Press Releases

Rep. Scott Franklin (FL-18) and Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24) today reintroduced the bipartisan Temperature Event Mitigation Policy (TEMP) Act, directing the Risk Management Agency (RMA) to research and develop an affordable crop insurance option to cover losses caused by cold exposure and freezes. The pair introduced the measure just days after prolonged freezing temperatures devastated Florida's specialty crop industry. U.S. Senator Ashley Moody (R-FL) is leading companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.

“Deep freezes can devastate Florida agriculture, which supplies much of America’s citrus, sugarcane, and other specialty crops,” said Congressman Franklin. “Growers across Florida are desperately working to recover from a recent damaging freeze. Despite being the backbone of our food supply, producers in Florida’s heartland still lack access to reasonably priced insurance that covers freeze events. Our bipartisan TEMP Act helps fill that gap by creating a temperature-based index policy that gives all specialty-crop producers a workable, affordable option when cold weather strikes. I thank Rep. Carbajal and my colleagues for joining me and Senator Moody for her leadership on this issue in the Senate.”

“Specialty crop growers on the Central Coast know all too well the devastation a single freeze can bring, yet existing crop insurance often fails to cover cold weather losses,” said Rep. Carbajal. “I’m co‑sponsoring the bipartisan TEMP Act to deliver an improved insurance option that shields specialty crops from cold weather losses. This legislation will give farmers in California and across the country the tools they need to safeguard their livelihoods.”

“While agriculture is a top driver of our state’s economy, many growers were recently left facing serious losses without access to affordable insurance options following the recent deep freeze,” said Senator Ashley Moody. “I’m proud to introduce the TEMP Act in the Senate, to examine possible solutions for our farmers to manage temperature-related risks while recovering when extreme cold weather hits.”

Specialty crop producers in Florida and California face steep challenges accessing comprehensive whole-farm insurance policies, with premiums often running thousands of dollars per acre. While some specific perils, such as wind, are insurable at reasonable rates, no comparable option exists to cover losses caused by freeze events. The recent freeze in Florida highlighted this gap, leaving many growers exposed with limited tools to manage risk. The TEMP Act directs RMA to develop an index-based policy that reflects actual temperature impacts, giving growers a practical tool to manage risk and recover more quickly after damaging cold spells.

“Recent record cold temperatures across Florida have had real impacts on farmers and growers statewide,” said Jeb S. Smith, President, Florida Farm Bureau Federation. "The Temperature Event Mitigation Policy Act would give producers a much-needed tool to manage freeze risk and protect their operations. Florida Farm Bureau Federation appreciates Senator Moody and Representative Franklin for advancing solutions that respond to the challenges farmers are facing right now.”

“FFVA appreciates the strong leadership of U.S. Representative Franklin, Senator Moody and members of the Florida Congressional Delegation in championing this important provision and for listening to the needs of Florida growers,” said Mike Joyner, President of the Florida Fruit & Vegetable Association. “A temperature‑based policy would give specialty crop producers a much‑needed risk‑management tool and strengthen their ability to recover from increasingly unpredictable weather.”

"Florida's citrus growers applaud Congressman Scott Franklin for reintroducing the Temperature Event Mitigation Policy (TEMP) Act, which seeks to expand meaningful risk management tools for specialty crop producers, like citrus, as recent winter storms have caused significant agricultural damage across Florida," said Matt Joyner, Executive Vice President and CEO of Florida Citrus Mutual. "Directing the United States Department of Agriculture's Risk Management Agency to develop a temperature-based crop insurance policy for freeze and cold exposure losses is critical to ensuring affordable, effective risk protection is available to growers who currently lack viable options."

House original cosponsors include: Reps. Carbajal (CA-24), Cammack (FL-03), Lee (FL-15), Steube (FL-17), Patronis (FL-01), Mills (FL-07), Fine (FL-06), Rutherford (FL-05), Buchanan (FL-16), Carter (GA-01), Soto (FL-09), Wilson (FL-24), Subramanyam (VA-10)

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