I 
113TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1610 
To amend the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to authorize 
producers on a farm to produce fruits and vegetables for processing 
on the base acres of the farm. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
APRIL 17, 2013 
Mr. RIBBLE (for himself, Mr. WALZ, Mr. GIBBS, Mr. ROKITA, Mr. PETRI, and 
Mr. DUFFY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Com-
mittee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To amend the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 
to authorize producers on a farm to produce fruits and 
vegetables for processing on the base acres of the farm. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Farming Flexibility 
Act of 2013’’. 
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SEC. 2. PRODUCTION OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES FOR 
PROCESSING ON COVERED COMMODITY BASE 
ACRES. 
(a) MUNG BEANS
AND PULSE CROPS.—Section 
1107(b)(3)(B) of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act 
of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8717(b)(3)(B)) is amended by striking 
‘‘(other than mung beans and pulse crops)’’. 
(b) AUTHORITY FOR PRODUCTION OF FRUITS AND 
VEGETABLES FOR PROCESSING.—Section 1107(d) of the 
Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 
8717(d)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(d) AUTHORITY FOR PRODUCTION OF FRUITS AND 
VEGETABLES FOR PROCESSING.— 
‘‘(1) PLANTING AUTHORIZED.—Beginning with 
the 2014 crop year, notwithstanding paragraphs (1) 
and (2) of subsection (b) and in addition to the ex-
ceptions provided in subsection (c), producers on a 
farm may reduce the base acres for any covered 
commodity for the farm for a crop year by one acre 
for each acre used for the planting and production 
of fruits or vegetables (other than potatoes) for 
processing. 
‘‘(2) CONTRACT AND MANAGEMENT REQUIRE-
MENTS.—Producers on a farm shall— 
‘‘(A) demonstrate to the Secretary that the 
producers on the farm have entered into a con-
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tract to produce fruits and vegetables (other 
than potatoes) for processing; 
‘‘(B) agree to produce fruits and vegeta-
bles (other than potatoes) as part of a program 
of crop rotation on the farm to achieve agro-
nomic and pest and disease management bene-
fits; and 
‘‘(C) provide evidence of the disposition of 
the fruits or vegetables (other than potatoes). 
‘‘(3) REVERSION
TO
COVERED
COMMODITY 
BASE ACRES.—Each acre of a farm devoted to the 
planting and production of fruits or vegetables under 
paragraph (1) shall be included in the base acres for 
the covered commodity for the subsequent crop year, 
unless the producers on the farm make the election 
described in paragraph (1) for the subsequent crop 
year. 
‘‘(4) RECALCULATION OF BASE ACRES.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B), if the Secretary recalculates the base 
acres for a farm, the planting of fruits and 
vegetables under paragraph (1) shall be consid-
ered to be the same as the planting, prevented 
planting, or production of a covered commodity. 
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‘‘(B) PROHIBITION.—Nothing in this para-
graph provides authority for the Secretary to 
recalculate base acres for a farm.’’. 
Æ 
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