[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 130 (Tuesday, October 17, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10642-S10644]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       CARBON CYCLE AND AGRICULTURAL BEST PRACTICES RESEARCH ACT

  Mr. COCHRAN. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate now 
proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 797, S. 1066.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1066) to amend the National Agricultural 
     Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 to 
     encourage the use of and research into agricultural best 
     practices to improve the environment, and for other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the bill, 
which had been reported from the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 
and Forestry, with an amendment; as follows:
  [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
in italic.]

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Carbon Cycle and 
     Agricultural Best Practices Research Act''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

       Congress finds that--
       (1) agricultural producers in the United States--
       (A) have, in good faith, participated in mandatory and 
     voluntary conservation programs, the successes of which are 
     unseen by the general public, to preserve natural resources; 
     and
       (B) have a personal stake in ensuring that the air, water, 
     and soil of the United States are productive since 
     agricultural productivity directly affects--
       (i) the economic success of agricultural producers; and
       (ii) the production of food and fiber for developing and 
     developed nations;
       (2) in addition to providing food and fiber, agriculture 
     serves an environmental role by providing benefits to air, 
     soil, and water through agricultural best practices;
       (3) agricultural best practices include the more efficient 
     use of agriculture inputs and equipment;
       (4)(A) agricultural best practices accentuate the carbon 
     cycle by increasing the conversion of carbon dioxide from the 
     air into plants that produce grain and forage;
       (B) at the end of the growing season, plant material 
     decomposes, adding carbon to soil;
       (C) carbon can persist in soil for hundreds and even 
     thousands of years; and
       (D) through conservation practices, the additional carbon 
     in soil results in multiple environmental benefits, erosion 
     reduction, moisture retention, water quality improvements, 
     and increased crop yields;
       (5) according to the Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics 
     Laboratory of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration, North American soils, crops, rangelands, and 
     forests absorbed an equivalent quantity of carbon dioxide 
     emitted from fossil fuel combustion as part of the natural 
     carbon cycle from 1988 through 1992;
       (6) the estimated quantity of carbon stored in world soils 
     is more than twice the carbon in living vegetation or in the 
     atmosphere;
       (7) agricultural best practices can increase the quantity 
     of carbon stored in farm soils, crops, and rangeland;
       (8) by increasing use of voluntary agricultural best 
     practices, it is possible to offset carbon dioxide emissions, 
     thereby benefiting the environment, without implementing a 
     United Nations-sponsored climate change protocol or treaty;
       (9) Federal research is needed to identify--
       (A) the agricultural best practices that supplement the 
     natural carbon cycle; and
       (B) Federal conservation programs that can be altered to 
     increase the environmental benefits provided by the natural 
     carbon cycle; and
       (10) increasing soil organic carbon is widely recognized as 
     a means of increasing agricultural production and meeting the 
     growing domestic and international food consumption needs 
     with a positive environmental benefit.

     SEC. 3. AGRICULTURAL BEST PRACTICES.

       Title XIV of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, 
     and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) is 
     amended by adding at the end the following:

       ``Subtitle N--Carbon Cycle and Agricultural Best Practices

     ``SEC. 1490. DEFINITIONS.

       ``In this subtitle:
       ``(1) Agricultural best practice.--The term `agricultural 
     best practice' means a voluntary practice used by 1 or more 
     agricultural producers to manage a farm or ranch that has a 
     beneficial or minimal impact on the environment, including--
       ``(A) crop residue management;
       ``(B) soil erosion management;
       ``(C) nutrient management;
       ``(D) remote sensing;
       ``(E) precision agriculture;
       ``(F) integrated pest management;
       ``(G) animal waste management;
       ``(H) cover crop management;
       ``(I) water quality and utilization management;
       ``(J) grazing and range management;
       ``(K) wetland management;
       ``(L) buffer strip use; and
       ``(M) tree planting.
       ``(2) Conservation program.--The term `conservation 
     program' means a program established under--
       ``(A) subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 
     1985 (16 U.S.C. 3830 et seq.);
       ``(B) section 401 or 402 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 
     1978 (16 U.S.C. 2201, 2202);
       ``(C) section 3 or 8 of the Watershed Protection and Flood 
     Prevention Act (16 U.S.C. 1003, 1006a); or
       ``(D) any other provision of law that authorizes the 
     Secretary to make payments or provide other assistance to 
     agricultural producers to promote conservation.

     ``SEC. 1491. CARBON CYCLE AND AGRICULTURAL BEST PRACTICES 
                   RESEARCH.

