CHILE Act of 2026

Summary#

This bill, called the Cultivating Horticultural Innovation in Local Economies (CHILE) Act of 2026, adds a new section to the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996. The new section creates a framework for the Secretary of Agriculture to provide direct payments to specialty crop producers when an adverse event (including economic crises or market disruptions) affects their production. Payments are calculated by multiplying a producer's prior-year sales (or an average of prior years) by a payment factor set by the Secretary. The Secretary must consider the higher value and input costs of specialty crops and the variety of producer business types. The bill allows the Secretary to use the Commodity Credit Corporation authority to deliver assistance and ties some eligibility and notification rules to existing sections of the Food Security Act of 1985. The bill also appropriates $5,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2027 to carry out the program.

What it means for you#

  • If you grow specialty crops and your production is hurt by an adverse event, you may be eligible for direct assistance under this new framework.
  • Payments would be based on your past sales (one year or an average of years) multiplied by a payment factor the Secretary sets.
  • The program takes into account that specialty crops can cost more to produce and can have higher value than some other crops.
  • Some rules from the Food Security Act of 1985 will apply to eligibility, notifications, and denials, but the bill does not include full details of those rules here.

Expenses#

  • The bill appropriates $5,000,000,000 for fiscal year 2027 to provide the direct assistance. These funds remain available until spent.
  • The bill limits total payments a person or entity may receive in a crop year by referencing the maximum in section 1001(b) of the Food Security Act of 1985, as adjusted; the exact maximum dollar amount from that reference is not provided in this bill text. There is an exception for producers whose average gross income is at least 75% from farming, ranching, or silviculture; for such producers the Secretary sets a maximum that may not be less than $900,000.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.