CHILE Act of 2026
Sponsored By: Representative Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2]
Introduced
Summary
Direct emergency assistance for specialty crop producers. The CHILE Act would create a new USDA framework to pay specialty crop growers after adverse events, including economic crises and market disruptions. It would also authorize $5.0 billion for fiscal year 2027 to deliver those payments.
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- Specialty crop producers would be eligible for direct payments calculated by multiplying prior-year specialty crop sales or an average of recent years by a payment factor set by the Secretary. Payments must reflect the higher value and greater input costs of specialty crops and fit diverse business types.
- Annual payment amounts would generally follow the cap in section 1001(b) of the Food Security Act of 1985, but farm-dependent entities could receive higher Secretary-set maximums with a floor not less than $900,000.
- USDA would administer the program through the framework and could use Commodity Credit Corporation authority by default. Selected Food Security Act integrity provisions would apply to participants.
*Would increase federal outlays by $5.0 billion in fiscal year 2027 to provide emergency specialty crop assistance.*
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Emergency payments for specialty crop growers
This bill would create a new program to pay specialty crop growers after an adverse event. It would appropriate $5 billion for fiscal year 2027, available until spent. The Agriculture Secretary would calculate each payment by multiplying your prior-year specialty-crop sales (or an average of prior years) by a payment factor the Secretary sets. The Secretary would run the program through a new framework and could use Commodity Credit Corporation authority, and similar payment rules that apply to covered commodity programs would also apply to specialty crops.
New caps on farm commodity payments
If enacted, most persons and legal entities would be limited to the usual statutory commodity payment cap for any crop year (the amount in subsection (b) of section 1001 of the Food Security Act, as adjusted). The cap would not apply to operations whose average gross income is at least 75 percent from farming, ranching, or silviculture; for those farm-dependent entities the Agriculture Secretary would set a different maximum per crop year, which could not be less than $900,000. The rule would not apply to qualified pass-through entities as defined in existing law.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Vasquez, Gabe [D-NM-2]
NM • D
Cosponsors
Rep. Gray, Adam [D-CA-13]
CA • D
Sponsored 7/22/2026
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.gov