I 

118TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 1840 

To address the impact of climate change on agriculture, and for other 

purposes. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 28, 2023 

Ms. PINGREE (for herself, Ms. KUSTER, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. CARSON, Ms. BONAMICI, Ms. BARRAGA ́N, Mr. BLUMENAUER, 

Mr. GARCI ́A of Illinois, Mr. CARTWRIGHT, Ms. STANSBURY, Mr. CONNOLLY, Ms. NORTON, Mr. BEYER, Ms. STRICKLAND, Mr. MCGOVERN, 

Mr. LIEU, Mrs. HAYES, Mr. KHANNA, Ms. BROWNLEY, Ms. SCHRIER, 

Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. POCAN, Mr. HUFFMAN, Mr. COHEN, Mr. KILMER, 

and Ms. PORTER) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 

Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Education and the Workforce, Energy and Commerce, House Administration, 

and Oversight and Accountability, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions 

as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned 

A BILL 

To address the impact of climate change on agriculture, 

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; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

5 ‘‘Agriculture Resilience Act of 2023’’. 


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1 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for 

2 this Act is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

Sec. 2. Definition of Secretary. 

TITLE I—NATIONAL GOALS 

Sec. 101. National goals. 

Sec. 102. Action plan. 

TITLE II—RESEARCH 

Sec. 201. Research, extension, and education purpose. 

Sec. 202. Regional hubs for risk adaptation and mitigation to climate change. 

Sec. 203. Sustainable agriculture research and education resilience initiative. 

Sec. 204. Long-Term Agroecosystem Research Network. 

Sec. 205. Public breed and cultivar research. 

Sec. 206. ARS Climate Scientist Career Development Program. 

Sec. 207. Agricultural Climate Adaptation and Mitigation through AFRI. 

Sec. 208. Specialty crop research initiative. 

Sec. 209. Integrated pest management. 

Sec. 210. Appropriate technology transfer for rural areas program. 

TITLE III—SOIL HEALTH 

Sec. 301. Crop insurance. 

Sec. 302. Environmental quality incentives program. 

Sec. 303. Conservation stewardship program. 

Sec. 304. State assistance for soil health. 

Sec. 305. Funding and administration. 

Sec. 306. Conservation compliance. 

Sec. 307. National and regional agroforestry centers. 

TITLE IV—FARMLAND PRESERVATION AND FARM VIABILITY 

Sec. 401. Local Agriculture Market Program. 

Sec. 402. National organic certification cost-share program. 

Sec. 403. Farmland Protection Policy Act. 

Sec. 404. Agricultural conservation easement program. 

TITLE V—PASTURE-BASED LIVESTOCK 

Sec. 501. Animal raising claims. 

Sec. 502. Processing resilience grant program. 

Sec. 503. Conservation of private grazing land. 

Sec. 504. Conservation reserve program. 

Sec. 505. Alternative manure management program. 

TITLE VI—ON-FARM RENEWABLE ENERGY 

Sec. 601. Rural Energy For America Program. 

Sec. 602. Agrivoltaic systems. 

Sec. 603. AgSTAR program. 

TITLE VII—FOOD LOSS AND WASTE 


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Subtitle A—Food Date Labeling 

Sec. 701. Definitions. 

Sec. 702. Quality dates and discard dates. 

Sec. 703. Misbranding. 

Sec. 704. Regulations. 

Sec. 705. Delayed applicability. 

Subtitle B—Other Provisions 

Sec. 711. Composting as conservation practice. 

Sec. 712. Amendments to Federal Food Donation Act. 

Sec. 713. Grants for composting and anaerobic digestion food waste-to-energy 

projects. 

Sec. 714. School food waste reduction grant program. 

Sec. 715. Support for national media campaigns to decrease incidence of food 

waste. 

Sec. 716. Food waste research program. 

1 SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF SECRETARY. 

2 In this Act, the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Sec3 retary of Agriculture. 

4 TITLE I—NATIONAL GOALS 

5 SEC. 101. NATIONAL GOALS. 

6 (a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the goals established 

7 under this title is to prevent climate change from exceed8 ing 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming above preindustrial lev9 els through a national greenhouse gas emission reduction 

10 effort. 

11 (b) NATIONAL GOALS.—The national goals for the 

12 agricultural sector shall be to achieve— 

13 (1) not less than a 50-percent reduction in net 

14 greenhouse gas emissions, as compared to those lev15 els during calendar year 2010, by not later than De16 cember 31, 2030; and 


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1 (2) net zero emissions by not later than Decem2 ber 31, 2040. 

3 (c) SUBGOALS.—To achieve the national goals de4 scribed in subsection (b), there are established the fol5 lowing subgoals: 

6 (1) RESEARCH.—The total Federal investment 

7 in public food and agriculture research and exten8 sion should— 

9 (A) at a minimum, as compared to that 

10 total Federal investment for fiscal year 2023— 

11 (i) triple by not later than December 

12 31, 2030; and 

13 (ii) quadruple by not later than De14 cember 31, 2040; and 

15 (B) strongly focus on climate change adap16 tation and mitigation, soil health and carbon se17 questration, nutrient and manure management 

18 to curb nitrous oxide and methane emissions, 

19 agroforestry, advanced grazing management 

20 and crop-livestock integration, perennial pro21 duction systems, on-farm and food system en22 ergy efficiency and renewable energy produc23 tion, farmland preservation and viability, food 

24 waste reduction, and any other related areas, as 

25 determined by the Secretary. 


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1 (2) SOIL HEALTH.—The United States 

2 should— 

3 (A) immediately become a member of the 

4 Partners Forum and the Consortium of the 4 

5 per 1000 Initiative, hosted by the Consultative 

6 Group for International Agricultural Research, 

7 with the aim of increasing total soil carbon 

8 stocks by 0.4 percent annually to reduce carbon 

9 in the atmosphere, restore soil health and pro10 ductivity, and thereby improve food security; 

11 (B) sufficiently expand adoption of soil 

12 health systems and practices (including diverse 

13 crop rotations, cover cropping, and conservation 

14 tillage), perennial crop and grass-based live15 stock production systems, agroforestry, 

16 composting, advanced nutrient budgeting and 

17 biologically based nutrient management, ad18 vanced grazing management (including 

19 silvopasture and management-intensive rota20 tional grazing), and integrated crop-livestock 

21 systems— 

22 (i) to reduce nitrous oxide emissions 

23 from agricultural soils, as compared to 

24 those levels during calendar year 2023— 


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1 (I) by 25 percent by not later 

2 than December 31, 2030; and 

3 (II) by 75 percent by not later 

4 than December 31, 2040; 

5 (ii) to increase soil carbon stocks by 

6 0.4 percent annually on at least 50 percent 

7 of agricultural land by not later than De8 cember 31, 2030; and 

9 (iii) to meet or exceed the threshold 

10 described in clause (ii) on all agricultural 

11 land by not later than December 31, 2040; 

12 (C) expand implementation of regionally 

13 appropriate cover crops and other continual liv14 ing cover so that— 

15 (i) at least 50 percent of cropland 

16 acres include 1 or more cover crops or 

17 other continual living cover in the rotations 

18 of the cropland acres by not later than De19 cember 31, 2030; 

20 (ii) at least 75 percent of cropland 

21 acres include 1 or more cover crops or 

22 other continual living cover in the rotations 

23 of the cropland acres by not later than De24 cember 31, 2040; 


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1 (iii) cropland acres are covered by 

2 crops (including forages and hay crops), 

3 cover crops, or residue for an average of 

4 75 percent of each calendar year by not 

5 later than December 31, 2030; and 

6 (iv) cropland acres are covered by 

7 crops (including forages and hay crops), 

8 cover crops, or residue for an average of 

9 85 percent of each calendar year by not 

10 later than December 31, 2040; and 

11 (D) encourage conversion of at least— 

12 (i) 15 percent of annual grain crop 

13 acres, as in use on the date of enactment 

14 of this Act, to agroforestry, perennial graz15 ing, perennial grain crops, or other peren16 nial production systems by not later than 

17 December 31, 2030; and 

18 (ii) 30 percent of annual grain crop 

19 acres, as in use on the date of enactment 

20 of this Act, to agroforestry, perennial graz21 ing, perennial grain crops, or other peren22 nial production systems by not later than 

23 December 31, 2040. 

24 (3) FARMLAND PRESERVATION.— 


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1 (A) 2030 GOAL.—The rate of conversion of 

2 agricultural land to development, and the rate 

3 of conversion of grassland to cropping, should 

4 be reduced by at least 80 percent, as compared 

5 to those rates for calendar year 2023 by not 

6 later than December 31, 2030. 

7 (B) 2040 GOAL.—There should be no con8 version of agricultural land to development, or 

9 grassland to cropping, by December 31, 2040. 

10 (4) PASTURE-BASED LIVESTOCK.—The live11 stock sector should— 

12 (A) establish advanced grazing manage13 ment, including management-intensive rota14 tional grazing, on at least— 

15 (i) 50 percent of all grazing land by 

16 not later than December 31, 2030; and 

17 (ii) 100 percent of all grazing land by 

18 not later than December 31, 2040; 

19 (B)(i) reduce greenhouse gas emissions re20 lated to feeding of ruminants by at least— 

(I) 1 21 ⁄3 by not later than December 31, 

22 2030; and 

(II) 1 23 ⁄2 by not later than December 

24 31, 2040; and 


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1 (ii) accomplish the reductions described in 

2 clause (i) by— 

3 (I) reducing nongrazing feeding of 

4 ruminants; 

5 (II) growing feed grains and forages 

6 with soil health and nutrient management 

7 practices that minimize net greenhouse gas 

8 emissions from cropland; and 

9 (III) designing livestock feed mixtures 

10 and supplements to mitigate enteric meth11 ane emissions; 

12 (C) re-integrate livestock and crop produc13 tion systems at farm, local, and regional levels 

14 to facilitate environmentally sound management 

15 and field application of manure and reduce the 

16 need for long-term manure storage by increas17 ing acreage on individual farms under crop-live18 stock integrated management by at least— 

19 (i) 100 percent as compared to cal20 endar year 2017 levels by not later than 

21 December 31, 2030; and 

22 (ii) 300 percent as compared to cal23 endar year 2017 levels by not later than 

24 December 31, 2040; and 


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1 (D) reduce greenhouse gas emissions re2 sulting from manure management by— 

3 (i) immediately ceasing building any 

4 new or expanded waste lagoons for con5 fined animal feeding operations; and 

6 (ii) converting— 

7 (I) by not later than December 

31, 2030, at least 1 8 ⁄3 of wet manure 

9 handling and storage to non-digester 

10 dairy or livestock methane manage11 ment methods (as defined in section 

12 1240T(a) of the Food Security Act of 

13 1985); and 

14 (II) by not later than December 

31, 2040, at least 2 15 ⁄3 of wet manure 

16 handling and storage to non-digester 

17 dairy or livestock methane manage18 ment methods (as so defined). 

19 (5) ON-FARM RENEWABLE ENERGY.—The agri20 cultural sector should— 

21 (A) implement energy audits and energy 

22 efficiency improvements on at least— 

23 (i) 50 percent of farms by not later 

24 than December 31, 2030; and 


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1 (ii) 100 percent of farms by not later 

2 than December 31, 2040; 

3 (B) expand on-farm clean renewable en4 ergy production to a level that is at least— 

5 (i) double the 2017 level by not later 

6 than December 31, 2030; and 

7 (ii) triple the 2017 level by not later 

8 than December 31, 2040; and 

9 (C) install and manage on-farm renewable 

10 energy infrastructure in a manner that does 

11 not— 

12 (i) compromise the climate resilience 

13 and greenhouse gas mitigation goals of this 

14 Act; or 

15 (ii) adversely impact farmland, soil, 

16 and water resources, or food production. 

17 (6) FOOD LOSS AND WASTE.—Consistent with 

18 the Food Waste Challenge launched by the Depart19 ment of Agriculture and the Environmental Protec20 tion Agency in June 2013, and the national food 

21 loss and waste goal announced in September 2015, 

22 the food and agricultural sector should commit to— 

23 (A) at least a 50-percent reduction in food 

24 loss and waste by not later than December 31, 

25 2030; 


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1 (B) at least a 75-percent reduction in food 

2 loss and waste by not later than December 31, 

3 2040; and 

4 (C) in a manner consistent with the Food 

5 Recovery Hierarchy established by the Environ6 mental Protection Agency, diverting from land7 fills through composting and other means at 

8 least— 

9 (i) 50 percent of unavoidable food 

10 waste and food processing byproducts by 

11 not later than December 31, 2030; and 

12 (ii) 90 percent of unavoidable food 

13 waste and food processing byproducts by 

14 not later than December 31, 2040. 

15 SEC. 102. ACTION PLAN. 

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall— 

17 (1) develop a plan (referred to in this section as 

18 the ‘‘plan’’), which may involve actions to be taken 

19 by other Federal agencies, to make significant and 

20 rapid progress to achieve the national goals de21 scribed in section 101; and 

22 (2) make the plan available for public comment 

23 for a period of not less than 90 days. 

24 (b) ACTIONS.—Actions under the plan shall— 


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1 (1) include issuing regulations, providing incen2 tives, carrying out research and development pro3 grams, and any other actions the Secretary deter4 mines are necessary to achieve the national goals de5 scribed in section 101; and 

6 (2) be designed— 

7 (A) to fully implement the provisions of 

8 this Act and the amendments made by this Act; 

9 (B) to provide benefits for farmers and 

10 ranchers, rural communities, small businesses, 

11 and consumers; 

12 (C) to improve public health, resilience, 

13 and environmental outcomes, especially for 

14 rural and low-income households, communities 

15 of color, Tribal and indigenous communities, 

16 and communities that are disproportionately 

17 vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, air 

18 and water pollution, and other resource deg19 radation; and 

20 (D) to prioritize investments that reduce 

21 emissions of greenhouse gases and sequester 

22 carbon while simultaneously helping to solve 

23 other pressing agro-environmental resource con24 cerns, increase farming and ranching opportuni25 ties, create quality jobs, improve farmworker 


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1 working conditions and living standards, and 

2 make communities more resilient to the effects 

3 of climate change. 

4 (c) FINAL PLAN.—Not later than 18 months after 

5 the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall— 

6 (1) finalize the plan, taking into account any 

7 public comments received on the plan; 

8 (2) begin implementation of the plan; and 

9 (3) submit the plan to Congress. 

10 (d) UPDATES.—Beginning 2 years after the date on 

11 which the Secretary submits the plan to Congress under 

12 subsection (c)(3), and not less frequently than biennially 

13 thereafter, the Secretary shall— 

14 (1) review and revise the plan to ensure that 

15 the plan is sufficient to achieve the national goals 

16 described in section 101; and 

17 (2) submit the revised plan to Congress. 

18 (e) ANNUAL REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after 

19 the date on which the Secretary submits the plan to Con20 gress under subsection (c)(3), and annually thereafter, the 

21 Secretary shall submit to Congress, and make publicly 

22 available, an annual report that describes, for the period 

23 covered by the report— 

24 (1) actions taken pursuant to the plan and the 

25 effects of those actions; 


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1 (2) the conclusion of the most recent review of 

2 the plan conducted under subsection (d), if applica3 ble; and 

4 (3) a summary of any revisions made to the 

5 plan under that subsection. 

6 TITLE II—RESEARCH 

7 SEC. 201. RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND EDUCATION PUR8 POSE. 

9 Section 1402 of the National Agricultural Research, 

10 Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 

11 3101) is amended— 

12 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (8) and (9) as 

13 paragraphs (9) and (11), respectively; 

14 (2) by inserting after paragraph (7) the fol15 lowing: 

16 ‘‘(8) accelerate the ability of agriculture and the 

17 food system of the United States to first achieve net18 zero carbon emissions and then be carbon negative 

19 by removing additional carbon dioxide from the at20 mosphere;’’; 

21 (3) in paragraph (9) (as so redesignated), by 

22 striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

23 (4) by inserting after paragraph (9) (as so re24 designated) the following: 


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1 ‘‘(10) develop food systems that are healthful, 

2 sustainable, equitable, and resilient to extreme 

3 weather, other impacts of climate change, and other 

4 potential intersecting global and national disrup5 tions; and’’; and 

6 (5) in paragraph (11) (as so redesignated), in 

7 subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘and delivering to 

8 agricultural producers’’ after ‘‘improving’’. 

9 SEC. 202. REGIONAL HUBS FOR RISK ADAPTATION AND 

10 MITIGATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE. 

11 Title IV of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and 

12 Education Reform Act of 1998 is amended by inserting 

13 before section 404 (7 U.S.C. 7624) the following: 

14 ‘‘SEC. 401. REGIONAL HUBS FOR RISK ADAPTATION AND 

15 MITIGATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE. 

16 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall estab17 lish a national network of regional hubs for risk adapta18 tion and mitigation to climate change to provide to farm19 ers, ranchers, forest landowners, and other agricultural 

20 and natural resource managers— 

21 ‘‘(1) science-based, region-specific, cost-effec22 tive, and practical information and program support 

23 for science-informed decision making in light of the 

24 increased costs, opportunities, risks, and 


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1 vulnerabilities associated with a changing climate; 

2 and 

3 ‘‘(2) access to assistance to implement that de4 cision making. 

5 ‘‘(b) ELIGIBILITY.—An entity shall be eligible to be 

6 selected as a regional hub under subsection (a) if the enti7 ty is any office of the Agricultural Research Service, the 

8 Forest Service, or any other agency of the Department 

9 of Agriculture that the Secretary determines to be appro10 priate. 

11 ‘‘(c) ADMINISTRATION.— 

12 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The network established 

13 under subsection (a) shall be designated and admin14 istered jointly by the Agricultural Research Service 

15 and the Forest Service, in partnership with other 

16 Federal agencies, including the following: 

17 ‘‘(A) Within the Department of Agri18 culture, the following agencies: 

19 ‘‘(i) The Natural Resources Conserva20 tion Service. 

21 ‘‘(ii) The Farm Service Agency. 

22 ‘‘(iii) The Risk Management Agency. 

23 ‘‘(iv) The Animal and Plant Health 

24 Inspection Service. 


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1 ‘‘(v) The National Institute of Food 

2 and Agriculture. 

3 ‘‘(B) The Department of the Interior. 

4 ‘‘(C) The Department of Energy. 

5 ‘‘(D) The Environmental Protection Agen6 cy. 

7 ‘‘(E) The United States Geological Survey. 

8 ‘‘(F) The National Oceanic and Atmos9 pheric Administration. 

10 ‘‘(G) The National Aeronautics and Space 

11 Administration. 

12 ‘‘(H) Such other Federal agencies as the 

13 Secretary determines to be appropriate. 

14 ‘‘(2) PARTNERS.—The regional hubs estab15 lished under subsection (a) shall work in close part16 nership with other stakeholders and partners, includ17 ing— 

18 ‘‘(A) colleges and universities (as defined 

19 in section 1404 of the Food and Agriculture 

20 Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)); 

21 ‘‘(B) cooperative extension services (as de22 fined in that section); 

23 ‘‘(C) State agricultural experiment stations 

24 (as defined in that section); 

25 ‘‘(D) private entities; 


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1 ‘‘(E) State, local, and regional govern2 ments; 

3 ‘‘(F) Indian Tribes; 

4 ‘‘(G) agriculture and commodity organiza5 tions; 

6 ‘‘(H) nonprofit and community-based orga7 nizations; and 

8 ‘‘(I) other partners, as determined by the 

9 Secretary. 

10 ‘‘(d) RESPONSIBILITIES.—A regional hub established 

11 under subsection (a) shall— 

12 ‘‘(1) offer tools, strategic management options, 

13 and technical support to farmers, ranchers, and for14 est landowners to help those farmers, ranchers, and 

15 forest landowners mitigate and adapt to climate 

16 change; 

17 ‘‘(2) direct farmers, ranchers, and forest land18 owners to Federal agencies that can provide pro19 gram support to enable those farmers, ranchers, and 

20 forest landowners to implement science-informed 

21 management practices that address climate change; 

22 ‘‘(3) determine how climate and weather projec23 tions will impact the agricultural and forestry sec24 tors; 


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1 ‘‘(4) provide periodic regional assessments of 

2 risk and vulnerability in the agricultural and for3 estry sectors— 

4 ‘‘(A) to help farmers, ranchers, and forest 

5 landowners better understand the potential di6 rect and indirect impacts of climate change; 

7 and 

8 ‘‘(B) to inform the United States Global 

9 Change Research Program established under 

10 section 103 of the Global Change Research Act 

11 of 1990 (15 U.S.C. 2933); 

12 ‘‘(5) provide to farmers, ranchers, forest land13 owners, and rural communities outreach, education, 

14 and extension on science-based risk management 

15 through partnerships with the land-grant colleges 

16 and universities (as defined in section 1404 of the 

17 Food and Agriculture Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)), 

18 cooperative extension services (as defined in that 

19 section), and other entities; 

20 ‘‘(6) work with any cooperative extension serv21 ices (as defined in section 1404 of the Food and Ag22 riculture Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)), conservation 

23 districts, and nongovernmental organizations in24 volved in farmer outreach in the region served by the 

25 hub to assist producers in developing business plans 


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1 and conservation plans that take into account 

2 emerging climate risk science with respect to crop, 

3 production, and conservation system changes that 

4 will help producers adapt to a changing climate; and 

5 ‘‘(7) establish, in partnership with programs 

6 and projects carried out under subtitle B of title 

7 XVI of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and 

8 Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5801 et seq.), addi9 tional partnerships with farmers and nonprofit and 

10 community-based organizations to conduct applied 

11 on-farm research on climate change. 

12 ‘‘(e) PRIORITIES.—A regional hub established under 

13 subsection (a) shall prioritize synthesis and dissemination 

14 of research and data collection activities in the following 

15 areas: 

16 ‘‘(1) Improved measurement and monitoring 

17 of— 

18 ‘‘(A) soil organic carbon sequestration; and 

19 ‘‘(B) total net greenhouse gas impacts of 

20 different farming systems and practices. 

21 ‘‘(2) Lifecycle analysis for total net greenhouse 

22 gas emissions related to— 

23 ‘‘(A) alternative cropping systems; 

24 ‘‘(B) alternative livestock production sys25 tems; 


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1 ‘‘(C) integrated cropping-livestock systems; 

2 ‘‘(D) alternative biofuel crop production 

3 systems and biofuel end uses; 

4 ‘‘(E) alternative agroforestry practices and 

5 systems; and 

6 ‘‘(F) alternative forestry management sys7 tems. 

8 ‘‘(3) Research and education on— 

9 ‘‘(A) optimal soil health management sys10 tems and practices; 

11 ‘‘(B) advanced biological nutrient manage12 ment based on optimal soil health practices; 

13 ‘‘(C) enhanced synergies between crop 

14 roots and soil biota; 

15 ‘‘(D) linkages between soil, plant, animal, 

16 and human health; 

17 ‘‘(E) adaption and mitigation needs of 

18 stakeholders; 

19 ‘‘(F) new crops or new varieties to help 

20 producers be profitable while implementing soil 

21 health management systems and adapting to a 

22 changing climate; 

23 ‘‘(G) social and economic barriers to stake24 holder adoption of new practices that improve 


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1 adaptation, mitigation, and soil sequestration; 

2 and 

3 ‘‘(H) evaluation and assessment of climate4 related decision tools of the Department of Ag5 riculture. 

6 ‘‘(4) Grazing-based livestock management sys7 tems to optimize the net greenhouse gas footprint, 

8 including— 

9 ‘‘(A) grazing land carbon sequestration; 

10 ‘‘(B) reduction of nitrous oxide emissions 

11 from manure deposited on grazing land; and 

12 ‘‘(C) mitigation of enteric methane. 

13 ‘‘(5) Perennial production systems that seques14 ter carbon, enhance soil health, and increase resil15 ience, including— 

16 ‘‘(A) perennial forages; 

17 ‘‘(B) perennial grains; and 

18 ‘‘(C) agroforestry. 

19 ‘‘(f) STAKEHOLDER INPUT.—Each regional hub es20 tablished under subsection (a)— 

21 ‘‘(1) shall solicit input from stakeholders on 

22 pressing needs, important issues, and outreach strat23 egies through a variety of mechanisms, including re24 gional stakeholder committees; and 


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1 ‘‘(2) may partner with stakeholders in con2 ducting research and developing tools. 

3 ‘‘(g) RISK MANAGEMENT.— 

4 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall appoint 

5 a team of individuals representing the regional hubs 

6 established under subsection (a), partners with those 

7 regional hubs, and the Risk Management Agency to 

8 develop recommendations to better account for— 

9 ‘‘(A) climate risk in actuarial tables; and 

10 ‘‘(B) soil health and other risk-reducing 

11 conservation activities under the Federal crop 

12 insurance program under the Federal Crop In13 surance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.). 

14 ‘‘(2) SUBMISSION OF RECOMMENDATIONS.— 

15 The team appointed under paragraph (1) shall sub16 mit to the Secretary, on an iterative basis, but not 

17 less frequently than once every 2 years, the rec18 ommendations developed by the team under that 

19 paragraph. 

20 ‘‘(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

21 is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

22 $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028.’’. 


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1 SEC. 203. SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND 

2 EDUCATION RESILIENCE INITIATIVE. 

3 (a) SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE RESEARCH AND

4 EDUCATION.—Section 1619 of the Food, Agriculture, 

5 Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5801) is 

6 amended— 

7 (1) in subsection (a)— 

8 (A) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 

9 the end; 

10 (B) in paragraph (6), by striking the pe11 riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

12 (C) by adding at the end the following: 

13 ‘‘(7) increase resilience in the context of a 

14 changing climate and related economic, social, and 

15 environmental shocks.’’; and 

16 (2) in subsection (b)— 

17 (A) in paragraph (2)— 

18 (i) by striking ‘‘integrated crop man19 agement’’ and inserting ‘‘integrated crop 

20 and livestock management system or prac21 tice’’; and 

22 (ii) by inserting ‘‘resilience,’’ after 

23 ‘‘profitability,’’; and 

24 (B) by striking paragraph (3) and insert25 ing the following: 


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1 ‘‘(3) The term ‘resilience’ means, with respect 

2 to an agricultural management system, the ability of 

3 that system to absorb and recover from climate and 

4 other disturbances, such that the system is not im5 pacted by severe shocks.’’. 

6 (b) ELIGIBILITY OF TRIBAL COLLEGES TO ENTER

7 INTO RESEARCH AND EXTENSION PROJECT AGREE8 MENTS.—Section 1621(b) of the Food, Agriculture, Con9 servation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5811(b)) is 

10 amended by striking ‘‘or Federal or State’’ and inserting 

11 ‘‘1994 Institutions (as defined in section 532 of the Eq12 uity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994 (7 

13 U.S.C. 301 note; Public Law 103–382)), or Federal, 

14 State, or Tribal’’. 

15 (c) AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD SYSTEM RESILIENCE

16 INITIATIVE.— 

17 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1627 of the Food, 

18 Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 

19 U.S.C. 5821) is amended— 

20 (A) in the section heading, by striking 

21 ‘‘INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS’’ 

22 and inserting ‘‘AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD

23 SYSTEM RESILIENCE INITIATIVE’’; 

24 (B) by striking subsection (a) and insert25 ing the following: 


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1 ‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.— 

2 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In close conjunction with 

3 programs and projects established under sections 

4 1621 and 1623, the Secretary shall establish a re5 search, education, extension, and outreach initiative 

6 to increase the resilience and climate change mitiga7 tion potential of agriculture and the food system in 

8 the context of a changing climate and related eco9 nomic, social, and environmental shocks, which may 

10 include— 

11 ‘‘(A) farmer and rancher research and 

12 demonstration grants; and 

13 ‘‘(B) the use of an interdisciplinary ap14 proach wherever appropriate. 

