Laurel Lee Backs Marco Rubio’s, Scott Franklin’s Bill to Help Florida Specialty Crop Producers With Insurance Coverage

Last week, U.S. Rep. Laurel Lee, R-Fla, threw her support behind a proposal to “direct the Risk Management Agency to research and develop a crop insurance policy to cover losses caused by cold exposure and freezes.”

Last month, U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., introduced the “Temperature Endorsement for Multi-Peril Policies (TEMP Act)” in the U.S. Senate while U.S. Rep. Scott Franklin, R-Fla., brought it out in the U.S. House.

Rubio’s office offered some of the reasons behind the proposal.

“Florida’s specialty crop producers struggle to access comprehensive whole-farm crop insurance due to high insurance premiums, which can cost thousands of dollars per acre. Specialty crop growers have been able to access insurance policies at reasonable costs that cover losses caused by specific covered impacts such as wind. However, no policy exists to cover specialty crop growers’ losses caused by cold exposure and freezes,” Rubio’s office noted.

“Florida’s growers are vital to our state’s economy and the security of our national food supply. The TEMP Act is a commonsense solution that will help our specialty crop growers access affordable crop insurance, and recover from the devastating impacts of deep freezes and cold exposure,” said Rubio

Rubio’s bill was sent to the U.S. Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee.

“Deep freezes often cause significant damage to Florida’s agricultural industry, a significant source of America’s citrus, sugarcane and other important fruit and vegetables. Unfortunately, growers in Florida’s heartland do not have access to reasonably priced specialty-crop insurance, making it difficult to recover after harsh winters. Our bipartisan bill creates an affordable index temperature policy, providing much-needed stability and coverage for Florida’s more than 300 hundred specialty crops should temperatures drop below freezing. I thank my colleagues for their support of this commonsense initiative and Sen. Rubio for his leadership on this issue in the Senate,” said Franklin.

The bill was sent to the U.S. House Agriculture Committee. U.S. Reps. Cory Mills, R-Fla., Darren Soto, D-Fla., and Greg Steube, R-Fla.,were original co-sponsors of Franklin’s bill. Lee joined on the bill last week.

“Florida is home to countless agriculture producers and specialty crop growers who play an instrumental role in ensuring America’s food supply remains strong and resilient. During harsh winters, it can be especially difficult for specialty crop farmers to recover from the impacts of freezes and cold exposure. This bipartisan bill would relieve tremendous uncertainty and deliver necessary stability for Florida’s growers,” said Lee.

The Florida Strawberry Growers Association (FSGA) is also backing the proposal.

“The FSGA wholeheartedly supports H.R. 6186 and applauds Congressman Franklin for his leadership on this issue. FSGA is grateful for the bipartisan effort by co-sponsors Congresswoman Lee, Congressmen Soto, Mills, and Steube, as well as Senator Rubio’s efforts on the companion bill,” said Kenneth Parker, the FSGA’s executive director. “H.R. 6186 ‘TEMP Act’ could present a valuable risk management tool within the Federal Crop Insurance Act that could be utilized by specialty crop commodities including strawberries.”