I 

118TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. R. 7146 

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to provide grants to covered entities 

to develop, modify, or implement climate adaptation and climate mitigation proposals on agricultural land, and for other purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JANUARY 30, 2024 

Ms. SCHRIER (for herself, Ms. PEREZ, Ms. STRICKLAND, and Mr. NICKEL) 

introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to provide grants 

to covered entities to develop, modify, or implement climate adaptation and climate mitigation proposals on agricultural land, and for other purposes. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Partnerships for Agri5 cultural Climate Action Act’’. 


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1 SEC. 2. ASSISTANCE FOR CLIMATE MITIGATION AND ADAP2 TATION. 

3 Section 1240H of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 

4 U.S.C. 3839aa–8) is amended— 

5 (1) in subsection (a)(2)— 

6 (A) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘, 

7 Tribal,’’ after ‘‘provided by State’’; and 

8 (B) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘for 

9 pollution reduction’’ and inserting ‘‘for pollution 

10 and emissions reductions’’; 

11 (2) by redesignating subsection (d) as sub12 section (e); and 

13 (3) by inserting after subsection (c) the fol14 lowing: 

15 ‘‘(d) GRANTS FOR CLIMATE MITIGATION AND CLI16 MATE ADAPTATION.— 

17 ‘‘(1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 

18 ‘‘(A) CLIMATE ADAPTATION.—The term 

19 ‘climate adaptation’ means, with respect to an 

20 agricultural management system, management 

21 changes to such agricultural management sys22 tem to reduce vulnerability to and recover from 

23 climate and other related disturbances, such 

24 that the system thrives in the face of severe 

25 weather impacts and other associated chal26 lenges, including management changes that 


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1 builds agricultural resilience through actions 

2 such as improved nutrient management and en3 hancing soil health. 

4 ‘‘(B) CLIMATE MITIGATION.—The term 

5 ‘climate mitigation’ means, with respect to an 

6 agricultural management system, management 

7 changes to such agricultural management sys8 tem to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and se9 quester carbon in soil and plant biomass on ag10 ricultural land. 

11 ‘‘(C) COVERED ENTITY.—The term ‘cov12 ered entity’ means— 

13 ‘‘(i) the department of agriculture of 

14 a State; 

15 ‘‘(ii) an applicable Tribal Government 

16 authority; 

17 ‘‘(iii) an agricultural or silvicultural 

18 producer association or other group of pro19 ducers; 

20 ‘‘(iv) a farmer cooperative; 

21 ‘‘(v) an institution of higher edu22 cation; 

23 ‘‘(vi) a conservation commission or 

24 district; or 


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1 ‘‘(vii) an organization or entity with 

2 an established history of working coopera3 tively with producers on agricultural land, 

4 as determined by the Secretary, to address 

5 local conservation priorities related to agri6 cultural production or nonindustrial pri7 vate forestland management in connection 

8 to climate mitigation or adaptation. 

9 ‘‘(D) ELIGIBLE PROPOSAL.—The term ‘eli10 gible proposal’ means a proposal for climate 

11 mitigation and climate adaptation activities on 

12 agricultural land, which— 

13 ‘‘(i) is broadly consistent with part III 

14 of the Action Plan for Climate Adaptation 

15 and Resilience, titled ‘USDA’s Adaptation 

16 Actions’, published by the Department of 

17 Agriculture (August 2021); 

18 ‘‘(ii) is broadly consistent with con19 servation practices identified by the Nat20 ural Resources Conservation Service to re21 duce greenhouse gas emissions or to se22 quester carbon; 

23 ‘‘(iii) is broadly consistent with the 

24 latest available scientific research on re25 gionally-relevant climate mitigation and 


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1 adaptation strategies for agricultural land; 

2 and 

3 ‘‘(iv) identifies effective strategies, in4 cluding strategies developed from tradi5 tional ecological knowledge such as indige6 nous agricultural knowledge practices, for 

7 increasing adoption of regionally appro8 priate management practices and systems 

9 implemented on privately owned agricul10 tural land under the jurisdiction of the ap11 plicable State government or Tribal Gov12 ernment that achieve at least two of the 

13 following outcomes: 

14 ‘‘(I) Increase in carbon seques15 tration. 

16 ‘‘(II) Reduction of greenhouse 

17 gas emissions. 

18 ‘‘(III) Increased resilience 

19 against extreme weather. 