       ``(a) In General.--The Department of Agriculture shall be 
     the lead agency with respect to any agricultural soil carbon 
     research conducted by the Federal Government.
       ``(b) Research Services.--
       ``(1) Agricultural research service.--The Secretary, acting 
     through the Agricultural Research Service, shall collaborate 
     with other Federal agencies to develop data and conduct 
     research addressing soil carbon balance and storage, making 
     special efforts to--
       ``(A) determine the effects of management and conservation 
     on soil organic carbon storage in cropland and grazing land;
       ``(B) evaluate the long-term impact of tillage and residue 
     management systems on the accumulation of organic carbon;
       ``(C) study the transfer of organic carbon to soil; and
       ``(D) study carbon storage of commodities.
       ``(2) Natural resources conservation service.--
       ``(A) Research missions.--The research missions of the 
     Secretary, acting through the Natural Resources Conservation 
     Service, include--

[[Page S10643]]

       ``(i) the development of a soil carbon database to--

       ``(I) provide online access to information about soil 
     carbon potential in a format that facilitates the use of the 
     database in making land management decisions; and

       ``(II) allow additional and more refined data to be linked 
     to similar databases containing information on forests and 
     rangeland;

       ``(ii) the conversion to an electronic format and linkage 
     to the national soil database described in clause (i) of 
     county-level soil surveys and State-level soil maps;
       ``(iii) updating of State-level soil maps;
       ``(iv) the linkage, for information purposes only, of soil 
     information to other soil and land use databases; and
       ``(v) the completion of evaluations, such as field 
     validation and calibration, of modeling, remote sensing, and 
     statistical inventory approaches to carbon stock assessments 
     related to land management practices and agronomic systems at 
     the field, regional, and national levels.
       ``(B) Unit of information.--The Secretary, acting through 
     the Natural Resources Conservation Service, shall disseminate 
     a national basic unit of information for an assessment of the 
     carbon storage potential of soils in the United States.
       ``(3) Economic research service report.--Not later than 1 
     year after the date of enactment of this section, the 
     Secretary, acting through the Economic Research Service, 
     shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of 
     Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, 
     and Forestry of the Senate a report that analyzes the impact 
     of the financial health of the farm economy of the United 
     States under the Kyoto Protocol and other international 
     agreements under the Framework Convention on Climate Change--
       ``(A) with and without market mechanisms (including whether 
     the mechanisms are permits for emissions and whether the 
     permits are issued by allocation, auction, or otherwise);
       ``(B) with and without the participation of developing 
     countries;
       ``(C) with and without carbon sinks; and
       ``(D) with respect to the imposition of traditional command 
     and control measures.
       ``(4) Cooperative state research, education, and extension 
     service.--
       ``(A) In general.--The Cooperative State Research, 
     Education, and Extension Service shall, through land-grant 
     colleges and universities, develop a comprehensive national 
     carbon cycle and agricultural best practices research agenda.
       ``(B) Research missions.--The research missions of the 
     Secretary, acting through the Cooperative State Research, 
     Education, and Extension Service, include the provision, 
     through land-grant colleges and universities, of research 
     opportunities to improve the scientific basis for using land 
     management practices to increase soil carbon sequestration 
     needed for producers, including research concerning 
     innovative methods of using biotechnology and nanotechnology.
       ``(C) Activities.--The Secretary, acting through the 
     Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service, 
     shall--
       ``(i) identify, develop, and evaluate agricultural best 
     practices using partnerships comprised of Federal, State, or 
     private entities and the Department of Agriculture, including 
     the Agricultural Research Service;
       ``(ii) develop necessary computer models to predict and 
     assess the carbon cycle, as well as other priorities 
     requested by the Secretary and the heads of other Federal 
     agencies;
       ``(iii) estimate and develop mechanisms to measure changes 
     in carbon levels resulting from voluntary Federal 
     conservation programs, private and Federal forests, and other 
     land uses;
       ``(iv) develop outreach programs, in coordination with 
     cooperative extension services, to share information on 
     carbon cycles and agricultural best practices that is useful 
     to agricultural producers; and
       ``(v) research new technologies that may increase carbon 
     cycle effectiveness, such as biotechnology and 
     nanotechnology.
       ``(c) Consortia.--
       ``(1) In general.--The Secretary may designate not more 
     than 2 carbon cycle and agricultural best practices research 
     consortia to carry out this section.
       ``(2) Selection.--The consortia designated by the Secretary 
     shall be selected in a competitive manner by the Cooperative 
     State Research, Education, and Extension Service.
       ``(3) Consortia participants.--The participants in the 
     consortia may include--
       ``(A) land-grant colleges and universities;
       ``(B) State geological surveys;
       ``(C) research centers of the National Aeronautics and 
     Space Administration;
       ``(D) other Federal agencies;
       ``(E) representatives of agricultural businesses and 
     organizations; and
       ``(F) representatives of the private sector.
       ``(4) Authorization of appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated to carry out this subsection 
     $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2001 through 2005.
       ``(d) Promotion of Agricultural Best Practices.--The 
     Secretary shall promote voluntary agricultural best practices 
     that take into account soil organic matter dynamics, carbon 
     cycle, ecology, and soil organisms that will lead to the more 
     effective use of soil resources to--
       ``(1) enhance the carbon cycle;
       ``(2) improve soil quality;
       ``(3) increase the use of renewable resources; and
       ``(4) overcome unfavorable physical soil properties.
       ``(e) Annual Report.--The Secretary shall submit to the 
     Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and 
     the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the 
     Senate an annual report that describes programs that are or 
     will be conducted by the Secretary, through land-grant 
     colleges and universities, to provide to agricultural 
     producers the results of research conducted on agricultural 
     best practices, including the results of--
       ``(1) research;
       ``(2) future research plans;
       ``(3) consultations with appropriate scientific 
     organizations;
       ``(4) proposed extension outreach activities; and
       ``(5) findings of scientific peer review under section 
     103(d)(1) of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
     Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7613(d)(1)).

