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H.R. 4739 118th Congress House

Protecting America’s Orchardists and Nursery Tree Growers Act

Official title: To amend the Agricultural Act of 2014 with respect to the tree assistance program, and for other purposes.

Introduced: July 19, 2023 Introduced by: Bill Huizenga Republican · Michigan See on congress.gov
Agriculture and Food Agricultural prices, subsidies, creditForests, forestry, treesHorticulture and plantsInsects
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This bill died when the 118th Congress ended
It never became law before the 118th Congress (2023–2024) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Sep 19, 2023
Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit.
Jul 19, 2023
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Jul 19, 2023
Introduced in House
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 Latest action September 19, 2023

Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Protecting America’s Orchardists and Nursery Tree Growers Act

This bill expands eligibility and flexibility under the Tree Assistance Program (TAP) of the Farm Service Agency (FSA). (TAP provides financial assistance to qualifying orchardists and nursery tree growers to replant or rehabilitate eligible trees, bushes, and vines damaged by natural disasters.)

The bill expands eligibility to include growers who produce biennial crops. The current program is limited to producers of annual crops. 

The bill also expands eligibility to include growers who experience tree mortality that exceeds normal mortality. Currently, mortality must exceed 15%.

Further, the bill exempts growers who derive at least 75% of their average adjusted gross income from farming, ranching, or silviculture activities from a limit on adjusted gross income. (Under current law, the limit prohibits a grower with an average adjusted gross income that exceeds $900,000 from being eligible for TAP.)

A grower may carry out any replacement and rehabilitation activities within 12 months of approval of the application for assistance or at such time as is necessary to ensure tree survival. Further, a grower may replant using an alternative (1) variety, (2) stand density, and (3) location than was used prior to the loss. 

Finally, the FSA must approve or deny an application (and notify the applicant) within 120 days of receiving the application. 

 Related & companion bills 1
  • S 2682 Protecting America’s Orchardists and Nursery Tree Growers Act
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Lobbying activity 7

Registered lobbyists who named this bill in their disclosure filings. Source: federal Lobbying Disclosure Act filings.

Bodies those filers lobbied

A filing lists the bills it worked on and the parts of government it contacted in separate sections, so these are the bodies those filers named anywhere in the filing, not a per-bill breakdown.

See all 7 filings →
 Cosponsors 8
All 8 Democratic 2 Republican 5
Kuster, Ann
· Oct 3, 2023
 D
Bishop, Sanford D.
Georgia · Aug 18, 2023
 R
Lawler, Michael
New York · Aug 4, 2023
 R
Carter, Earl L. "Buddy"
Georgia · Jul 27, 2023
 R
Kean, Thomas H.
New Jersey · Jul 27, 2023
 R
Walberg, Tim
Michigan · Jul 27, 2023
 R
Bergman, Jack
Michigan · Jul 26, 2023
 D
Panetta, Jimmy
California · Jul 19, 2023
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 4739: Protecting America’s Orchardists and Nursery Tree Growers Act. 118th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/118-HR-4739/
MLA
"H.R. 4739: Protecting America’s Orchardists and Nursery Tree Growers Act." 118th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/118-HR-4739/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 4739, 118th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/118-HR-4739/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 4739: Protecting America’s Orchardists and Nursery Tree Growers Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/118-HR-4739/)
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