Pennsylvania SB 988: An Act amending Title 3 (Agriculture) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in crop insurance, further providing for definitions, for crop insurance financial assistance and for funding.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 1136
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 988
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY SCHWANK, COMITTA, COSTA, VOGEL, KEARNEY, FONTANA
AND CAPPELLETTI, SEPTEMBER 4, 2025
REFERRED TO AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS, SEPTEMBER 4, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 3 (Agriculture) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes, in crop insurance, further providing for
definitions, for crop insurance financial assistance and for
funding.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 4703 of Title 3 of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes is amended by adding definitions to read:
§ 4703. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
* * *
"Cover crop." A crop for seasonal cover or other
conservation purposes, such as grasses, legumes and forbs, and
primarily used for erosion control, soil health improvement and
water quality improvement. The term includes a cover crop
managed and terminated according to United States Department of
Agriculture guidelines that is not considered a crop for crop
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insurance purposes.
* * *
"Risk management agency" or "RMA." The Risk Management
Agency of the United States Department of Agriculture.
Section 2. Sections 4706 and 4707 of Title 3 are amended to
read:
§ 4706. Crop insurance financial assistance.
(a) Eligibility.--The department may provide crop insurance
financial assistance to eligible producers for Federal crop
insurance in an amount up to 10% of the cost of the insurance
premiums in years in which funds are appropriated or made
available to the department. If sufficient funds are not
available to provide for up to 10% of the cost of the insurance
premiums, the department shall prorate the available funds among
all the producers of agricultural commodities who applied for
and received Federal crop insurance for that crop year.
(b) Crop insurance rebate program.--The department may
establish a crop insurance premium rebate program to provide
rebates in the amount of $5 for each acre of a cover crop
planted for crop insurance premiums paid on the acres. In
providing for the crop insurance premium rebates under this
subsection, the department:
(1) May cooperate with RMA and may cooperate with any
related Federal agency, State agency or agricultural
organization.
(2) May develop definitions, procedures for verification
of cover crop planting, an application and process for
submission after a cover crop is planted on the acres for
which the person applies for a crop insurance premium rebate
and award of rebates under this subsection.
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(3) May not provide a crop insurance premium rebate
under this subsection for the planting of a cover crop on an
acre for which funding for planting a cover crop is provided
from a Federal or State grant or incentive program other than
this subsection.
(4) May conduct investigations as needed.
(5) Shall promulgate or revise regulations, subject to
the act of June 25, 1982 (P.L.633, No.181), known as the
Regulatory Review Act, necessary to implement this
subsection.
§ 4707. Funding.
(a) Use of funds.--The department is authorized to use funds
specifically appropriated by the General Assembly for the
purposes of this chapter and any funds, contributions or
payments which may be made available to the department by
another State agency, the Federal Government or any public or
private source for the purpose of implementing this chapter.
(b) Supplement not supplant.--The department may request
supplement appropriations from the General Assembly for the
purpose of providing additional funding for the crop insurance
premium rebate program as necessary. Appropriated money shall
not supplant any money received through any other Federal, State
or other department funding source.
Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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