I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 6712 
To amend the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 to provide recov-
ery payments to seasonal and perishable crop growers who experienced 
low prices caused by imports, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
DECEMBER 11, 2023 
Mr. RUIZ (for himself and Mr. AUSTIN SCOTT of Georgia) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To amend the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 
to provide recovery payments to seasonal and perishable 
crop growers who experienced low prices caused by im-
ports, and for other purposes. 
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 ‘‘American Seasonal and 
Perishable Crop Support Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. SEASONAL AND PERISHABLE INSURANCE PRO-
GRAMS. 
The Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 
(Public Law 108–465) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘TITLE V—SEASONAL AND PER-
ISHABLE 
INSURANCE 
PRO-
GRAMS 
‘‘SEC. 501. SEASONAL AND PERISHABLE CROP LOSS PRO-
GRAM. 
‘‘(a) SEASONAL AND PERISHABLE CROP LOSS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Beginning with marketing 
year 2024, with respect to a producer of a seasonal 
and perishable crop in a geographic region described 
in paragraph (2), the Secretary shall make crop loss 
payments in accordance with this section for a mar-
keting year if the Secretary determines that— 
‘‘(A) the effective price for the seasonal 
and perishable crop for such marketing year is 
less than the reference price for such crop; and 
‘‘(B) the crop loss described in subpara-
graph (A) is caused by imports of the seasonal 
and perishable crop. 
‘‘(2) GEOGRAPHIC
COVERAGE.—A geographic 
region described in this paragraph is a geographic 
region for which at least 50 percent of the producers 
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that produce at least one seasonal and perishable 
crop make a one-time election to participate in the 
seasonal perishable crop loss payment program 
under this section with respect to a marketing year. 
‘‘(3) ELECTION.—For each marketing year, the 
Secretary shall allow producers of seasonal and per-
ishable crops to make a one-time election to partici-
pate in the seasonal and perishable crop loss pro-
gram under this section with respect to such mar-
keting year. 
‘‘(b) EFFECTIVE PRICE.—The effective price for a 
seasonal and perishable crop for a marketing year shall 
be the national average market price for the seasonal and 
perishable crop. 
‘‘(c) PAYMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The amount of a payment 
to a producer for a marketing year under this sec-
tion shall be equal to the payment rate determined 
under paragraph (2) with respect to the seasonal 
and perishable crops of such producer multiplied by 
85 percent of the 5-year Olympic average with re-
spect to such seasonal and perishable crops. 
‘‘(2) PAYMENT RATE.—The payment rate shall 
be equal to the difference between— 
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‘‘(A) the reference price for the covered 
seasonal and perishable crop; and 
‘‘(B) the effective price determined under 
subsection (b) for the seasonal and perishable 
crop. 
‘‘(d) PAYMENT AMOUNT.—If seasonal perishable 
crop loss program payments are required to be provided 
under this section for the last seasonal marketing year for 
a covered seasonal and perishable crop, the amount of the 
seasonal perishable crop loss program payment to be paid 
to the producers on a farm for the seasonal marketing 
year shall be equal to the product obtained by multi-
plying— 
‘‘(1) the payment rate for the covered seasonal 
and perishable crop under subsection (c); and 
‘‘(2) the previous three-year average production 
for the seasonal and perishable crop. 
‘‘(e) ELIGIBILITY.—No producer may be eligible for 
a payment under this section unless such producer— 
‘‘(1) has an average adjusted gross income of 
less than $900,000 for the 3 tax years preceding the 
most recent tax year; and 
‘‘(2) derives at least 75 percent of the adjusted 
gross income of such producer from farming, ranch-
ing, or forestry. 
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‘‘(B) marketed in raw form for consump-
tion without further processing; and 
‘‘(C) normally marketed not later than 8 
weeks after harvesting. 
‘‘(5) SECRETARY.—The term ‘Secretary’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture.’’. 
Æ 
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