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S 3843

TEMP Act

119th Congress Introduced by Ashley Moody and 1 co-sponsor

The TEMP Act would require FCIC to develop an index-based frost/cold weather insurance policy for crops, testing its effectiveness and reporting results within one year.

Introduced in Senate
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · S 3843

Summary of S.3843 (119th Congress) — Temperature Event Mitigation Policy Act (TEMP Act)

Purpose and Intent

  • The TEMP Act would amend the Federal Crop Insurance Act to authorize and direct the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) to research, develop, and potentially implement an frost/cold-weather insurance option.
  • The overarching goal is to create a frost or cold weather risk management product that uses an index-based approach to protect crops from losses due to frost or cold events, thereby mitigating financial risk for farmers.

Key Provisions and Changes

1) New Research and Development Mandate

  • Adds a new subparagraph to Section 522(c) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act establishing “Frost or Cold Weather Insurance.”
  • FCIC must carry out research and development or contract with qualified entities to develop an index-based policy for crop losses due to frost or cold weather.
  • The proposed scope includes a nationally available policy covering crops such as:
    • Tomatoes
    • Peppers
    • Strawberries
    • Melons
    • Citrus
    • Peaches
    • Blueberries
    • And any other crop determined appropriate for frost/cold risk protection

2) Design and Evaluation of Risk Tools

  • The R&D activities must evaluate the effectiveness of risk management tools (e.g., indices) in addressing low-frequency, catastrophic weather events.
  • The resulting policy should provide protection for at least one of:
    • Production loss
    • Revenue loss

3) Reporting Requirement

  • Not later than 1 year after enactment, FCIC must submit a report to:
    • The House Committee on Agriculture
    • The Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
  • The report must include:
    • Results of the R&D conducted under this provision
    • Any recommendations based on those results

Who and What Would Be Affected

Affected Parties

  • Farmers and crop producers who grow the specified crops (and potentially other crops added later) who would benefit from a frost/cold-weather risk management tool.
  • FCIC, as the agency responsible for federal crop insurance programs, including any future implementation or rollout of the frost/cold weather policy.

Scope of Coverage

  • The proposed policy is to be nationally available, suggesting a nationwide pilot-to-full deployment depending on R&D outcomes, regulatory considerations, and subsequent actions by Congress and FCIC.

Procedural and Timeline Highlights

  • Legislative Status: Introduced in the Senate (S.3843) on February 11, 2026; referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
  • Short Title: The act may be cited as the “Temperature Event Mitigation Policy Act” or the “TEMP Act.”
  • Action Timeline:
    • Primary requirement: FCIC to conduct R&D or enter into contracts to develop an index-based frost/cold weather insurance policy.
    • Reporting deadline: Within 1 year of enactment, FCIC must provide a report detailing research results and recommendations.
  • No funding levels or specific appropriations are specified in the text provided; the bill focuses on authorization and obligations for research and development and reporting.

Potential Impacts and Considerations

  • Introduces a federal pathway to hedge frost/cold-weather risk for specialty and fruit crops through an index-based insurance product.
  • Could improve resilience for crops highly sensitive to frost events, potentially reducing revenue volatility for farmers.
  • The success and uptake will depend on:
    • The accuracy and reliability of the proposed index
    • The cost and affordability of premiums for producers
    • The results of the FCIC-led R&D and subsequent legislative or regulatory actions
  • The one-year reporting requirement provides a quick assessment timeline to inform Congress about feasibility and policy design observations.

If you’d like, I can provide a plain-language FAQ or a comparison with other FCIC products to contextualize how this frost/cold-weather insurance might align with or differ from existing coverage.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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