[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8676 Introduced in House (IH)]

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118th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 8676

      To reduce enteric methane emissions, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             June 11, 2024

 Ms. Crockett (for herself and Mr. Molinaro) introduced the following 
        bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
      To reduce enteric methane emissions, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.

    (a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Enteric Methane 
Innovation Tools for Lower Emissions and Sustainable Stock Act of 
2024'' or the ``EMIT LESS Act of 2024''.
    (b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents for this Act is as 
follows:

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definition of Secretary.
               TITLE I--ENABLING ENTERIC METHANE RESEARCH

Sec. 101. Creation of enteric methane product and practice testing 
                            capacity through the Agricultural Research 
                            Service.
Sec. 102. Training programs for enteric methane livestock emissions.
         TITLE II--ON-FARM ENTERIC METHANE EMISSION REDUCTIONS

Sec. 201. On-farm conservation innovation trials.
Sec. 202. Review of conservation practice standards.
Sec. 203. Environmental quality incentives program payments.
Sec. 204. Conservation Stewardship Program payments.

SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF SECRETARY.

    In this Act, the term ``Secretary'' means the Secretary of 
Agriculture.

               TITLE I--ENABLING ENTERIC METHANE RESEARCH

SEC. 101. CREATION OF ENTERIC METHANE PRODUCT AND PRACTICE TESTING 
              CAPACITY THROUGH THE AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE.

    (a) In General.--The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of 
the Agricultural Research Service, shall--
            (1) establish and operate laboratory and testing facilities 
        to conduct studies to enhance the understanding of baseline 
        enteric methane emissions and the safety and efficacy of 
        enteric methane-mitigating products and practices;
            (2) develop the ongoing capacity of personnel of the 
        Agricultural Research Service with expertise in conducting the 
        studies described in paragraph (1); and
            (3) regularly assess--
                    (A) baseline enteric methane emissions;
                    (B) the impacts of enteric methane production on 
                animal productivity and animal health and welfare; and
                    (C) the impacts of enteric methane-mitigating 
                products and practices on greenhouse gas emissions, 
                animal productivity, and animal health and welfare.
    (b) Activities.--The Secretary, acting through the Administrator of 
the Agricultural Research Service, may use amounts made available to 
carry out this section, in accordance with subsection (a)--
            (1) to construct federally owned testing facilities;
            (2) to purchase assessment technologies;
            (3) to retrofit or renovate existing facilities; and
            (4) to contract with independent or academic facilities to 
        conduct research.

SEC. 102. TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR ENTERIC METHANE LIVESTOCK EMISSIONS.

    Title IV of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education 
Reform Act of 1998 is amended by inserting before section 404 (7 U.S.C. 
7624) the following:

``SEC. 401. TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR ENTERIC METHANE LIVESTOCK EMISSIONS.

    ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish or expand at 
eligible institutions training programs relating to, with respect to 
enteric methane emissions from livestock--
            ``(1) livestock management and nutrition;
            ``(2) greenhouse gas monitoring, verification, and 
        reporting technologies;
            ``(3) testing skills and capacity;
            ``(4) innovation; and
            ``(5) livestock health and welfare.
    ``(b) Eligible Institutions.--
            ``(1) In general.--An institution eligible for a training 
        program under this section is an 1862 Institution, an 1890 
        Institution, or a 1994 Institution.
            ``(2) Requirement.--The Secretary shall establish or expand 
        a training program under this section at not less than one 1862 
        Institution, not less than one 1890 Institution, and not less 
        than one 1994 Institution.''.

         TITLE II--ON-FARM ENTERIC METHANE EMISSION REDUCTIONS

SEC. 201. ON-FARM CONSERVATION INNOVATION TRIALS.