20 ‘‘(E) INDIGENOUS AGRICULTURAL KNOWL21 EDGE.—The term ‘indigenous agricultural 

22 knowledge’ means the applied knowledge for 

23 raising or producing food and other agricultural 

24 products grounded in indigenous belief systems 


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1 and practices that have been time-tested over 

2 millennia. 

3 ‘‘(F) TRADITIONAL ECOLOGICAL KNOWL4 EDGE.—The term ‘traditional ecological knowl5 edge’ means a cumulative body of knowledge, 

6 practice, and belief, developed by Native Amer7 ican, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, and 

8 other Indigenous communities, evolving by 

9 adaptive processes and handed down through 

10 generations by cultural transmissions, about the 

11 relationship of living beings (including humans) 

12 with one another and their environments, in13 cluding indigenous agricultural knowledge. 

14 ‘‘(G) TRIBAL GOVERNMENT.—The term 

15 ‘Tribal Government’ means— 

16 ‘‘(i) the governing body of an Indian 

17 tribe; 

18 ‘‘(ii) the governing body of a State19 recognized Tribal organization; and 

20 ‘‘(iii) the governing body of a Native 

21 Hawaiian community or organization. 

22 ‘‘(2) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide 

23 grants to covered entities to— 

24 ‘‘(A) develop or modify an eligible pro25 posal; or 


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1 ‘‘(B) implement an eligible proposal. 

2 ‘‘(3) APPLICATION.— 

3 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A covered entity ap4 plying for a grant under this subsection shall 

5 prepare and submit an application at such time, 

6 in such a manner, and containing such informa7 tion as the Secretary shall require, including an 

8 assurance that grant funds received under this 

9 subsection shall supplement, not supplant, the 

10 expenditure of funds of such covered entity in 

11 developing, modifying, or implementing eligible 

12 proposals. 

13 ‘‘(B) OPTION FOR TRIBAL GOVERN14 MENTS.—At the sole discretion of a Tribal Gov15 ernment, such Tribal Government may, in lieu 

16 of submitting an applications under subpara17 graph (A), opt to join an application submitted 

18 by any other covered entity for an eligible pro19 posal relating to agricultural lands under the 

20 jurisdiction of such Tribal Government and that 

21 are located within, at least in part, the geo22 graphic boundary of such covered entity. 

23 ‘‘(C) SOLICITATION OF APPLICATIONS.— 

24 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 

25 180 days after the date of enactment of 


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1 the Partnerships for Agricultural Climate 

2 Action Act, the Secretary shall solicit ap3 plications for grants under this subsection. 

4 ‘‘(ii) ADDITIONAL SOLICITATIONS.— 

5 The Secretary shall solicit applications for 

6 funding for eligible proposals on a recur7 ring basis after the first round of applica8 tions until all amounts appropriated to 

9 carry out this subsection are expended. 

10 ‘‘(D) PERFORMANCE MEASURES.—Each 

11 application submitted under this paragraph 

12 shall include performance measures to be used 

13 to evaluate an eligible proposal that was devel14 oped, modified, or implemented using a grant 

15 received under this subsection. 

16 ‘‘(4) SELECTION.— 

17 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Not later than two 

18 years after the date of enactment of the Part19 nerships for Agricultural Climate Action Act, 

20 the Secretary shall select applications submitted 

21 under paragraph (3) to receive a grant under 

22 this subsection in accordance with this para23 graph. 

24 ‘‘(B) CRITERIA.—In selecting applications 

25 to receive a grant under this subsection— 


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1 ‘‘(i) in the case of an application for 

2 developing or modifying an eligible pro3 posal, the Secretary shall select applica4 tions for eligible proposals that will, if im5 plemented— 

6 ‘‘(I) have a high potential for 

7 carbon sequestration and greenhouse 

8 gas emissions reductions; and 

9 ‘‘(II) increase the resilience of 

10 agricultural management systems to 

11 extreme weather and climate condi12 tions; 

13 ‘‘(ii) in the case of an application for 

14 implementing an eligible proposal, the Sec15 retary shall select applications for eligible 

16 proposals that— 

17 ‘‘(I) have a high potential for 

18 carbon sequestration or greenhouse 

19 gas emissions reductions; 

20 ‘‘(II) increase the resilience of 

21 agricultural management systems to 

22 extreme weather and climate condi23 tions; and 

24 ‘‘(iii) the Secretary shall select appli25 cations for eligible proposals that are based 


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1 on any other criteria that the Secretary de2 termines necessary or appropriate to carry 

3 out this subsection. 

