Topic: Agriculture — Subsidies to Farmers
Subject: Agriculture and food
Date: 2013-04-09 00:00:00

Crop Insurance Improvement Act of 2013 - Amends the Federal Crop Insurance Act to make available to crop producers a supplemental coverage option (based on area yield and loss) to cover part of a crop insurance policy deductible.

Triggers such option only if area losses exceed 10% of normal levels.

Provides for: (1) 70% premium coverage by the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC), and (2) coverage to begin no later than crop year 2014.

Authorizes FCIC to pay a portion of the premiums for plans or policies of insurance for which the insurable unit is defined on a whole farm or enterprise unit basis that is higher than would otherwise be paid.

 Makes separate enterprise units available for irrigated and nonirrigated acreages of crops beginning with crop year 2014.

 Directs FCIC, in developing yield guarantees, to use: (1) county data collected by the Risk Management Agency and/or the National Agricultural Statistics Service, or (2) if sufficient county data is not available data considered appropriate by the Secretary of Agriculture (USDA).

 Revises the adjustment in actual production history used to establish insurable yields beginning with crop year 2014.

Requires FCIC to review any policy or pilot program to carry out research and development for new crop insurance policies and submit such policy or program to the Board of Directors if the policy or program will likely result in a marketable policy and improved coverage.

Revises Board review and approval provisions regarding insurance plan proposals by private sector entities.

Requires, with respect to a renegotiated Standard Reinsurance Agreement; that: (1) any savings must be used for programs administered by the Risk Management Agency; and (2) that such new Agreement be, to the extend practicable, budget neutral.

Requires FCIC, beginning not later than the 2014 upland cotton crop, to make available to producers of maximum eligible acres of upland cotton an additional policy (the Stacked Income Protection Plan) to provide coverage consistent with the Group Risk Income Protection Plan (and the associated Harvest Revenue Option Endorsement) offered by FCIC for the 2012 crop year.

Requires the Plan to: (1) provide revenue loss coverage of not more than 30% of expected county revenue; (2) have a deductible which is the minimum percent of revenue loss at which indemnities are triggered under the plan, not to be less than 10% of the expected county revenue; (3) be offered to producers in all counties with upland cotton production at a county-wide level, or on a larger geographical basis in counties that lack sufficient data; (4) be available as a stand-alone policy or in addition to any other individual or area policy; (5) establish separate coverage for irrigated and nonirrigated practices; and (6) provide an 80% premium subsidy.

Prohibits upland cotton acreage insured under the supplemental coverage option from Plan eligibility.

Requires FCIC to establish procedures that allow an agent and approved insurance provider to correct producer name and eligibility information.

Directs the Secretary to: (1) maintain and upgrade FCIC information management systems used in the administration and enforcement of this title, (2) implement an acreage reporting streamlining initiative to permit producers to report acreage and other information directly to USDA, and (3) notify Congress not later than July 1, 2014, regarding the status of such initiative.

Requires FCIC to contract for research and development of insuring biomass and sweet sorghum grown to produce feedstocks for renewable biofuel, renewable electricity, or biobased products.

Eliminates the requirement that FCIC evaluate pilot programs.

Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to repeal, but continue for crop year 2013, direct payments for covered commodities (except pulse crops) and peanuts.

Authorizes FCIC to conduct crop insurance policy research and development.

Establishes as one of FCIC's highest research priorities policies that increase participation by producers of under-served agricultural commodities, including sweet sorghum, sorghum for biomass, specialty crops, sugarcane, and dedicated energy crops. (Eliminates from such designation the development of a pasture, range, and forage program.)

Eliminates the requirement that FCIC evaluate pilot programs and submit a report to Congress.