    Section 1240H(c) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3839aa-8(c)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (1)(B)(i)--
                    (A) in subclause (VI), by striking ``and'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) by redesignating subclause (VII) as subclause 
                (VIII); and
                    (C) by inserting after subclause (VI) the 
                following:
                                    ``(VII) livestock-related practices 
                                that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, 
                                including enteric methane emissions; 
                                and''; and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(8) Enteric methane emissions studies.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Not later than 2 years after the 
                date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary 
                shall carry out one or more studies on changes in 
                methane emissions and, if feasible, economic outcomes, 
                generated as a result of livestock-related practices 
                that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including enteric 
                methane emissions.
                    ``(B) Reports.--Not later than 2 years after the 
                date of enactment of this paragraph and annually 
                thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee 
                on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate 
                and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of 
                Representatives a report on the progress and results of 
                the studies under subparagraph (A).''.

SEC. 202. REVIEW OF CONSERVATION PRACTICE STANDARDS.

    Section 1242(h) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3842(h)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(5) Enteric methane emissions.--Not later than 180 days 
        after the date of enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary 
        shall--
                    ``(A) complete a review of conservation practice 
                standards in effect on the day before the date of 
                enactment of this paragraph to consider any revisions 
                to conservation practice standards, including for feed 
                management, or new conservation practice standards that 
                would be appropriate to assist in reducing enteric 
                methane emissions;
                    ``(B) revise appropriate conservation practice 
                standards in effect on the day before the date of 
                enactment of this paragraph as necessary to assist in 
                reducing enteric methane emissions; and
                    ``(C) establish any appropriate new conservation 
                practice standards to assist in reducing enteric 
                methane emissions.''.

SEC. 203. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM PAYMENTS.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 1240A of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa-1) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3)--
                    (A) by inserting ``management'' after ``means a''; 
                and
                    (B) by inserting ``land or livestock management'' 
                after ``set of''; and
            (2) in paragraph (6)(A)(ii), by inserting ``or livestock'' 
        after ``land''.
    (b) Payments.--Section 1240B(d) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa-2(d)) is amended--
            (1) in paragraph (3)(E), by inserting ``, including 
        greenhouse gas emission reductions'' before the semicolon; and
            (2) in paragraph (7)(A)--
                    (A) in clause (iii), by striking ``or'' at the end;
                    (B) by redesignating clause (iv) as clause (v); and
                    (C) by inserting after clause (iii) the following:
                            ``(iv) provides reduction of greenhouse gas 
                        emissions, including enteric methane emissions 
                        from livestock; or''.

SEC. 204. CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM PAYMENTS.

    (a) Definition of Conservation Activities.--Section 1240I(2)(B)(i) 
of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-21(2)(B)(i)) is 
amended by inserting ``livestock or'' after ``measures, and''.
    (b) Supplemental Payments for Resource-Conserving Crop Rotations, 
Advanced Grazing Management, and Livestock Feed Management.--Section 
1240L(d) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-24(d)) is 
amended--
            (1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``and Advanced 
        Grazing Management'' and inserting ``, Advanced Grazing 
        Management, and Livestock Feed Management'';
            (2) in paragraph (1)--
                    (A) by redesignating subparagraphs (B) and (C) as 
                subparagraphs (C) and (D), respectively; and
                    (B) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the 
                following:
                    ``(B) Livestock feed management.--The term 
                `livestock feed management' means providing livestock 
                with forage and feed that--
                            ``(i) manipulates and controls the quantity 
                        and quality of available nutrients, feedstuffs, 
                        ingredients, or additives fed to livestock;
                            ``(ii) minimizes excess nutrients in 
                        surface water and ground water by reducing the 
                        quantity of nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, 
                        salts, or other nutrients excreted in manure; 
                        or
                            ``(iii) reduces emissions of ammonia, 
                        odors, greenhouse gases, volatile organic 
                        components, or dust from animal feeding 
                        operations.'';
            (3) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``or'' at the 
                end;
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; or''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) livestock feed management.''; and
            (4) in paragraph (3), by inserting ``, livestock feed 
        management,'' after ``crop rotations''.
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