[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 109 (Thursday, June 28, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Page S4753]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

  SA 3354. Mr. SANDERS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed 
to amendment SA 3224 proposed by Mr. Roberts (for himself and Ms. 
Stabenow) to the bill H.R. 2, to provide for the reform and 
continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of 
Agriculture through fiscal year 2023, and for other purposes; which was 
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

       Beginning on page 141, strike line 3 and all that follows 
     through page 142, line 5, and insert the following:
       ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out a pilot 
     project that provides financial incentives, as determined by 
     the Secretary, to producers to adopt practices designed to 
     improve soil health, including by increasing carbon levels in 
     soil (or `soil carbon levels') or growing new top soil.
       ``(b) Requirements.--In establishing the pilot project 
     under subsection (a), the Secretary shall--
       ``(1) identify geographic regions of the United States in 
     which to establish the pilot project, including--
       ``(A) not less than 1 drought prone region, based on 
     factors such as soil type, cropping history, and water 
     availability; and
       ``(B) not less than 1 region with a high percentage of 
     spodosols, as identified by the Secretary;
       ``(2) establish payments to provide an incentive for the 
     use of practices, such as cover crops, no-till farming, 
     nutrient management, resource-conserving crop rotations, and 
     other similar practices approved under the program that--
       ``(A) improve soil health;
       ``(B) increase carbon levels in the soil; or
       ``(C) meet the goals described in subparagraphs (A) and 
     (B); and
       ``(3) establish protocols for measuring carbon levels in 
     soil to measure gains in soil health as a result of the 
     practices used in the pilot project.
       ``(c) Study; Report to Congress.--
       ``(1) Study.--Not later than September 30, 2022, the 
     Secretary shall conduct a study regarding the baseline of 
     soil carbon levels and nutrients, changes in soil health, 
     reduction in nutrient runoff and top soil erosion, and, if 
     feasible, economic outcomes, as a result of the practices 
     used in the pilot project established under subsection (a).
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