by levees that do not
currently meet the federally mandated 100-year level of flood
protection. Rates charged under the National Flood Insurance Program in
this new flood zone would be based on actuarial risk. This means that
if levees provide a 50-year level of flood protection, FEMA would
charge rates based on that discounted risk level. This ensures that
farming families can get more affordable flood insurance that reflects
the levees they pay to upkeep.
The ``Flood Insurance for Farmers Act'' is endorsed by the California
Rice Commission, USA Rice Federation, American Farm Bureau Federation,
California Farm Bureau Federation, Sacramento County Farm Bureau, Yuba-
Sutter Farm Bureau, Yolo County Farm Bureau, California Cattlemen's
Association, Dairy Institute of California, and the Sutter Butte Flood
Control Agency.
I thank Congressman LaMalfa for his support as the bill's original
cosponsor and look forward to continuing to work together on this
critical issue for Sacramento Valley farmers. I also want to thank all
the California-based and national organizations that have endorsed the
bill, to date.
Madam Speaker, I hope that Congress will include the ``Flood
Insurance for Farmers Act'' in any reauthorization of the National
Flood Insurance Program. I urge all Members to join me and Congressman
LaMalfa in cosponsoring this important legislation for American
farmers.
____________________