II 112th CONGRESS 1st Session S. 1594 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES September 21, 2011 Mrs. Gillibrand introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry A BILL To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out a conservation program under which the Secretary shall make payments to assist owners and operators of muck land to conserve and improve the soil, water, and wildlife resources of the land.

1.

Muck soils conservation

Chapter 5 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839bb et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:

1240S.

Muck soils conservation

(a)

Establishment

The Secretary shall carry out a conservation program (referred to in this section as the program) under which the Secretary shall make payments to assist owners and operators of eligible land specified in subsection (b) to conserve and improve the soil, water, and wildlife resources of the land. (b)

Eligible land

To be eligible for inclusion in the program, the land shall— (1)be comprised of soil that qualifies as muck, as determined by the Secretary; (2)be used for production of an agricultural crop; (3)have a spring cover crop planted in conjunction with the primary agricultural crop referred to in paragraph (2); (4)have a winter crop planted; and (5)have ditch banks seeded with grass that is maintained on a year-round basis. (c)

Payment amounts

The Secretary may provide payments of not less than $300, but not more than $500, per acre per year under the program. (d)

Authorization of Appropriations

There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out the program $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2012 and 2013.

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