15 ‘‘(2) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the initiative 

16 established under paragraph (1) shall be— 

17 ‘‘(A) to equip farmers to prepare, adapt, 

18 and transform the farming systems of the farm19 ers when confronted by shocks and stresses to 

20 the agricultural production and livelihoods of 

21 the farmers; 

22 ‘‘(B) to support local and regional food 

23 systems that support resilience and enhance 

24 local access to and control over productive re25 sources; 


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1 ‘‘(C) to encourage producers to adopt prac2 tices and systems that provide living cover year3 round throughout the farm, including through 

4 the use of cover crops and perennial plants in 

5 diversified combinations, and that are designed 

6 to support crop, livestock, and crop-livestock in7 tegrated systems that— 

8 ‘‘(i) minimize or abate adverse climate 

9 and environmental impacts; 

10 ‘‘(ii) increase soil carbon sequestration 

11 and storage; 

12 ‘‘(iii) reduce soil erosion and loss of 

13 water and nutrients; 

14 ‘‘(iv) enhance soil quality and the effi15 cient use of on-farm and off-farm inputs; 

16 ‘‘(v) reduce dependency on fossil fuels; 

17 and 

18 ‘‘(vi) maintain or increase profitability 

19 and long-term productivity; 

20 ‘‘(D) to develop knowledge and information 

21 and conduct outreach on living cover systems 

22 and practices, including greater use of 

23 perennials, and integrated crop and livestock 

24 management systems and practices to increase 


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1 resilience and assist agricultural producers in 

2 the adoption of those systems and practices; 

3 ‘‘(E) to facilitate the adoption of year4 round living cover and perennial production sys5 tems supporting whole-farm integrated crop 

6 and livestock management systems and prac7 tices through demonstration projects on indi8 vidual farms, including small and limited re9 source farms, throughout the United States; 

10 and 

11 ‘‘(F) to evaluate and recommend appro12 priate policies and programs to improve food 

13 and agricultural system resilience.’’; and 

14 (C) by striking subsections (b), (c), and (d) 

15 and inserting the following: 

16 ‘‘(b) FUNDING.— 

17 ‘‘(1) MANDATORY FUNDING.—Of the funds of 

18 the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary 

19 shall use to carry out this section $50,000,000 for 

20 fiscal year 2024 and each fiscal year thereafter. 

21 ‘‘(2) DISCRETIONARY FUNDING.—There is au22 thorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

23 through the National Institute of Food and Agri24 culture $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2013 

25 through 2028.’’. 


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1 (2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The chapter 

2 heading of chapter 2 of subtitle B of title XVI of the 

3 Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 

4 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5821) is amended to read as follows: 

5 ‘‘AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD SYSTEM 

6 RESILIENCE INITIATIVE’’. 

7 (d) TECHNICAL GUIDES AND BOOKS.—Section 1628 

8 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 

9 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5831) is amended— 

10 (1) by inserting ‘‘and outreach resources and’’ 

11 after ‘‘educational’’ each place it appears; 

12 (2) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘Not later 

13 than two years after the date of the enactment of 

14 this Act, the Secretary’’ and inserting ‘‘The Sec15 retary’’; 

16 (3) in subsection (b), by striking the second 

17 sentence; 

18 (4) in subsection (d)— 

19 (A) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and 

20 (4) as paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively; and 

21 (B) by inserting after paragraph (2) the 

22 following: 

23 ‘‘(3) adapting to and mitigating the effects of 

24 climate change;’’; 


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1 (5) in subsection (e), by striking ‘‘Soil Con2 servation’’ and inserting ‘‘Natural Resources Con3 servation’’; and 

4 (6) in subsection (f)(2), by striking ‘‘2023’’ and 

5 inserting ‘‘2028’’. 

6 (e) NATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM.—Section 1629 

7 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 

8 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5832) is amended— 

9 (1) in subsection (g)— 

10 (A) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘Soil 

11 Conservation Service and the Agricultural Sta12 bilization and Conservation Service’’ and insert13 ing ‘‘Natural Resources Conservation Service 

14 and the Farm Service Agency’’; 

15 (B) by redesignating paragraphs (10) and 

16 (11) as paragraphs (11) and (12), respectively; 

17 and 

18 (C) by inserting after paragraph (9) the 

19 following; 

20 ‘‘(10) develop and provide information con21 cerning climate change adaptation and mitigation 

22 developed under this subtitle and other research and 

23 education programs of the Department;’’; 


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1 (2) in subsection (h), by striking ‘‘Soil Con2 servation Service’’ and inserting ‘‘Natural Resources 

3 Conservation Service’’; and 

4 (3) in subsection (i), by inserting ‘‘, and 

5 $30,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 

6 2028’’ before the period at the end. 

7 SEC. 204. LONG-TERM AGROECOSYSTEM RESEARCH NET8 WORK. 

9 Title IV of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and 

10 Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7624 et seq.) 

11 is amended by inserting after section 401 (as added by 

12 section 202) the following: 

13 ‘‘SEC. 402. LONG-TERM AGROECOSYSTEM RESEARCH NET14 WORK. 

15 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.— 

16 ‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary, acting 

17 through the Administrator of the Agricultural Re18 search Service, shall provide for the establishment 

19 and maintenance of a network of research sites oper20 ated by the Agricultural Research Service for re21 search on the sustainability of agricultural systems 

22 in the United States, to be known as the ‘Long23 Term Agroecosystem Research Network’ (referred to 

24 in this section as the ‘Network’). 


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1 ‘‘(2) GOALS.—The Network shall have the fol2 lowing goals: 

3 ‘‘(A) To understand and enhance the sus4 tainability of agriculture. 

5 ‘‘(B) To integrate research projects with 

6 common standardized measurements on mul7 tiple agroecosystems and land uses, including 

8 cropland, rangeland, and pastureland. 

9 ‘‘(C) To develop new farming systems, 

10 practices, and technologies to address agricul11 tural challenges and opportunities, including 

12 challenges and opportunities posed by climate 

13 change. 

14 ‘‘(b) ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED.—The activities of the 

15 Network shall include— 

16 ‘‘(1) research conducted for a minimum of 30 

17 years to develop novel scientific insights at regional 

18 and national scales and evaluate the applicability of 

19 and adaptation to local conditions; 

20 ‘‘(2) the establishment and maintenance of mul21 tiple sites or research centers that capture the diver22 sity of agricultural production systems that function 

23 as a network; and 

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1 tainability of agricultural systems and the provision 

2 of infrastructure to research sites to allow for ana3 lyzing and disseminating that data. 

4 ‘‘(c) COORDINATION OF RESEARCH.—The Secretary 

5 shall, in carrying out subsection (a)— 

6 ‘‘(1) coordinate long-term agroecological re7 search to improve understanding within the Depart8 ment of how agroecosystems function at the field, 

9 regional, and national scales; 

10 ‘‘(2) designate research sites for inclusion in 

11 the Network that are representative of major agri12 cultural regions; 

13 ‘‘(3) ensure that each research site included in 

14 the Network conducts experiments with common 

15 standardized goals and methods— 

16 ‘‘(A) to increase agricultural productivity 

17 and profitability; 

18 ‘‘(B) to enhance agricultural resilience and 

19 the capacity to mitigate and adapt to climate 

20 change; 

21 ‘‘(C) to boost the provision of ecosystem 

22 services from agricultural landscapes; and 

23 ‘‘(D) to improve opportunities for rural 

24 communities; 


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1 ‘‘(4) make data collected at research sites in2 cluded in the Network open to researchers and the 

3 public whenever practicable, and integrate data 

4 across the network and partner sites; 

5 ‘‘(5) provide infrastructure to research sites in6 cluded in the Network for data collection, common 

7 measurements, and data streams that complement 

8 other national networks, such as the National Eco9 logical Observatory Network and the Long-Term Ec10 ological Research network; 

11 ‘‘(6) coordinate with Department of Agriculture 

12 Climate Hubs to share research findings and data 

13 insights; and 

14 ‘‘(7) collaborate with Department of Agriculture 

15 Climate Hubs to translate research findings into 

16 educational, outreach, and technical assistance mate17 rials for agricultural producers. 

18 ‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

19 is authorized to be appropriated to carry out activities of 

20 the Network under this section $50,000,000 for each of 

21 fiscal years 2024 through 2028.’’. 

22 SEC. 205. PUBLIC BREED AND CULTIVAR RESEARCH. 

23 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Competitive, Special, and Fa24 cilities Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C. 3157) is amended— 


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1 (1) in subsection (a), by adding at the end the 

2 following: 

3 ‘‘(3) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

4 ‘‘(A) CONVENTIONAL BREEDING.—The 

5 term ‘conventional breeding’ means the develop6 ment of a new variety of an organism through 

7 controlled mating and selection without the use 

8 of transgenic methods. 

9 ‘‘(B) CULTIVAR.—The term ‘cultivar’ 

10 means a variety of a species of plant that has 

11 been intentionally selected for use in cultivation 

12 because of the improved characteristics of that 

13 variety of the species. 

14 ‘‘(C) PUBLIC ANIMAL BREED.—The term 

15 ‘public animal breed’ means an animal breed 

16 that is the commercially available end product 

17 of a publicly funded breeding program that has 

18 been sufficiently tested to demonstrate im19 proved characteristics and stable performance. 

20 ‘‘(D) PUBLIC CULTIVAR.—The term ‘public 

21 cultivar’ means a cultivar— 

22 ‘‘(i) that is the commercially available 

23 end product of a publicly funded breeding 

24 program that has been sufficiently tested 


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1 to demonstrate improved characteristics 

2 and stable performance; and 

3 ‘‘(ii) with respect to which, if intellec4 tual property rights are asserted, the intel5 lectual property rights are in the form of 

6 plant patents or plant variety protection 

7 and not utility patents. 

8 ‘‘(E) PUBLIC CULTIVAR OR ANIMAL

9 BREED.—The term ‘public cultivar or animal 

10 breed’ means— 

11 ‘‘(i) a public animal breed; and 

12 ‘‘(ii) a public cultivar.’’; and 

13 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

14 ‘‘(l) PUBLIC BREED AND CULTIVAR DEVELOPMENT

15 FUNDING.— 

16 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Of the total amount of 

17 grants made under the provisions of law described in 

18 paragraph (2), the Secretary shall ensure that not 

19 less than $75,000,000 for each fiscal year is used 

20 for competitive research grants that support the de21 velopment of public cultivars and animal breeds. 

22 ‘‘(2) APPLICABLE PROGRAMS.—The provisions 

23 of law referred to in paragraph (1) are— 

24 ‘‘(A) subsections (a) and (b); 


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1 ‘‘(B) section 1672B(e) of the Food, Agri2 culture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 

3 (7 U.S.C. 5925b(e)); 

4 ‘‘(C) sections 1619 through 1624 of that 

5 Act (7 U.S.C. 5801 et seq.); 

6 ‘‘(D) any relevant competitive grant pro7 gram authorized by section 406 of the Agricul8 tural Research, Extension, and Education Re9 form Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7626), as deter10 mined by the Secretary; and 

11 ‘‘(E) section 412 of that Act (7 U.S.C. 

12 7632). 

13 ‘‘(3) PRIORITY.—In making grants under para14 graph (1), the Secretary shall give priority to high15 potential research projects that lead to the release of 

16 regionally adapted public cultivars and animal 

17 breeds that assist producers in mitigating and 

18 adapting to climate change, including— 

19 ‘‘(A) regionally adapted public cultivars 

20 and animal breeds; 

21 ‘‘(B) public cultivars and animal breeds 

22 bred for environmental resilience, including re23 silience to changing climates, mitigating green24 house gas emissions, and sequestering carbon; 


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1 ‘‘(C) public animal breeds adapted to graz2 ing and overwintering as appropriate for the 

3 applicable production region; 

4 ‘‘(D) public cultivars and animal breeds 

5 bred to enhance the nutritional and health out6 comes of local and Native American, Alaska 

7 Native, and Native Hawaiian populations; 

8 ‘‘(E) public cultivars and animal breeds of 

9 indigenous and place-based importance that are 

10 endangered; and 

11 ‘‘(F) public cultivars and animal breeds 

12 with beneficial and compatible characteristics 

13 and behaviors for dual-use renewable energy-ag14 ricultural systems. 

15 ‘‘(4) GRANTS.—The Secretary shall ensure 

16 that— 

17 ‘‘(A) the terms and renewal process for 

18 any competitive grants made under subsection 

19 (b) in accordance with paragraph (1) facilitates 

20 the development and commercialization of pub21 lic cultivars and animal breeds through long22 term grants not less than 5 years in length; and 

23 ‘‘(B) Tribal consultation occurs to ensure 

24 public cultivar or animal breed development 

25 does not infringe on the abilities of Tribes to 


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1 maintain culturally sensitive animal breeds and 

2 cultivars. 

3 ‘‘(5) REQUIREMENT FOR DOMESTIC PRODUC4 TION.—No person that receives title to a plant pat5 ent or plant variety protection relating to any public 

6 cultivar or animal breed developed using funds re7 ceived under this subsection, and no assignee of any 

8 such person, shall grant to any person the exclusive 

9 right to use or sell that public cultivar or animal 

10 breed unless that person agrees that any cultivars or 

11 animals embodying the public cultivar or animal 

12 breed or produced through the use of the public 

13 cultivar or animal breed will be produced substan14 tially in the United States. 

15 ‘‘(6) REPORT.—Not later than October 1 of 

16 each year, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a 

17 report that provides information on all public 

18 cultivar and animal breeding research funded by the 

19 Department of Agriculture, including— 

20 ‘‘(A) a list of public cultivars and animal 

21 breeds developed and released in a commercially 

22 available form; 

23 ‘‘(B) areas of high-priority research; 


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1 ‘‘(C) identified research gaps relating to 

2 public cultivar and animal breed development; 

3 and 

4 ‘‘(D) an assessment of the state of com5 mercialization for public cultivars and animal 

6 breeds.’’. 

7 (b) PUBLIC BREED AND CULTIVAR RESEARCH AC8 TIVITIES COORDINATION.— 

9 (1) IN GENERAL.—Section 251 of the Depart10 ment of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 (7 

11 U.S.C. 6971) is amended— 

12 (A) in subsection (e), by adding at the end 

13 the following: 

14 ‘‘(7) PUBLIC BREED AND CULTIVAR RESEARCH

15 ACTIVITIES COORDINATOR.— 

16 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Under Secretary 

17 shall appoint a coordinator within the Office of 

18 the Chief Scientist that reports to the Under 

19 Secretary to coordinate research activities at 

20 the Department relating to the breeding of pub21 lic cultivars and animal breeds (as defined in 

22 paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of the Competi23 tive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act 

24 (7 U.S.C. 3157(a))). 


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1 ‘‘(B) DUTIES OF COORDINATOR.—The co2 ordinator appointed under subparagraph (A) 

3 shall— 

4 ‘‘(i) coordinate plant and animal 

5 breeding research activities funded by the 

6 Department relating to the development of 

7 public cultivars and animal breeds; 

8 ‘‘(ii)(I) carry out ongoing analysis and 

9 track activities for any Federal research 

10 funding supporting plant and animal 

11 breeding (including any public cultivars 

12 and animal breeds developed with Federal 

13 funds); and 

14 ‘‘(II) ensure that the analysis and ac15 tivities are made available to the public not 

16 later than 60 days after the last day of 

17 each fiscal year; 

18 ‘‘(iii) develop a strategic plan that es19 tablishes targets for public cultivar and 

20 animal breed research investments across 

21 the Department to ensure that a diverse 

22 range of crop and animal needs are being 

23 met in a timely and transparent manner, 

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1 efficient, stress-tolerant, regionally adapted 

2 public cultivar and animal breeds that— 

3 ‘‘(I) help build agricultural resil4 ience to climate change; and 

5 ‘‘(II) support on-farm carbon se6 questration and greenhouse gas miti7 gation, nutritional quality, and other 

8 farmer-identified priority agronomic 

9 and market traits; 

10 ‘‘(iv) convene a working group to 

11 carry out the coordination functions de12 scribed in this subparagraph comprised of 

13 individuals who are responsible for the 

14 management, administration, or analysis of 

15 public cultivar and animal breeding pro16 grams within the Department from— 

17 ‘‘(I) the National Institute of 

18 Food and Agriculture; 

19 ‘‘(II) the Agricultural Research 

20 Service; and 

21 ‘‘(III) the Economic Research 

22 Service; 

23 ‘‘(v) in order to maximize delivery of 

24 public cultivars and animal breeds, pro25 mote collaboration among— 


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1 ‘‘(I) the coordinator; 

2 ‘‘(II) the working group convened 

3 under clause (iv); 

4 ‘‘(III) the advisory council estab5 lished under section 1634 of the 

6 Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and 

7 Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5843); 

8 ‘‘(IV) genetic resource conserva9 tion centers; 

10 ‘‘(V) land-grant colleges and uni11 versities (as defined in section 1404 of 

12 the National Agricultural Research, 

13 Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 

14 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3103)); 

15 ‘‘(VI) Hispanic-serving institu16 tions (as defined in section 502(a) of 

17 the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 

18 U.S.C. 1101a(a))); 

19 ‘‘(VII) Native American-serving 

20 nontribal institutions (as defined in 

21 section 371(c) of the Higher Edu22 cation Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 

23 1067q(c))); 

24 ‘‘(VIII) Tribal Colleges and Uni25 versities (as defined in section 316(b) 


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1 of the Higher Education Act of 1965 

2 (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b))) and federally 

3 recognized Tribes extension programs; 

4 ‘‘(IX) nongovernmental organiza5 tions with interest or expertise in pub6 lic breeding; and 

7 ‘‘(X) public and private plant and 

8 animal breeders, including small-scale 

9 organic breeders; 

10 ‘‘(vi) convene regular stakeholder lis11 tening sessions to provide input on na12 tional and regional priorities for public 

13 cultivar and animal breed research activi14 ties across the Department; and 

15 ‘‘(vii) evaluate and make rec16 ommendations to the Under Secretary on 

17 training and resource needs to meet future 

18 breeding challenges.’’; and 

19 (B) in subsection (f)(1)(D)(i), by striking 

20 ‘‘(7 U.S.C. 450i(b))’’ and inserting ‘‘(7 U.S.C. 

21 3157(b))’’. 

22 (2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 

23 296(b)(6)(B) of the Department of Agriculture Re24 organization Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 7014(b)(6)(B)) 

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1 ing ‘‘Scientist (including the public breed and 

2 cultivar research activities coordinator under sub3 section (e)(7) of that section); and’’. 

4 (c) PUBLIC BREED AND CULTIVAR DEVELOP5 MENT.—Subtitle H of title XVI of the Food, Agriculture, 

6 Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5921 et 

7 seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following: 

8 ‘‘SEC. 1681. PUBLIC BREED AND CULTIVAR DEVELOPMENT. 

9 ‘‘(a) FUNDING.—The Secretary of Agriculture, acting 

10 through the Administrator of the Agricultural Research 

11 Service (referred to in this section as the ‘Secretary’) and 

12 in conjunction with the Director of the National Genetic 

13 Resources Program appointed under section 1633, shall 

14 support the development of public breeds and cultivars (as 

15 defined in paragraph (3) of subsection (a) of the Competi16 tive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C. 

17 3157(a))) by Federal researchers. 

18 ‘‘(b) PRIORITY.—In supporting research under sub19 section (a) using funds made available pursuant to sub20 section (d), the Secretary shall give priority to high-poten21 tial research projects that lead to the release of regionally 

22 adapted public breeds and cultivars that assist producers 

23 in mitigating and adapting to climate change. 

24 ‘‘(c) REPORT.—Not later than October 1 of each 

25 year, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that 


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1 provides information on all public breed and cultivar re2 search funded by the Agricultural Research Service and 

3 the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, includ4 ing— 

5 ‘‘(1) a list of public breeds and cultivars devel6 oped and released in a commercially available form; 

7 ‘‘(2) areas of high-priority research; 

8 ‘‘(3) identified research gaps relating to public 

9 breed and cultivar development, including newly 

10 emerging needs stemming from climate change; and 

11 ‘‘(4) an assessment of the state of commer12 cialization for breeds and cultivars that have been 

13 developed. 

14 ‘‘(d) FUNDING.—Of the funds made available to the 

15 Secretary for a fiscal year, not less than $50,000,000 shall 

16 be made available to carry out this section.’’. 

17 SEC. 206. ARS CLIMATE SCIENTIST CAREER DEVELOPMENT 

18 PROGRAM. 

19 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, in accord20 ance with section 922 of the Federal Agriculture Improve21 ment and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 2279c), carry 

22 out an internship program within the Agricultural Re23 search Service for graduate students pursuing a degree 

24 or conducting research relating to climate change and ag25 riculture. 


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1 (b) FUNDING.—Of the funds of the Commodity Cred2 it Corporation, the Secretary may use to carry out the pro3 gram described in subsection (a) not more than 

4 $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028. 

5 SEC. 207. AGRICULTURAL CLIMATE ADAPTATION AND MITI6 GATION THROUGH AFRI. 

7 Subsection (b)(2) of the Competitive, Special, and 

8 Facilities Grant Act (7 U.S.C. 3157(b)(2)) is amended by 

9 adding at the end the following: 

10 ‘‘(G) AGRICULTURAL CLIMATE ADAPTA11 TION AND MITIGATION.—Agricultural climate 

12 adaptation and mitigation, including— 

13 ‘‘(i) strategies for agricultural adapta14 tion to climate change and drought, includ15 ing strategies for small and medium-sized 

16 farms and ranches; 

17 ‘‘(ii) on-farm mitigation strategies and 

18 solutions, including infrastructure, equip19 ment, and ecosystems-based strategies; 

20 ‘‘(iii) economic and social costs and 

21 benefits of adopting conservation practices 

22 to mitigate and adapt to climate change; 

23 ‘‘(iv) ecosystem services co-benefits of 

24 reducing net greenhouse gas emissions and 

25 adapting to climate change; 


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1 ‘‘(v) new technologies, methods, and 

2 models to measure and predict greenhouse 

3 gas emissions and soil carbon sequestra4 tion; and 

5 ‘‘(vi) the intersection of agricultural 

6 production, soil health, climate change, and 

7 human health.’’. 

8 SEC. 208. SPECIALTY CROP RESEARCH INITIATIVE. 

9 Section 412 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, 

10 and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7632) is 

11 amended— 

12 (1) in subsection (b)— 

13 (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 

14 by inserting ‘‘, diverse multi-crop production 

15 systems,’’ after ‘‘specific crops’’; 

16 (B) in paragraph (3)(B)(ii), by striking 

17 ‘‘pesticide application systems’’ and inserting 

18 ‘‘ecologically based pest management, pesticide 

19 application systems,’’; 

20 (C) in paragraph (4)(E), by striking ‘‘and’’ 

21 at the end; 

22 (D) in paragraph (5), by striking the pe23 riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

24 (E) by adding at the end the following: 


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1 ‘‘(6) efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate 

2 change, including— 

3 ‘‘(A) on-farm mitigation strategies and so4 lutions, including agricultural ecosystems-based 

5 strategies; 

6 ‘‘(B) conservation practices and tech7 nologies designed to improve soil health, includ8 ing practices and technologies that sequester 

9 carbon in soil; and 

10 ‘‘(C) breeding research and cultivar devel11 opment to help adapt to climate change.’’; and 

12 (2) in subsection (g)(3)(A), by striking ‘‘equal 

13 to not less than the amount of the grant’’ and in14 serting ‘‘in an amount that is equal to not less than 

15 25 percent of the funds provided through the 

16 grant’’. 

17 SEC. 209. INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT. 

18 Section 406 of the Agricultural Research, Extension, 

19 and Education Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7626) is 

20 amended— 

21 (1) by redesignating subsections (d), (e), and 

22 (f) as subsections (f), (g), and (h), respectively; 

23 (2) by inserting after subsection (c) the fol24 lowing: 


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1 ‘‘(d) EMPHASIS ON CLIMATE RESILIENCE.—The Sec2 retary shall ensure that grants made under this section 

3 are, where appropriate, consistent with the development 

4 of food and agricultural systems that improve climate re5 silience. 

6 ‘‘(e) ECOLOGICALLY BASED PEST MANAGEMENT.— 

7 The Secretary shall ensure that grants made under this 

8 section to support pest management prioritize ecologically 

9 based approaches that— 

10 ‘‘(1) are effective, affordable, and environ11 mentally sound; 

12 ‘‘(2) maintain agricultural productivity and 

13 healthy communities; and 

14 ‘‘(3) improve climate resilience.’’; and 

15 (3) in subsection (h) (as so redesignated), by 

16 striking ‘‘2023’’ and inserting ‘‘2028’’. 

17 SEC. 210. APPROPRIATE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER FOR 

18 RURAL AREAS PROGRAM. 

19 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Section 310B(i)(2) of the 

20 Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 

21 1932(i)(2)) is amended— 

22 (1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), 

23 by inserting ‘‘, including a beginning farmer or 

24 rancher and a veteran farmer or rancher (as those 

25 terms are defined in section 2501(a) of the Food, 


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1 Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 

2 U.S.C. 2279(a))) and a socially disadvantaged farm3 er or rancher (as defined in section 355(e)),’’ after 

4 ‘‘producers’’; 

5 (2) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 

6 the end; 

7 (3) by redesignating subparagraph (D) as sub8 paragraph (E); 

9 (4) by inserting after subparagraph (C) the fol10 lowing: 

11 ‘‘(D) increase on-farm resilience to extreme 

12 weather by enhancing soil health and adopting 

13 other conservation practices;’’; 

14 (5) in subparagraph (E) (as so redesignated), 

15 by striking the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; 

16 and’’; and 

17 (6) by adding at the end the following: 

18 ‘‘(F) improve farm viability and strengthen 

19 local, regional, and national supply chains.’’. 

20 (b) IMPLEMENTATION.—Section 310B(i)(3) of the 

21 Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 U.S.C. 

22 1932(i)(3)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 

23 ‘‘(C) ELIGIBILITY FOR AND USE OF OTHER

24 FUNDS.—A national nonprofit agricultural as25 sistance institution that receives a grant or enVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:38 Apr 13, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00052 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1840.IH H1840

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1 ters into a cooperative agreement under this 

2 subsection— 

3 ‘‘(i) may not, as a result of that grant 

4 or cooperative agreement, be treated as in5 eligible for a grant under any other Fed6 eral program; and 

7 ‘‘(ii) may utilize, in accordance with 

8 applicable law, other public and private 

9 funds made available to the institution to 

10 expand the resources and outreach of the 

11 program established under this sub12 section.’’. 

