Congress·In Committee·H.R. 5961

Congress proposes easier flood insurance options for farm buildings and multi-building properties

Flood Insurance for Farmers Act of 2025

5 months ago·View on Congress.gov

⏸

Stalled

No legislative action in over 90 days.

Legislative Progress

House

Senate

President

Law

Key Points

Lets towns and counties give some farm buildings a waiver from elevation/floodproofing rules and still stay in the national flood insurance program.
Sets rules for those waivers, including where buildings can’t be (like certain high-risk flood areas) and limits waivers if a building has had more than one flood claim over $1,000 in 10 years.
Says flood insurance pricing for a farm building that gets a waiver should be similar to what it would cost if the building had been floodproofed, or another risk-based rate.
Allows FEMA to offer an optional “umbrella” flood policy for people with multiple buildings on the same property (including farms, apartments, and some homes), if the price covers the estimated risk.
Requires FEMA to report back to Congress within 5 years on how the umbrella policy option is working.

AgricultureConsumer ProtectionHousing

Impact Analysis

Personal Impact

How this policy affects specific groups of people

Mixed Impacts(6)

Small Business Owner

Neutral

Farmer Rancher

Neutral

Retiree

Neutral

Housing Assistance

Neutral

Homeowner

Neutral

Renter

Neutral

Milestones

2 milestones2 actions

Nov 7, 2025House

Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

Nov 7, 2025

Introduced in House

What Happens Next

Projected impacts based on AI analysis

After the bill is enacted

FEMA updates NFIP guidance so communities can grant variances for certain agricultural structures without automatic NFIP penalties

Farmers in flood zones may find it easier to get (or keep) flood insurance for barns and similar buildings, even if they can’t elevate or fully floodproof them

Starting with policies written/renewed after enactment and FEMA implementation

FEMA applies the new premium-rate rule for agricultural structures that received a variance

If you get a variance, your premium should be priced like dry-floodproofed (or comparable risk-based pricing), not automatically penalized just for using a variance

Related News

4 articles

National Special Districts Association·4 months ago

Federal Advocacy Update, Nov 17, 2025 (includes: Lawmakers Reintroduce Flood Insurance for Farmers Act, H.R. 5961)

Notes reintroduction of H.R. 5961 and highlights key provisions: bundling multiple farm structures under one NFIP policy to reduce the per-structure surcharge, and allowing local variances when elevation/floodproofing is impractical.

California State Association of Counties·2 months ago

Federal Update: DHS Proposes New Public Charge Regulation (includes section: Reps. LaMalfa, Garamendi Reintroduce Flood Insurance for Farmers Act)

Briefs counties on H.R. 5961, emphasizing flexibility for counties to grant variances from FEMA floodplain standards for agricultural structures and bundling structures under one NFIP policy to reduce the $250-per-structure surcharge burden.

Office of Rep. Doug LaMalfa (Press Release)·4 months ago

LaMalfa and Garamendi Reintroduce Flood Insurance for Farmers Act

Announcement of H.R. 5961 describing NFIP reforms for agricultural structures, including bundling multiple structures under one policy and allowing local variances from elevation/floodproofing rules under specified conditions.