     ``SEC. 1492. CARBON CYCLE REMOTE SENSING TECHNOLOGY.

       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary, in cooperation with the 
     Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space 
     Administration, shall develop a carbon cycle remote sensing 
     technology program--
       ``(1) to provide, on a near-continual basis, a real-time 
     and comprehensive view of vegetation conditions; and
       ``(2) to assess and model agricultural carbon 
     sequestration.
       ``(b) Use of Centers.--The Administrator of the National 
     Aeronautics and Space Administration shall use regional earth 
     science application centers to conduct research under this 
     section.
       ``(c) Researched Areas.--The areas that shall be the 
     subjects of research conducted under this section include--
       ``(1) the mapping of carbon-sequestering land use and land 
     cover;
       ``(2) the monitoring of changes in land cover and 
     management;
       ``(3) new systems for the remote sensing of soil carbon; 
     and
       ``(4) regional-scale carbon sequestration estimation.
       ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section $5,000,000 for 
     each of fiscal years 2001 through 2005.

     ``SEC. 1493. RESEARCH INCENTIVE PAYMENTS.

       ``(a) In General.--In addition to payments that are made by 
     the Secretary to producers under conservation programs, the 
     Secretary may, subject to appropriations authorized in 
     subsection (c), offer research incentive payments to 
     producers that are participating in the conservation programs 
     to compensate the producers for allowing researchers to 
     scientifically analyze, and collect information with respect 
     to, agricultural best practices that are carried out by the 
     producers as part of conservation projects and activities 
     that are funded, in whole or in part, by the Federal 
     Government.
       ``(b) Confidentiality.--
       ``(1) In general.--Except as provided in paragraph (2), any 
     information submitted to the Secretary under subsection (a) 
     shall be confidential and may be disclosed only if required 
     under court order.
       ``(2) Release of information in aggregate form.--The 
     Secretary may release or make public information described in 
     paragraph (1) in an aggregate or summary form that does not 
     directly disclose the identity, business transactions, or 
     trade secrets of any person that submits the information.
       ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to 
     carry out this section for each of fiscal years 2001 through 
     2005.

     ``SEC. 1494. ASSISTANCE FOR AGRICULTURAL BEST PRACTICES AND 
                   NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PLANS UNDER 
                   CONSERVATION PROGRAMS.

       ``(a) In General.--In addition to assistance that is 
     provided by the Secretary to producers under conservation 
     programs, the Secretary, on request of the producers, shall 
     provide, subject to appropriations authorized in subsection 
     (c), education through extension activities and technical 
     assistance to producers that are participating in the 
     conservation programs to assist the producers in planning, 
     designing, and installing agricultural best practices and 
     natural resource management plans established under the 
     conservation programs.
       ``(b) Information to Developing Nations.--The Secretary 
     shall disseminate to developing nations information on 
     agricultural best practices and natural resource management 
     plans that--
       ``(1) provide crucial agricultural benefits for soil and 
     water quality; and
       ``(2) increase production.
       ``(c) Authorization of Appropriations.--There are 
     authorized to be appropriated such sums as are necessary to 
     carry out this section for each of fiscal years 2001 through 
     2005.

     ``SEC. 1495. TRACE GAS NETWORK SYSTEM.

       ``(a) Establishment.--The Secretary, in conjunction with 
     the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric 
     Administration, may establish a nationwide trace gas network 
     system to research the flux of carbon between soil, air, and 
     water.
       ``(b) Purpose of System.--The trace gas network system 
     shall focus on locating appropriate research equipment on or 
     near agricultural best practices that are--
       ``(1) undertaken voluntarily;
       ``(2) undertaken through a conservation program of the 
     Department of Agriculture;
       ``(3) implemented as part of a program or activity of the 
     Department of Agriculture; or
       ``(4) identified by the Administrator of the National 
     Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
       ``(c) Memorandum of Understanding.--The Secretary may enter 
     into a memorandum of understanding with the Administrator of 
     the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to ensure 
     that research goals of programs established by the Federal 
     Government relating to trace gas research are met through the 
     trace gas network system.

[[Page S10644]]

       ``(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized 
     to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000.''.

  Mr. COCHRAN. I ask unanimous consent the committee substitute be 
agreed to, the bill be read the third time and passed, the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table, and any statements relating to the 
bill be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee amendment in the nature of a substitute was agreed to.
  The bill (S. 1066), as amended, was engrossed for a third reading, 
read the third time, and passed.

                          ____________________