Southern CROPS Act

The Southern CROPS Act (S 4170) provides a one-time opportunity for underserved farmers growing covered commodities (like cotton, peanuts, or soybeans) to increase their base acres - the land counted for farm program payments - based on their historical planting records from 2018-2022. Eligible farmers must actively operate or own a significant share of the farm, and the increase (capped at 160 acres per farm) is calculated using a 5-year average of planted and prevented-from-planting acres. The bill also adjusts loan rates for 2025 onward to account for rising input costs, and updates textile mill assistance rates starting in 2025. It directly affects historically underserved farmers in the South seeking fairer access to federal farm support programs.