Bill · H.R. 441· House(119-HR-441)
Drought Assistance Improvement Act
- Introduced
- 1/15/2025
- Last activity
- 2/14/2025 — Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry.
- Sponsored by
- Julia Letlow
- Cosponsors
- None
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill, known as the "Drought Assistance Improvement Act," aims to improve drought related disaster assistance programs within the Department of Agriculture. It proposes changes to the Livestock Forage Disaster Program regarding the duration of weather events required to trigger assistance. Additionally, it updates documentation standards and eligibility for the Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program. The bill specifically addresses the inclusion of drought as a factor for various assistance categories. It also includes provisions specifically targeting the production of crawfish.
Yes· 3 of 7
Would farmers be better off under this?+7
The bill directly expands assistance accessibility for livestock, honey bee, and crawfish producers facing drought.
Would business owners be better off under this?+6
The bill reduces the threshold for assistance from 8 weeks to 4 weeks, providing faster relief for livestock and crawfish producers.
Does this make it easier to run a small business?+5
The bill expands eligibility and documentation standards for drought assistance, which benefits agricultural producers and small-scale crawfish operations.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Increased Accessibility to Forage Assistance: Under Section 2, the bill changes the requirement for assistance from "at least 8 consecutive" weeks to "not less than 4 consecutive weeks" during the normal grazing period for a county. This allows producers to receive assistance sooner when facing shorter periods of weather issues.
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Higher Payment Amounts: Section 2 modifies the assistance structure so that a 4-week period results in 1 monthly payment, while the original 8-week threshold would now result in 2 monthly payments.
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Expanded Coverage for Farm-Raised Fish: Section 3(a) updates documentation standards to include "drought" alongside "adverse weather" and "disease." This provides a framework for establishing standards for collecting data and defining loss conditions due to drought.
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Direct Support for Crawfish Producers: Section 3(a)(5)(B) and Section 3(b) establish specific considerations for the production of crawfish and the loss of crawfish harvest due to adverse weather or drought, potentially providing more clear paths for these producers to receive help.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- No negative impacts are explicitly stated in the provided text.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Farmers+7Good For Business Owners+6Good For Rural Residents+4Good For Low Income Households+2
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Small Business Support+5
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Environmental Protections+3
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Poverty Reduction+2
- 2/14/2025
- Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit.
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Livestock, Dairy, and Poultry.
- 1/15/2025
- Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- Introduced in House