PRINTER'S NO. 1646
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 1229
Session of
2024
INTRODUCED BY VOGEL, SCHWANK, BARTOLOTTA, COMITTA AND J. WARD,
MAY 29, 2024
REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS, MAY 29, 2024
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 3 (Agriculture) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
2 Statutes, in crop insurance, further providing for short
3 title of chapter, for purpose of chapter, for definitions,
4 for establishment of program, for powers and duties of
5 department, providing for Dairy Margin Coverage Program
6 Financial Assistance; and making editorial changes.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. Chapter 47 heading and sections 4701 and 4702 of
10 Title 3 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are amended to
11 read:
12 CHAPTER 47
13 CROP INSURANCE AND RISK MANAGEMENT
14 § 4701. Short title of chapter.
15 This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the Crop
16 Insurance and Risk Management Act.
17 § 4702. Purpose of chapter.
18 The purpose of this chapter is to establish a program within
19 the department to encourage producers of agricultural
20 commodities to purchase Federal crop insurance and adopt risk
 1 management practices and to provide crop insurance financial
2 assistance, subject to the availability of funding, to eligible
3 producers for crop insurance and risk management premium costs.
4 Section 2. The definition of "agricultural commodity" in
5 section 4703 of Title 3 is amended to read:
6 § 4703. Definitions.
7 The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
8 shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
9 context clearly indicates otherwise:
10 "Agricultural commodity." [Any of the following, transported
11 or intended to be transported in commerce:
12 (1) Agricultural, aquacultural, horticultural,
13 floricultural, viticultural or dairy products.
14 (2) Agricultural crops.
15 (3) Livestock and products of livestock.
16 (4) Poultry and products of poultry.
17 (5) Ranch-raised furbearing animals and the products of
18 ranch-raised furbearing animals.
19 (6) The products of bee raising.
20 (7) Forestry and forestry products.
21 (8) Any products raised or produced on farms intended
22 for on farm or human consumption and the processed or
23 manufactured products of such products intended for human
24 consumption.] As defined in section 2 of the act of June 10,
25 1982 (P.L.454, No.133), referred to as the Right-to-Farm Law.
26 * * *
27 Section 3. Sections 4704 and 4705(a) of Title 3 are amended
28 to read:
29 § 4704. Establishment of program.
30 The department shall establish a program to educate producers
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 1 on the benefits of Federal crop insurance and risk management
2 practices. The program shall promote the purchase of Federal
3 crop insurance and risk management programs and may provide
4 financial assistance to eligible producers to partially offset
5 Federal crop insurance and risk management premiums. The
6 provision of financial assistance shall be subject to the
7 availability of funding.
8 § 4705. Powers and duties of department.
9 (a) Administration of chapter.--Subject to the conditions
10 contained in this chapter, the department shall administer this
11 chapter and shall exercise all administrative powers necessary
12 to effectuate the purposes of this chapter, including, but not
13 limited to, drafting and entering into agreements necessary to
14 implement this chapter, establishing eligibility criteria for
15 crop insurance and risk management financial assistance and
16 developing an application and application procedure for crop
17 insurance financial assistance, including time frames for the
18 submission, review and approval of applications.
19 * * *
20 Section 4. Title 3 is amended by adding a section to read:
21 § 4706.1. Dairy Margin Coverage Program financial assistance.
22 The department may provide financial assistance to producers
23 who enroll in Federal dairy margin coverage programs in an
24 amount to be determined by the secretary in years in which funds
25 are appropriated or made available to the department. Funding
26 shall be used to assist producers with enrolling, initial
27 purchasing and purchasing additional levels of coverage, or to
28 offset the cost of participating in the program, based on
29 availability of funding. The department shall develop and
30 establish program guidelines and eligibility criteria.
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1 Section 5. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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Statutes/Laws affected:
Printer's No. 1646: 3-47, 3-4701, 3-4702, P.L.454, No.133