S. 613: Improving Flood and Agricultural Forecasts Act of 2025

This bill, titled the Improving Flood and Agricultural Forecasts Act of 2025, aims to enhance the National Mesonet Program, which focuses on improving weather and environmental forecasting capabilities in the United States. Here’s a breakdown of what the bill proposes:

Program Maintenance and Objectives

The bill mandates that the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere maintain the National Mesonet Program, which is designed to:

• Gather data to better understand and forecast atmospheric conditions, droughts, fires, and water-related events.
• Integrate more types of environmental observations and increase their density by working with local and regional monitoring networks.
• Form partnerships with networks that are outside the current scope of the program.
• Utilize satellite data to enhance forecasting and observational capabilities.

Key Program Elements

In executing the Program, the Under Secretary is instructed to:

• Increase data density by enhancing environmental observations used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) for various forecasts and warnings.
• Monitor local meteorological conditions by acquiring critical soil and moisture data to support agriculture and emergency management.
• Use available funding to support the establishment and improvement of environmental data networks, specifically focusing on hard-to-reach areas.

Financial and Technical Assistance

The bill allocates at least 15% of the Program’s yearly budget for financial assistance to various entities, including state, tribal, private, and academic organizations looking to enhance their mesonet capabilities. This assistance involves:

• Providing technical support and guidance.
• Collaborating with other Federal agencies for financial aid.
• Establishing agreements where entities receiving funding must provide relevant data to the Program.

Additionally, assistance will prioritize entities from remote areas or those lacking monitoring systems.

Advisory Committee and Reporting

An advisory committee will be established to provide recommendations on data needed to support the Program and ways to improve the acquisition and use of such data. The Under Secretary is also required to brief Congress annually on the Program's activities, financial assistance provided, and any advancements in weather data observation.

Financial Provisions

The bill outlines specific funding for the National Weather Service, gradually increasing appropriations over several years as follows:

• $50 million for fiscal year 2025
• $55 million for fiscal year 2026
• $61 million for fiscal year 2027
• $68 million for fiscal year 2028
• $70 million for fiscal year 2029

Definitions and Authorization

The bill includes definitions relevant to its provisions and authorizes the specified funding amounts to execute its outlined activities.

Relevant Companies

• NWSA (News Corp) - As a media entity, enhanced weather forecasting capabilities may allow for better reporting on weather-related events, impacting news coverage and revenue.
• ADM (Archer-Daniels-Midland Company) - Agricultural companies like ADM may benefit from improved forecasting related to agriculture, potentially informing operational decisions related to crop management and logistics.
• CAT (Caterpillar) - Construction and infrastructure companies may encounter changes in project scheduling and resource allocation based on more accurate weather information, impacting project efficiency and safety.