This bill would waive the income limit for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers to receive disaster assistance payments from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Currently, people with an average annual income above $900,000 are ineligible for these programs, but this bill would remove that restriction if at least 75% of their income comes from agricultural activities.
Latest Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (Sponsor introductory remarks on measure: CR S3766)
AI Summary
Plain-English explanation of this bill
This bill would waive the income limit for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers to receive disaster assistance payments from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Currently, people with an average annual income above $900,000 are ineligible for these programs, but this bill would remove that restriction if at least 75% of their income comes from agricultural activities.
Last updated: 12/30/2025
Official Summary
Congressional Research Service summary
<p><strong>Fair Access to Agriculture Disaster Programs Act of 2023</strong></p><p>This bill waives the adjusted gross income limitations for payments or benefits under specific Department of Agriculture (USDA) disaster assistance programs for a person or legal entity that derives a portion of their income from agriculture. (Currently, a person or entity is not eligible to receive certain benefits during a crop, fiscal, or program year if their average gross income exceeds $900,000.)</p><p>Specifically, in the case of an excepted payment or benefit, the adjusted gross income limitation is waived if 75% or more of the average adjusted gross income for the person or entity is derived from farming, ranching, or silviculture activities. These activities include agritourism, direct-to-consumer marketing of agricultural products, and the sale of agricultural equipment owned by such person or entity.</p><p>The bill applies to the USDA</p><ul><li>Livestock Indemnity Program;</li><li>Livestock Forage Disaster Program;</li><li>Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program;</li><li>Tree Assistance Program; and</li><li>Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program.</li></ul><!--tinycomments|2.1|data:application/json;base64,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-->
Key Points
Main provisions of the bill
Waives the adjusted gross income limit of $900,000 for disaster assistance payments from USDA programs.
Applies to the Livestock Indemnity Program, Livestock Forage Disaster Program, Emergency Assistance for Livestock/Honey Bees/Farm-Raised Fish, Tree Assistance Program, and Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program.
The income limit is waived if 75% or more of a person or entity's income is from farming, ranching, or forestry activities.
How This Impacts Americans
Potential effects on citizens and communities
This bill would make it easier for farmers, ranchers, and other agricultural workers to access disaster assistance from the USDA, even if they have high incomes from their agricultural businesses. This could provide critical support to struggling agricultural producers after natural disasters or other emergencies.
Policy Areas
Primary Policy Area
Agriculture and Food
Scope & Jurisdiction
Jurisdiction Level
federal
Congressional Session
119th Congress
Citation Reference
2704, 119th Congress (2025). "CDFI Fund Transparency Act". Source: Voter's Right Platform. https://votersright.org/bills/118-s-2704
