[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7076 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7076

     To promote innovative practices for soil health through USDA 
             conservation programs, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 25, 2024

  Mr. Beyer (for himself, Mr. Lawler, and Ms. Pingree) introduced the 
   following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
     To promote innovative practices for soil health through USDA 
             conservation programs, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Innovative Practices for Soil Health 
Act of 2024''.

SEC. 2. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 1240A of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa-1) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (6)(B)--
                    (A) in clause (v), by striking ``and'' at the end;
                    (B) by redesignating clause (vi) as clause (vii); 
                and
                    (C) by inserting after clause (v) the following:
                            ``(vi) greenhouse gas emissions reduction 
                        planning; and'';
            (2) in paragraph (7), in the matter preceding subparagraph 
        (A), by striking ``natural resource concern or problem'' and 
        inserting ``resource concern'';
            (3) by redesignating paragraphs (9) and (10) as paragraphs 
        (10) and (11), respectively; and
            (4) by inserting after paragraph (8) the following:
            ``(9) Resource concern.--The term `resource concern' means 
        a natural resource condition of the soil, water, air, plant, 
        animal, or energy resource base that impairs the sustainability 
        or intended uses of the resource.''.
    (b) On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials.--Section 
1240H(c)(1)(B)(i) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-
8(c)(1)(B)(i)) is amended--
            (1) in subclause (II), by inserting ``on-farm nutrient 
        recycling,'' after ``plans,'';
            (2) in subclause (VI), by striking ``and'' at the end; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                                    ``(VII) perennial production 
                                systems, including agroforestry and 
                                perennial forages and grain crops; 
                                and''.

