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Subcommittee backs $250,000 pilot to help small farmers buy pasture and rangeland drought insurance
Summary
Senate Bill 1151, sponsored by Sen. French, would establish a state match to help small and beginning farmers enroll in federal pasture and rangeland insurance programs. Supporters described it as a pilot included in the governor’s two‑year budget; the subcommittee reported the bill 5-0.
Senate Bill 1151, sponsored by Senator French, would provide a state subsidy intended to encourage small and beginning farmers to enroll in federal pasture and rangeland insurance. The sponsor told the subcommittee the proposal would include $250,000 — included in the governor’s two‑year budget, as described in the hearing — and that the design would offer a $500 match per producer (producers must spend at least $500 to qualify for the match).
Senator French said the pilot aims to familiarize producers with a rainfall‑based insurance product that can be purchased for specific parcels or time periods instead of insuring an entire year; she described it as useful for pasture and forage producers facing recurrent, local droughts. “This is a pilot…we want to show them what’s there for them and then get out of the way,” she said.
The hearing included supporting testimony from agricultural groups. Jim Riddell of the Virginia Cattlemen’s Association said the association supports the bill and emphasized frequent drought conditions and rising financial pressure on producers, noting that Virginia lost about 5,000 farms in the last five years (testimony provided in the hearing). Jake Taylor of the Virginia Farm Bureau and Brad Copenhaver of the Virginia Agribusiness Council also spoke in support.
Senator French provided some program context: the average premium observed in Virginia is around $6,000, while the pilot would be targeted toward small and beginning farmers whose premiums are typically lower. In 2024, there were 371 Virginia producers enrolled in pasture and rangeland insurance — a roughly 27% increase from 2023, according to the sponsor’s remarks.
The subcommittee voted to report the bill by roll call (Senators Perry, Hackworth, Celine, Williams Graves and French recorded yes; 5–0). The sponsor called the program a pilot and said it is intended to incentivize use of an existing federal program rather than to create a new federal‑style benefit.
What the bill does not state in hearing: While the sponsor said the governor included $250,000 in the proposed two‑year budget, detailed appropriation language and eligibility rules were not read into the record during the subcommittee hearing; those details will be resolved during subsequent budget and committee processes if the bill advances.
