S.231 - Withstanding Extreme Agricultural Threats by Harvesting Economic Resilience Act of 2025; WEATHER Act of 2025 (119th Congress)
Summary
The WEATHER Act of 2025 aims to amend the Federal Crop Insurance Act, authorizing the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) to research and develop a single index insurance policy. This policy would protect farmers against agricultural income losses due to various covered weather conditions. The bill emphasizes nationwide coverage, flexible buy-up/buy-down options, and prioritized features for small-scale and underserved farmers.
Expected Effects
If enacted, the WEATHER Act would lead to the creation of a new insurance product designed to stabilize farm incomes during extreme weather events. This could encourage more farmers to adopt risk management strategies and potentially reduce the need for ad-hoc disaster assistance. The FCIC would be required to produce a report outlining the research and development process, including challenges and recommendations.
Potential Benefits
- Provides a safety net for farmers against income losses from extreme weather.
- Offers coverage across all 50 states and territories, ensuring broad accessibility.
- Includes options for farmers to tailor coverage to their specific income levels.
- Prioritizes assistance for small-scale and underserved producers.
- Reduces paperwork requirements for farmers seeking coverage.
Potential Disadvantages
- The single index policy may not accurately reflect the actual losses experienced by individual farms.
- The research and development phase may encounter unforeseen challenges, delaying implementation.
- The cost of the insurance policy may be prohibitive for some farmers, even with buy-down options.
- Reliance on weather data from specific sources could introduce inaccuracies or biases.
- The 30-day payment timeline may not be sufficient for all farmers to recover from losses.
Constitutional Alignment
The WEATHER Act appears to align with the General Welfare Clause (Article I, Section 8) of the Constitution, which grants Congress the power to provide for the general welfare of the United States. By supporting farmers and ensuring food security, the Act can be argued to promote the general welfare. The Act does not appear to infringe upon any specific constitutional rights or limitations.
Impact Assessment: Things You Care About ⓘ
This action has been evaluated across 19 key areas that matter to you. Scores range from 1 (highly disadvantageous) to 5 (highly beneficial).