13 (c) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 

14 310B(i) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 

15 Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(i)) is amended by striking paragraph 

16 (4) and inserting the following: 

17 ‘‘(4) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

18 There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 

19 this subsection— 

20 ‘‘(A) $5,000,000 for fiscal year 2023; and 

21 ‘‘(B) $8,500,000 for each of fiscal years 

22 2024 through 2028.’’. 


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1 TITLE III—SOIL HEALTH 

2 SEC. 301. CROP INSURANCE. 

3 (a) VOLUNTARY GOOD FARMING PRACTICES.—Sec4 tion 508(a)(3)(A)(iii) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act 

5 (7 U.S.C. 1508(a)(3)(A)(iii)) is amended— 

6 (1) by striking ‘‘including scientifically’’ and in7 serting the following: ‘‘including— 

8 ‘‘(I) scientifically’’; 

9 (2) in subclause (I) (as so designated), by strik10 ing the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

11 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

12 ‘‘(II) conservation practices and 

13 enhancements that are approved by— 

14 ‘‘(aa) the Natural Resources 

15 Conservation Service; or 

16 ‘‘(bb) an agricultural expert, 

17 as determined by the Secretary.’’. 

18 (b) RISK-REDUCTION BASED DISCOUNTS.—Section 

19 508(d) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 

20 1508(d)) is amended— 

21 (1) by redesignating paragraph (4) as para22 graph (5); and 

23 (2) by inserting after paragraph (3) the fol24 lowing: 

25 ‘‘(4) RISK-REDUCTION BASED DISCOUNT.— 


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1 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Effective beginning 

2 with the 2024 reinsurance year, the Corpora3 tion may provide a risk-reduction based pre4 mium discount for a producer of an agricultural 

5 commodity who uses risk-reduction farming 

6 practices, as determined by the Corporation in 

7 accordance with subparagraph (B). 

8 ‘‘(B) RISK-REDUCTION FARMING PRAC9 TICES.—For purposes of subparagraph (A), a 

10 risk-reduction farming practice may include any 

11 of the following: 

12 ‘‘(i) The use of a cover crop. 

13 ‘‘(ii) A resource-conserving crop rota14 tion. 

15 ‘‘(iii) Management-intensive rotational 

16 grazing. 

17 ‘‘(iv) A compost or biochar applica18 tion. 

19 ‘‘(v) An agroforestry or other peren20 nial production system. 

21 ‘‘(vi) Other risk-reducing and soil 

22 health-promoting farming practices, as de23 termined by the Corporation.’’. 

24 (c) CROP PRODUCTION ON NATIVE SOD APPLICA25 BILITY.— 


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1 (1) APPLICATION TO CERTAIN STATES.—Sec2 tion 508(o) of the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 

3 U.S.C. 1508(o)) is amended by striking paragraph 

4 (3). 

5 (2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made 

6 by paragraph (1) shall take effect on the first day 

7 of the first reinsurance year that begins after the 

8 date that is 1 year after the date of enactment of 

9 this Act. 

10 SEC. 302. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PRO11 GRAM. 

12 (a) PURPOSES.—Section 1240 of the Food Security 

13 Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa) is amended— 

14 (1) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by 

15 striking ‘‘and environmental quality’’ and inserting 

16 ‘‘environmental quality, and climate change adapta17 tion and mitigation’’; 

18 (2) in paragraph (1)— 

19 (A) in subparagraph (B), by striking 

20 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

21 (B) in subparagraph (C), by adding ‘‘and’’ 

22 at the end; and 

23 (C) by adding at the end the following: 

24 ‘‘(D) greenhouse gas emissions reduction 

25 and carbon sequestration;’’; 


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1 (3) in paragraph (3)(C), by inserting ‘‘seques2 tering carbon, increasing drought resilience, reduc3 ing greenhouse gas emissions, and’’ before ‘‘con4 serving energy’’; and 

5 (4) in paragraph (4), by inserting ‘‘climate 

6 change and’’ before ‘‘increasing weather volatility’’. 

7 (b) DEFINITIONS.—Section 1240A of the Food Secu8 rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–1) is amended— 

9 (1) in paragraph (6)(B)— 

10 (A) in clause (v), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 

11 end; 

12 (B) by redesignating clause (vi) as clause 

13 (vii); and 

14 (C) by inserting after clause (v) the fol15 lowing: 

16 ‘‘(vi) greenhouse gas emissions reduc17 tion planning; and’’; 

18 (2) in paragraph (7), in the matter preceding 

19 subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘natural resource 

20 concern or problem’’ and inserting ‘‘resource con21 cern’’; 

22 (3) by redesignating paragraphs (9) and (10) 

23 as paragraphs (10) and (11), respectively; and 

24 (4) by inserting after paragraph (8) the fol25 lowing: 


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1 ‘‘(9) RESOURCE CONCERN.—The term ‘resource 

2 concern’ means a natural resource condition of the 

3 soil, water, air, plant, animal, or energy resource 

4 base that impairs the sustainability or intended uses 

5 of the resource.’’. 

6 (c) ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF EN7 VIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM.— 

8 (1) PAYMENTS.—Section 1240B(d)(7)(A) of the 

9 Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa– 

10 2(d)(7)(A)) is amended— 

11 (A) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘; or’’ and 

12 inserting a semicolon; 

13 (B) in clause (iv), by striking the period at 

14 the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 

15 (C) by adding at the end the following: 

16 ‘‘(v) increases carbon sequestration or 

17 reduces greenhouse gas emissions.’’. 

18 (2) ALLOCATION OF FUNDING.—Section 

19 1240B(f)(1) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 

20 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(f)(1)) is amended— 

21 (A) by striking ‘‘2023’’ and inserting 

22 ‘‘2031’’; and 

23 (B) by striking ‘‘including grazing management’’ and inserting ‘‘of which not less than 2 24 ⁄3


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1 shall be targeted at practices relating to grazing 

2 management’’. 

3 (3) PAYMENTS FOR CONSERVATION PRACTICES

4 RELATED TO ORGANIC PRODUCTION.—Section 

5 1240B(i) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 

6 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(i)) is amended— 

7 (A) by striking paragraph (3); and 

8 (B) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and 

9 (5) as paragraphs (3) and (4), respectively. 

10 (4) CONSERVATION INCENTIVE CONTRACTS.— 

11 Section 1240B(j) of the Food Security Act of 1985 

12 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(j)) is amended— 

13 (A) in paragraph (1)— 

14 (i) in subparagraph (A), by inserting 

15 ‘‘, which may include climate change adap16 tation and mitigation,’’ after ‘‘priority re17 source concerns’’; and 

18 (ii) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 

19 ‘‘, which may include climate change adap20 tation and mitigation’’ before the period at 

21 the end; and 

22 (B) in paragraph (2)— 

23 (i) in subparagraph (A)(ii)— 

24 (I) in subclause (I), by striking 

25 ‘‘or’’ at the end; 


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1 (II) in subclause (II), by striking 

2 the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; 

3 or’’; and 

4 (III) by adding at the end the 

5 following: 

6 ‘‘(III) funding, through annual 

7 payments, for a suite of incentive 

8 practices that are appropriate for the 

9 region and land use and that best en10 hance soil health and carbon seques11 tration and reduce greenhouse gas 

12 emissions, as determined by the Sec13 retary.’’; 

14 (ii) by striking subparagraph (B) and 

15 inserting the following: 

16 ‘‘(B) TERM.— 

17 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—A contract under 

18 this subsection shall have a term of not 

19 less than 5, and not more than 10, years. 

20 ‘‘(ii) GRADUATION OPTION.—The Sec21 retary may reduce the term for a contract 

22 under this subsection if the producer en23 ters into a conservation stewardship con24 tract under section 1240K with respect to 


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1 the eligible land that is subject to the con2 tract under this subsection.’’; and 

3 (iii) in subparagraph (C)— 

4 (I) in clause (i), by striking 

5 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

6 (II) in clause (ii), by striking the 

7 period at the end and inserting ‘‘; 

8 and’’; and 

9 (III) by adding at the end the 

10 following: 

11 ‘‘(iii) give priority to applications that 

12 cover eligible land that, on expiration of a 

13 contract under this subsection, may be en14 rolled in a conservation stewardship con15 tract under section 1240K.’’. 

16 (d) ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PLAN.— 

17 Section 1240E(a)(3) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 

18 U.S.C. 3839aa–5(a)(3)) is amended by inserting ‘‘, and 

19 a greenhouse gas emissions reduction plan’’ after ‘‘if appli20 cable’’. 

21 (e) LIMITATION ON PAYMENTS.—Section 1240G of 

22 the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–7) is 

23 amended by striking ‘‘Not including payments’’ and all 

24 that follows through ‘‘2023’’ and inserting ‘‘A person or 

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1 nership) may not receive, directly or indirectly, cost-share 

2 or incentive payments under this subchapter that, in ag3 gregate, exceed $450,000 for all contracts entered into 

4 under this subchapter by the person or legal entity during 

5 any 5-fiscal-year period’’. 

6 (f) CONSERVATION INNOVATION GRANTS.— 

7 (1) AIR QUALITY CONCERNS FROM AGRICUL8 TURAL OPERATIONS.—Section 1240H(b) of the 

9 Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–8(b)) 

10 is amended— 

11 (A) in paragraph (1)— 

12 (i) by striking ‘‘practices to address’’ 

13 in the first sentence and all that follows 

14 through ‘‘The funds’’ in the second sen15 tence and inserting the following: ‘‘prac16 tices— 

17 ‘‘(i) to address air quality concerns 

18 from agricultural operations; and 

19 ‘‘(ii) to meet Federal, State, and 

20 local— 

21 ‘‘(I) regulatory requirements; and 

22 ‘‘(II) goals with respect to green23 house gas emissions reductions. 


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1 ‘‘(B) BASIS OF AVAILABILITY AND USE.— 

2 Funds for payments under subparagraph (A)’’; 

3 and 

4 (ii) in the matter preceding clause (i) 

5 (as so designated), by striking ‘‘The Sec6 retary’’ and inserting the following: 

7 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary’’; and 

8 (B) in paragraph (2), by striking 

9 ‘‘$37,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 

10 through 2031’’ and inserting ‘‘$37,500,000 for 

11 each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, and 

12 $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 

13 through 2031’’. 

14 (2) ON-FARM CONSERVATION INNOVATION

15 TRIALS.—Section 1240H(c) of the Food Security 

16 Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–8(c)) is amended— 

17 (A) in paragraph (1)(B)(i)— 

18 (i) in subclause (II), by inserting ‘‘on19 farm nutrient recycling,’’ after ‘‘plans,’’; 

20 (ii) in subclause (VI), by striking 

21 ‘‘and’’ at the end; and 

22 (iii) by adding at the end the fol23 lowing: 

24 ‘‘(VII) perennial production sys25 tems, including agroforestry and peVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:38 Apr 13, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00063 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1840.IH H1840

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1 rennial forages and grain crops; and’’; 

2 and 

3 (B) in paragraph (2), in the matter pre4 ceding subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘2019 

5 through 2031’’ and inserting ‘‘2019 through 

6 2023, $50,000,000 of the funds made available 

7 to carry out this subchapter for each of fiscal 

8 years 2024 and 2025, and $100,000,000 of the 

9 funds made available to carry out this sub10 chapter for each of fiscal years 2026 through 

11 2031’’. 

12 SEC. 303. CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM. 

13 (a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 1240I of the Food Secu14 rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–21) is amended— 

15 (1) in paragraph (2)— 

16 (A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ‘‘en17 hancements,’’ after ‘‘practices,’’; and 

18 (B) in subparagraph (B)(v), by inserting 

19 ‘‘and climate change’’ before the period at the 

20 end; 

21 (2) in paragraph (3)(C), by inserting ‘‘main22 tained, actively’’ after ‘‘implemented,’’; 

23 (3) in paragraph (5), in the matter preceding 

24 subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘natural resource 


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1 concern or problem’’ and inserting ‘‘resource con2 cern’’; 

3 (4) by redesignating paragraph (7) as para4 graph (8); and 

5 (5) by inserting after paragraph (6) the fol6 lowing: 

7 ‘‘(7) RESOURCE CONCERN.—The term ‘resource 

8 concern’ means a natural resource condition of the 

9 soil, water, air, plant, animal, or energy resource 

10 base that impairs the sustainability or intended uses 

11 of the resource.’’. 

12 (b) CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM.—Sec13 tion 1240J(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 

14 U.S.C. 3839aa–22(a)) is amended by striking paragraphs 

15 (1) and (2) and inserting the following: 

16 ‘‘(1) by maintaining, actively managing, and, 

17 where practicable, improving existing conservation 

18 activities; and 

19 ‘‘(2) by undertaking additional conservation ac20 tivities.’’. 

21 (c) STEWARDSHIP CONTRACTS.— 

22 (1) SUBMISSION OF CONTRACT OFFERS.—Sec23 tion 1240K(a)(2)(B) of the Food Security Act of 

24 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–23(a)(2)(B)) is amended 

25 by striking ‘‘improving, maintaining, and managing’’ 


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1 and inserting ‘‘maintaining, actively managing, and, 

2 where practicable, improving’’. 

3 (2) EVALUATION OF CONTRACT OFFERS.—Sec4 tion 1240K(b) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 

5 U.S.C. 3839aa–23(b)) is amended— 

6 (A) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking clause 

7 (iii) and inserting the following: 

8 ‘‘(iii) other criteria consistent with an 

9 equal weighting of the factors described in 

10 clauses (i) and (ii), as determined by the 

11 Secretary, including criteria the Secretary 

12 determines are necessary to ensure that— 

13 ‘‘(I) the program effectively tar14 gets improvements to soil health, in15 creases in carbon sequestration, and 

16 reductions in greenhouse gas emis17 sions; and 

18 ‘‘(II) other national, State, and 

19 local priority resource concerns are ef20 fectively addressed.’’; and 

21 (B) by striking paragraph (3). 

22 (3) CONTRACT RENEWAL.—Section 1240K(e) 

23 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 

24 3839aa–23(e)) is amended— 

25 (A) in paragraph (3)— 


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1 (i) by striking subparagraph (B); 

2 (ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking 

3 ‘‘; or’’ at the end and inserting ‘‘, if appli4 cable.’’; and 

5 (iii) by striking ‘‘period—’’ in the 

6 matter preceding subparagraph (A) and all 

7 that follows through ‘‘to meet’’ in subpara8 graph (A) and inserting ‘‘period, to meet’’; 

9 (B) by redesignating paragraphs (1) 

10 through (3) as subparagraphs (A) through (C), 

11 respectively, and indenting appropriately; 

12 (C) in the matter preceding subparagraph 

13 (A) (as so redesignated), by striking ‘‘The Sec14 retary’’ and inserting the following: 

15 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary’’; and 

16 (D) by adding at the end the following: 

17 ‘‘(2) RANKING AND PAYMENTS.—In deter18 mining whether to accept an application for contract 

19 renewal under this subsection, and when calculating 

20 payments for those renewed contracts, the Secretary 

21 shall consider the full conservation benefits across 

22 the entire applicable agricultural operation, includ23 ing— 

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1 pected to meet or exceed the stewardship 

2 threshold by the end of the contract period; and 

3 ‘‘(B) the active management and mainte4 nance of ongoing conservation activities, includ5 ing— 

6 ‘‘(i) the conservation activities adopt7 ed during a prior contract period; and 

8 ‘‘(ii) the new or improved conservation 

9 activities to be adopted if a contract is re10 newed.’’. 

11 (d) DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY.— 

12 (1) CLIMATE CHANGE ADAPTATION AND MITI13 GATION.—Section 1240L(a)(2) of the Food Security 

14 Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–24(a)(2)) is amend15 ed by inserting ‘‘(which may include climate change 

16 adaptation and mitigation)’’ after ‘‘priority resource 

17 concerns’’. 

18 (2) CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PAY19 MENTS.—Section 1240L(c) of the Food Security Act 

20 of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–24(c)) is amended— 

21 (A) in paragraph (1)— 

22 (i) in subparagraph (A), by inserting 

23 ‘‘on 1 or more types of eligible land cov24 ered by the contract’’ after ‘‘activities’’; 

25 and 


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1 (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 

2 ‘‘improving, maintaining, and managing’’ 

3 and inserting ‘‘maintaining, actively man4 aging, and improving’’; 

5 (B) in paragraph (2)— 

6 (i) by striking subparagraph (B) and 

7 inserting the following: 

8 ‘‘(B) Income forgone by the producer, in9 cluding amounts that reflect— 

10 ‘‘(i) increased economic risk; and 

11 ‘‘(ii) loss in revenue due to— 

12 ‘‘(I) production changes; 

13 ‘‘(II) anticipated reductions in 

14 yield; 

15 ‘‘(III) transitioning to an or16 ganic, resource-conserving cropping or 

17 grazing, or perennial production sys18 tem; or 

19 ‘‘(IV) acreage converted to con20 servation uses.’’; and 

21 (ii) in subparagraph (E), by inserting 

22 ‘‘, actively managed, and, where applicable, 

23 improved’’ after ‘‘maintained’’; and 

24 (C) by adding at the end the following: 


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1 ‘‘(6) PAYMENTS FOR CONSERVATION ACTIVI2 TIES RELATED TO ORGANIC PRODUCTION SYS3 TEMS.— 

4 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 

5 provide payments under this subsection for con6 servation activities relating to— 

7 ‘‘(i) organic production; and 

8 ‘‘(ii) transitioning to organic produc9 tion. 

10 ‘‘(B) CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES.—Con11 servation activities described in subparagraph 

12 (A) may include— 

13 ‘‘(i) generally available and specifically 

14 tailored conservation activities; and 

15 ‘‘(ii) individual conservation activities 

16 and bundles of conservation activities. 

17 ‘‘(7) MINIMUM PAYMENT.—The amount of an 

18 annual payment under the program shall be not less 

19 than $2,000.’’. 

20 (3) SUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENTS.—Section 

21 1240L(d) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 

22 U.S.C. 3839aa–24(d)) is amended— 

23 (A) in the subsection heading, by inserting 

24 ‘‘, PERENNIAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS,’’ after 

25 ‘‘ROTATIONS’’; 


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1 (B) in paragraph (1)— 

2 (i) by redesignating subparagraph (C) 

3 as subparagraph (D); and 

4 (ii) by inserting after subparagraph 

5 (B) the following: 

6 ‘‘(C) PERENNIAL PRODUCTION SYSTEM.— 

7 The term ‘perennial production system’ 

8 means— 

9 ‘‘(i) the use of cropland for agro10 forestry, including alley cropping, 

11 silvopasture, and related production prac12 tices, as determined by the Secretary; 

13 ‘‘(ii) the use of woodland for agro14 forestry, including forest farming, multi15 story cropping, and related production 

16 practices, as determined by the Secretary; 

17 and 

18 ‘‘(iii) the use of cropland for perennial 

19 forages or perennial grain crops.’’; 

20 (C) in paragraph (2)— 

21 (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 

22 ‘‘or’’ at the end; 

23 (ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 

24 the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; 

25 and 


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1 (iii) by adding at the end the fol2 lowing: 

3 ‘‘(C) a perennial production system.’’; and 

4 (D) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘or ad5 vanced grazing management’’ and inserting ‘‘, 

6 advanced grazing management, or a perennial 

7 production system’’. 

8 (4) PAYMENT FOR COMPREHENSIVE CONSERVA9 TION PLAN.—Section 1240L(e)(1) of the Food Secu10 rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–24(e)(1)) is 

11 amended— 

12 (A) by striking the period at the end and 

13 inserting the following: ‘‘; and 

14 ‘‘(B) with respect to an organic production 

15 system— 

16 ‘‘(i) is integrated with an organic sys17 tem plan approved under the national or18 ganic program established under the Or19 ganic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 

20 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.); or 

21 ‘‘(ii) allows a producer to transition to 

22 organic production systems and pursue 

23 certification under that Act.’’; and 

24 (B) in the matter preceding subparagraph 

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1 ing ‘‘plan that meets’’ and inserting the fol2 lowing: ‘‘plan that— 

3 ‘‘(A) meets’’. 

4 (5) PAYMENT LIMITATIONS.—Section 1240L(f) 

5 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 

6 3839aa–24(f)) is amended— 

7 (A) by inserting ‘‘(including a joint venture 

8 and a general partnership)’’ after ‘‘A person or 

9 legal entity’’; and 

10 (B) by striking ‘‘fiscal years 2019 through 

11 2023’’ and inserting ‘‘any consecutive 5-fiscal12 year period’’. 

13 (6) SPECIALTY CROP AND ORGANIC PRO14 DUCERS.—Section 1240L(g) of the Food Security 

15 Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–24(g)) is amended 

16 by inserting ‘‘, and producers transitioning to or17 ganic production systems,’’ after ‘‘organic pro18 ducers’’. 

19 (7) SOIL HEALTH.—Section 1240L(k) of the 

20 Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa– 

21 24(k)) is amended by striking the period at the end 

22 and inserting the following: ‘‘, including by— 

23 ‘‘(1) conducting outreach to encourage the use 

24 of contracts to improve soil health and sequester 

25 carbon in the soil; and 


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1 ‘‘(2) offering payments for soil testing to pro2 vide producers and the Secretary with information 

3 on the soil health and carbon sequestration impacts 

4 of conservation activities.’’. 

5 (e) ON-FARM CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP INNO6 VATION GRANTS.—Subchapter B of chapter 4 of subtitle 

7 D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 

8 3839aa–21 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the 

9 following: 

10 ‘‘SEC. 1240L–2. ON-FARM CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP IN11 NOVATION GRANTS. 

12 ‘‘(a) DEFINITION OF AGRICULTURAL PROFES13 SIONAL.—In this section, the term ‘agricultural profes14 sional’ means a university researcher or educator, includ15 ing an extension agent or specialist, Federal agency field 

16 staff, an agricultural consultant, State and local agency 

17 staff, Tribal agency staff, a Federally-Recognized Tribes 

18 Extension Program agent, and nonprofit organization 

19 staff assisting farmers and ranchers at the local level. 

20 ‘‘(b) GRANTS.—Using funds made available to carry 

21 out this subchapter, the Secretary shall provide competi22 tive grants to carry out on-farm conservation innovation 

23 projects on eligible land of program participants for the 

24 purpose of stimulating innovative approaches on farms 

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1 tion stewardship, in conjunction with agricultural produc2 tion or forest resource management, through the program. 

3 ‘‘(c) PARTICIPANTS.—The Secretary shall provide 

4 grants under this section— 

5 ‘‘(1) directly to agricultural operations, or 

6 groups of agricultural operations, participating in 

7 the program; or 

8 ‘‘(2) through partnerships between agricultural 

9 professionals and small groups of agricultural oper10 ations participating in the program. 

11 ‘‘(d) USE.—An entity that receives a grant under this 

12 section directly or through a partnership in accordance 

13 with subsection (c) shall carry out an on-farm conserva14 tion innovation project that— 

15 ‘‘(1) facilitates on-farm research and dem16 onstration or pilot testing of new technologies or in17 novative conservation systems and practices that aim 

18 to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and decarbonize 

19 agriculture; 

20 ‘‘(2) facilitates on-farm research and dem21 onstration or pilot testing of practices and systems 

22 with a proven high impact for greenhouse gas emis23 sions reduction and decarbonization and low national 

24 or regional adoption rates; or 


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1 ‘‘(3) helps to prepare program participants for 

2 participation in environmental services markets that 

3 have as a primary goal greenhouse gas emissions re4 duction or decarbonization of agriculture. 

5 ‘‘(e) INCENTIVE PAYMENTS.— 

6 ‘‘(1) AGREEMENTS.— 

7 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this 

8 section, the Secretary shall enter into agree9 ments with agricultural operations (directly or 

10 through governmental or nongovernmental or11 ganizations involved in a partnership with 1 or 

12 more agricultural operations) on whose land an 

13 on-farm conservation innovation project is being 

14 carried out under this section to provide pay15 ments to the agricultural operations to assist 

16 with adopting and evaluating new or innovative 

17 conservation approaches to achieve conservation 

18 benefits. 

19 ‘‘(B) AMOUNT.—Payments provided under 

20 subparagraph (A) shall reflect the direct costs 

21 of the research and demonstration and com22 pensation for foregone income, as appropriate 

23 to address the increased economic risk or lower 

24 economic return potentially associated with the 

25 applicable innovative conservation approach. 


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1 ‘‘(2) ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME REQUIRE2 MENTS.— 

3 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Adjusted gross income 

4 requirements under section 1001D(b)(1) 

5 shall— 

6 ‘‘(i) apply to producers receiving pay7 ments under this subsection; and 

8 ‘‘(ii) be enforced by the Secretary. 

9 ‘‘(B) REPORTING.—A governmental or 

10 nongovernmental organization participating in 

11 an on-farm conservation innovation project 

12 under this subsection shall submit to the Sec13 retary an annual report describing the amount 

14 of payments that the organization made to each 

15 agricultural operation under this subsection. 

16 ‘‘(3) RESEARCH, TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE, AND

17 ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—The Secretary may 

18 provide to a partnership described in paragraph 

19 (1)(A) not more than $50,000 for each on-farm con20 servation innovation project for research, technical 

21 assistance, and administrative expenses. 

22 ‘‘(4) LENGTH OF AGREEMENTS.—An agreement 

23 entered into under paragraph (1)(A) shall be for a 

24 period determined by the Secretary that is— 

25 ‘‘(A) not less than 2 years; and 


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1 ‘‘(B) if appropriate, more than 2 years, in2 cluding if the longer period is appropriate to 

3 support— 

4 ‘‘(i) adaptive management over mul5 tiple crop years; and 

6 ‘‘(ii) adequate data collection and 

7 analysis by an agricultural operation or 

8 partnership to report the natural resource 

9 and agricultural production benefits of the 

10 new or innovative conservation approaches 

11 to the Secretary.’’. 

12 SEC. 304. STATE ASSISTANCE FOR SOIL HEALTH. 

13 Chapter 5 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Secu14 rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839bb et seq.) is amended 

15 by adding at the end the following: 

16 ‘‘SEC. 1240S. STATE ASSISTANCE FOR SOIL HEALTH. 

17 ‘‘(a) AVAILABILITY AND PURPOSE OF GRANTS.— 

18 Using funds made available under subsection (k), the Sec19 retary shall make grants to States or Tribal governments 

20 for each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028 to be used by 

21 State departments of agriculture or appropriate Tribal au22 thorities to develop and implement plans to improve soil 

23 health on agricultural land. 

24 ‘‘(b) APPLICATION.— 


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1 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—A State department of ag2 riculture or Tribal government requesting a grant 

3 under this section shall prepare and submit for ap4 proval by the Secretary an application at such time, 

5 in such a manner, and containing such information 

6 as the Secretary shall require, including an assur7 ance that grant funds received under this section 

8 shall supplement the expenditure of State or Tribal 

9 funds in support of soil health, rather than replace 

10 State or Tribal funds for those purposes. 

11 ‘‘(2) USE OF FUNDS.—A State or Tribal gov12 ernment may request funds under this section— 

13 ‘‘(A) to develop or modify a State or Tribal 

14 soil health plan; or 

15 ‘‘(B) to implement a State or Tribal soil 

16 health plan approved by the Secretary under 

17 this section, including through— 

18 ‘‘(i) technical assistance; 

19 ‘‘(ii) financial assistance; 

20 ‘‘(iii) on-farm research and dem21 onstration; 

22 ‘‘(iv) education, outreach, and train23 ing; 

24 ‘‘(v) monitoring and evaluation; or 


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1 ‘‘(vi) such other activities as the Sec2 retary determines to be appropriate. 

