Protecting Our Produce Act

Perishable crop loss payments for farmers

Beginning with marketing year 2025, this bill would create a 5-year pilot to pay producers of certain perishable crops when domestic prices fall because of imports. Covered crops would be asparagus, bell pepper, blueberry, cucumber, and squash sold raw and normally marketed within 4 weeks of harvest. The Secretary would set seasonal marketing windows and the regions where the pilot applies. If the effective price in a marketing year is less than the reference price and the shortfall is caused by imports, the payment rate would equal (reference price minus effective price). A producer's payment would equal that rate times their 5-year average production, excluding the single highest and single lowest years. Producers would need to apply and meet income tests: average adjusted gross income under $5,000,000 for the prior 3 tax years and at least 75% of income from farming, ranching, or forestry. The bill would authorize $200 million for each fiscal year during the pilot.