4 ‘‘(C) GEOGRAPHICAL DIVERSITY.—In pro5 viding grants under this subsection, the Sec6 retary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, 

7 ensure geographic diversity. 

8 ‘‘(D) PRIORITY.—In providing grants 

9 under this subsection, the Secretary shall give 

10 priority to— 

11 ‘‘(i) a covered entity for an eligible 

12 proposal that— 

13 ‘‘(I) includes dedicated resources 

14 to historically underserved producers 

15 or farming operations, including— 

16 ‘‘(aa) beginning farmers or 

17 ranchers; 

18 ‘‘(bb) socially disadvantaged 

19 farmers or ranchers; 

20 ‘‘(cc) veteran farmers and 

21 ranchers, as defined in section 

22 2501(a) of the Food, Agriculture, 

23 Conservation, and Trade Act of 

24 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279(a)); and 


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1 ‘‘(dd) small or mid-sized 

2 farms that are structured as 

3 family farms, as defined in sec4 tion 761.2 of title 7, Code of 

5 Federal Regulations; 

6 ‘‘(II) includes plans to transition 

7 whole farm systems to ecologically 

8 sound production systems that— 

9 ‘‘(aa) increase carbon se10 questration; 

11 ‘‘(bb) reduce greenhouse gas 

12 emissions; or 

13 ‘‘(cc) build resilience to ex14 treme weather; or 

15 ‘‘(III) supports additional con16 servation goals, including— 

17 ‘‘(aa) improving soil health; 

18 ‘‘(bb) erosion control; 

19 ‘‘(cc) improving nutrient 

20 management; 

21 ‘‘(dd) improving water qual22 ity; 

23 ‘‘(ee) enhancing pollinator 

24 forage; and 


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1 ‘‘(ff) habitat restoration; 

2 and 

3 ‘‘(ii) the applicable Tribal Government 

4 authority for an eligible proposal that in5 cludes use of traditional ecological knowl6 edge or indigenous agricultural knowledge 

7 practices. 

8 ‘‘(5) PARTNERSHIPS OPTION.—A covered entity 

9 may enter into partnership agreements for the devel10 opment, modification, or implementation of an eligi11 ble proposal with one or more other covered entities. 

12 ‘‘(6) USE OF IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS.—A 

13 covered entity may use a grant provided under para14 graph (2)(B) for activities to implement an eligible 

15 proposal, including— 

16 ‘‘(A) provision of technical assistance to 

17 producers; 

18 ‘‘(B) provision of financial assistance to 

19 producers; 

20 ‘‘(C) on-farm research and demonstration; 

21 ‘‘(D) extension, education, outreach, and 

22 training; 

23 ‘‘(E) monitoring and evaluating soil carbon 

24 sequestration, greenhouse gas emissions reduc25 tions, and other conservation outcomes; 


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1 ‘‘(F) local producer-to-producer networking 

2 and mentoring activities; and 

3 ‘‘(G) other activities as the Secretary de4 termines appropriate. 

5 ‘‘(7) GRANT TERM.— 

6 ‘‘(A) DEVELOPMENT AND MODIFICATION

7 GRANTS.—With respect to a grant under para8 graph (2)(A), the Secretary— 

9 ‘‘(i) shall provide such grant for a 

10 term of not less than one year and not 

11 more than two years; and 

12 ‘‘(ii) may renew such grant once at 

13 the end of a term under clause (i), under 

14 which renewal the Secretary may provide 

15 additional grant funds after the initial 

16 grant funds have been expended. 

17 ‘‘(B) IMPLEMENTATION GRANTS.—With 

18 respect to a grant under paragraph (2)(B), the 

19 Secretary— 

20 ‘‘(i) shall provide such grant for a 

21 term of not less than one year and not 

22 more than five years; and 

23 ‘‘(ii) may renew such grant at the end 

24 of a term under clause (i), under which re25 newal the Secretary may provide additional 


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1 grant funds after the initial grant funds 

2 have been expended. 

3 ‘‘(8) GRANT AMOUNT.— 

4 ‘‘(A) MAXIMUM AMOUNT.—The Secretary 

5 may provide a grant to a covered entity— 

6 ‘‘(i) in the case of a grant under para7 graph (2)(A), in an amount not to exceed 

8 $7,500,000 per fiscal year; and 

9 ‘‘(ii) in the case of a grant under 

10 paragraph (2)(B), in an amount not to ex11 ceed $15,000,000 per fiscal year. 