3 ‘‘(3) PLAN COMPONENTS.—Prior to approving a 

4 State or Tribal soil health plan, the Secretary shall 

5 ensure that the plan, at a minimum— 

6 ‘‘(A) is broadly consistent with the soil 

7 health principles of the Natural Resources Con8 servation Service; and 

9 ‘‘(B) identifies effective strategies for in10 creasing adoption of regionally appropriate soil 

11 health practices and systems on privately owned 

12 agricultural land under the jurisdiction of the 

13 applicable State or Tribal government. 

14 ‘‘(4) ELIGIBILITY.—A State or Tribal govern15 ment may— 

16 ‘‘(A) apply for a grant for the purposes de17 scribed in paragraph (2)(A) at any time; and 

18 ‘‘(B) apply for a grant for the purposes de19 scribed in paragraph (2)(B) on approval by the 

20 Secretary of a soil health plan for the State or 

21 Tribal government. 

22 ‘‘(c) TRIBAL OPTION.—At the sole discretion of a 

23 Tribal government, an Indian Tribe or Tribal organization 

24 shall have the option of being incorporated into a State 


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1 application rather than submitting an application for the 

2 Indian Tribe or Tribal organization. 

3 ‘‘(d) GRANT AMOUNT.— 

4 ‘‘(1) MAXIMUM.—The maximum grant any 1 

5 State or Tribal government may receive under this 

6 section for a fiscal year shall be— 

7 ‘‘(A) in the case of a grant for the pur8 poses described in subsection (b)(2)(A), 

9 $1,000,000; and 

10 ‘‘(B) in the case of a grant for the pur11 poses described in subsection (b)(2)(B), 

12 $5,000,000. 

13 ‘‘(2) FEDERAL SHARE.— 

14 ‘‘(A) GRANTS TO STATES.—The amount of 

15 a grant to a State under this section shall not 

16 exceed— 

17 ‘‘(i) 75 percent of the cost of devel18 oping or modifying a soil health plan; or 

19 ‘‘(ii) 50 percent of the cost of imple20 menting the soil health plan. 

21 ‘‘(B) GRANTS TO TRIBES.—The amount of 

22 a grant to a Tribal government under this sec23 tion shall not exceed— 

24 ‘‘(i) 90 percent of the cost of devel25 oping or modifying a soil health plan; or 


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1 ‘‘(ii) 75 percent of the cost of imple2 menting the soil health plan. 

3 ‘‘(3) NON-FEDERAL FUNDS.—A grant made 

4 under this section shall be made on the condition 

5 that the non-Federal share of expenditures under 

6 paragraph (2) be provided by non-Federal sources. 

7 ‘‘(e) GRANT TERM.—A grant under this section shall 

8 be for 1 year and may be renewed annually, at the discre9 tion of the Secretary. 

10 ‘‘(f) PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall give priority to 

11 States or Tribal governments with a climate action plan 

12 that includes soil health, as determined by the Secretary. 

13 ‘‘(g) PERFORMANCE MEASURES AND EVALUATION.— 

14 ‘‘(1) PERFORMANCE MEASURES.—Each applica15 tion under subsection (b) shall include performance 

16 measures to be used to evaluate the results of the 

17 assistance received under this section. 

18 ‘‘(2) REVIEW.—Each applicable State depart19 ment of agriculture or Tribal authority shall submit 

20 to the Secretary a review and evaluation of the 

21 progress of the State department of agriculture or 

22 Tribal authority, using the performance measures 

23 under paragraph (1), at such intervals as the Sec24 retary shall establish. 


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1 ‘‘(h) EFFECT OF NONCOMPLIANCE.—If the Sec2 retary, after reasonable notice to a State or Tribal govern3 ment, determines that there has been a failure by the 

4 State or Tribal government to comply with the terms of 

5 a grant made under this section, the Secretary may dis6 qualify, for 1 or more years, the State or Tribal govern7 ment from receipt of future grants under this section. 

8 ‘‘(i) AUDIT REQUIREMENT.—For each year that a 

9 State or Tribal government receives a grant under this 

10 section, the State or Tribal government shall— 

11 ‘‘(1) conduct an audit of the expenditures of 

12 grant funds by the State or Tribal government; and 

13 ‘‘(2) not later than 30 days after the completion 

14 of the audit under paragraph (1), submit to the Sec15 retary a copy of the audit. 

16 ‘‘(j) ADMINISTRATION.— 

17 ‘‘(1) DEPARTMENT.—The Secretary may not 

18 use more than 3 percent of the funds made available 

19 to carry out this section for a fiscal year for admin20 istrative expenses. 

21 ‘‘(2) STATES AND TRIBES.—A State or Tribal 

22 government receiving a grant under this section may 

23 not use more than 7 percent of the funds received 

24 under the grant for a fiscal year for administrative 

25 expenses. 


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1 ‘‘(k) FUNDING.—Of the funds of the Commodity 

2 Credit Corporation, the Secretary shall use to make grants 

3 under this section— 

4 ‘‘(1) $60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2024 

5 and 2025; 

6 ‘‘(2) $80,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2026 

7 and 2027; and 

8 ‘‘(3) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2028 and 

9 each fiscal year thereafter.’’. 

10 SEC. 305. FUNDING AND ADMINISTRATION. 

11 (a) COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION.— 

12 (1) ANNUAL FUNDING.—Section 1241(a) of the 

13 Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841(a)) is 

14 amended— 

15 (A) in paragraph (1)— 

16 (i) in subparagraph (A), by inserting 

17 ‘‘, and $17,000,000 for the period of fiscal 

18 years 2024 through 2028,’’ after ‘‘2023’’; 

19 and 

20 (ii) in subparagraph (B), by inserting 

21 ‘‘and $70,000,000 for the period of fiscal 

22 years 2024 through 2028, including not 

23 more than $5,000,000 to provide outreach 

24 and technical assistance,’’ after ‘‘technical 

25 assistance,’’; 


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1 (B) in paragraph (2)— 

2 (i) in subparagraph (E), by striking 

3 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

4 (ii) in subparagraph (F), by striking 

5 ‘‘2031.’’ and inserting ‘‘2023; and’’; and 

6 (iii) by adding at the end the fol7 lowing: 

8 ‘‘(G) $700,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

9 2024 through 2031.’’; and 

10 (C) in paragraph (3)— 

11 (i) in subparagraph (A)— 

12 (I) in clause (iv), by striking 

13 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

14 (II) in clause (v), by striking 

15 ‘‘each of fiscal years 2023 through 

16 2031’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal year 

17 2023’’; and 

18 (III) by adding at the end the 

19 following: 

20 ‘‘(vi) $3,000,000,000 for each of fiscal 

21 years 2024 through 2031; and’’; and 

22 (ii) in subparagraph (B)— 

23 (I) in clause (iv), by striking 

24 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 


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1 (II) in clause (v), by striking 

2 ‘‘each of fiscal years 2023 through 

3 2031.’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal year 

4 2023; and’’; and 

5 (III) by adding at the end the 

6 following: 

7 ‘‘(vi) $4,000,000,000 for each of fiscal 

8 years 2024 through 2031.’’. 

9 (2) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—Section 1241(c) 

10 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 

11 3841(c)) is amended by adding at the end the fol12 lowing: 

13 ‘‘(5) SPECIAL INITIATIVE.— 

14 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Beginning in fiscal 

15 year 2022, and each year thereafter through 

16 fiscal year 2028, the Secretary shall use for a 

17 special technical assistance initiative to assist 

18 producers in mitigating and adapting to climate 

19 change, of the funds of the Commodity Credit 

20 Corporation, an amount equal to not less than 

21 1 percent of Commodity Credit Corporation 

22 funds made available for the applicable fiscal 

23 year for each of the programs described in sub24 section (a). 


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1 ‘‘(B) PROVISION OF TECHNICAL ASSIST2 ANCE.—The Secretary shall provide technical 

3 assistance under the special initiative under this 

4 paragraph to producers— 

5 ‘‘(i) directly; 

6 ‘‘(ii)(I) through an agreement with a 

7 third-party provider (as defined in section 

8 1242(a)); or 

9 ‘‘(II) at the option of the producer, 

10 through a payment, as determined by the 

11 Secretary, to the producer for a third-party 

12 provider approved under section 1242, if 

13 available; or 

14 ‘‘(iii) through a cooperative agreement 

15 or contract with— 

16 ‘‘(I) a cooperative extension; 

17 ‘‘(II) a nongovernmental organi18 zation; or 

19 ‘‘(III) a State, Tribal, or Federal 

20 agency. 

21 ‘‘(C) UNDERSERVED PRODUCERS.—In pro22 viding technical assistance under this para23 graph, the Secretary shall give priority to pro24 ducers who are persons described in section 

25 1244(a)(2).’’. 


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1 (3) ASSISTANCE TO CERTAIN FARMERS OR

2 RANCHERS FOR CONSERVATION ACCESS.—Section 

3 1241(h) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 

4 U.S.C. 3841(h)) is amended— 

5 (A) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking 

6 ‘‘practicable—’’ in the matter preceding clause 

7 (i) and all that follows through the period at 

8 the end of clause (ii) and inserting ‘‘practicable, 

9 30 percent to assist beginning farmers or 

10 ranchers and socially disadvantaged farmers or 

11 ranchers.’’; and 

12 (B) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘section 

13 2501(e)’’ and all that follows through the pe14 riod at the end and inserting ‘‘section 2501(a) 

15 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and 

16 Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279(a))) that 

17 qualifies under paragraph (1)(B).’’. 

18 (b) DELIVERY OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—Section 

19 1242 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3842) 

20 is amended— 

21 (1) in subsection (a)(2)— 

22 (A) by inserting ‘‘an individual,’’ before ‘‘a 

23 commercial entity’’; 

24 (B) by striking ‘‘State or local’’ and insert25 ing ‘‘State, local, or Tribal’’; and 


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1 (C) by striking ‘‘nutrient management 

2 planning,’’ and inserting ‘‘soil health planning, 

3 greenhouse gas emissions reduction planning, 

4 nutrient management planning, integrated pest 

5 management planning, agroforestry planning, 

6 organic transition planning,’’; 

7 (2) in subsection (e)— 

8 (A) in paragraph (3)(A)— 

9 (i) by inserting ‘‘individuals,’’ before 

10 ‘‘commercial entities,’’; and 

11 (ii) by striking ‘‘State or local’’ and 

12 inserting ‘‘State, local, or Tribal’’; and 

13 (B) in paragraph (5), by inserting ‘‘or or14 ganic’’ after ‘‘sustainability’’; and 

15 (3) in subsection (i)— 

16 (A) in the subsection heading, by inserting 

17 ‘‘PERENNIAL AGRICULTURE SYSTEM,’’ after 

18 ‘‘ORGANIC,’’; and 

19 (B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘a pe20 rennial agriculture system,’’ after ‘‘production,’’ 

21 each place it appears. 

22 (c) ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS FOR CON23 SERVATION PROGRAMS.— 

24 (1) INCENTIVES FOR CERTAIN FARMERS AND

25 RANCHERS AND INDIAN TRIBES.—Section 


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1 1244(a)(1) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 

2 U.S.C. 3844(a)(1)) is amended— 

3 (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph 

4 (A), by striking ‘‘incentives’’ and inserting ‘‘in5 centives, including higher payment rates, ad6 vance payments, transition payments, and farm 

7 infrastructure assistance,’’; 

8 (B) in subparagraph (A), by striking 

9 ‘‘and’’ at the end; and 

10 (C) by striking subparagraph (B) and in11 serting the following: 

12 ‘‘(B) to establish a new generation of pro13 ducers who use the full array of climate-friendly 

14 conservation activities that reduce greenhouse 

15 gas emissions, increase soil carbon, and improve 

16 resilience to weather extremes; and 

17 ‘‘(C) to enhance other long-term environ18 mental goals.’’. 

19 (2) REVIEW AND GUIDANCE FOR PRACTICE

20 COSTS AND PAYMENT RATES.—Section 

21 1244(j)(1)(B) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 

22 U.S.C. 3844(j)(1)(B)) is amended— 

23 (A) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 

24 end; 


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1 (B) in clause (iii), by striking the period at 

2 the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

3 (C) by adding at the end the following: 

4 ‘‘(iv) accelerates progress in meeting 

5 the goals established under title I of the 

6 Agriculture Resilience Act of 2023.’’. 

7 (3) ADVANCED GRAZING MANAGEMENT.—Sec8 tion 1244 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 

9 U.S.C. 3844) is amended by adding at the end the 

10 following: 

11 ‘‘(q) ADVANCED GRAZING MANAGEMENT.— 

12 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out any con13 servation program administered by the Secretary, 

14 the Secretary shall encourage advanced grazing 

15 management, including management-intensive rota16 tional grazing (as those terms are defined in section 

17 1240L(d)(1)). 

18 ‘‘(2) RESERVATION OF FUNDS.—In each of fis19 cal years 2024 through 2028, the Secretary shall use 

to carry out this subsection not less than 2 20 ⁄3 of any 

21 funds available for activities relating to livestock 

22 production under conservation programs adminis23 tered by the Secretary under this title (other than 

24 the conservation reserve program established under 

25 subchapter B of chapter 1 of subtitle D, except for 


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1 acres enrolled in that program under section 

2 1231(d)(2)).’’. 

3 (d) ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES MARKETS.—Section 

4 1245 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3845) 

5 is amended by adding at the end the following: 

6 ‘‘(f) GREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONS AND CARBON SE7 QUESTRATION MONITORING AND MEASUREMENT FED8 ERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE.— 

9 ‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT.—Not later than 180 

10 days after the date of enactment of this subsection, 

11 the Secretary shall establish an advisory committee, 

12 to be known as the ‘Greenhouse Gas Emissions and 

13 Carbon Sequestration Monitoring and Measurement 

14 Federal Advisory Committee’ (referred to in this 

15 subsection as the ‘advisory committee’). 

16 ‘‘(2) MEMBERSHIP.—In carrying out paragraph 

17 (1), the Secretary shall appoint members to the ad18 visory committee that— 

19 ‘‘(A) reflect diversity in gender, age, race, 

20 and geography; and 

21 ‘‘(B) include— 

22 ‘‘(i) farmers and ranchers, including 

23 farmers and ranchers operating small and 

24 mid-sized farms; 


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1 ‘‘(ii) organizations representing farm2 ers and ranchers, including organizations 

3 representing farmers and ranchers oper4 ating small and mid-sized farms; 

5 ‘‘(iii) scientists; 

6 ‘‘(iv) environmental nonprofit organi7 zations; 

8 ‘‘(v) existing private sector carbon and 

9 ecosystem services market development ini10 tiatives; 

11 ‘‘(vi) businesses working to reduce 

12 greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture 

13 in the supply chains of the businesses; 

14 ‘‘(vii) relevant Federal agencies; 

15 ‘‘(viii) Tribal communities; and 

16 ‘‘(ix) State agriculture agencies. 

17 ‘‘(3) TERMS.— 

18 ‘‘(A) TERM LENGTH.—The term of a 

19 member of the advisory committee shall be 3 

20 years. 

21 ‘‘(B) REAPPOINTMENT.—The Secretary 

22 may reappoint a member of the advisory com23 mittee for not more than 2 consecutive terms. 

24 ‘‘(4) MEETINGS.—The advisory committee shall 

25 meet— 


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1 ‘‘(A) not fewer than 4 times in the first 

2 year after the advisory committee is established; 

3 and 

4 ‘‘(B) not less frequently than twice annu5 ally thereafter. 

6 ‘‘(5) RECOMMENDATIONS.—Not later than 1 

7 year after the date on which the advisory committee 

8 is established, and periodically thereafter, the advi9 sory committee shall submit to the Secretary rec10 ommendations on— 

11 ‘‘(A) the feasibility of establishing reliable 

12 outcomes-based measurement systems, as de13 scribed in subsection (g); 

14 ‘‘(B) existing technology that provides reli15 able measurement data; 

16 ‘‘(C) with respect to parameters for which 

17 existing technology does not provide reliable 

18 measurement data, research and technical 

19 needs and, as appropriate, goals and plans for 

20 that research; 

21 ‘‘(D) standards for data collection and dis22 semination; 

23 ‘‘(E) farmer data management and pri24 vacy; 


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1 ‘‘(F) greenhouse gas emissions and soil 

2 health inventories and databases, as described 

3 in subsection (h); and 

4 ‘‘(G) criteria for soil health and green5 house gas emissions reductions incentives, as 

6 described in subsection (i). 

7 ‘‘(g) MEASUREMENT SYSTEM.— 

8 ‘‘(1) PURPOSE.—The Secretary shall evaluate 

9 existing outcomes-based measurement systems for 

10 recordkeeping, modeling, and measurement of farm11 level greenhouse gas emissions and soil carbon se12 questration, including measures of soil disturbance, 

13 plant diversity, continual living cover, residue man14 agement, advanced grazing management, and crop15 livestock integration, to determine which of those 

16 systems— 

17 ‘‘(A) can be implemented quickly; 

18 ‘‘(B) can improve in accuracy and ease 

19 over time; 

20 ‘‘(C) use the best available science and 

21 technology; 

22 ‘‘(D) estimate uncertainty; and 

23 ‘‘(E) are cost-effective. 

24 ‘‘(2) GUIDANCE.—Not later than 18 months 

25 after the date of enactment of this subsection, the 


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1 Secretary shall issue guidance on the outcomes2 based measurement systems evaluated under para3 graph (1), based on— 

4 ‘‘(A) recommendations from the advisory 

5 committee established under subsection (f); and 

6 ‘‘(B) information from— 

7 ‘‘(i) existing and emerging 

8 agroecosystem models; 

9 ‘‘(ii) remote sensing data and anal10 ysis; 

11 ‘‘(iii) soil health demonstration trials 

12 carried out under section 1240H(c)(7); 

13 ‘‘(iv) existing and emerging public en14 vironmental services protocols, measure15 ment systems, and benchmarks, including 

16 uncertainty predictions and measurements; 

17 ‘‘(v) field-level measurement, including 

18 field-based data collected under section 

19 21002(a)(2) of Public Law 117–169 (7 

20 U.S.C. 6936 note; 136 Stat. 2018); 

21 ‘‘(vi) the Conservation Evaluation and 

22 Monitoring Activity for the Carbon Seques23 tration and Greenhouse Gas Mitigation As24 sessment; and 


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1 ‘‘(vii) such other sources as the Sec2 retary determines to be appropriate. 

3 ‘‘(3) REVIEW.—The Secretary, based on rec4 ommendations from the advisory committee estab5 lished under subsection (f), shall— 

6 ‘‘(A) establish and maintain an outcomes7 based measurement system in accordance with 

8 the guidance issued under paragraph (2) when 

9 feasible; 

10 ‘‘(B) conduct a periodic review of that sys11 tem; 

12 ‘‘(C) periodically make any necessary up13 dates to that system; and 

14 ‘‘(D) establish research and development 

15 goals and plans, as necessary. 

16 ‘‘(h) INVENTORY.— 

17 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 18 months 

18 after the date of enactment of this subsection, and 

19 every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary, in consulta20 tion with the advisory committee established under 

21 subsection (f) and the Administrator of the Environ22 mental Protection Agency, shall conduct a nation23 wide soil health and agricultural greenhouse gas 

24 emissions inventory that uses the best available 

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1 formance for soil carbon drawdown and storage and 

2 greenhouse gas emissions reduction by primary pro3 duction type and production region. 

4 ‘‘(2) DATABASE.—Drawing on the field-based 

5 data collected under section 21002(a)(2) of Public 

6 Law 117–169 (7 U.S.C. 6936 note; 136 Stat. 2018), 

7 the Secretary shall— 

8 ‘‘(A) establish an accessible and interoper9 able database for the information collected 

10 through the inventory conducted under para11 graph (1); and 

12 ‘‘(B) improve and update that database 

13 not less frequently than once every 2 years as 

14 new data is collected. 

15 ‘‘(i) CRITERIA.— 

16 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consulta17 tion with the advisory committee established under 

18 subsection (f), shall establish criteria for payments, 

19 credits, or other forms of incentives to inform policy 

20 established to promote soil carbon sequestration or 

21 greenhouse gas emissions reductions. 

22 ‘‘(2) REQUIREMENTS.—The criteria established 

23 under paragraph (1) shall— 

24 ‘‘(A) have a documented likelihood to lead 

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1 tration and net reductions in greenhouse gas 

2 emissions, according to the best available 

3 science; 

4 ‘‘(B) be based in part on environmental 

5 impact modeling of the changes of shifting from 

6 baseline agricultural practices to new or im7 proved agricultural practices; and 

8 ‘‘(C) be designed to prevent the degrada9 tion of other natural resource or environmental 

10 conditions. 

11 ‘‘(j) DEMONSTRATION TRIALS.— 

12 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall peri13 odically review the results from soil health dem14 onstration trials carried out under section 

15 1240H(c)(7), and other similar public and private 

16 demonstration trials that the Secretary determines 

17 to be appropriate, to inform the activities under sub18 sections (g), (h), and (i). 

19 ‘‘(2) RECOMMENDATIONS.—In submitting re20 ports pursuant to section 1240H(c)(7)(C)(ii), the 

21 Secretary shall include any recommendations to Con22 gress for changes or additions to the conservation 

23 programs under this Act that the Secretary deter24 mines to be appropriate to accelerate net increases 


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1 in soil carbon sequestration and other improvements 

2 in soil health.’’. 

3 SEC. 306. CONSERVATION COMPLIANCE. 

4 (a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 1201(a) of the Food Se5 curity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3801(a)) is amended— 

6 (1) in paragraph (3)— 

7 (A) by striking ‘‘highly erodible’’ each 

8 place it appears; and 

9 (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘and 

10 conservation treatment measures’’ and inserting 

11 ‘‘crop rotation and cover crop systems, and 

12 other relevant soil conservation and soil health 

13 management treatment measures’’; 

14 (2) in paragraph (4)— 

15 (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking 

16 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

17 (B) in subparagraph (B)— 

18 (i) by striking ‘‘or a substantial im19 provement in soil conditions on a field or 

20 group of fields containing highly erodible 

21 cropland’’ and inserting ‘‘and a substantial 

22 improvement in soil health conditions (in23 cluding soil carbon levels) on a field or 

24 group of fields containing cropland’’; and 


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1 (ii) by striking the period at the end 

2 and inserting a semicolon; and 

3 (C) by adding at the end the following: 

4 ‘‘(C) are designed to achieve, within 5 

5 years of actively applying a conservation plan, 

6 a level of erosion not to exceed twice the soil 

7 loss tolerance level; and 

8 ‘‘(D) are designed to effectively prevent the 

9 formation of new, or treat all existing, ephem10 eral gullies.’’; and 

11 (3) in paragraph (11)(A)(ii), by striking ‘‘exces12 sive average annual rate of erosion in relation to’’ 

13 and inserting ‘‘average annual rate of erosion ex14 ceeding twice’’. 

15 (b) CROPLAND CONSERVATION.— 

16 (1) PROGRAM INELIGIBILITY.—Section 1211 of 

17 the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3811) is 

18 amended— 

19 (A) in subsection (a)— 

20 (i) in the matter preceding paragraph 

21 (1), by striking ‘‘produces an agricultural 

22 commodity’’ and all that follows through 

23 ‘‘as determined by the Secretary’’ and in24 serting ‘‘carries out an activity described in 


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1 subsection (b), as determined by the Sec2 retary,’’; and 

3 (ii) in paragraph (1)(D), by inserting 

4 ‘‘cropland or’’ before ‘‘highly erodible 

5 land’’; 

6 (B) by redesignating subsection (b) as sub7 section (c); 

8 (C) by inserting after subsection (a) the 

9 following: 

10 ‘‘(b) ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED.—Activities referred to 

11 in subsection (a) are— 

12 ‘‘(1) the production of an agricultural com13 modity on a field on which cropland is predominant; 

14 ‘‘(2) the designation of land on which cropland 

15 is predominant to be set aside, diverted, devoted to 

16 conservation uses, or otherwise not cultivated under 

17 a program administered by the Secretary to reduce 

18 production of an agricultural commodity; and 

19 ‘‘(3) the production of an agricultural com20 modity without having in place a conservation 

21 plan.’’; and 

22 (D) in subsection (c) (as so redesignated), 

23 by striking the heading and inserting ‘‘AU24 THORITY OF SECRETARY.—’’. 


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1 (2) EXEMPTIONS.—Section 1212 of the Food 

2 Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3812) is amend3 ed— 

4 (A) in subsection (a)(3)— 

5 (i) in the first sentence, by striking 

6 ‘‘highly erodible land’’ and inserting ‘‘crop7 land’’; and 

8 (ii) in the first and second sentences, 

9 by striking ‘‘only be required to apply a 

10 conservation plan established under this 

11 subtitle. The person shall not be required 

12 to meet a higher conservation standard 

13 than the standard applied to other highly 

14 erodible’’ and inserting ‘‘be required to 

15 apply a conservation plan established 

16 under this subtitle consistent with the 

17 standard applied to other’’; 

18 (B) in subsection (c)(1), by striking ‘‘high19 ly erodible land’’ each place it appears and in20 serting ‘‘cropland’’; and 

21 (C) in subsection (f)(4)(A)— 

22 (i) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘highly 

23 erodible’’; and 

24 (ii) in clause (ii)(II), by inserting 

25 ‘‘and soil health’’ after ‘‘erosion control’’. 


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1 (3) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Subtitle B of 

2 title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 

3 U.S.C. 3811 et seq.) is amended in the subtitle 

4 heading by striking ‘‘Highly Erodible Land’’ 

5 and inserting ‘‘Cropland’’. 

6 SEC. 307. NATIONAL AND REGIONAL AGROFORESTRY CEN7 TERS. 

8 Section 1243 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, 

9 and Trade Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 1642 note; Public Law 

10 101–624) is amended— 

11 (1) by striking the section heading and insert12 ing ‘‘NATIONAL AND REGIONAL AGRO13 FORESTRY CENTERS’’; 

14 (2) by redesignating subsections (b), (c), and 

15 (d) as subsections (c), (d), and (f), respectively; 

16 (3) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the 

17 following: 

18 ‘‘(a) DEFINITION OF AGROFORESTRY.—In this sec19 tion, the term ‘agroforestry’ means a management system 

20 that intentionally integrates trees and shrubs into crop 

21 and animal farming systems to build more profitable and 

22 weather-resilient farms, ranches, and communities, ad23 dress natural resource concerns and conservation needs, 

24 and establish productive and sustainable land use prac25 tices, including— 


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1 ‘‘(1) riparian forest buffers and managed 

2 waterbreaks; 

3 ‘‘(2) alley cropping; 

4 ‘‘(3) silvopasture; 

5 ‘‘(4) forest farming and multistory cropping; 

6 and 

7 ‘‘(5) windbreaks, shelterbelts, hedgerows, field 

8 borders, and living snow fences. 

