H.R. 5551

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

To amend the Agricultural Act of 2014 to require a one-time update of base acres for covered commodities to ensure base acres reflect recent planting history, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES · September 23, 2025 · Sponsor: Mr. Johnson of South Dakota · Committee: Committee on Agriculture

Table of contents

• H.R. 5551
  • SEC. 1. Short title
  • SEC. 2. Mandatory base acres

SEC. 1. Short title

• This Act may be cited as the Balanced Agricultural Support and Efficiency Act.

SEC. 2. Mandatory base acres

• (a) Definitions
  • Section 1111 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 () is amended— 7 U.S.C. 9011
    • by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
    • by striking paragraph (10); and
    • by redesignating paragraphs (11) through (26) as paragraphs (10) through (25), respectively.
• (b) Base acres
  • Section 1112 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 () is amended— 7 U.S.C. 9012
    • (a) Mandatory one-Time update of base acres
      • (1) In general
        • As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of the Balanced Agricultural Support and Efficiency Act, the Secretary shall update the base acres on a farm, as in effect under this title on the day before the date of enactment of that Act, for the 2025 crop year in accordance with this section.
      • (2) Mandatory update
        • For the purpose of applying this title to covered commodities, the Secretary shall determine the base acres on a farm by updating all of the base acres for covered commodities on the farm among those covered commodities planted on the farm at any time during the 2020 through 2024 crop years.
      • (3) Update formula
        • The updated base acres among covered commodities on a farm shall be the proportion that—
          • the 5-year average of—
            • (i) the acreage planted on the farm to each covered commodity for harvest, grazing, haying, silage, or other similar purposes for the 2020 through 2024 crop years; and
            • (ii) any acreage on the farm that the producers were prevented from planting during the 2020 through 2024 crop years to that covered commodity because of drought, flood, or other natural disaster, or other condition beyond the control of the producers, as determined by the Secretary; bears to
          • the 5-year average of—
            • (i) the acreage planted on the farm to all covered commodities for harvest, grazing, haying, silage, or other similar purposes for the 2020 through 2024 crop years; and
            • (ii) any acreage on the farm that the producers were prevented from planting during the 2020 through 2024 crop years to covered commodities because of drought, flood, or other natural disaster, or other condition beyond the control of the producers, as determined by the Secretary.
      • (4) Inclusion of all 5 years in average
        • For the purpose of determining a 5-year acreage average under paragraph (3) for a farm, the Secretary shall not exclude any crop year in which a covered commodity was not planted.
      • (5) Treatment of multiple planting or prevented planting
        • For the purpose of determining under paragraph (3) the acreage on a farm that producers planted or were prevented from planting during the 2020 through 2024 crop years to covered commodities, if the acreage that was planted or prevented from being planted was devoted to another covered commodity in the same crop year (other than a covered commodity produced under an established practice of double cropping), the owner—
          • may elect the commodity to be used for that crop year in determining the 5-year average; but
          • may not include both the initial commodity and the subsequent commodity.
    • by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
    • in subsection (b)(1), in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking Notwithstanding the electionand all that follows through and inserting the following: ;
    • in subsection (c)—
      • in paragraph (1)—
        • (i) by striking ;
        • (ii) by striking each place it appears; and
        • (iii) by striking ; and
      • in paragraph (3), by striking ; and
    • in subsection (d)—
      • in paragraph (1)(A), by striking ; and
      • in paragraph (2)(A), in the matter preceding clause (i), by striking .
• (c) Conforming amendments
  • (1) Payment yields
    • Section 1113(c)(1) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9013(c)(l)) is amended by striking established or that is planted on generic base acres,and inserting established,.
  • (2) Payment acres
    • Section 1114 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 () is amended— 7 U.S.C. 9014
      • in subsection (a)—
        • (i) in paragraph (1), by striking subsection (e)and inserting subsection (d); and
        • (ii) in paragraph (2), by striking subsection (e)and inserting subsection (d);
      • by striking subsections (b) and (f); and
      • by redesignating subsections (c), (d), and (e) as subsections (b), (c), and (d), respectively.
  • (3) Price loss coverage
    • Section 1116(g) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 () is amended, in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by striking (19)and inserting (18). 7 U.S.C. 9016(g)