12 ‘‘(B) FEDERAL SHARE.— 

13 ‘‘(i) GRANTS TO CERTAIN COVERED

14 ENTITIES.—The Secretary shall not pro15 vide a grant under this subsection to a cov16 ered entity that is not an applicable Tribal 

17 Government authority in an amount that 

18 exceeds— 

19 ‘‘(I) 75 percent of the cost of de20 veloping or modifying an eligible pro21 posal under paragraph (2)(A); or 

22 ‘‘(II) 50 percent of the cost of 

23 implementing an eligible proposal 

24 under paragraph (2)(B). 


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1 ‘‘(ii) GRANTS TO TRIBAL GOVERN2 MENTS.—The Secretary shall not provide a 

3 grant under this subsection to an applica4 ble Tribal Government authority in an 

5 amount that exceeds— 

6 ‘‘(I) 100 percent of the cost of 

7 developing or modifying an eligible 

8 proposal under paragraph (2)(A); or 

9 ‘‘(II) 85 percent of the cost of 

10 implementing an eligible proposal 

11 under paragraph (2)(B). 

12 ‘‘(iii) RESTRICTION.—Clause (ii) does 

13 not apply to Tribal Governments that opt 

14 to join an application submitted by another 

15 covered entity under paragraph (3)(B). 

16 ‘‘(C) NON-FEDERAL FUNDS.—The Sec17 retary shall provide a grant under this sub18 section on the condition that any non-Federal 

19 share of expenditures be provided from non20 Federal sources. 

21 ‘‘(9) PERFORMANCE MEASURES REVIEW AND

22 EVALUATION.—Each covered entity that receives a 

23 grant under this subsection shall submit to the Sec24 retary a review and evaluation of the progress of 

25 such covered entity, using the performance measures 


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1 included in the application under paragraph (3)(D), 

2 at such intervals as the Secretary shall establish. 

3 ‘‘(10) EFFECT OF NONCOMPLIANCE.—If the 

4 Secretary, after reasonable notice to a covered enti5 ty, determines that there has been a failure by such 

6 covered entity to comply with the terms of a grant 

7 made under this subsection, the Secretary may dis8 qualify, for one or more years, such covered entity 

9 from receipt of future grants under this subsection. 

10 ‘‘(11) AUDIT REQUIREMENT.—For each year 

11 that a covered entity receives funds from a grant 

12 provided under this subsection, such covered entity 

13 shall— 

14 ‘‘(A) conduct an audit of any expenditures 

15 by such covered entity that were paid for using 

16 such funds; and 

17 ‘‘(B) not later than 30 days after the com18 pletion of the audit under subparagraph (A), 

19 submit to the Secretary a copy of such audit. 

20 ‘‘(12) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.— 

21 ‘‘(A) SECRETARY.—The Secretary may not 

22 use more than 3 percent of the funds made 

23 available to carry out this subsection for a fiscal 

24 year for administrative expenses. 


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1 ‘‘(B) CERTAIN COVERED ENTITIES.—A 

2 covered entity, that is not an applicable Tribal 

3 Government authority, receiving a grant under 

4 this section may not use more than 10 percent 

5 of the granted funds for administrative ex6 penses. 

7 ‘‘(C) TRIBAL GOVERNMENTS.—An applica8 ble Tribal Government authority receiving a 

9 grant under this section may not use more than 

10 15 percent of the granted funds for administra11 tive expenses. 

12 ‘‘(13) FUNDING.— 

13 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Of the funds made 

14 available to carry out this subchapter, the Sec15 retary shall carry out this subsection using 

16 $150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2023 

17 through 2031. 

18 ‘‘(B) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS.—The Sec19 retary shall distribute funds made available to 

20 carry out this subsection as follows: 

21 ‘‘(i) At least 33 percent of funds to 

22 support the development and modification 

23 of eligible proposals under paragraph 

24 (2)(A). 


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1 ‘‘(ii) At least 33 percent of funds to 

2 support the implementation of eligible pro3 posals under paragraph (2)(B). 

4 ‘‘(C) RESERVATION OF FUNDS.—Of the 

5 funds made available for grants under this sub6 section, 33 percent shall be reserved for grants 

7 provided to the applicable Tribal Government 

8 authorities.’’. 

Æ 


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