SEC. 3. CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 1240I of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa-21) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting 
                ``enhancements,'' after ``practices,''; and
                    (B) in subparagraph (B)(v), by inserting ``and 
                climate change'' before the period at the end;
            (2) in paragraph (3)(C), by inserting ``maintained, 
        actively'' after ``implemented,'';
            (3) in paragraph (5), in the matter preceding subparagraph 
        (A), by striking ``natural resource concern or problem'' and 
        inserting ``resource concern'';
            (4) by redesignating paragraph (7) as paragraph (8); and
            (5) by inserting after paragraph (6) the following:
            ``(7) Resource concern.--The term `resource concern' means 
        a natural resource condition of the soil, water, air, plant, 
        animal, or energy resource base that impairs the sustainability 
        or intended uses of the resource.''.
    (b) Conservation Stewardship Program.--Section 1240J(a) of the Food 
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-22(a)) is amended by striking 
paragraphs (1) and (2) and inserting the following:
            ``(1) by maintaining, actively managing, and, where 
        practicable, improving existing conservation activities; and
            ``(2) by undertaking additional conservation activities.''.
    (c) Stewardship Contracts.--
            (1) Submission of contract offers.--Section 1240K(a)(2)(B) 
        of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-23(a)(2)(B)) 
        is amended by striking ``improving, maintaining, and managing'' 
        and inserting ``maintaining, actively managing, and, where 
        practicable, improving''.
            (2) Evaluation of contract offers.--Section 1240K(b) of the 
        Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-23(b)) is amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking clause (iii) 
                and inserting the following:
                            ``(iii) other criteria consistent with an 
                        equal weighting of the factors described in 
                        clauses (i) and (ii), as determined by the 
                        Secretary, including criteria the Secretary 
                        determines are necessary to ensure that--
                                    ``(I) the program effectively 
                                targets improvements to soil health, 
                                increases in carbon sequestration, and 
                                reductions in greenhouse gas emissions; 
                                and
                                    ``(II) other national, State, and 
                                local priority resource concerns are 
                                effectively addressed.''; and
                    (B) by striking paragraph (3).
            (3) Contract renewal.--Section 1240K(e) of the Food 
        Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-23(e)) is amended to 
        read as follows:
    ``(e) Contract Renewal.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may provide the producer 
        an opportunity to renew an existing contract in the first half 
        of the fifth year of the contract period if the producer--
                    ``(A) demonstrates compliance with the terms of the 
                existing contract;
                    ``(B) agrees to adopt and continue to integrate new 
                or improved conservation activities across the entire 
                agricultural operation, demonstrating continued 
                improvement during the additional 5-year period, as 
                determined by the Secretary; and
                    ``(C) agrees, by the end of the contract period, to 
                meet the stewardship threshold of at least 2 additional 
                priority resource concerns on the agricultural 
                operation, if applicable.
            ``(2) Ranking and payments.--In determining whether to 
        accept an application for contract renewal under this 
        subsection, and when calculating payments for those renewed 
        contracts, the Secretary shall consider the full conservation 
        benefits across the entire applicable agricultural operation, 
        including--
                    ``(A) the number of priority resource concerns with 
                respect to which the producer is expected to meet or 
                exceed the stewardship threshold by the end of the 
                contract period; and
                    ``(B) the active management and maintenance of 
                ongoing conservation activities, including--
                            ``(i) the conservation activities adopted 
                        during a prior contract period; and
                            ``(ii) the new or improved conservation 
                        activities to be adopted if a contract is 
                        renewed.''.
    (d) Duties of the Secretary.--
            (1) Conservation stewardship payments.--Section 1240L(c) of 
        the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-24(c)) is 
        amended--
                    (A) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ``on 
                        1 or more types of eligible land covered by the 
                        contract'' after ``activities''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
                        ``improving, maintaining, and managing'' and 
                        inserting ``maintaining, actively managing, and 
                        improving''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) by striking subparagraph (B) and 
                        inserting the following:
                    ``(B) Income forgone by the producer, including 
                amounts that reflect--
                            ``(i) increased economic risk; and
                            ``(ii) loss in revenue due to--
                                    ``(I) production changes;
                                    ``(II) anticipated reductions in 
                                yield;
                                    ``(III) transitioning to an 
                                organic, resource-conserving cropping 
                                or grazing, or perennial production 
                                system; or
                                    ``(IV) acreage converted to 
                                conservation uses.''; and
                            (ii) in subparagraph (E), by inserting ``, 
                        actively managed, and, where applicable, 
                        improved'' after ``maintained''.
            (2) Supplemental payments.--Section 1240L(d) of the Food 
        Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-24(d)) is amended--
                    (A) in the subsection heading, by inserting ``, 
                Perennial Production Systems,'' after ``Rotations'';
                    (B) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as 
                        subparagraph (D); and
                            (ii) by inserting after subparagraph (B) 
                        the following:
                    ``(C) Perennial production system.--The term 
                `perennial production system' means--
                            ``(i) the use of cropland for agroforestry, 
                        including alley cropping, silvopasture, and 
                        related production practices, as determined by 
                        the Secretary;
                            ``(ii) the use of woodland for 
                        agroforestry, including forest farming, 
                        multistory cropping, and related production 
                        practices, as determined by the Secretary; and
                            ``(iii) the use of cropland for perennial 
                        forages or perennial grain crops.'';
                    (C) in paragraph (2)--
                            (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``or'' 
                        at the end;
                            (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking the 
                        period at the end and inserting ``; or''; and
                            (iii) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) a perennial production system.''; and
                    (D) in paragraph (3), by striking ``or advanced 
                grazing management'' and inserting ``, advanced grazing 
                management, or a perennial production system''.
            (3) Soil health.--Section 1240L(k) of the Food Security Act 
        of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-24(k)) is amended by striking the 
        period at the end and inserting the following: ``, including 
        by--
            ``(1) conducting outreach to encourage the use of contracts 
        to improve soil health and sequester carbon in the soil; and
            ``(2) offering payments for soil testing to provide 
        producers and the Secretary with information on the soil health 
        and carbon sequestration impacts of conservation activities.''.

SEC. 4. FUNDING AND ADMINISTRATION.

    Section 1242 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3842) is 
amended--
            (1) in subsection (a)(2)--
                    (A) by inserting ``an individual,'' before ``a 
                commercial entity'';
                    (B) by striking ``State or local'' and inserting 
                ``State, local, or Tribal''; and
                    (C) by striking ``nutrient management planning,'' 
                and inserting ``soil health planning, greenhouse gas 
                emissions reduction planning, nutrient management 
                planning, integrated pest management planning, 
                agroforestry planning, organic transition planning,'';
            (2) in subsection (e)--
                    (A) in paragraph (3)(A)--
                            (i) by inserting ``individuals,'' before 
                        ``commercial entities,''; and
                            (ii) by striking ``State or local'' and 
                        inserting ``State, local, or Tribal''; and
                    (B) in paragraph (5), by inserting ``or organic'' 
                after ``sustainability''; and
            (3) in subsection (i)--
                    (A) in the subsection heading, by inserting 
                ``Perennial Agriculture System,'' after ``Organic,''; 
                and
                    (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ``a perennial 
                agriculture system,'' after ``production,'' each place 
                it appears.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL AND REGIONAL AGROFORESTRY CENTERS.

