[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 2541 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

<DOC>






118th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 2541

  To amend the Federal Crop Insurance Act to require the Federal Crop 
   Insurance Corporation to conduct research and development on the 
inclusion of certain oilseed crops in double cropping policies, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             July 26, 2023

  Mr. Tuberville (for himself, Mr. Hagerty, Mrs. Blackburn, and Mrs. 
Britt) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 
        to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend the Federal Crop Insurance Act to require the Federal Crop 
   Insurance Corporation to conduct research and development on the 
inclusion of certain oilseed crops in double cropping policies, and for 
                            other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Mid-South Oilseed Double Cropping 
Study Act of 2023''.

SEC. 2. STUDY ON INCLUSION OF CERTAIN OILSEED CROPS UNDER DOUBLE 
              CROPPING POLICIES.

    Section 522(c) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1522(c)) 
is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(20) Double cropping of certain oilseed crops.--
                    ``(A) Definition of covered oilseed crops.--In this 
                paragraph, the term `covered oilseed crops' means 
                rapeseed and canola crops.
                    ``(B) Research and development.--The Corporation 
                shall carry out research and development, or offer to 
                enter into 1 or more contracts with 1 or more qualified 
                persons to carry out research and development, with 
                respect to the inclusion of covered oilseed crops under 
                double cropping policies.
                    ``(C) Requirements.--The research carried out 
                pursuant to subparagraph (B) shall be conducted in 
                consultation with stakeholders to evaluate--
                            ``(i) the economic and environmental 
                        benefits of incorporating covered oilseed crops 
                        into double cropping policies; and
                            ``(ii) the potential risks associated with 
                        incorporating covered oilseed crops into double 
                        cropping policies, specifically with respect to 
                        winter-planted covered oilseed crops, including 
                        risks to soil health, biodiversity, and the 
                        profitability of farming operations.
                    ``(D) Emphasis.--In awarding contracts under 
                subparagraph (B), the Corporation may place emphasis on 
                persons and institutions that--
                            ``(i) have previous research experience 
                        with covered oilseed crops; and
                            ``(ii) have access to a facility with the 
                        capacity to do the applicable research.
                    ``(E) Report.--Not later than 13 months after the 
                date of enactment of this paragraph, the Corporation 
                shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the 
                House of Representatives and the Committee on 
                Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a 
                report that describes--
                            ``(i) the results of the research and 
                        development carried out under subparagraph (B); 
                        and
                            ``(ii) any recommendations with respect to 
                        those results.''.
                                 <all>