9 ‘‘(b) NATIONAL AND REGIONAL AGROFORESTRY

10 CENTERS.— 

11 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agri12 culture (referred to in this section as the ‘Sec13 retary’)— 

14 ‘‘(A) shall establish at the Forestry 

15 Sciences Laboratory of the Forest Service, in 

16 Lincoln, Nebraska, a National Agroforestry Re17 search, Development, and Demonstration Cen18 ter; and 

19 ‘‘(B) acting through the Chief of the For20 est Service and in cooperation with the Natural 

21 Resources Conservation Service, shall establish 

22 not fewer than 3 additional regional agro23 forestry centers at other locations, as deter24 mined by the Secretary. 


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1 ‘‘(2) NATIONAL AND REGIONAL DIRECTORS.— 

2 The Secretary shall appoint a National Director and 

3 Regional Directors to manage and coordinate the 

4 program established under subsection (c).’’; 

5 (4) in subsection (c) (as so redesignated)— 

6 (A) in the matter preceding paragraph 

7 (1)— 

8 (i) by striking ‘‘Center’’ and inserting 

9 ‘‘Centers established under subparagraphs 

10 (A) and (B) of subsection (b)(1) (referred 

11 to in this section as the ‘Centers’)’’; and 

12 (ii) by inserting ‘‘and organizations’’ 

13 after ‘‘nonprofit foundations’’; 

14 (B) in paragraph (1)— 

15 (i) by striking ‘‘on semiarid lands 

16 that’’ and inserting ‘‘that build soil health 

17 and’’; and 

18 (ii) by inserting ‘‘, including agro19 forestry systems on semiarid land and 

20 other fragile agroecosystems in which res21 toration of permanent woody perennial 

22 plant communities will enhance carbon se23 questration and reduce greenhouse gas 

24 emissions’’ before the semicolon; 


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1 (C) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘forestry 

2 products for commercial sale from semiarid 

3 land’’ and inserting ‘‘agroforestry products for 

4 commercial sale’’; 

5 (D) in paragraph (4)— 

6 (i) by striking ‘‘in semiarid regions’’; 

7 and 

8 (ii) by striking ‘‘the Great Plains re9 gion’’ and inserting ‘‘particular regions’’; 

10 (E) in paragraph (5), by inserting ‘‘tech11 nical assistance and’’ before ‘‘technology’’; 

12 (F) by striking paragraph (6) and insert13 ing the following: 

14 ‘‘(6) develop improved silvopasture, alley crop15 ping, forest farming, multistory cropping, riparian 

16 buffer, windbreak and shelterbelt, and other peren17 nial production and conservation systems and tech18 nologies to improve soil health, carbon sequestration, 

19 drought preparedness, soil and water conservation, 

20 environmental quality, and biological diversity;’’; 

21 (G) in paragraph (7), by striking ‘‘on 

22 semiarid lands’’; 

23 (H) in paragraph (8), by striking ‘‘on 

24 semiarid lands worldwide’’ and inserting 

25 ‘‘worldwide, including on semiarid land’’; and 


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1 (I) in paragraph (9)— 

2 (i) by striking ‘‘on semiarid lands’’; 

3 and 

4 (ii) by inserting ‘‘and climate change’’ 

5 after ‘‘pollution’’; 

6 (5) in subsection (d) (as so redesignated)— 

7 (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 

8 by striking ‘‘Center’’ and inserting ‘‘Centers’’; 

9 (B) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 

10 the end; 

11 (C) in paragraph (2), by striking the pe12 riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

13 (D) by adding at the end the following: 

14 ‘‘(3) facilitate agroforestry adoption by dissemi15 nating comprehensive information on Federal, State, 

16 local, and Tribal programs that provide support for 

17 agroforestry.’’; 

18 (6) by inserting after subsection (d) (as so re19 designated) the following: 

20 ‘‘(e) GRANTS.—The Secretary may establish regional 

21 grant programs at each of the Centers to support agro22 forestry projects, including demonstration farms.’’; and 

23 (7) in subsection (f) (as so redesignated), by in24 serting ‘‘and $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

25 2024 through 2028’’ after ‘‘through 2023’’. 


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1 TITLE IV—FARMLAND PRESER2 VATION AND FARM VIABILITY 

3 SEC. 401. LOCAL AGRICULTURE MARKET PROGRAM. 

4 Section 210A of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 

5 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1627c) is amended— 

6 (1) in subsection (a)(12)(A)— 

7 (A) by redesignating clauses (iv) and (v) as 

8 clauses (vi) and (vii), respectively; and 

9 (B) by inserting after clause (iii) the fol10 lowing: 

11 ‘‘(iv) is produced and marketed in a 

12 manner that significantly improves soil 

13 health and carbon sequestration or signifi14 cantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions; 

15 ‘‘(v) when added to the crop or graz16 ing rotation on a farm, will significantly 

17 improve soil health and carbon sequestra18 tion or significantly reduce greenhouse gas 

19 emissions;’’; 

20 (2) in subsection (b)— 

21 (A) in paragraph (1)— 

22 (i) in subparagraph (B), by striking 

23 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

24 (ii) in subparagraph (C), by striking 

25 the semicolon at the end and inserting ‘‘, 


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1 including value-added agricultural products 

2 from crops or animals that, when added 

3 into crop or grazing rotations on a farm, 

4 will significantly improve soil health and 

5 carbon sequestration or significantly re6 duce greenhouse gas emissions; and’’; and 

7 (iii) by adding at the end the fol8 lowing: 

9 ‘‘(D) markets for agricultural commodities 

10 and products produced in a manner that signifi11 cantly improve soil health and carbon seques12 tration or significantly reduce greenhouse gas 

13 emissions;’’; 

14 (B) in paragraph (3)— 

15 (i) by striking ‘‘and local’’ and insert16 ing ‘‘, local’’; and 

17 (ii) by inserting ‘‘, and production and 

18 marketing approaches to significantly im19 prove soil health and carbon sequestration 

20 or significantly reduce greenhouse gas 

21 emissions’’ before the semicolon at the end; 

22 (C) in paragraph (5), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 

23 the end; 

24 (D) by redesignating paragraph (6) as 

25 paragraph (7); and 


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1 (E) by inserting after paragraph (5) the 

2 following: 

3 ‘‘(6) enhances the economic viability of pro4 ducers and related agricultural enterprises; and’’; 

5 (3) in subsection (d)— 

6 (A) in paragraph (1)— 

7 (i) by striking ‘‘subsection (i)’’ and in8 serting ‘‘subsection (j)’’; and 

9 (ii) by striking ‘‘2023’’ and inserting 

10 ‘‘2028’’; 

11 (B) in paragraph (2)— 

12 (i) in subparagraph (C)— 

13 (I) in clause (i), by striking 

14 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

15 (II) in clause (ii), by adding 

16 ‘‘and’’ at the end; and 

17 (III) by adding at the end the 

18 following: 

19 ‘‘(iii) agricultural commodities and 

20 products that are produced and marketed 

21 in a manner that— 

22 ‘‘(I) significantly improves soil 

23 health and carbon sequestration or 

24 significantly reduces greenhouse gas 

25 emissions; or 


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1 ‘‘(II) when added to a crop or 

2 grazing rotation on a farm will signifi3 cantly improve soil health and carbon 

4 sequestration or significantly reduce 

5 greenhouse gas emissions;’’; and 

6 (ii) in subparagraph (F), by striking 

7 ‘‘producers of local food products and 

8 value-added agricultural products in new 

9 and existing markets’’ and inserting the 

10 following: ‘‘producers of— 

11 ‘‘(i) local food products; 

12 ‘‘(ii) value-added agricultural products 

13 in new and existing markets; and 

14 ‘‘(iii) agricultural commodities and 

15 products that are produced in a manner 

16 that— 

17 ‘‘(I) enhances soil health and car18 bon sequestration or significantly re19 duces greenhouse gas emissions; or 

20 ‘‘(II) when added to a crop or 

21 grazing rotation on a farm, will sig22 nificantly improve soil health and car23 bon sequestration or significantly re24 duce greenhouse gas emissions;’’; and 


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1 (C) in paragraph (5)(A), by inserting ‘‘and 

2 the Chief of the Natural Resources Conserva3 tion Service’’ before the period at the end; 

4 (4) in subsection (e)(2)(A)— 

5 (A) by striking ‘‘subsection (i)’’ and insert6 ing ‘‘subsection (j)’’; and 

7 (B) by striking ‘‘2023’’ and inserting 

8 ‘‘2028’’; 

9 (5) by redesignating subsections (f), (g), (h), 

10 and (i) as subsections (g), (h), (i), and (j), respec11 tively; 

12 (6) by inserting after subsection (e) the fol13 lowing: 

14 ‘‘(f) FARM VIABILITY AND LOCAL CLIMATE RESIL15 IENCY CENTERS.— 

16 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting 

17 through the Administrator of the Agricultural Mar18 keting Service and in coordination with the Adminis19 trator of the Rural Business-Cooperative Service and 

20 the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation 

21 Service, shall provide grants to eligible entities de22 scribed in paragraph (2) to serve as farm viability 

23 and local climate resiliency centers (referred to in 

24 this section as ‘centers’) to support— 

25 ‘‘(A) efforts to enhance farm viability; and 


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1 ‘‘(B) the development, coordination, and 

2 expansion of markets for commodities and farm 

3 products that significantly improve soil health 

4 and carbon sequestration or significantly reduce 

5 greenhouse gas emissions. 

6 ‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.—An entity is eligible 

7 to receive a grant under this subsection if the entity 

8 is— 

9 ‘‘(A) an agricultural cooperative or other 

10 agricultural business entity or a producer net11 work or association; 

12 ‘‘(B) a local, State, or Tribal government; 

13 ‘‘(C) a nonprofit corporation; 

14 ‘‘(D) a public benefit corporation; 

15 ‘‘(E) an economic development corporation; 

16 ‘‘(F) an institution of higher education; or 

17 ‘‘(G) such other entity as the Secretary 

18 may designate. 

19 ‘‘(3) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible entity receiv20 ing a grant under this subsection shall use grant 

21 funds to provide to entities described in subsection 

22 (d)(5)(B)— 

23 ‘‘(A) assistance for the development of 

24 business plans and feasibility studies; 


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1 ‘‘(B) assistance in developing marketing 

2 strategies for— 

3 ‘‘(i) local products; and 

4 ‘‘(ii) value-added agricultural products 

5 in new and existing markets; 

6 ‘‘(C) assistance in enterprise development 

7 for the processing, aggregation, distribution, 

8 and storage of— 

9 ‘‘(i) local and regional food products 

10 that are marketed locally or regionally; and 

11 ‘‘(ii) value-added agricultural prod12 ucts; 

13 ‘‘(D) assistance relating to finances and 

14 recordkeeping; 

15 ‘‘(E) assistance relating to enterprise and 

16 business management; 

17 ‘‘(F) assistance relating to ownership suc18 cession planning; 

19 ‘‘(G) outreach and assistance in the adop20 tion of farming practices that enhance soil 

21 health and carbon sequestration or significantly 

22 reduce greenhouse gas emissions; 

23 ‘‘(H) outreach regarding assistance avail24 able under subsection (d); 


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1 ‘‘(I) outreach regarding assistance avail2 able through other programs administered by 

3 any other Federal agency that supports the 

4 adoption of farming practices that enhance soil 

5 health and carbon sequestration or significantly 

6 reduce greenhouse gas emissions; or 

7 ‘‘(J) at the request of the entity described 

8 in subsection (d)(5)(B), assistance in applying 

9 for a grant under subsection (d), including act10 ing on behalf of the entity in applying for the 

11 grant. 

12 ‘‘(4) GEOGRAPHIC DIVERSITY.—To the max13 imum extent practicable, the Secretary shall ensure 

14 geographic diversity in selecting eligible entities to 

15 receive a grant under this subsection. 

16 ‘‘(5) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—An entity receiv17 ing a grant under this subsection shall provide fund18 ing in an amount equal to not less than 25 percent 

19 of the total amount of the Federal portion of the 

20 grant. 

21 ‘‘(6) APPLICATIONS.— 

22 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to re23 ceive a grant under this subsection, an eligible 

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1 taining such information as the Secretary con2 siders necessary to evaluate and select applica3 tions. 

4 ‘‘(B) COMPETITIVE PROCESS.—The Sec5 retary— 

6 ‘‘(i) shall conduct a competitive proc7 ess to select applications submitted under 

8 subparagraph (A); 

9 ‘‘(ii) may assess and rank applications 

10 with similar proposals as a group; and 

11 ‘‘(iii) shall, prior to accepting applica12 tions under that subparagraph, make pub13 lic the criteria to be used in evaluating the 

14 applications. 

15 ‘‘(7) PRIORITY.—The Secretary may give pri16 ority to applications submitted under paragraph 

17 (6)(A) that include— 

18 ‘‘(A) plans to use funds for 3 or more of 

19 purposes described in paragraph (3); or 

20 ‘‘(B) activities relating to improving the 

21 use and expanded adoption of farming practices 

22 that enhance soil health and carbon sequestra23 tion or significantly reduce greenhouse gas 

24 emissions while simultaneously improving farm 

25 viability. 


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1 ‘‘(8) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—An entity 

2 receiving a grant under this subsection may use not 

3 more than 4 percent of the funds received through 

4 the grant for administrative expenses.’’; 

5 (7) in subsection (i)(1) (as so redesignated), in 

6 the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 

7 ‘‘subsection (i)(3)(E)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection 

8 (j)(3)(E)’’; and 

9 (8) in subsection (j) (as so redesignated)— 

10 (A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘fiscal 

11 year 2019’’ and inserting ‘‘each of fiscal years 

12 2019 through 2023 and $150,000,000 for fiscal 

13 year 2024’’; 

14 (B) in paragraph (3)— 

15 (i) in subparagraph (A)(i), by striking 

16 ‘‘35’’ and inserting ‘‘36’’; and 

17 (ii) by striking subparagraph (B) and 

18 inserting the following: 

19 ‘‘(B) FARMERS’ MARKET AND LOCAL FOOD

20 PROMOTION GRANTS.— 

21 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Of the funds 

22 made available to carry out this section for 

23 a fiscal year, 36 percent shall be used for 

24 grants under subsection (d)(6). 


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1 ‘‘(ii) ALLOCATION AMONG SUBPRO2 GRAMS.—Of the funds made available for 

3 grants under subsection (d)(6) for a fiscal 

4 year— 

5 ‘‘(I) 40 percent shall be made 

6 available for farmers’ market pro7 motion grants; and 

8 ‘‘(II) 60 percent shall be made 

9 available for local food promotion 

10 grants.’’; 

11 (C) by redesignating subparagraphs (D) 

12 and (E) as subparagraphs (E) and (F), respec13 tively; 

14 (D) by inserting after subparagraph (C) 

15 the following: 

16 ‘‘(D) FARM VIABILITY AND LOCAL CLI17 MATE RESILIENCY.—Of the funds made avail18 able to carry out this section for a fiscal year, 

19 10 percent shall be used to provide grants 

20 under subsection (f).’’; and 

21 (E) in subparagraph (E) (as so redesig22 nated), in the matter preceding clause (i), by 

23 striking ‘‘or (C)’’ and inserting ‘‘(C), or (D)’’. 


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1 SEC. 402. NATIONAL ORGANIC CERTIFICATION COST-SHARE 

2 PROGRAM. 

3 (a) FEDERAL SHARE.—Section 10606(b)(2) of the 

4 Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 

5 U.S.C. 6523(b)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘$750’’ and 

6 inserting ‘‘$1,500’’. 

7 (b) MANDATORY FUNDING.—Section 10606(d)(1) of 

8 the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (7 

9 U.S.C. 6523(d)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘shall make 

10 available’’ in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) and 

11 all that follows through the period at the end of subpara12 graph (C) and inserting ‘‘shall use such sums as are nec13 essary to carry out this section.’’. 

14 SEC. 403. FARMLAND PROTECTION POLICY ACT. 

15 (a) FINDINGS, PURPOSE, AND DEFINITIONS.—Sec16 tion 1540 of the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 (7 

17 U.S.C. 4201) is amended— 

18 (1) in subsection (a)— 

19 (A) by redesignating paragraphs (4) 

20 through (7) as paragraphs (5) through (8), re21 spectively; and 

22 (B) by inserting after paragraph (3) the 

23 following: 

24 ‘‘(4) the Nation’s farmland is a vital source of 

25 environmental services, such as carbon sequestra26 tion;’’; 


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1 (2) in subsection (b), by inserting ‘‘Tribal,’’ 

2 after ‘‘State,’’; and 

3 (3) in subsection (c)— 

4 (A) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), 

5 (3), and (5) as paragraphs (2), (7), (8), and 

6 (6), respectively, and moving the paragraphs so 

7 as to appear in numerical order; 

8 (B) by inserting before paragraph (2) (as 

9 so redesignated) the following: 

10 ‘‘(1) the term ‘conversion’ means— 

11 ‘‘(A) the physical conversion of farmland 

12 to a nonagricultural use; 

13 ‘‘(B) the effective conversion of farmland 

14 as a consequence of physical conversion of adja15 cent farmland, which threatens the continued 

16 viability of the land for agricultural use; or 

17 ‘‘(C) a change in management of federally 

18 owned land historically used for agriculture to 

19 a nonagricultural use;’’; 

20 (C) in paragraph (2) (as so redesig21 nated)— 

22 (i) in subparagraph (B), by striking 

23 ‘‘that is used for’’ and inserting ‘‘that is 

24 suitable for’’; and 


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1 (ii) in subparagraph (C), by inserting 

2 ‘‘and is suitable’’ after ‘‘local importance’’; 

3 (D) by inserting after paragraph (2) (as so 

4 redesignated) the following: 

5 ‘‘(3) the term ‘farmland of national signifi6 cance’ means farmland that is the most suitable for 

7 intensive crop and food production, as determined by 

8 the Secretary, taking into consideration, among 

9 other factors, the physical and chemical characteris10 tics of the farmland;’’; 

11 (E) in paragraph (4), in the second sen12 tence, by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

13 (F) by inserting after paragraph (4) the 

14 following: 

15 ‘‘(5) the term ‘permanently protected farmland’ 

16 means farmland encumbered by a conservation ease17 ment— 

18 ‘‘(A) held by the Federal Government, a 

19 State, Tribal, or local unit of government, or a 

20 land conservation organization; and 

21 ‘‘(B) that is perpetual or the maximum 

22 number of years allowed by State law;’’; 

23 (G) in paragraph (6) (as so redesignated), 

24 by striking the period at the end and inserting 

25 a semicolon; 


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1 (H) in paragraph (7) (as so redesignated), 

2 by adding ‘‘and’’ at the end; and 

3 (I) in paragraph (8) (as so redesignated), 

4 by striking the semicolon at the end and insert5 ing a period. 

6 (b) FARMLAND PROTECTION POLICY.—Section 1541 

7 of the Agriculture and Food Act of 1981 (7 U.S.C. 4202) 

8 is amended to read as follows: 

9 ‘‘SEC. 1541. FARMLAND PROTECTION POLICY. 

10 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—It is the policy of the United 

11 States that Federal programs— 

12 ‘‘(1) shall minimize the conversion of farmland 

13 to nonagricultural uses; and 

14 ‘‘(2) subject to subsection (d), shall not convert 

15 to nonagricultural uses farmland— 

16 ‘‘(A) that is permanently protected farm17 land; 

18 ‘‘(B) that has been defined and delineated 

19 by the Secretary under subsection (b)(1) as 

20 farmland of national significance; or 

21 ‘‘(C) that has been defined and delineated 

22 by a State as significant to the State or a pri23 ority for inclusion in a State farmland protec24 tion program and for which the State has subVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:38 Apr 13, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00123 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1840.IH H1840

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1 mitted a definition and delineation under sub2 section (b)(2). 

3 ‘‘(b) DEFINITION AND DELINEATION OF LAND.— 

4 ‘‘(1) NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE.— 

5 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 

6 define and delineate farmland of national sig7 nificance. 

8 ‘‘(B) EXPERTS.—The Secretary shall con9 vene a group of experts, including agronomists 

10 and soil scientists, to assist the Secretary in 

11 carrying out subparagraph (A). 

12 ‘‘(2) STATE SIGNIFICANCE.—Any State wishing 

13 to have farmland recognized under subsection 

14 (a)(2)(C) shall provide to the Secretary a definition 

15 and delineation of the farmland. 

16 ‘‘(c) PROCESS AND CRITERIA.— 

17 ‘‘(1) PROCESS AND CRITERIA.—The Secretary 

18 shall develop a process, including criteria— 

19 ‘‘(A) to determine the potential conversion 

20 of farmland as a consequence of any action or 

21 activity conducted through a Federal program; 

22 ‘‘(B)(i) to minimize the conversion of 

23 farmland to nonagricultural uses; or 


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1 ‘‘(ii) in the case of farmland identified 

2 under subsection (a)(2), to avoid conversion of 

3 the farmland to nonagricultural uses; 

4 ‘‘(C) to provide to the Secretary notice re5 garding actions described in subparagraphs (A) 

6 and (B); and 

7 ‘‘(D) that the Secretary shall use to make 

8 determinations under subsection (d). 

9 ‘‘(2) USE REQUIRED.—Each department, agen10 cy, independent commission, and other unit of the 

11 Federal Government shall use the process and cri12 teria developed under paragraph (1) in carrying out 

13 a Federal program. 

14 ‘‘(d) EXEMPTION.— 

15 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a)(2) shall not 

16 apply if the Secretary determines, based on the proc17 ess and criteria developed under subsection (c)(1), 

18 that converting farmland to nonagricultural uses 

19 cannot be avoided. 

20 ‘‘(2) MINIMIZATION OF CONVERSION.—In a 

21 case in which the Secretary makes a determination 

22 under paragraph (1), the Federal program shall 

23 minimize the conversion of farmland described in 

24 subsection (a)(2) to the maximum extent practicable. 


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1 ‘‘(e) INFORMATION.—The Secretary may make avail2 able to States, units of local government, individuals, orga3 nizations, and other units of the Federal Government in4 formation— 

5 ‘‘(1) useful in restoring, maintaining, and im6 proving the quantity and quality of farmland; and 

7 ‘‘(2) concerning the location of permanently 

8 protected farmland. 

9 ‘‘(f) ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall provide as10 sistance to departments, agencies, independent commis11 sions, and other units of the Federal Government, on re12 quest, in using the process and criteria developed under 

13 subsection (c)(1).’’. 

14 SEC. 404. AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION EASEMENT PRO15 GRAM. 

16 Section 1265B of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 

17 U.S.C. 3865b) is amended— 

18 (1) in subsection (b)— 

19 (A) in paragraph (4)(C)(iv), by striking 

20 ‘‘only’’; and 

21 (B) by adding at the end the following: 

22 ‘‘(6) CONDITION OF ASSISTANCE.— 

23 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—As a condition of re24 ceiving cost-share assistance under this section, 

25 the owner of eligible land shall agree to have in 


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1 place a conservation plan that addresses appli2 cable resource concerns for the land subject to 

3 the easement, including soil health and green4 house gas emissions reduction, not later than 3 

5 years after the date on which the easement is 

6 granted. 

7 ‘‘(B) BUREAU OF INDIAN AFFAIRS.—Sub8 paragraph (A) may be satisfied by having in 

9 place a conservation plan developed or recog10 nized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.’’; and 

11 (2) by striking subsection (d) and inserting the 

12 following: 

13 ‘‘(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary may 

14 provide technical assistance, if requested, to assist in— 

15 ‘‘(1) compliance with the terms and conditions 

16 of an easement; and 

17 ‘‘(2) development and implementation of a con18 servation plan required under subsection (b)(6), in19 cluding, as applicable— 

20 ‘‘(A) a conservation plan for highly erod21 ible land required under subsection 

22 (b)(4)(C)(iv); and 

23 ‘‘(B) a comprehensive conservation plan 

24 developed pursuant to subsection (e)(1). 

25 ‘‘(e) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.— 


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1 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.— 

2 ‘‘(A) ENROLLMENT IN CSP.—At the sole 

3 option of the owner of the eligible land subject 

4 to an easement, the Secretary shall provide for 

5 the automatic enrollment of the eligible land 

6 subject to the easement in the conservation 

7 stewardship program established by subchapter 

8 B of chapter 4 of subtitle D, including financial 

9 assistance for the development of a comprehen10 sive conservation plan under section 1240L(e), 

11 if the person or entity farming the eligible land 

12 is otherwise eligible for the conservation stew13 ardship program, as determined by the Sec14 retary. 

15 ‘‘(B) DETERMINATION OF COMPLIANCE.— 

16 In the case of eligible land enrolled in the con17 servation stewardship program pursuant to sub18 paragraph (A), the Secretary shall have the sole 

19 responsibility of determining compliance with 

20 the terms of the conservation stewardship pro21 gram contract. 

22 ‘‘(C) FUNDING.—Funding received by an 

23 eligible entity pursuant to this paragraph shall 

24 not be considered in the calculation of costs 

25 under subsection (b). 


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1 ‘‘(2) TIMING.—The owner of the eligible land 

2 subject to an easement may exercise the option 

3 under paragraph (1)(A) during the 3-year period be4 ginning on the date on which the easement is grant5 ed.’’. 

6 TITLE V—PASTURE-BASED 

7 LIVESTOCK 

8 SEC. 501. ANIMAL RAISING CLAIMS. 

9 The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 

10 1621 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the fol11 lowing: 

12 ‘‘Subtitle H—Animal Raising 

13 Claims 

14 ‘‘SEC. 298A. DEFINITIONS. 

15 ‘‘In this subtitle: 

16 ‘‘(1) ANIMAL RAISING CLAIM.—The term ‘ani17 mal raising claim’ means a statement on the labeling 

18 of a meat food product or poultry product used in 

19 interstate commerce that references— 

20 ‘‘(A) the manner in which the source ani21 mal for the meat food product or poultry prod22 uct was raised, including— 

23 ‘‘(i) production practices that were 

24 used, such as living or raising conditions; 

25 and 


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1 ‘‘(ii) the location or source where the 

2 source animal was born, raised, and proc3 essed; or 

4 ‘‘(B) the breed of the source animal. 

5 ‘‘(2) MEAT FOOD PRODUCT.—The term ‘meat 

6 food product’ has the meaning given the term in sec7 tion 1 of the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 

8 U.S.C. 601). 

9 ‘‘(3) POULTRY PRODUCT.—The term ‘poultry 

10 product’ has the meaning given the term in section 

11 4 of the Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 

12 453). 

13 ‘‘(4) SECRETARY.—The term ‘Secretary’ means 

14 the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Ad15 ministrator of the Agricultural Marketing Service, in 

16 coordination with the Administrator of the Food 

17 Safety and Inspection Service. 

18 ‘‘SEC. 298B. REQUIRED VERIFICATION PROCESS FOR ANI19 MAL RAISING CLAIMS. 

20 ‘‘(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of this section is to fa21 cilitate marketing, truth in labeling, and new economic op22 portunities for producers and businesses using animal 

23 raising claims. 