    Section 1243 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act 
of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 1642 note; Public Law 101-624) is amended--
            (1) by striking the section heading and inserting 
        ``national and regional agroforestry centers'';
            (2) by redesignating subsections (b), (c), and (d) as 
        subsections (c), (d), and (e), respectively;
            (3) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following:
    ``(a) Definition of Agroforestry.--In this section, the term 
`agroforestry' means a management system that intentionally integrates 
trees and shrubs into crop and animal farming systems to build more 
profitable and weather-resilient farms, ranches, and communities, 
address natural resource concerns and conservation needs, and establish 
productive and sustainable land use practices, including--
            ``(1) riparian forest buffers;
            ``(2) alley cropping;
            ``(3) silvopasture;
            ``(4) forest farming and multistory cropping; and
            ``(5) windbreaks, shelterbelts, hedgerows, field borders, 
        and living snow fences.
    ``(b) National and Regional Agroforestry Centers.--
            ``(1) In general.--The Secretary of Agriculture (referred 
        to in this section as the `Secretary')--
                    ``(A) shall establish at the Forestry Sciences 
                Laboratory of the Forest Service, in Lincoln, Nebraska, 
                a National Agroforestry Research, Development, and 
                Demonstration Center; and
                    ``(B) acting through the Chief of the Forest 
                Service and in cooperation with the Natural Resources 
                Conservation Service, shall establish not fewer than 3 
                additional regional agroforestry centers at other 
                locations, as determined by the Secretary.
            ``(2) National and regional directors.--The Secretary, 
        acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, in coordination 
        with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, shall appoint 
        a National Director and Regional Directors to manage and 
        coordinate the program established under subsection (c).'';
            (4) in subsection (c) (as so redesignated)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by striking ``Center'' and inserting 
                        ``Centers established under subparagraphs (A) 
                        and (B) of subsection (b)(1) (referred to in 
                        this section as the `Centers')''; and
                            (ii) by inserting ``and organizations'' 
                        after ``nonprofit foundations'';
                    (B) in paragraph (1)--
                            (i) by striking ``on semiarid lands that'' 
                        and inserting ``that build soil health and''; 
                        and
                            (ii) by inserting ``, including 
                        agroforestry systems on semiarid land and other 
                        fragile agroecosystems where woody perennial 
                        plant communities can enhance carbon 
                        sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas 
                        emissions'' before the semicolon;
                    (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ``forestry 
                products for commercial sale from semiarid land'' and 
                inserting ``agroforestry products for commercial 
                sale'';
                    (D) in paragraph (4)--
                            (i) by striking ``in semiarid regions''; 
                        and
                            (ii) by striking ``the Great Plains 
                        region'' and inserting ``particular regions'';
                    (E) in paragraph (5), by inserting ``technical 
                assistance and'' before ``technology'';
                    (F) by striking paragraph (6) and inserting the 
                following:
            ``(6) develop improved silvopasture, alley cropping, forest 
        farming, multistory cropping, riparian buffer, windbreak and 
        shelterbelt, and other perennial production and conservation 
        systems and technologies to improve soil health, carbon 
        sequestration, drought preparedness, soil and water 
        conservation, environmental quality, and biological 
        diversity;'';
                    (G) in paragraph (7), by striking ``on semiarid 
                lands'';
                    (H) in paragraph (8), by striking ``on semiarid 
                lands worldwide'' and inserting ``worldwide, including 
                on semiarid land''; and
                    (I) in paragraph (9)--
                            (i) by striking ``on semiarid lands''; and
                            (ii) by inserting ``and climate change'' 
                        after ``pollution'';
            (5) in subsection (d) (as so redesignated)--
                    (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 
                striking ``Center'' and inserting ``Centers'';
                    (B) in paragraph (1), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (C) in paragraph (2), by striking the period at the 
                end and inserting ``; and''; and
                    (D) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(3) facilitate agroforestry adoption by disseminating 
        comprehensive information on Federal, State, local, and Tribal 
        programs that provide support for agroforestry.''; and
            (6) by amending subsection (e) (as so redesignated) to read 
        as follows:
    ``(e) Grants.--The Secretary may establish regional grant programs 
at each of the Centers to support agroforestry projects, including 
demonstration farms.''.
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