H.R. 686 – Protect our Prairies Act

113th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 686

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

February 14, 2013

Mrs. Noem (for herself, Mr. Walz, Mr. Fortenberry, Mr. Peterson, Mr. Blumenauer, Mr. Wittman, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, and Mr. Latta) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

A BILL

To amend the Federal Crop Insurance Act to modify the ineligibility requirements for producers that produce an annual crop on native sod, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Protect our Prairies Act.

Crop production on native sod

(a)

Federal crop insurance

Section 508(o) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1508(o)) is amended—

(1)

in paragraph (1)(B), by inserting , or the producer cannot substantiate that the ground has ever been tilled, after tilled;

(2)

in paragraph (2)(A), by striking for benefits under— and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting

for—

(i)

a portion of crop insurance premium subsidies under this subtitle in accordance with paragraph (3);

(ii)

benefits under section 196 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333); and

(iii)

payments described in subsection (b) or (c) of section 1001 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308).

; and

(3)

by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following new paragraph:

(3)

Administration

(A)

In general

During the first 4 crop years of planting on native sod acreage (as described in paragraph (2)) by a producer—

(i)

paragraph (2) shall apply to 65 percent of the transitional yield of the producer; and

(ii)

the crop insurance premium subsidy provided for the producer under this subtitle shall be 50 percentage points less than the premium subsidy that would otherwise apply.

(B)

Yield substitution

During the period native sod acreage is covered by this subsection, a producer may not substitute yields for the native sod acreage.

(b)

Noninsured crop disaster assistance

Section 196(a)(4) of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333(a)(4)) is amended—

(1)

in subparagraph (A)(ii), by inserting , or the producer cannot substantiate that the ground has ever been tilled, after tilled;

(2)

in subparagraph (B)(i), by striking for benefits under— and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting

for—

(I)

benefits under this section;

(II)

a portion of crop insurance premium subsidies under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.) in accordance with subparagraph (C); and

(III)

payments described in subsection (b) or (c) of section 1001 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308).

; and

(3)

by striking subparagraph (C) and inserting the following new subparagraph:

(C)

Administration

(i)

In general

During the first 4 crop years of planting on native sod acreage (as described in subparagraph (B)) by a producer—

(I)

subparagraph (B) shall apply to 65 percent of the transitional yield of the producer; and

(II)

the crop insurance premium subsidy provided for the producer under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.) shall be 50 percentage points less than the premium subsidy that would otherwise apply.

(ii)

Yield substitution

During the period native sod acreage is covered by this paragraph, a producer may not substitute yields for the native sod acreage.

(c)

Cropland report

(1)

Baseline

Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report that describes the cropland acreage in each county and State, and the change in cropland acreage from the preceding year in each county and State, beginning with calendar year 2000 and including that information for the most recent year for which that information is available.

(2)

Annual updates

Not later than January 1, 2014, and each January 1 thereafter through January 1, 2017, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report that describes—

(A)

the cropland acreage in each county and State as of the date of submission of the report; and

(B)

the change in cropland acreage from the preceding year in each county and State.

Protect our Prairies Act

Legislative Activity

Bill Text