H.R. 7762 — Protecting Our Produce Act

This section establishes a pilot program under the Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 to provide annual crop loss payments beginning in marketing year 2025 to producers of seasonal and perishable crops—asparagus, bell peppers, blueberries, cucumbers, or squash marketed raw within four weeks of harvest—in designated U.S. geographical regions if the effective price (national average market price during the seasonal marketing window) falls below the reference price (five-year average national market price excluding highest and lowest years) due to imports. To be eligible, producers must submit an application and meet adjusted gross income limits of less than $5 million averaged over the prior three tax years with at least 75% derived from farming, ranching, or forestry. Payments equal the payment rate (reference price minus effective price) multiplied by the producer's average production over the prior five marketing years excluding highest and lowest years; the program sunsets five years after enactment with $200 million authorized annually in the intervening fiscal years. (As background, the 2004 act supports U.S. specialty crop competitiveness through research, promotion, and market development.)