24 ‘‘(b) STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES.— 


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1 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years 

2 after the date of enactment of this subtitle, after 

3 providing notice and an opportunity to comment, 

4 and in a manner consistent with United States obli5 gations under international agreements, the Sec6 retary shall establish— 

7 ‘‘(A) mandatory standards with respect to 

8 animal raising claims, including the standards 

9 described in paragraph (2); 

10 ‘‘(B) procedures— 

11 ‘‘(i) to verify an animal raising claim 

12 prior to the use in commerce of any meat 

13 food product or poultry product bearing 

14 that claim; and 

15 ‘‘(ii) that are incorporated seamlessly 

16 with the labeling requirements under the 

17 Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 

18 601 et seq.) and the Poultry Products In19 spection Act (21 U.S.C. 451 et seq.); and 

20 ‘‘(C) on-farm and supply chain auditing 

21 and verification procedures to ensure the truth22 fulness of animal raising claims. 

23 ‘‘(2) STANDARDS.—In developing and approv24 ing animal raising claim standards under paragraph 


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1 (1)(A), the Secretary shall include standards relat2 ing to— 

3 ‘‘(A) diet claims, including claims that the 

4 source animal was grass fed, vegetarian fed, or 

5 fed no animal byproducts; 

6 ‘‘(B) living and raising condition claims, 

7 including claims that the source animal was 

8 cage free, free range, or pasture raised; 

9 ‘‘(C) antibiotic and hormone claims, in10 cluding claims that the source animal was 

11 raised without antibiotics, had no hormones 

12 added, or was raised without growth 

13 promotants; 

14 ‘‘(D) source claims that the source animal 

15 can be traced back to its farm of origin from 

16 birth to slaughter; 

17 ‘‘(E) age claims; 

18 ‘‘(F) animal welfare claims; 

19 ‘‘(G) environmental stewardship claims, in20 cluding greenhouse gas reduction and carbon 

21 sequestration claims; 

22 ‘‘(H) breed claims; and 

23 ‘‘(I) any other claim that the Secretary de24 termines appropriate. 


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1 ‘‘(3) CONSISTENCY WITH OTHER LAWS.—The 

2 Secretary shall ensure consistency between the ani3 mal raising claim standards established under this 

4 subsection and the Organic Foods Production Act of 

5 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.) and any rules or regu6 lations implementing that Act. 

7 ‘‘(c) THIRD-PARTY CERTIFICATION.—A producer of 

8 a meat food product or a poultry product may use an ani9 mal raising claim that is verified by a third party if— 

10 ‘‘(1) the claim is consistent with standards es11 tablished by the Secretary under subsection (b); and 

12 ‘‘(2) the procedures used by the third party to 

13 verify the claim, and for any subsequent auditing, 

14 are equivalent to the verification and auditing proce15 dures established under subsection (b)(1)(C), as de16 termined by the Secretary. 

17 ‘‘(d) APPROVAL PROCESS.—To the maximum extent 

18 practicable, the Secretary shall require that a producer 

19 seeking to make an animal raising claim shall submit to 

20 the Secretary, prior to using the label on the meat food 

21 product or poultry product that is the subject of the ani22 mal raising claim, the following documentation to support 

23 the animal raising claim: 


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1 ‘‘(1) A detailed written description explaining 

2 the controls used for ensuring that the animal rais3 ing claim is valid, as applicable— 

4 ‘‘(A) from birth to harvest; or 

5 ‘‘(B) for the period of raising referenced in 

6 the animal raising claim. 

7 ‘‘(2) A signed and dated document describing 

8 the manner in which the source animals were raised. 

9 ‘‘(3) A written description of the product trac10 ing and segregation mechanism used with respect to 

11 the applicable meat food product or poultry product 

12 from the time of slaughter of the source animal or 

13 further processing through the packaging and dis14 tribution of the meat food product or poultry prod15 uct. 

16 ‘‘(4) A written description of the identification, 

17 control, and segregation of nonconforming animals 

18 or products. 

19 ‘‘(5) In the case of a meat food product or 

20 poultry product certified by a third party, a current 

21 copy of the third-party certificate. 

22 ‘‘(e) COMPLIANCE REQUIREMENTS.—Beginning on 

23 the date that is 3 years after the date of enactment of 

24 this subtitle— 


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1 ‘‘(1) a person may sell or label a domestic meat 

2 food product or poultry product with an animal rais3 ing claim only if the animal raising claim and the 

4 meat food product or poultry product is in compli5 ance with the standards established under subsection 

6 (b); and 

7 ‘‘(2) an imported meat food product or poultry 

8 product may be sold or labeled with an animal rais9 ing claim if, as determined by the Secretary, the ani10 mal raising claim and the meat food product or 

11 poultry product is in compliance with a verification 

12 program that provides safeguards and guidelines 

13 that are at least equivalent to the standards estab14 lished under subsection (b). 

15 ‘‘(f) VIOLATIONS.— 

16 ‘‘(1) MISUSE OF LABEL.—Any person who, 

17 after notice and an opportunity to be heard, is found 

18 by the Secretary to have knowingly sold or labeled 

19 any meat food product or poultry product with an 

20 animal raising claim in violation of this subtitle, in21 cluding the standards and procedures established 

22 under subsection (b), shall be assessed a civil pen23 alty of not more than $10,000. 

24 ‘‘(2) FALSE STATEMENT.—Any person who, 

25 after notice and an opportunity to be heard, is found 


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1 by the Secretary to have made to the Secretary, a 

2 Federal or State official, or a third-party certifier a 

3 false, fraudulent, or fictitious statement, or to have 

4 concealed to, hidden from, falsified to, or deceived 

5 the Secretary, official, or certifier regarding a mate6 rial fact, with respect to an animal raising claim 

7 subject to the requirements of this subtitle, shall be 

8 subject to a penalty described in section 1001 of title 

9 18, United States Code. 

10 ‘‘(g) EFFECT ON OTHER LAWS.—Nothing in this sec11 tion alters the authority of the Secretary under the Fed12 eral Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) or the 

13 Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 451 et seq.). 

14 ‘‘SEC. 298C. APPLICABILITY. 

15 ‘‘This subtitle shall only apply to meat food products 

16 and poultry products that are subject to labeling require17 ments under the Federal Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 

18 601 et seq.) or the Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 

19 U.S.C. 451 et seq.). 

20 ‘‘SEC. 298D. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

21 ‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated to the Sec22 retary such sums as are necessary to carry out this sub23 title.’’. 


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1 SEC. 502. PROCESSING RESILIENCE GRANT PROGRAM. 

2 Subtitle A of the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 

3 (7 U.S.C. 1621 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end 

4 the following: 

5 ‘‘SEC. 210B. PROCESSING RESILIENCE GRANT PROGRAM. 

6 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

7 ‘‘(1) BUSINESS ENTERPRISE OWNED AND CON8 TROLLED BY SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DIS9 ADVANTAGED INDIVIDUALS.—The term ‘business en10 terprise owned and controlled by socially and eco11 nomically disadvantaged individuals’ has the mean12 ing given the term in section 3002 of the State 

13 Small Business Credit Initiative Act of 2010 (12 

14 U.S.C. 5701). 

15 ‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible en16 tity’ means— 

17 ‘‘(A) a smaller establishment or very small 

18 establishment (as those terms are defined in the 

19 final rule entitled ‘Pathogen Reduction; Hazard 

20 Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) 

21 Systems’ (61 Fed. Reg. 33806 (July 25, 

22 1996))); 

23 ‘‘(B) a slaughtering or processing estab24 lishment subject to— 


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1 ‘‘(i) a State meat inspection program 

2 pursuant to section 301 of the Federal 

3 Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 661); or 

4 ‘‘(ii) a State poultry product inspec5 tion program pursuant to section 5 of the 

6 Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 

7 U.S.C. 454); 

8 ‘‘(C) a person engaging in custom oper9 ations that is exempt from inspection under— 

10 ‘‘(i) section 23 of the Federal Meat 

11 Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 623); or 

12 ‘‘(ii) section 15 of the Poultry Prod13 ucts Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 464); and 

14 ‘‘(D) a person seeking— 

15 ‘‘(i) to establish and operate an estab16 lishment described in subparagraph (A) or 

17 (B); or 

18 ‘‘(ii) to engage in custom operations 

19 described in subparagraph (C). 

20 ‘‘(3) SECRETARY.—The term ‘Secretary’ means 

21 the Secretary of Agriculture, acting through the Ad22 ministrator of the Agricultural Marketing Service. 

23 ‘‘(b) GRANTS.— 

24 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 60 days 

25 after the date of enactment of this section, the SecVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:38 Apr 13, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00138 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1840.IH H1840

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1 retary shall award competitive grants to eligible enti2 ties for activities to increase resiliency and diver3 sification of the meat processing system, including 

4 activities that— 

5 ‘‘(A) support the health and safety of meat 

6 and poultry plant employees, suppliers, and cus7 tomers; 

8 ‘‘(B) support increased processing capac9 ity; and 

10 ‘‘(C) otherwise support the resilience of the 

11 small meat and poultry processing sector. 

12 ‘‘(2) MAXIMUM AMOUNT.—The maximum 

13 amount of a grant awarded under this section shall 

14 not exceed $500,000. 

15 ‘‘(3) DURATION.—The term of a grant awarded 

16 under this section shall not exceed 3 years. 

17 ‘‘(c) APPLICATIONS.— 

18 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—An eligible entity desiring a 

19 grant under this section shall submit to the Sec20 retary an application at such time, in such manner, 

21 and containing such information as the Secretary 

22 may require. 

23 ‘‘(2) APPLICATIONS FOR SMALL GRANTS.—The 

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1 cation process for eligible entities applying for a 

2 grant under this section of not more than $100,000. 

3 ‘‘(3) REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary shall en4 sure that any application for a grant under this sec5 tion is— 

6 ‘‘(A) simple and practicable; 

7 ‘‘(B) accessible online; and 

8 ‘‘(C) available through local staff of the 

9 Department of Agriculture. 

10 ‘‘(4) NOTICE.—Not later than 14 days before 

11 the date on which the Secretary begins to accept ap12 plications under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall 

13 publish a notice of funding opportunity with respect 

14 to the grants available under this section. 

15 ‘‘(5) REAPPLICATION.—If an application of an 

16 eligible entity under this subsection is denied by the 

17 Secretary, the eligible entity may submit a revised 

18 application. 

19 ‘‘(6) PRIORITY.—In reviewing applications sub20 mitted under this subsection, the Secretary shall 

21 give priority to proposals that will— 

22 ‘‘(A) increase farmer and rancher access to 

23 animal slaughter options within a 200-mile ra24 dius of the location of the farmer or rancher; 


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1 ‘‘(B) support an eligible entity described in 

2 subsection (a)(2)(A); or 

3 ‘‘(C) support an eligible entity that is a 

4 business enterprise owned and controlled by so5 cially and economically disadvantaged individ6 uals. 

7 ‘‘(d) USE OF GRANT.—An eligible entity that receives 

8 a grant under this section shall use the grant funds to 

9 carry out activities in support of the purposes described 

10 in subsection (b)(1), including through— 

11 ‘‘(1) the development and issuance of a Hazard 

12 Analysis and Critical Control Points plan for the eli13 gible entity, which may be developed by a consultant; 

14 ‘‘(2) the purchase or establishment, as applica15 ble, of facilities, equipment, processes, and oper16 ations necessary for the eligible entity to comply 

17 with applicable requirements under the Federal 

18 Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601 et seq.) or the 

19 Poultry Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 451 et 

20 seq.); 

21 ‘‘(3) the purchase of cold storage, equipment, or 

22 transportation services; 

23 ‘‘(4) the purchase of temperature screening 

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1 infectant, sanitation systems, hand washing stations, 

2 and other sanitizing supplies; 

3 ‘‘(5) the purchase and decontamination of per4 sonal protective equipment; 

5 ‘‘(6) the construction or purchase of humane 

6 handling infrastructure, including holding space for 

7 livestock prior to slaughter, shade structures, and 

8 knock box structures; 

9 ‘‘(7)(A) the purchase of software and computer 

10 equipment for record keeping, production data, Haz11 ard Analysis and Critical Control Points record re12 view, and facilitation of marketing and sales of prod13 ucts in a manner consistent with the social 

14 distancing guidelines of the Centers for Disease Con15 trol and Prevention; and 

16 ‘‘(B) the provision of guidelines and training re17 lating to that software and computer equipment; 

18 ‘‘(8) the provision of staff time and training for 

19 implementing and monitoring health and safety pro20 cedures; 

21 ‘‘(9) the development of a feasibility study or 

22 business plan for, or the carrying out of any other 

23 activity associated with, establishing or expanding a 

24 small meat or poultry processing facility; 


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1 ‘‘(10) the purchase of equipment that enables 

2 the further use or value-added sale of coproducts or 

3 byproducts, such as organs, hides, and other rel4 evant products; and 

5 ‘‘(11) other activities associated with expanding 

6 or establishing an eligible entity described in sub7 section (a)(2)(A), as determined by the Secretary. 

8 ‘‘(e) OUTREACH.—During the period beginning on 

9 the date on which the Secretary publishes the notice under 

10 subsection (c)(4) and ending on the date on which the Sec11 retary begins to accept applications under subsection 

12 (c)(1), the Secretary shall perform outreach to States and 

13 eligible entities relating to grants under this section. 

14 ‘‘(f) FEDERAL SHARE.— 

15 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2), 

16 the Federal share of the activities carried out using 

17 a grant awarded under this section shall not ex18 ceed— 

19 ‘‘(A) 90 percent in the case of a grant in 

20 the amount of $100,000 or less; or 

21 ‘‘(B) 75 percent in the case of a grant in 

22 an amount greater than $100,000. 

23 ‘‘(2) FISCAL YEARS 2023 AND 2024.—An eligible 

24 entity awarded a grant under this section during fis25 cal year 2023 or 2024 shall not be required to proVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:38 Apr 13, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00143 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1840.IH H1840

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1 vide non-Federal matching funds with respect to the 

2 grant. 

3 ‘‘(g) ADMINISTRATION.—The promulgation of regula4 tions under, and administration of, this section shall be 

5 made without regard to— 

6 ‘‘(1) the notice and comment provisions of sec7 tion 553 of title 5, United States Code; and 

8 ‘‘(2) chapter 35 of title 44, United States Code 

9 (commonly known as the ‘Paperwork Reduction 

10 Act’). 

11 ‘‘(h) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

12 is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of Agri13 culture to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of 

14 fiscal years 2023 through 2028.’’. 

15 SEC. 503. CONSERVATION OF PRIVATE GRAZING LAND. 

16 (a) PURPOSE.—Section 1240M(a) of the Food Secu17 rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839bb(a)) is amended— 

18 (1) in paragraph (6), by inserting ‘‘conserving 

19 water and’’ before ‘‘improving’’; 

20 (2) in paragraph (7), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 

21 end; 

22 (3) in paragraph (8), by striking the period at 

23 the end and inserting a semicolon; and 

24 (4) by adding at the end the following: 


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1 ‘‘(9) conserving and improving soil health and 

2 improving grazing system resilience in the face of 

3 climate change through advanced grazing manage4 ment practices; and 

5 ‘‘(10) providing support for producers 

6 transitioning from confinement and feedlot systems 

7 or continuous grazing to managed grazing-based sys8 tems, including support for pasture development and 

9 management.’’. 

10 (b) DEFINITIONS.—Section 1240M(b)(2) of the Food 

11 Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839bb(b)(2)) is amend12 ed by striking ‘‘hay land’’ and inserting ‘‘perennial hay 

13 land, including silvopasture’’. 

14 (c) PRIVATE GRAZING LAND CONSERVATION ASSIST15 ANCE.—Section 1240M(c) of the Food Security Act of 

16 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839bb(c)) is amended— 

17 (1) in paragraph (1)— 

18 (A) in the matter preceding subparagraph 

19 (A), by inserting ‘‘and partnerships described in 

20 paragraph (2)(B)’’ after ‘‘local conservation dis21 tricts’’; 

22 (B) by striking subparagraph (B) and in23 serting the following: 

24 ‘‘(B) planning and implementing regionally 

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1 ment technologies to improve soil health and 

2 maximize carbon sequestration;’’; 

3 (C) in subparagraph (C)(iv), by inserting 

4 ‘‘through integrated strategies that include ro5 tational and multispecies grazing, integrated 

6 pest management, and other ecological prac7 tices’’ after ‘‘brush encroachment problems’’; 

8 (D) in subparagraph (H), by striking 

9 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

10 (E) in subparagraph (I), by striking the 

11 period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

12 (F) by adding at the end the following: 

13 ‘‘(J) assisting producers in transitioning 

14 from confinement or feedlot systems or contin15 uous grazing to managed grazing-based sys16 tems, including assistance in pasture develop17 ment and management.’’; and 

18 (2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the 

19 following: 

20 ‘‘(2) PROGRAM ELEMENTS.— 

21 ‘‘(A) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND EDU22 CATION.—Personnel of the Department trained 

23 in pasture and range management shall be 

24 made available under the program to deliver 

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1 cation to owners and managers of private graz2 ing land, including owners and managers inter3 ested in developing new or improved pasture or 

4 grazing-based systems on the land of the own5 ers and managers, at the request of the owners 

6 and managers. 

7 ‘‘(B) PARTNERSHIPS.—In carrying out the 

8 program under this section, the Secretary shall 

9 provide research, demonstration, education (in10 cluding conferences, workshops, field days, and 

11 trainings), workforce training, planning, and 

12 outreach activities through partnerships with— 

13 ‘‘(i) land-grant colleges and univer14 sities (as defined in section 1404 of the 

15 National Agricultural Research, Extension, 

16 and Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 

17 3103)); 

18 ‘‘(ii) nongovernmental organizations; 

19 and 

20 ‘‘(iii) Tribal organizations. 

21 ‘‘(C) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.— 

22 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out 

23 the program under this section, the Sec24 retary shall provide funds on a competitive 

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1 gional, State, or local partnerships to use 

2 to conduct grazing land research, dem3 onstration, education, workforce training, 

4 planning, and outreach projects. 

5 ‘‘(ii) DURATION.—Grants made by 

6 partnerships under this subparagraph shall 

7 be for a period not to exceed 3 years. 

8 ‘‘(iii) LIMITATION ON INDIRECT

9 COSTS.—A partnership that receives fund10 ing under this subparagraph may not use 

11 more than 15 percent of the total cost of 

12 the project for the indirect costs of car13 rying out the project. 

14 ‘‘(iv) PRIORITY.—A partnership that 

15 receives funding under this subparagraph 

16 shall give priority to projects that— 

17 ‘‘(I) focus on sustainable grazing 

18 management systems and techniques 

19 that assist producers with multiple 

20 ecosystem services, including climate 

21 change adaptation and mitigation; 

22 and 

23 ‘‘(II) involve beginning farmers 

24 and ranchers, socially disadvantaged 

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1 ducers, or new graziers (including 

2 State or federally registered appren3 ticeships).’’. 

4 (d) GRAZING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TRAINING.— 

5 Section 1240M of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 

6 U.S.C. 3839bb) is amended by striking subsection (d) and 

7 inserting the following: 

8 ‘‘(d) GRAZING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TRAINING.— 

9 In carrying out the program under this section, the Sec10 retary shall provide funds to establish training programs 

11 to foster a new generation of technical assistance providers 

12 to support advanced grazing management.’’. 

13 (e) FUNDING.—Section 1240M of the Food Security 

14 Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839bb) is amended by striking 

15 subsection (e) and inserting the following: 

16 ‘‘(e) FUNDING.— 

17 ‘‘(1) MANDATORY FUNDING.—Of the funds of 

18 the Commodity Credit Corporation, the Secretary 

19 shall use to carry out this section $50,000,000 for 

20 each of fiscal years 2024 through 2028. 

21 ‘‘(2) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

22 There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 

23 this section $60,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

24 2024 through 2028. 


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1 ‘‘(3) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—Of the 

2 funds made available under paragraphs (1) and (2), 

3 the Secretary shall use not less than 80 percent to 

4 carry out subsection (c)(2)(C). 

5 ‘‘(4) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TRAINING.—Of 

6 the funds made available under paragraphs (1) and 

7 (2), the Secretary shall use not more than 10 per8 cent to carry out subsection (d).’’. 

9 SEC. 504. CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM. 

10 (a) CONSERVATION RESERVE.—Section 1231 of the 

11 Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831) is amend12 ed— 

13 (1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘2023’’ and 

14 inserting ‘‘2028’’; 

15 (2) in subsection (d)— 

16 (A) in paragraph (1), by striking subpara17 graphs (A) through (E) and inserting the fol18 lowing: 

19 ‘‘(A) fiscal year 2024, not more than 

20 28,000,000 acres; 

21 ‘‘(B) fiscal year 2025, not more than 

22 29,000,000 acres; 

23 ‘‘(C) fiscal year 2026, not more than 

24 30,000,000 acres; 


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1 ‘‘(D) fiscal year 2027, not more than 

2 31,000,000 acres; and 

3 ‘‘(E) fiscal year 2028, not more than 

4 32,000,000 acres.’’; and 

5 (B) in paragraph (2)(A)— 

6 (i) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 

7 the end; 

8 (ii) in clause (ii)(III), by striking the 

9 period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; 

10 and 

11 (iii) by adding at the end the fol12 lowing: 

13 ‘‘(iii) the Secretary shall enroll and 

14 maintain in the conservation reserve not 

15 fewer than 7,000,000 acres of land de16 scribed in subsection (b)(3) by September 

17 30, 2028, of which not fewer than 

18 5,000,000 acres shall be reserved for the 

19 pilot program established under section 

20 1231C(c).’’. 

21 (b) PILOT PROGRAMS.—Section 1231C of the Food 

22 Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831c) is amended by 

23 adding at the end the following: 

24 ‘‘(c) GRASSLAND 30.— 

25 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.— 


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1 ‘‘(A) ENROLLMENT.—The Secretary shall 

2 establish a pilot program to enroll land in the 

3 conservation reserve program through a 30-year 

4 conservation reserve contract (referred to in 

5 this subsection as a ‘Grassland 30 contract’) in 

6 accordance with this subsection. 

7 ‘‘(B) INCLUSION OF ACREAGE LIMITA8 TION.—For purposes of applying the limitations 

9 in section 1231(d)(1), the Secretary shall in10 clude acres of land enrolled under this sub11 section. 

12 ‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE LAND.—Eligible land for enroll13 ment through a Grassland 30 contract— 

14 ‘‘(A) is land that is eligible to be enrolled 

15 in the conservation reserve program under the 

16 grasslands initiative described in section 

17 1231(d)(2); and 

18 ‘‘(B) shall not be limited to land that is 

19 subject to a covered contract (as defined in 

20 paragraph (3)(A)). 

21 ‘‘(3) CONSERVATION CONTRACT ELECTION.— 

22 ‘‘(A) DEFINITION OF COVERED CON23 TRACT.—In this paragraph, the term ‘covered 

24 contract’ means a contract entered into under 

25 this subchapter that— 


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1 ‘‘(i) expires on or after the date of en2 actment of this subsection; and 

3 ‘‘(ii) covers land enrolled in the con4 servation reserve program under the grass5 lands initiative described in section 

6 1231(d)(2). 

7 ‘‘(B) EXPIRING CONTRACTS.—On the expi8 ration of a covered contract, an owner or oper9 ator party to the covered contract shall elect— 

10 ‘‘(i) not to reenroll the land under the 

11 contract; 

12 ‘‘(ii) to offer to reenroll the land 

13 under the contract if the land remains eli14 gible under the terms in effect as of the 

15 date of expiration; or 

16 ‘‘(iii) not to reenroll the land under 

17 the contract and to enroll that land 

18 through a Grassland 30 contract under 

19 this subsection. 

20 ‘‘(C) UNEXPIRED CONTRACTS.—Prior to 

21 the expiration of a covered contract, an owner 

22 or operator party to the covered contract may 

23 elect to terminate the contract and to enroll 

24 that land through a Grassland 30 contract 

25 under this subsection. 


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1 ‘‘(4) TERM.—The term of a Grassland 30 con2 tract shall be 30 years. 

3 ‘‘(5) AGREEMENTS.—To be eligible to enroll 

4 land in the conservation reserve program through a 

5 Grassland 30 contract, the owner of the land shall 

6 enter into an agreement with the Secretary— 

7 ‘‘(A) to implement a conservation reserve 

8 plan developed for the land; 

9 ‘‘(B) to comply with the terms and condi10 tions of the contract and any related agree11 ments; and 

12 ‘‘(C) to temporarily suspend the base his13 tory for the land covered by the contract. 

14 ‘‘(6) TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF GRASSLAND

15 30 CONTRACTS.— 

16 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A Grassland 30 con17 tract— 

18 ‘‘(i) shall include terms and conditions 

19 that promote sustainable grazing systems, 

20 protect and enhance soil carbon levels, and 

21 are compatible with wildlife habitat con22 servation, as determined by the Secretary; 

23 and 

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1 propriate to carry out this subsection or 

2 facilitate the practical administration of 

3 this subsection. 

4 ‘‘(B) VIOLATION.—On the violation of a 

5 term or condition of a Grassland 30 contract, 

6 the Secretary may require the owner to refund 

7 all or part of any payments received by the 

8 owner under the conservation reserve program, 

9 with interest on the payments, as determined 

10 appropriate by the Secretary. 

11 ‘‘(C) COMPATIBLE USES.—Land subject to 

12 a Grassland 30 contract may be used for com13 patible economic uses, including hunting and 

14 fishing, if the use— 

15 ‘‘(i) is specifically permitted by the 

16 conservation reserve plan developed for the 

17 land; and 

18 ‘‘(ii) is consistent with the long-term 

19 protection and enhancement of the con20 servation resources for which the contract 

21 was established. 

22 ‘‘(7) COMPENSATION.— 

23 ‘‘(A) AMOUNT OF PAYMENTS.—The Sec24 retary shall provide payment under this sub25 section to an owner of land enrolled through a 


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1 Grassland 30 contract using 30 annual pay2 ments in an amount equal to the amount that 

3 would be used if the land were to be enrolled 

4 in the conservation reserve program under sec5 tion 1231(d)(2). 

6 ‘‘(B) FORM OF PAYMENT.—Compensation 

7 for a Grassland 30 contract shall be provided 

8 by the Secretary in the form of a cash payment 

9 in an amount determined under subparagraph 

10 (A). 

11 ‘‘(C) TIMING.—The Secretary shall provide 

12 any annual payment obligation under subpara13 graph (A) as early as practicable in each fiscal 

14 year. 

15 ‘‘(D) PAYMENTS TO OTHERS.—The Sec16 retary shall make a payment, in accordance 

17 with regulations prescribed by the Secretary, in 

18 a manner as the Secretary determines is fair 

19 and reasonable under the circumstances, if an 

20 owner who is entitled to a payment under this 

21 section— 

22 ‘‘(i) dies; 

23 ‘‘(ii) becomes incompetent; 


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1 ‘‘(iii) is succeeded by another person 

2 or entity who renders or completes the re3 quired performance; or 

4 ‘‘(iv) is otherwise unable to receive the 

5 payment. 

6 ‘‘(8) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— 

7 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 

8 assist owners in complying with the terms and 

9 conditions of a Grassland 30 contract. 

