To amend the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to establish a specialty crop emergency assistance framework, and for other purposes.
The CHILE Act of 2026 establishes a new emergency assistance program for specialty crop farmers affected by adverse events such as economic crises or market disruptions. The Secretary of Agriculture will determine eligibility and calculate payments based on a farmer's prior sales of specialty crops multiplied by a payment factor determined by the Secretary. The program takes into account that specialty crops have higher values and input costs compared to other crops, and accommodates different types of farming business structures. Payment limits generally follow existing agricultural subsidy caps, though farmers deriving at least 75 percent of their income from farming activities can receive up to a minimum of $900,000 per crop year. Congress appropriates $5 billion for fiscal year 2027 to fund the program, with funds remaining available until spent.
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