# 119-hr-5961: Flood Insurance for Farmers Act of 2025

119-hr-5961, Flood Insurance for Farmers Act of 2025, is a 119th Congress bill sponsored by Rep. LaMalfa, Doug [R-CA-1] (R-CA); status introduced; PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-06-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5961
- As of: 2026-06-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: 119-hr-5961
- Congress: 119
- Title: Flood Insurance for Farmers Act of 2025
- Status: introduced
- Introduced: 2025-11-07
- Sponsor: Rep. LaMalfa, Doug [R-CA-1] (R-CA)
- Cosponsors: 4
- Policy area: Finance and Financial Sector
- Touches household money: yes
- Last recorded action: 2026-06-12

## Summary

**Allows local officials to grant targeted variances for agricultural buildings in high‑risk flood zones** while keeping flood premiums linked to the structure's true risk and adding an optional umbrella policy for properties with multiple buildings. The bill would change when and how small farm structures can be exempted from elevation or floodproofing and set rules for pricing and extra coverage options. - Farmers and rural property owners would be able to get variances for new or existing agricultural structures when elevation or floodproofing is impracticable, provided the building is not in a regulatory floodway or in areas of high velocity wave action. A variance is barred if the structure had more than one claim over $1,000 in the prior 10 years. - Local zoning officials gain explicit authority to grant those variances without automatic community suspension from the National Flood Insurance Program, though FEMA can still act if a community fails to adopt proper variance criteria or enforce them. - Property owners with multiple buildings, including commercial, multifamily, and agricultural sites, could buy an optional umbrella flood policy at chargeable rates; FEMA must report back to Congress on this option within 5 years.

## Cosponsors (4)

- Rep. Garamendi, John [D-CA-8] (D-CA), 2025-11-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Valadao, David G. [R-CA-22] (R-CA), 2025-11-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Harder, Josh [D-CA-9] (D-CA), 2025-11-07T00:00:00.000Z
- Rep. Neguse, Joe [D-CO-2] (D-CO), 2025-12-18T00:00:00.000Z

## Provisions PRIA read

- Flexible flood rules for farm buildings: benefit, medium. If enacted, local officials could grant variances so farm buildings in flood zones would not have to elevate or floodproof when that is not practicable. New buildings could not use this if they sit in a regulatory floodway, riverward of a levee, or in high‑velocity wave areas. For existing building…
- Optional umbrella flood policy for properties: benefit, low. If enacted, FEMA could offer one umbrella flood policy to cover multiple buildings on the same property. It could be offered for commercial, other residential (including multifamily rentals), and agricultural properties. Buying it would be optional and available at renewal or when you apply. The pr…

## Related bills

- 119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act
- 119-hr-1383: Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025
- 119-hr-1105: Disaster Resiliency and Coverage Act of 2025
- 119-hr-842: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act
- 119-hr-2725: Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025
- 119-hr-979: AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025

## Sources
- [119-hr-5961 on Congress.gov](https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5961)

## Related
- [119-hr-1262: Mikaela Naylon Give Kids a Chance Act](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1262)
- [119-hr-1383: Secure Rural Schools Reauthorization Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1383)
- [119-hr-1105: Disaster Resiliency and Coverage Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-1105)
- [119-hr-842: Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage A…](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-842)
- [119-hr-2725: Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-2725)
- [119-hr-979: AM Radio for Every Vehicle Act of 2025](https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-979)
- [All bills in Congress](https://policyrisk.com/legislation)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/legislation/119-hr-5961 (as of 2026-06-12).