10 ‘‘(B) CONTRACTS OR AGREEMENTS.—The 

11 Secretary may enter into 1 or more contracts 

12 with private entities or agreements with a 

13 State, nongovernmental organization, or Indian 

14 Tribe to carry out necessary maintenance of a 

15 Grassland 30 contract if the Secretary deter16 mines that the contract or agreement will ad17 vance the purposes of the conservation reserve 

18 program. 

19 ‘‘(9) ADMINISTRATION.— 

20 ‘‘(A) CONSERVATION RESERVE PLAN.— 

21 The Secretary shall develop a conservation re22 serve plan for any land subject to a Grassland 

23 30 contract, which shall include practices and 

24 activities necessary to maintain, protect, and 

25 enhance the conservation value of the enrolled 


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1 land, including the protection and enhancement 

2 of soil carbon levels. 

3 ‘‘(B) DELEGATION OF CONTRACT ADMINIS4 TRATION.— 

5 ‘‘(i) FEDERAL, STATE, TRIBAL, OR

6 LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.—The Sec7 retary may delegate any of the manage8 ment, monitoring, and enforcement respon9 sibilities of the Secretary under this sub10 section to other Federal, State, Tribal, or 

11 local government agencies that have the 

12 appropriate authority, expertise, and re13 sources necessary to carry out those dele14 gated responsibilities. 

15 ‘‘(ii) CONSERVATION ORGANIZA16 TIONS.—The Secretary may delegate any 

17 management responsibilities of the Sec18 retary under this subsection to conserva19 tion organizations if the Secretary deter20 mines the conservation organization has 

21 similar expertise and resources.’’. 

22 SEC. 505. ALTERNATIVE MANURE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM. 

23 Chapter 5 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Secu24 rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839bb et seq.) (as amended 


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1 by section 304) is amended by adding at the end the fol2 lowing: 

3 ‘‘SEC. 1240T. ALTERNATIVE MANURE MANAGEMENT PRO4 GRAM. 

5 ‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 

6 ‘‘(1) ALTERNATIVE MANURE MANAGEMENT

7 PROGRAM.—The term ‘alternative manure manage8 ment program’ means the program established under 

9 subsection (b). 

10 ‘‘(2) COVERED MANAGEMENT MEASURE.—The 

11 term ‘covered management measure’ means a dairy 

12 or livestock operation method that is used by an eli13 gible producer to reduce baseline methane emissions 

14 and, where applicable, improve carbon sequestration 

15 on the operation of that eligible producer, including 

16 the measures described in subparagraphs (A) 

17 through (D) of subsection (f)(2). 

18 ‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE PRODUCER.—The term ‘eligible 

19 producer’ means a dairy or livestock producer who 

20 agrees to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by adopt21 ing at least 1 covered management measure as an 

22 alternative or complement to anaerobic systems that 

23 capture methane emissions. 


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1 ‘‘(4) PASTURE-BASED MANAGEMENT.—The 

2 term ‘pasture-based management’ means a dairy or 

3 livestock production system— 

4 ‘‘(A) that eliminates or reduces the quan5 tity of manure stored in anaerobic conditions; 

6 and 

7 ‘‘(B) in which the animals spend all or a 

8 substantial portion of their time grazing on 

9 fields in which some or all of the manure is de10 posited and left in the field and decomposes 

11 aerobically. 

12 ‘‘(5) SOLID SEPARATION SYSTEM.—The term 

13 ‘solid separation system’ means a system designed to 

14 separate liquid components of manure from mineral 

15 and organic solid components of that manure. 

16 ‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall estab17 lish an alternative manure management program to award 

18 contracts to eligible producers to support carbon seques19 tration and greenhouse gas emissions reductions by imple20 menting covered management measures. 

21 ‘‘(c) SUBMISSION OF CONTRACT OFFERS.—To be eli22 gible to participate in the alternative manure management 

23 program, an eligible producer shall submit to the Sec24 retary a contract offer that details any management meas25 ure to be used on the operation of the eligible producer. 


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1 ‘‘(d) CLUSTER CONTRACT OFFERS.—The Secretary 

2 shall establish procedures under which— 

3 ‘‘(1) groups of eligible producers may submit a 

4 joint contract offer for a shared composting facility; 

5 and 

6 ‘‘(2) the Secretary shall allocate payments to 

7 each eligible producer associated with a joint con8 tract described in paragraph (1). 

9 ‘‘(e) DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY.— 

10 ‘‘(1) EVALUATION CRITERIA.—The Secretary 

11 shall develop criteria for evaluating applications that 

12 will maximize— 

13 ‘‘(A) carbon sequestration; 

14 ‘‘(B) greenhouse gas emissions reductions; 

15 and 

16 ‘‘(C) the overall environmental and public 

17 health benefits. 

18 ‘‘(2) PRIORITY.—In awarding contracts under 

19 this section, the Secretary, using criteria developed 

20 under paragraph (1), shall give priority to contract 

21 offers that address air quality, water quality, or 

22 other public health concerns associated with dairy 

23 and livestock operations located near low-income or 

24 underserved communities. 


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1 ‘‘(3) GROUPING OF APPLICATIONS.—The Sec2 retary may group and evaluate contract offers rel3 ative to other contract offers for similar farming op4 erations. 

5 ‘‘(4) GEOGRAPHICAL DIVERSITY.—In awarding 

6 contracts under this section, the Secretary shall en7 sure geographical diversity. 

8 ‘‘(f) CONTRACT PROVISIONS.— 

9 ‘‘(1) TERM.—A contract awarded under this 

10 section shall have a term that does not exceed 3 

11 years. 

12 ‘‘(2) COVERED MANAGEMENT MEASURES.— 

13 Each eligible producer requesting funding for a 

14 project under the alternative manure management 

15 program shall implement at least 1 of the following 

16 management measures: 

17 ‘‘(A) With respect to pasture-based man18 agement— 

19 ‘‘(i) adopting pasture-based manage20 ment; 

21 ‘‘(ii) converting a non-pasture dairy or 

22 livestock operation to pasture-based man23 agement; 


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1 ‘‘(iii) increasing the amount of time 

2 livestock spend at pasture at an existing 

3 pasture operation; or 

4 ‘‘(iv) improving pasture-based man5 agement, including transitioning to man6 agement-intensive rotational grazing (as 

7 defined in section 1240L(d)(1)). 

8 ‘‘(B) Adopting alternative manure treat9 ment and storage practices, including— 

10 ‘‘(i) the installation of a compost-bed11 ded pack barn that composts manure; 

12 ‘‘(ii) the installation of slatted floor 

13 pit storage manure collection that is 

14 cleaned out at least once a month; or 

15 ‘‘(iii) other similar practices, as deter16 mined by the Secretary. 

17 ‘‘(C)(i) Adopting a solid separation system, 

18 installing a new solid separation system that 

19 has a significantly higher separation efficiency 

20 than any existing solid separation system, or 

21 developing or retrofitting a manure manage22 ment system that primarily avoids wet handling 

23 infrastructure; and 

24 ‘‘(ii) in conjunction with 1 or more of the 

25 following management measures: 


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1 ‘‘(I) Open solar drying or composting 

2 of manure onsite. 

3 ‘‘(II) Solar drying in an enclosed envi4 ronment. 

5 ‘‘(III) Forced evaporation with nat6 ural-gas fueled dryers. 

7 ‘‘(IV) Storage of manure in 

8 unconfined piles or stacks. 

9 ‘‘(V) Composting in an enclosed ves10 sel, with forced aeration and continuous 

11 mixing. 

12 ‘‘(VI) Composting in piles with forced 

13 aeration without mixing. 

14 ‘‘(VII) Composting in intensive wind15 rows with regular turning for mixing and 

16 aeration. 

17 ‘‘(VIII) Composting in passive wind18 rows with infrequent turning for mixing 

19 and aeration. 

20 ‘‘(IX) Vermiculture or vermifiltration. 

21 ‘‘(X) Other similar activities, as deter22 mined by the Secretary. 

23 ‘‘(D) Adopting scrape technologies, in con24 junction with 1 of the management measures 


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1 described in subclauses (I) through (X) of sub2 paragraph (C)(ii). 

3 ‘‘(3) DUTIES OF ELIGIBLE PRODUCERS UNDER

4 CONTRACT.—To receive payments under the alter5 native manure management program, an eligible 

6 producer shall— 

7 ‘‘(A) implement 1 or more management 

8 measures; 

9 ‘‘(B) supply information as required by the 

10 Secretary to determine compliance with the re11 quirements of the alternative manure manage12 ment program; and 

13 ‘‘(C) comply with such additional provi14 sions as the Secretary determines are necessary 

15 to carry out the alternative manure manage16 ment program. 

17 ‘‘(g) PAYMENTS TO ELIGIBLE PRODUCERS.— 

18 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—During each of fiscal years 

19 2024 through 2028, the Secretary shall provide pay20 ments to eligible producers that enter into contracts 

21 with the Secretary under the alternative manure 

22 management program. 

23 ‘‘(2) AVAILABILITY OF PAYMENTS.—Payments 

24 provided to an eligible producer under this section 


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1 may be used to implement 1 or more covered man2 agement measures. 

3 ‘‘(3) PAYMENT AMOUNTS.—The Secretary may 

4 provide a payment to an eligible producer under the 

5 alternative manure management program for an 

6 amount that is up to 100 percent of the costs associ7 ated with planning, design, materials, equipment, in8 stallation, labor, management, maintenance, and 

9 training relating to implementing a covered manage10 ment measure. 

11 ‘‘(4) LIMITATION ON PAYMENTS.—A person or 

12 legal entity (including a joint venture and a general 

13 partnership) may not receive, directly or indirectly, 

14 payments under the program that exceed $825,000 

15 during any 5-year period. 

16 ‘‘(5) ADVANCED PAYMENTS.—The Secretary 

17 shall provide not less than 50 percent of the amount 

18 of total payments to an eligible producer in advance 

19 for all costs relating to— 

20 ‘‘(A) purchasing or contracting materials 

21 and equipment; or 

22 ‘‘(B) any technical assistance provided by 

23 the Secretary. 

24 ‘‘(h) MODIFICATION OR TERMINATION OF CON25 TRACTS.— 


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1 ‘‘(1) VOLUNTARY MODIFICATION OR TERMI2 NATION.—The Secretary may modify or terminate a 

3 contract entered into with an eligible producer under 

4 the alternative manure management program if— 

5 ‘‘(A) the producer agrees to the modifica6 tion or termination; and 

7 ‘‘(B) the Secretary determines that the 

8 modification or termination is in the public in9 terest. 

10 ‘‘(2) INVOLUNTARY TERMINATION.—The Sec11 retary may terminate a contract under the alter12 native manure management program if the Sec13 retary determines that the eligible producer violated 

14 the contract. 

15 ‘‘(i) DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY.—The Secretary 

16 shall— 

17 ‘‘(1) determine and publish factors for esti18 mating the carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas 

19 emissions reductions for each covered management 

20 measure described in subclauses (I) through (X) of 

21 subsection (f)(2)(C)(ii); 

22 ‘‘(2) assist an eligible producer in achieving the 

23 carbon sequestration, greenhouse gas emissions re24 duction, and other environmental and public health 


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1 goals of the alternative manure management pro2 gram plan by— 

3 ‘‘(A) providing payments for developing 

4 and implementing 1 or more covered manage5 ment measures, as appropriate; and 

6 ‘‘(B) providing that eligible producer with 

7 information, technical assistance, and training 

8 to aid in implementation of the covered man9 agement measures; and 

10 ‘‘(3) review the adequacy of existing conserva11 tion practice standards for supporting the covered 

12 management measures and, if necessary— 

13 ‘‘(A) revise existing conservation practice 

14 standards; and 

15 ‘‘(B) develop new conservation practice 

16 standards. 

17 ‘‘(j) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—In providing tech18 nical assistance under the alternative manure manage19 ment program, the Secretary shall apply sections 1241(c) 

20 and 1242, except that the Secretary shall— 

21 ‘‘(1) apportion not more than 15 percent of the 

22 total funding available for the alternative manure 

23 management program for the provision of technical 

24 assistance; and 


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1 ‘‘(2) enter into cooperative agreements with 

2 third-party providers with relevant expertise in the 

3 covered management measures to ensure adequate 

4 technical services are available to alternative manure 

5 management program applicants. 

6 ‘‘(k) FUNDING.— 

7 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall use the 

8 funds, facilities, and authorities of the Commodity 

9 Credit Corporation to carry out the alternative ma10 nure management program (including the provision 

11 of technical assistance described in subsection (j)) 

12 using $1,500,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 

13 2024 through 2028. 

14 ‘‘(2) RESERVATIONS OF FUNDS.—The Sec15 retary shall, to the maximum extent practicable, use 

16 a majority of the funds made available by paragraph 

17 (1) for contract offers from small and mid-sized 

18 dairy and livestock operations, including— 

19 ‘‘(A) beginning farmers or ranchers; 

20 ‘‘(B) limited resource farmers and ranch21 ers; and 

22 ‘‘(C) socially disadvantaged farmers and 

23 ranchers.’’. 


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1 TITLE VI—ON-FARM 

2 RENEWABLE ENERGY 

3 SEC. 601. RURAL ENERGY FOR AMERICA PROGRAM. 

4 Section 9007 of the Farm Security and Rural Invest5 ment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 8107) is amended— 

6 (1) in subsection (a)— 

7 (A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 

8 by striking ‘‘and renewable energy develop9 ment’’ and inserting ‘‘, renewable energy devel10 opment, and the reduction of greenhouse gas 

11 emissions’’; and 

12 (B) in paragraph (2), by adding ‘‘that re13 duce greenhouse gas emissions’’ before the pe14 riod at the end; 

15 (2) in subsection (b)— 

16 (A) in paragraph (2)— 

17 (i) in subparagraph (D), by striking 

18 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

19 (ii) by redesignating subparagraph 

20 (E) as subparagraph (G); and 

21 (iii) by inserting after subparagraph 

22 (D) the following: 

23 ‘‘(E) a nonprofit corporation; 

24 ‘‘(F) an agricultural cooperative or pro25 ducer group; and’’; 


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1 (B) in paragraph (3)(D), by inserting be2 fore the semicolon at the end the following: ‘‘, 

3 including greenhouse gas emissions reductions’’; 

4 and 

5 (C) in paragraph (4)— 

6 (i) in the matter preceding subpara7 graph (A), by inserting ‘‘, agricultural 

8 processors,’’ after ‘‘agricultural pro9 ducers’’; 

10 (ii) in subparagraph (A), by striking 

11 ‘‘and’’ at the end; 

12 (iii) in subparagraph (B)(ii), by strik13 ing the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; 

14 and’’; and 

15 (iv) by adding at the end the fol16 lowing: 

17 ‘‘(C) assisting in the development of feasi18 bility studies and plans for implementing rec19 ommendations provided under subparagraph 

20 (B).’’; 

21 (3) in subsection (c)— 

22 (A) in paragraph (1)(A)(i), by inserting ‘‘, 

23 agricultural processors,’’ after ‘‘agricultural 

24 producers’’; 

25 (B) in paragraph (2)— 


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1 (i) by redesignating subparagraphs 

2 (F) and (G) as subparagraphs (G) and 

3 (H), respectively; and 

4 (ii) by inserting after subparagraph 

5 (E) the following: 

6 ‘‘(F) carbon accounting assessments devel7 oped under subsection (d) with respect to the 

8 renewable energy system to be installed or the 

9 energy efficiency upgrade to be undertaken;’’; 

10 (C) in paragraph (3)— 

11 (i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 

12 ‘‘The amount’’ and all that follows through 

13 ‘‘25 percent’’ and inserting ‘‘Except as 

14 provided in subparagraph (F), the amount 

15 of a grant under this subsection shall not 

16 exceed 50 percent’’; 

17 (ii) by redesignating subparagraphs 

18 (C) and (D) as subparagraphs (D) and 

19 (E), respectively; 

20 (iii) by inserting after subparagraph 

21 (B) the following: 

22 ‘‘(C) MAXIMUM PERCENTAGE OF LOAN

23 GUARANTEE.—The portion of a loan that the 

24 Secretary may guarantee under this section 

25 shall be— 


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1 ‘‘(i) in the case of a loan in the 

2 amount of not less than $1,000,000, 80 

3 percent of the principal amount of the 

4 loan; and 

5 ‘‘(ii) in the case of a loan in an 

6 amount less than $1,000,000, 90 percent 

7 of the principal amount of the loan.’’; 

8 (iv) in subparagraph (E) (as so redes9 ignated), by striking ‘‘subsection (f)’’ and 

10 inserting ‘‘subsection (h)’’; and 

11 (v) by adding at the end the following: 

12 ‘‘(F) UNDERSERVED PRODUCERS.—The 

13 amount of a grant provided under this sub14 section to an agricultural producer who is a be15 ginning farmer or rancher, a socially disadvan16 taged farmer or rancher, or a veteran farmer or 

17 rancher (as those terms are defined in section 

18 2501(a) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation 

19 and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279(a))) 

20 shall not exceed 75 percent of the cost of the 

21 activity funded by the grant.’’; 

22 (D) in paragraph (4), by adding at the end 

23 the following: 

24 ‘‘(F) PRE-APPROVED TECHNOLOGIES.—In 

25 order to streamline the adoption of renewable 


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1 energy systems and energy efficiency improve2 ments, the Secretary shall develop a stream3 lined application process for projects utilizing 

4 pre-approved products and technologies in5 cluded on the list described in paragraph (5).’’; 

6 and 

7 (E) by adding at the end the following: 

8 ‘‘(5) PRE-APPROVED LIST.—The Secretary 

9 shall, beginning in fiscal year 2024— 

10 ‘‘(A) develop a list of pre-approved tech11 nologies and products for purposes of para12 graph (4)(F); and 

13 ‘‘(B) update that list every 2 fiscal years. 

14 ‘‘(6) PRIORITY.—In making grants or loan 

15 guarantees under this subsection, the Secretary shall 

16 give priority to proposed projects that utilize tech17 nologies— 

18 ‘‘(A) with a substantially low carbon foot19 print; or 

20 ‘‘(B) that would result in significant net 

21 decreases of greenhouse gas emissions, as deter22 mined by the Secretary using the carbon ac23 counting assessments developed under sub24 section (d).’’; 


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1 (4) by redesignating subsections (d), (e), and 

2 (f) as subsections (f), (g), and (h), respectively; 

3 (5) by inserting after subsection (c) the fol4 lowing: 

5 ‘‘(d) CARBON ACCOUNTING.— 

6 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 2 years 

7 after the date of enactment of the Agriculture Resil8 ience Act of 2023, the Secretary, in collaboration 

9 with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, 

10 shall develop carbon accounting assessments for re11 newable energy systems and energy efficiency up12 grades (including technologies on the list described 

13 in subsection (c)(5)(A) and technologies described in 

14 subsection (h)(5)(A)) supported by assistance pro15 vided under this section. 

16 ‘‘(2) METHODOLOGIES.—In developing the car17 bon accounting assessments under paragraph (1), 

18 the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent prac19 ticable, create accurate methodologies for assigning 

20 greenhouse gas emission values, including land use 

21 change. 

22 ‘‘(3) PROGRAM GUIDANCE.—The Secretary 

23 shall, to the maximum extent practicable, use the 

24 carbon accounting assessments developed under 

25 paragraph (1) as guides in carrying out this section. 


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1 ‘‘(e) REGIONAL DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.— 

2 ‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall carry 

3 out regional demonstration projects that incentivize 

4 agricultural producers to reduce their carbon foot5 print or overall carbon equivalent emissions to the 

6 maximum extent practicable through the use of en7 ergy efficiency improvements and renewable energy 

8 systems. 

9 ‘‘(2) PUBLICIZATION.—The Secretary shall 

10 publicize the results of the regional demonstration 

11 projects carried out under paragraph (1).’’; 

12 (6) in subsection (f) (as so redesignated)— 

13 (A) in the subsection heading, by inserting 

14 ‘‘AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE’’ after ‘‘OUT15 REACH’’; 

16 (B) by striking ‘‘The Secretary shall’’ and 

17 inserting ‘‘Using funds made available under 

18 subsection (h)(4), the Secretary shall’’; 

19 (C) by inserting ‘‘and technical assistance’’ 

20 after ‘‘outreach’’; and 

21 (D) by inserting ‘‘or provided, as applica22 ble,’’ after ‘‘conducted’’; 

23 (7) in subsection (g) (as so redesignated), by 

24 striking ‘‘subsection (f)’’ each place it appears and 

25 inserting ‘‘subsection (h)’’; and 


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1 (8) in subsection (h) (as so redesignated)— 

2 (A) in paragraph (1), by striking subpara3 graphs (A) through (E) and inserting the fol4 lowing: 

5 ‘‘(A) $50,000,000 for each of fiscal years 

6 2014 through 2023; 

7 ‘‘(B) $100,000,000 for fiscal year 2024; 

8 ‘‘(C) $200,000,000 for fiscal year 2025; 

9 ‘‘(D) $300,000,000 for fiscal year 2026; 

10 and 

11 ‘‘(E) $400,000,000 for fiscal year 2027 

12 and each fiscal year thereafter.’’; 

13 (B) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking ‘‘be14 come available’’ and inserting ‘‘be used’’; and 

15 (C) by adding at the end the following: 

16 ‘‘(4) ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.—Of the 

17 funds made available to carry out this section for a 

18 fiscal year, the Secretary shall use not more than 8 

19 percent for administrative expenses. 

20 ‘‘(5) RESERVATION OF FUNDS.—Of the funds 

21 made available to carry out this section for a fiscal 

22 year, the Secretary may reserve— 

23 ‘‘(A) not more than 15 percent to provide 

24 grants under subsection (c) to support the 


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1 adoption of underutilized but proven commer2 cial technologies; and 

3 ‘‘(B) not more than 5 percent to carry out 

4 subsection (e).’’. 

5 SEC. 602. AGRIVOLTAIC SYSTEMS. 

6 (a) DEFINITION OF AGRIVOLTAIC SYSTEM.—In this 

7 section, the term ‘‘agrivoltaic system’’ means a system 

8 under which solar energy production and agricultural pro9 duction, including crop or animal production or apiculture, 

10 occurs in an integrated manner on the same piece of land. 

11 (b) STUDY.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall conduct 

13 a study on agrivoltaic systems that shall include— 

14 (A) an assessment of the compatibility of 

15 different species of livestock with different 

16 agrivoltaic system designs, including— 

17 (i) the optimal height of and distance 

18 between solar panels for— 

19 (I) livestock grazing; and 

20 (II) shade for livestock; 

21 (ii) manure management consider22 ations; 

23 (iii) fencing requirements; and 

24 (iv) other animal handling consider25 ations; 


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1 (B) an assessment of animal breeding re2 search needs with respect to beneficial and com3 patible characteristics and behaviors of different 

4 species of grazing animals in agrivoltaic sys5 tems; 

6 (C) an assessment of the compatibility of 

7 different crop types with different agrivoltaic 

8 system designs, including— 

9 (i) the optimal height of and distance 

10 between solar panels for— 

11 (I) plant shading; and 

12 (II) farm equipment use; 

13 (ii) the impact on crop yield; and 

14 (iii) market opportunities to sell crops 

15 at a premium price; 

16 (D) an assessment of plant breeding re17 search needs with respect to beneficial and com18 patible characteristics of different crops, includ19 ing specialty and perennial crops, in agrivoltaic 

20 systems; 

21 (E) a risk-benefit analysis of agrivoltaic 

22 systems in different regions of the United 

23 States, including a comparison between the 

24 total greenhouse gas impact of agrivoltaic sysVerDate Sep 11 2014 02:38 Apr 13, 2023 Jkt 039200 PO 00000 Frm 00179 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\H1840.IH H1840

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1 tems and solar energy systems that displace ag2 ricultural production; 

3 (F) an assessment of the types of agricul4 tural land best suited and worst suited for 

5 agrivoltaic systems; 

6 (G) an assessment of how to best develop 

7 agrivoltaic systems on a national and local scale 

8 consistent with— 

9 (i) maintaining or increasing agricul10 tural production; 

11 (ii) increasing agricultural resilience; 

12 (iii) retaining prime farmland; 

13 (iv) increasing economic opportunities 

14 in farming and rural communities; 

15 (v) reducing nonfarmer ownership of 

16 farmland; and 

17 (vi) enhancing biodiversity; 

18 (H) an assessment of the unique risk man19 agement and crop insurance needs of agrivoltaic 

20 systems; 

21 (I) an assessment of how Federal procure22 ment of agricultural products could help build 

23 a market for agricultural products from farms 

24 with agrivoltaic systems; and 


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1 (J) an assessment of how Federal agricul2 tural conservation programs, renewable energy 

3 programs, and investment tax credits can better 

4 support agrivoltaic systems. 

5 (2) 5-YEAR PLAN.—Based on the study under 

6 paragraph (1), the Secretary shall develop a 5-year 

7 plan for using the research, extension, outreach, con8 servation, and renewable energy activities of the De9 partment of Agriculture to better support agrivoltaic 

10 systems that do not displace agricultural production. 

11 (3) REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the 

12 date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall 

13 submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the 

14 House of Representatives and the Committee on Ag15 riculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a 

16 report containing the results of the study conducted 

17 under paragraph (1). 

18 (c) AGRIVOLTAIC SYSTEM RESEARCH AND DEM19 ONSTRATION.— 

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, acting 

21 through the Administrator of the Agricultural Re22 search Service and in coordination with the relevant 

23 research programs of the Department of Energy, 

24 shall establish and maintain a network of research 

25 and demonstration sites operated by the Agricultural 


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1 Research Service to investigate and demonstrate 

2 agrivoltaic systems in multiple regions of the United 

3 States, including arid, semi-arid, and wet agricul4 tural zones, that— 

5 (A) increase agricultural productivity and 

6 profitability; 

7 (B) enhance agricultural resilience and the 

8 capacity to mitigate and adapt to climate 

9 change; 

10 (C) protect biodiversity; and 

11 (D) increase economic opportunities in 

12 farming and rural communities. 

13 (2) COORDINATION.—In establishing and main14 taining the network described in paragraph (1), the 

15 Secretary shall collaborate with USDA Climate 

16 Hubs to share research findings and translate re17 search findings into educational, outreach, and tech18 nical assistance materials for agricultural producers. 

19 (3) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.— 

20 There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 

21 this subsection $15,000,000 for fiscal year 2024 and 

22 each fiscal year thereafter. 

23 SEC. 603. AGSTAR PROGRAM. 

24 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall maintain the 

25 program known as the ‘‘AgSTAR program’’ within the 


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1 Department of Agriculture, under which the Secretary 

2 shall— 

3 (1) support the use of anaerobic digestion in 

4 the agricultural sector to reduce methane emissions 

5 from livestock waste; 

6 (2) conduct outreach, education, and training 

7 on anaerobic digestion of livestock waste; 

8 (3) provide technical and regulatory assistance 

9 on anaerobic digestion of livestock waste to stake10 holders, including farmers and ranchers, on issues 

11 including— 

12 (A) permitting; 

13 (B) codigestion of multiple organic wastes 

14 in one digester; and 

15 (C) interconnection to physically link a di16 gester to the electrical power grid; 

17 (4) promote centralized, multifarm digesters 

18 that use livestock waste from more than 1 farm or 

19 ranch; 

20 (5) collect and report data on anaerobic diges21 tion of livestock waste; and 

22 (6) maintain a database of on-farm anaerobic 

23 digester projects in the United States. 

