This bill expands and revises the Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) programs, which help agricultural producers manage financial risk through diversification, marketing, or natural resource conservation practices. (AMA is available in 16 designated states where participation in the Federal Crop Insurance Program is historically low.)
Specifically, the bill expands the eligible uses for financial assistance funds for producers to include
soil health improvements, the development of sustainable water sources and irrigation, composting, and other conservation practices determined to reduce the risk to a farm of financial loss due to the regional impacts of climate change. The bill also specifies that funds provided to mitigate financial risk through production or marketing diversification may be used for food safety certification.
The bill provides additional funding for the program and changes the payment limitation for farmers to $200,000 over five years (currently $50,000 per year).
The bill also expands those eligible for assistance under AMA programs to include federal crop insurance providers, in particular providers of Whole-Farm Revenue Protection plans.