Congress orders study on frost insurance for crops—but no guarantee of coverage
S. 3843 — TEMP Act · Filed by Ashley Moody (R-FL) · 2 cosponsors · Introduced Feb 11, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill directs the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC) to research and develop a new frost or cold weather insurance product for crops like tomatoes, peppers, citrus, and strawberries. The FCIC can either conduct the research itself or contract with private firms to do it. Within one year, the FCIC must report to Congress on what it learned and recommend next steps. The bill does not create a new insurance program or mandate coverage—it only requires a feasibility study.
Why we flagged it
The bill's operative mechanism is a mandate for feasibility research on a new crop insurance product, not a substantive policy change or appropriation. It is a directive to study, not to implement.
What the text implies
- The bill does not appropriate funds for the research, leaving FCIC to absorb costs from existing budget or seek supplemental appropriations—potential fiscal impact is not disclosed.
- The research mandate does not guarantee a viable product will emerge; if the study concludes frost insurance is uneconomical or uninsurable at scale, farmers gain no new protection despite the research investment.
The full analysis lists 4 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
Research and consulting firms contracted by FCIC to conduct feasibility studies; Potential future insurance product developers if the research leads to commercialization