Sponsors (3)
The bill increases predictability and transparency for hurricane-related crop indemnity and allows certified local data to support claims, but its reliance on IBTrACS and strict technical/certification rules risk delayed or excluded payments and impose administrative burdens.
Farmers in eligible counties will have clearer, standardized rules for HIP–WI indemnity eligibility starting in crop year 2027, improving predictability for hurricane-related crop loss payments.
Farmers and rural communities will gain transparency into how payments are triggered because USDA must publish alternative data sets on the HIP–WI webpage.
Farmers in areas where national weather data are incomplete or damaged can use certified local land‑grant university weather station data to support indemnity claims, enabling payments that might otherwise be unavailable.
Farmers in counties where IBTrACS lacks local observations may face delayed or denied indemnity payments if IBTrACS is required as the primary data source.
Tight technical requirements (matching IBTrACS fields and NWS certification) could exclude some valid local data sources, reducing flexibility to use other observations after data loss and disadvantaging some farmers and rural communities.
USDA/RMA, state governments, and land‑grant stations will face administrative burdens and potential compliance costs to certify and compile alternative data sets and issue implementing rules within 180 days.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Mandates NOAA IBTrACS as the primary data source for HIP–WI hurricane eligibility, requires a published USDA alternative dataset when IBTrACS is incomplete, and sets a 180‑day rulemaking deadline.
Creates rules for determining county eligibility for hurricane-index indemnity payments under the Hurricane Insurance Protection–Wind Index (HIP–WI) endorsement beginning with crop year 2027. It requires the USDA Secretary to use NOAA’s IBTrACS hurricane dataset to identify qualifying hurricane events, to publish and maintain an alternative, certified dataset if IBTrACS is incomplete, and to issue implementing rules and updated HIP–WI guidance within 180 days of enactment. The law defines required data fields and sources (including certified land‑grant college weather stations), sets when the Department may substitute an alternative dataset, and obligates the Department to publish that alternative dataset on the HIP–WI website. The change amends 7 U.S.C. § 1508 and creates new eligibility, data, publication, and rulemaking obligations for HIP–WI beginning crop year 2027.
Official title: To amend the Federal Crop Insurance Act to direct the Secretary of Agriculture to use certain data sets when determining eligibility related to indemnity payments under the Hurricane Insurance Protection-Wind Index endorsement, and for other purposes.
Introduced February 10, 2026 by Buddy Carter · Last progress February 10, 2026