Protecting America’s Orchardists and Nursery Tree Growers Act

This bill changes the federal Tree Assistance Program, which helps orchardists and nursery tree growers replant or rehabilitate trees lost to natural disasters. It adds biennial crops and pests to the program's definitions, and allows aid when trees no longer produce an economically viable crop, regardless of the grower's production history. It lets the Secretary of Agriculture modify or waive the program's acreage limit. Growers could replant with a different tree variety, stand density, or location, but aid could not exceed what they would get for replanting as before. The Secretary would have to approve or deny applications within 120 days, and growers would generally have 2 years after approval to complete the work.

Full text and official record on Congress.gov

Sponsors

• Bill Huizenga Republican sponsor
• 2 cosponsors