The GRAPE Act (Grape Research And Protection Expansion Act) directs the federal government to develop a new insurance option for grape farmers. Right now, the federal crop insurance program doesn't cover losses when grapes are damaged by freezing weather—a common and costly problem for farmers growing table grapes, wine grapes, and juice grapes. This bill requires the government to research and create an insurance policy that would protect farmers against these freeze-related losses, similar to how crop insurance already works for other crops.

Once the research is complete and a workable insurance policy is developed, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (the agency that runs the federal crop insurance program) would make this new grape freeze insurance available to farmers who want it. The bill also requires the government to report back to Congress explaining what they learned during the research and what the final insurance policy looks like. Essentially, this gives grape farmers a new tool to protect themselves financially when unexpected freezes damage or destroy their crops.

GRAPE Act

Langworthy, Nicholas A.

Grape Research And Protection Expansion Act or the GRAPE ActThis bill requires the federal crop insurance program (FCIP) to provide for the research and development of a policy to insure table, wine, and juice grapes against losses due to a freeze event. (The term policy means an insurance policy, plan of insurance, provision of a policy or plan of insurance, and related materials.) The Federal Crop Insurance Corporation, the agency that finances FCIP operations, must make any resulting policy available that meets specified FCIP requirements.The FCIP must also submit a report to Congress on the research and any resulting policy.