A Democratic bill with 2 Democratic cosponsors · See all 2 cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
This bill is known as the Cultivating Horticultural Innovation in Local Economies Act of 2026 or the CHILE Act of 2026. It amends the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to create a specialty crop emergency assistance framework. The Secretary of Agriculture is required to establish this framework to provide direct assistance to producers of specialty crops impacted by adverse events like economic crises or market disruptions. The bill outlines how payments are calculated, special rules for consideration, and payment limitations. Finally, it appropriates $5,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2027 to the Secretary of Agriculture to provide this direct assistance.
Yes· 3 of 8
- Scored +7
Would farmers be better off under this?
The bill specifically targets specialty crop producers with a massive $5 billion emergency assistance framework.
- Scored +6
Would business owners be better off under this?
The bill provides significant financial support to agricultural business entities facing market disruptions.
- Scored +5
Does this make it easier to run a small business?
The bill provides direct financial assistance to specialty crop producers to mitigate economic crises.
The opposite
- Scored -2
Does this reduce what the federal government owes?
The bill appropriates $5 billion in new spending, which contributes to the national debt.
- Scored -2
Does this reduce what the federal government spends?
The bill increases government spending through a $5 billion appropriation for specialty crop assistance.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Direct Financial Help for Specialty Crop Producers: Under section 2 adding new section 197(b), the Secretary must establish a framework to provide direct assistance to producers of specialty crops impacted by adverse events, including economic crises or market disruptions. This could help farmers stay afloat during tough times.
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Accountability for Higher Costs and Value: Under section 2 adding new section 197(d), the Secretary is required to consider the higher value of specialty crops, the greater input costs required to grow them, and the diverse types of business structures used by producers. This ensures the unique challenges of growing these crops are factored into the assistance.
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Funding to Keep Programs Running: Under section 2(b), there is an appropriation of $5,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2027 to remain available until expended to provide this direct assistance. This dedicates a significant amount of money to back up the framework.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
- Payment Caps for Certain Entities: Under section 2 adding new section 197(e)(1)(A), the total amount of payments received by a person or legal entity for any crop year is capped based on specific sections of the Food Security Act of 1985. This could limit the amount of help larger operations can receive during a severe crisis.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would farmers be better off under this? — The bill specifically targets specialty crop producers with a massive $5 billion emergency assistance framework. Would business owners be better off under this? — The bill provides significant financial support to agricultural business entities facing market disruptions. Would people in rural areas be better off under this? — The bill provides essential economic support for agricultural producers which is vital for rural community stability.
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Does this invest in rural communities? — The assistance to specialty crop producers can support economic stability in rural agricultural areas. Does this improve help for people hit by a disaster? — While not FEMA, the bill creates an emergency assistance framework for agricultural disasters.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this make it easier to run a small business? — The bill provides direct financial assistance to specialty crop producers to mitigate economic crises. Is this likely to grow the economy? — By providing emergency assistance to specialty crop producers, the bill helps stabilize agricultural sectors facing economic crises. Does this reduce what the federal government spends? — The bill increases government spending through a $5 billion appropriation for specialty crop assistance. Does this reduce what the federal government owes? — The bill appropriates $5 billion in new spending, which contributes to the national debt.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill expands the role of the Secretary of Agriculture in managing specialty crop assistance.
- 9/24/2026
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- 7/22/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Adam GrayDemocrat · California
Teresa Leger FernandezDemocrat · New Mexico