24 (b) TRANSITION FROM EPA.— 


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1 (1) IN GENERAL.—The Administrator of the 

2 Environmental Protection Agency shall take such 

3 steps as are necessary to provide for an orderly tran4 sition for the activities carried out under the 

5 AgSTAR program by the Environmental Protection 

6 Agency to be carried out by the Secretary, in accord7 ance with subsection (c). 

8 (2) DEADLINE.—The Administrator of the En9 vironmental Protection Agency shall finish carrying 

10 out paragraph (1) by not later than 1 year after the 

11 date of enactment of this Act, such that the Sec12 retary has sole jurisdiction of the AgSTAR program 

13 by that date. 

14 (c) ADMINISTRATION.—The Secretary shall carry out 

15 the AgSTAR program through the Chief of the Natural 

16 Resources Conservation Service— 

17 (1) in coordination with the Administrator of 

18 the Environmental Protection Agency and other 

19 Federal agencies as necessary; and 

20 (2) in partnership with the climate hubs, coop21 erative extension services, and agencies of the De22 partment of Agriculture. 

23 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 

24 authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 


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1 out the AgSTAR program not more than $5,000,000 for 

2 each fiscal year. 

3 TITLE VII—FOOD LOSS AND 

4 WASTE 

5 Subtitle A—Food Date Labeling 

6 SEC. 701. DEFINITIONS. 

7 In this subtitle: 

8 (1) ADMINISTERING SECRETARIES.—The term 

9 ‘‘administering Secretaries’’ means— 

10 (A) the Secretary, with respect to any 

11 product that is— 

12 (i) under the jurisdiction of the Sec13 retary; and 

14 (ii)(I) a poultry product (as defined in 

15 section 4 of the Poultry Products Inspec16 tion Act (21 U.S.C. 453)); 

17 (II) a meat food product (as defined 

18 in section 1 of the Federal Meat Inspection 

19 Act (21 U.S.C. 601)); or 

20 (III) an egg product (as defined in 

21 section 4 of the Egg Products Inspection 

22 Act (21 U.S.C. 1033)); and 

23 (B) the Secretary of Health and Human 

24 Services, with respect to any product that is— 


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1 (i) under the jurisdiction of the Sec2 retary of Health and Human Services; and 

3 (ii) a food (as defined in section 201 

4 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic 

5 Act (21 U.S.C. 321)). 

6 (2) DISCARD DATE.—The term ‘‘discard date’’ 

7 means a date voluntarily printed on food packaging 

8 that signifies the end of the estimated period of shelf 

9 life under any stated storage conditions, after which 

10 the food labeler advises the product not be con11 sumed. 

12 (3) FOOD LABELER.—The term ‘‘food labeler’’ 

13 means the producer, manufacturer, distributor, or 

14 retailer that places a date label on food packaging 

15 of a product. 

16 (4) QUALITY DATE.—The term ‘‘quality date’’ 

17 means a date voluntarily printed on food packaging 

18 that is intended to communicate to consumers the 

19 date after which— 

20 (A) the quality of the product may begin 

21 to deteriorate; but 

22 (B) the product remains apparently whole23 some food (as defined in subsection (b) of the 

24 Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation 

25 Act (42 U.S.C. 1791(b))). 


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1 SEC. 702. QUALITY DATES AND DISCARD DATES. 

2 (a) QUALITY DATES.— 

3 (1) IN GENERAL.—If a food labeler includes a 

4 quality date on food packaging, the label shall use 

5 the uniform quality date label phrase under para6 graph (2). 

7 (2) UNIFORM PHRASE.—The uniform quality 

8 date label phrase under this paragraph shall be 

9 ‘‘BEST If Used By’’ or, if permissible under sub10 section (c)(3), the standard abbreviation of ‘‘BB’’, 

11 unless and until the administering Secretaries, act12 ing jointly, specify through rulemaking another uni13 form phrase to be used for purposes of complying 

14 with paragraph (1). 

15 (3) OPTION OF THE LABELER.—The decisions 

16 on whether to include a quality date on food pack17 aging and which foods should be so labeled shall be 

18 at the discretion of the food labeler. 

19 (b) DISCARD DATES.— 

20 (1) IN GENERAL.—If a food labeler includes a 

21 discard date on food packaging, the label shall use 

22 the uniform discard date label phrase under para23 graph (2). 

24 (2) UNIFORM PHRASE.—The uniform discard 

25 date label phrase under this paragraph shall be 

26 ‘‘USE By’’ or, if permissible under subsection 


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1 (c)(3), the standard abbreviation of ‘‘UB’’, unless 

2 and until the administering Secretaries, acting joint3 ly, specify through rulemaking another uniform 

4 phrase to be used for purposes of complying with 

5 paragraph (1). 

6 (3) OPTION OF THE LABELER.—The decisions 

7 on whether to include a discard date on food pack8 aging and which foods should be so labeled shall be 

9 at the discretion of the food labeler. 

10 (c) QUALITY DATE AND DISCARD DATE LABEL11 ING.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—The quality date or discard 

13 date, as applicable, and immediately adjacent uni14 form quality date label phrase or discard date label 

15 phrase— 

16 (A) shall be— 

17 (i) in single easy-to-read type style; 

18 and 

19 (ii) located in a conspicuous place on 

20 the package of the food; and 

21 (B) may be on the label or, at the discre22 tion of the food labeler, elsewhere on the pack23 age. 


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1 (2) DATE FORMAT.—Each quality date and dis2 card date shall be stated in terms of day and month 

3 and, as appropriate, year. 

4 (3) ABBREVIATIONS.—A food labeler may use a 

5 standard abbreviation of ‘‘BB’’ and ‘‘UB’’ for the 

6 quality date and discard date, respectively, only if 

7 the food packaging is too small to include the uni8 form phrase described in subsection (a)(2) or (b)(2), 

9 as applicable. 

10 (4) FREEZE BY.—A food labeler may add ‘‘or 

11 Freeze By’’ following a quality date or discard date 

12 uniform phrase. 

13 (d) EDUCATION.—Not later than 1 year after the 

14 date of enactment of this Act, the administering Secre15 taries, acting jointly, shall provide consumer education 

16 and outreach on the meaning of quality date and discard 

17 date food labels. 

18 (e) RULES OF CONSTRUCTION; PREEMPTION.— 

19 (1) INFANT FORMULA.—This title and the 

20 amendments made by this title shall not— 

21 (A) apply to infant formula (as defined in 

22 section 201 of the Federal Food, Drug, and 

23 Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 321)); and 

24 (B) affect the requirements relating to in25 fant formula established under section 412 of 


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1 the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 

2 U.S.C. 350a) or other applicable provisions of 

3 law. 

4 (2) SALE OR DONATION OF FOOD BASED ON

5 DISCARD DATE.—Nothing in this title or an amend6 ment made by this title prohibits any State or polit7 ical subdivision of a State from establishing or con8 tinuing in effect any requirement that prohibits the 

9 sale or donation of foods based on passage of the 

10 discard date. 

11 (3) TIME TEMPERATURE INDICATOR LABELS.— 

12 Nothing in this title or an amendment made by this 

13 title prohibits or restricts the use of time-tempera14 ture indicator labels or similar technology that is in 

15 addition to or in lieu of any uniform quality date 

16 label phrase under subsection (a)(2) or uniform dis17 card date label phrase under subsection (b)(2). 

18 (4) PREEMPTION.—No State or political sub19 division of a State may establish or continue in ef20 fect any requirement that— 

21 (A) relates to the inclusion in food labeling 

22 of a quality date or a discard date that is dif23 ferent from or in addition to, or that is other24 wise not identical with, the requirements of this 

25 Act and the amendments made by this Act; or 


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1 (B) prohibits the sale or donation of foods 

2 based on passage of the quality date. 

3 (5) ENFORCEMENT.—The administering Secre4 taries, acting jointly and in coordination with the 

5 Federal Trade Commission, shall ensure that the 

6 uniform quality date label phrase and uniform dis7 card date label phrase are standardized across all 

8 food products. 

9 (6) SAVINGS.—Notwithstanding paragraph (4), 

10 nothing in this title, any amendment made by this 

11 title, or any standard or requirement imposed pursu12 ant to this title preempts, displaces, or supplants 

13 any State or Federal common law rights or any 

14 State or Federal statute creating a remedy for civil 

15 relief, including a remedy for civil damage, or a pen16 alty for criminal conduct. 

17 SEC. 703. MISBRANDING. 

18 (a) FDA VIOLATIONS.—Section 403 of the Federal 

19 Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (21 U.S.C. 343) is amend20 ed by adding at the end the following: 

21 ‘‘(z) If it is food and its labeling is in violation of 

22 section 702 of the Agriculture Resilience Act of 2023.’’. 

23 (b) POULTRY PRODUCTS.—Section 4(h) of the Poul24 try Products Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 453(h)) is amend25 ed— 


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1 (1) in paragraph (11), by striking ‘‘or’’ at the 

2 end; 

3 (2) in paragraph (12), by striking the period at 

4 the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 

5 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

6 ‘‘(13) if its labeling is in violation of section 

7 702 of the Agriculture Resilience Act of 2023.’’. 

8 (c) MEAT PRODUCTS.—Section 1(n) of the Federal 

9 Meat Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 601(n)) is amended— 

10 (1) in paragraph (11), by striking ‘‘or’’ at the 

11 end; 

12 (2) in paragraph (12), by striking the period at 

13 the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 

14 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

15 ‘‘(13) if its labeling is in violation of section 

16 702 of the Agriculture Resilience Act of 2023.’’. 

17 (d) EGG PRODUCTS.—Section 7(b) of the Egg Prod18 ucts Inspection Act (21 U.S.C. 1036(b)) is amended in 

19 the first sentence by inserting ‘‘or if its labeling is in viola20 tion of section 702 of the Agriculture Resilience Act of 

21 2023’’ before the period at the end. 

22 SEC. 704. REGULATIONS. 

23 Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 

24 of this Act, the administering Secretaries, acting jointly, 


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1 shall promulgate final regulations for carrying out this 

2 title and the amendments made by this title. 

3 SEC. 705. DELAYED APPLICABILITY. 

4 This title and the amendments made by this title 

5 shall apply only with respect to food products that are la6 beled on or after the date that is 2 years after the date 

7 of promulgation of final regulations under section 704. 

8 Subtitle B—Other Provisions 

9 SEC. 711. COMPOSTING AS CONSERVATION PRACTICE. 

10 (a) CONSERVATION STANDARDS AND REQUIRE11 MENTS.—Section 1241(j) of the Food Security Act of 

12 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841(j)) is amended— 

13 (1) by redesignating paragraph (2) as para14 graph (3); and 

15 (2) by inserting after paragraph (1) the fol16 lowing: 

17 ‘‘(2) COMPOSTING AS CONSERVATION PRACTICE

18 AND ACTIVITY.— 

19 ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall, 

20 by regulation, provide that composting is a con21 servation practice and a conservation activity 

22 for the purposes of this title. 

23 ‘‘(B) DEFINITION OF COMPOSTING.— 

24 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—In this paragraph, 

25 the term ‘composting’ means— 


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1 ‘‘(I) an activity (including an ac2 tivity that does not require the use of 

3 a composting facility) to produce com4 post from organic waste that is— 

5 ‘‘(aa) generated on a farm; 

6 or 

7 ‘‘(bb) brought to a farm 

8 from a nearby community and 

9 used to produce compost on that 

10 farm; and 

11 ‘‘(II) the use and active manage12 ment of compost on a farm, in accord13 ance with any applicable Federal, 

14 State, or local law, to improve water 

15 retention and soil health. 

16 ‘‘(ii) DETERMINATION OF NEARBY

17 COMMUNITIES.—The Secretary, in con18 sultation with the Administrator of the En19 vironmental Protection Agency, shall issue 

20 regulations for determining whether a com21 munity is nearby for purposes of clause 

22 (i)(I)(bb), which shall ensure that bringing 

23 organic waste from the community to the 

24 farm to produce compost results in a net 

25 reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.’’. 


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1 (b) CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM.—Sec2 tion 1240I(2)(B)(i) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 

3 U.S.C. 3839aa–21(2)(B)(i)) is amended by inserting ‘‘and 

4 composting (as defined in section 1241(j)(2)(B))’’ after 

5 ‘‘agriculture drainage management systems’’. 

6 (c) ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PRO7 GRAM.—Section 1240A(6)(A)(ii) of the Food Security Act 

8 of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–1(6)(A)(ii)) is amended by in9 serting ‘‘, including composting (as defined in section 

10 1241(j)(2)(B))’’ before the semicolon at the end. 

11 (d) DELIVERY OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—Section 

12 1242(h) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 

13 3842(h)) is amended by adding at the end the following: 

14 ‘‘(5) DEVELOPMENT OF COMPOSTING PRACTICE

15 STANDARD.—In addition to conducting a review 

16 under this subsection of any composting facilities 

17 practice standard established before the date of en18 actment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall de19 velop and implement a composting practice standard 

20 under the process developed under paragraph (3).’’. 

21 SEC. 712. AMENDMENTS TO FEDERAL FOOD DONATION 

22 ACT. 

23 (a) PURPOSE.—Section 2 of the Federal Food Dona24 tion Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–247; 42 U.S.C. 1792 


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1 note) is amended by striking ‘‘encourage’’ and inserting 

2 ‘‘require’’. 

3 (b) DEFINITIONS.—Section 3 of the Federal Food 

4 Donation Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–247; 42 U.S.C. 

5 1792 note) is amended— 

6 (1) by redesignating paragraphs (3) and (4) as 

7 paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively; and 

8 (2) by inserting after paragraph (2) the fol9 lowing: 

10 ‘‘(3) EXECUTIVE AGENCY.—The term ‘executive 

11 agency’ has the meaning given the term in section 

12 133 of title 41, United States Code.’’. 

13 (c) REPORT ON FOOD WASTE BY CERTAIN FEDERAL

14 CONTRACTORS.—Section 4 of the Federal Food Donation 

15 Act of 2008 (42 U.S.C. 1792) is amended— 

16 (1) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the 

17 following: 

18 ‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.— 

19 ‘‘(1) REQUIREMENT.—Not later than 180 days 

20 after the date of enactment of the Agriculture Resil21 ience Act of 2023, the Federal Acquisition Regula22 tion issued in accordance with section 1121 of title 

23 41, United States Code, shall be revised to provide 

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1 ice, or sale of food in the United States, or for the 

2 lease or rental of Federal property to a private enti3 ty for events at which food is provided in the United 

4 States, shall include a clause that— 

5 ‘‘(A) requires the donation of excess, ap6 parently wholesome food to nonprofit organiza7 tions that provide assistance to food-insecure 

8 people in the United States; 

9 ‘‘(B) states the terms and conditions de10 scribed in subsection (b); and 

11 ‘‘(C) requires the submission of a report, 

12 annually if applicable— 

13 ‘‘(i) in a form and manner specified 

14 by the executive agency awarding the con15 tract; and 

16 ‘‘(ii) that describes, for each month of 

17 performance of the contract during the pe18 riod covered by the report, the weight of 

19 apparently wholesome food that was dis20 posed of pursuant to the contract by— 

21 ‘‘(I) donation, organized by the 

22 name of the organization receiving the 

23 food; 

24 ‘‘(II) composting or other recy25 cling; or 


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1 ‘‘(III) discarding, organized by 

2 the reason that the food was dis3 carded. 

4 ‘‘(2) EXCEPTION.—Paragraph (1) shall not 

5 apply to a contract with an executive agency that 

6 has issued a regulation in effect on the date of en7 actment of the Agriculture Resilience Act of 2023 

8 that prohibits a donation described in paragraph 

9 (1)(A).’’; and 

10 (2) by adding at the end the following: 

11 ‘‘(c) APPLICATION TO CONGRESS.— 

12 ‘‘(1) CONTRACTS.—This Act shall apply to the 

13 House of Representatives and the Senate, and to 

14 contracts entered into by the House of Representa15 tives and the Senate, in the same manner and to the 

16 same extent as this Act applies to an executive agen17 cy and to contracts entered into by an executive 

18 agency pursuant to this Act. 

19 ‘‘(2) ADMINISTRATION.—For purposes of car20 rying out paragraph (1)— 

21 ‘‘(A) the Chief Administrative Officer of 

22 the House of Representatives shall be consid23 ered to be the head of the House of Representa24 tives; and 


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1 ‘‘(B) the Secretary of the Senate shall be 

2 considered to be the head of the Senate. 

3 ‘‘(d) REPORTS.— 

4 ‘‘(1) REPORT TO OMB.—Not later than 30 days 

5 after the date on which an executive agency receives 

6 a report described in subsection (a)(1)(C), the execu7 tive agency shall submit a copy of the report to the 

8 Director of the Office of Management and Budget. 

9 ‘‘(2) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—The Director of 

10 the Office of Management and Budget shall submit 

11 to Congress an annual report aggregating the infor12 mation in the reports received under paragraph (1) 

13 during the year covered by the report to Congress.’’. 

14 (d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—The 

15 Federal Food Donation Act of 2008 (Public Law 110– 

16 247; 122 Stat. 2314) is amended by adding at the end 

17 the following: 

18 ‘‘SEC. 5. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

19 ‘‘There is authorized to be appropriated to the Sec20 retary of Agriculture to carry out this Act $10,000,000 

21 for fiscal year 2024 and each fiscal year thereafter.’’. 


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1 SEC. 713. GRANTS FOR COMPOSTING AND ANAEROBIC DI2 GESTION FOOD WASTE-TO-ENERGY 

3 PROJECTS. 

4 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle G of the Solid Waste Dis5 posal Act (42 U.S.C. 6971 et seq.) is amended by adding 

6 at the end the following: 

7 ‘‘SEC. 7011. GRANTS FOR COMPOSTING AND ANAEROBIC DI8 GESTION FOOD WASTE-TO-ENERGY 

9 PROJECTS. 

10 ‘‘(a) DEFINITION OF STATE.—In this section, the 

11 term ‘State’ means— 

12 ‘‘(1) each of the several States; 

13 ‘‘(2) the District of Columbia; 

14 ‘‘(3) each territory or possession of the United 

15 States; and 

16 ‘‘(4) each federally recognized Indian Tribe. 

17 ‘‘(b) GRANTS.—The Administrator shall establish a 

18 grant program to award grants to States eligible to receive 

19 the grants under subsection (c)(1) to construct large-scale 

20 composting or anaerobic digestion food waste-to-energy 

21 projects. 

22 ‘‘(c) ELIGIBLE STATES.— 

23 ‘‘(1) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a 

24 grant under this section, a State shall— 


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1 ‘‘(A) have in effect a plan to limit the 

2 quantity of food waste that may be disposed of 

3 in landfills in the State; and 

4 ‘‘(B) provide to the Administrator— 

5 ‘‘(i) a written commitment that the 

6 State has read and agrees to comply with 

7 the Food Recovery Hierarchy of the Envi8 ronmental Protection Agency, particularly 

9 as applied to apparently wholesome food 

10 (as defined in section 22(b) of the Child 

11 Nutrition Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 

12 1791(b))) that may be provided to or re13 ceived by the State; and 

14 ‘‘(ii) a written end-product recycling 

15 plan that provides for the beneficial use of 

16 the material resulting from any anaerobic 

17 digestion food waste-to-energy operation 

18 with respect to which the grant is made, in 

19 a manner that meets all applicable Fed20 eral, State, and local laws that protect 

21 human health and the environment. 

22 ‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—A grant under subsection 

23 (b) may not be used for an anaerobic digester that 

24 uses solely manure as undigested biomass. 


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1 ‘‘(3) PREFERENCE.—The Administrator shall 

2 give preference to grants under subsection (b) for 

3 anaerobic digesters that use primarily nonedible 

4 food, crop waste, or nonedible food and crop waste 

5 as undigested biomass. 

6 ‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

7 is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section 

8 $100,000,000 for each fiscal year.’’. 

9 (b) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The table of contents 

10 for the Solid Waste Disposal Act (42 U.S.C. 6901 et seq.) 

11 is amended by inserting after the item relating to section 

12 7010 the following: 

‘‘Sec. 7011. Grants for composting and anaerobic digestion food waste-to-energy projects.’’. 

13 SEC. 714. SCHOOL FOOD WASTE REDUCTION GRANT PRO14 GRAM. 

15 (a) IN GENERAL.—Section 18 of the Richard B. Rus16 sell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 1769) is 

17 amended by inserting before subsection (b) the following: 

18 ‘‘(a) SCHOOL FOOD WASTE REDUCTION GRANT PRO19 GRAM.— 

20 ‘‘(1) DEFINITION OF ELIGIBLE LOCAL EDU21 CATIONAL AGENCY.—In this subsection, the term ‘el22 igible local educational agency’ means a local edu23 cational agency that participates in the school lunch 

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1 gram established under section 4 of the Child Nutri2 tion Act of 1966 (42 U.S.C. 1773). 

3 ‘‘(2) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall 

4 carry out a program to make grants, on a competi5 tive basis, to eligible local educational agencies to 

6 carry out food waste measurement, prevention, and 

7 reduction projects. 

8 ‘‘(3) REGIONAL BALANCE.—In awarding grants 

9 under this subsection, the Secretary shall, to the 

10 maximum extent practicable, ensure— 

11 ‘‘(A) that a grant is awarded to an eligible 

12 local educational agency in each region served 

13 by the Administrator of the Food and Nutrition 

14 Service; and 

15 ‘‘(B) equitable treatment of rural, urban, 

16 and tribal communities. 

17 ‘‘(4) GRANTS.— 

18 ‘‘(A) APPLICATION.—To be eligible to re19 ceive a grant under this subsection, an eligible 

20 local educational agency shall submit an appli21 cation to the Secretary at such time, in such 

22 manner, and containing such information as the 

23 Secretary may require. 

24 ‘‘(B) PRIORITY.—In making grants under 

25 this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority 


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1 to an eligible local educational agency that dem2 onstrates in the application submitted under 

3 subparagraph (A) that the grant will be used— 

4 ‘‘(i) to carry out experiential edu5 cation activities that encourage children 

6 enrolled in the eligible local educational 

7 agency to participate in food waste meas8 urement and education; 

9 ‘‘(ii) to prioritize the best use of food 

10 in accordance with the Food Recovery Hi11 erarchy published by the Administrator of 

12 the Environmental Protection Agency; 

13 ‘‘(iii) with respect to food waste pre14 vention and reduction, to collaborate with 

15 other eligible local educational agencies, 

16 Indian Tribes, nongovernmental and com17 munity-based organizations, and other 

18 community partners; 

19 ‘‘(iv) to establish a food waste meas20 urement, prevention, and reduction project 

21 with long-term sustainability; and 

22 ‘‘(v) to evaluate the activities de23 scribed in clauses (i) through (iv) and 

24 make evaluation plans. 


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1 ‘‘(C) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible local 

2 educational agency that receives a grant under 

3 this subsection shall use the grant to carry out 

4 1 or more of the following activities: 

5 ‘‘(i) Planning a food waste measure6 ment, prevention, and reduction project. 

7 ‘‘(ii) Implementing a food waste meas8 urement, prevention, and reduction project. 

9 ‘‘(iii) Providing training to support a 

10 food waste measurement, prevention, and 

11 reduction project. 

12 ‘‘(iv) Purchasing equipment to sup13 port a food waste measurement, preven14 tion, and reduction project. 

15 ‘‘(v) Offering food waste education to 

16 students enrolled in the eligible local edu17 cational agency. 

18 ‘‘(D) COST-SHARING.— 

19 ‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The amount of a 

20 grant provided under this subsection shall 

21 not exceed 75 percent of the total cost of 

22 the project for which the grant is provided. 

23 ‘‘(ii) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.—An eligi24 ble local educational agency that receives a 

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1 Federal funds in the form of cash or in2 kind contributions, including facilities, 

3 equipment, or services provided by State 

4 and local governments, nonprofit organiza5 tions, and private sources, to pay for the 

6 remaining cost of the project for which the 

7 grant is provided. 

8 ‘‘(5) EVALUATION.— 

9 ‘‘(A) COOPERATION.—As a condition of re10 ceiving a grant under this subsection, each eli11 gible local educational agency shall agree to co12 operate in an evaluation by the Secretary of the 

13 project carried out by the eligible local edu14 cational agency as part of the evaluation con15 ducted by the Secretary under subparagraph 

16 (B). 

17 ‘‘(B) PERIODIC EVALUATION.—Not later 

18 than 2 years after the date of enactment of the 

19 Agriculture Resilience Act of 2023, and every 2 

20 years thereafter, the Secretary shall evaluate 

21 the grants made under this subsection, includ22 ing— 

23 ‘‘(i) the amount of Federal funds used 

24 to award those grants; and 


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1 ‘‘(ii) an evaluation of the outcomes of 

2 the projects carried out using those grants. 

3 ‘‘(C) REPORT.—The Secretary shall sub4 mit to Congress as a report each evaluation car5 ried out under subparagraph (B).’’. 

6 (b) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—Section 21(b) of the 

7 Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act (42 U.S.C. 

8 1769b–1(b)) is amended— 

9 (1) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 

10 end; 

11 (2) in paragraph (3), by striking the period at 

12 the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 

13 (3) by adding at the end the following: 

14 ‘‘(4) food waste measurement, prevention, and 

15 reduction.’’. 

16 SEC. 715. SUPPORT FOR NATIONAL MEDIA CAMPAIGNS TO 

17 DECREASE INCIDENCE OF FOOD WASTE. 

18 (a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall support na19 tional media campaigns to decrease the incidence of food 

20 waste. 

21 (b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 

22 are authorized to be appropriated such sums as are nec23 essary to carry out this section. 


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1 SEC. 716. FOOD WASTE RESEARCH PROGRAM. 

2 (a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Food Loss and Waste 

3 Reduction Liaison of the Department of Agriculture (in 

4 this section referred to as the ‘‘Liaison’’) shall establish 

5 a partnership with 5 regional partner institutions, selected 

6 under subsection (c), to carry out a Food Waste Research 

7 Program (in this section referred to as the ‘‘Program’’). 

8 (b) FOOD WASTE RESEARCH PROGRAM REQUIRE9 MENTS.— 

10 (1) DUTIES.—In carrying out the Program, the 

11 Liaison, in partnership with the 5 regional partner 

12 institutions selected under subsection (c), shall— 

13 (A) plan, conduct, and arrange for public 

14 research, data, education, and recommendations 

15 within the areas of study specified in paragraph 

16 (2), as such areas relate to food waste reduction 

17 and food recovery issues nationwide, regionally, 

18 and locally; 

19 (B) carry out the activities of the Program 

20 within a variety of regions in the United States, 

21 which are identified and categorized by the Li22 aison based on the specific food recovery and 

23 food waste reduction issues of such regions; 

24 (C) identify areas to increase efficiency in 

25 the allocation of resources and the coordination, 

26 cooperation, and consolidation of efforts as they 


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1 relate to local, statewide, Tribal, regional, and 

2 Federal food recovery and food waste reduction 

3 efforts; 

4 (D) create a Program website, as described 

5 in paragraph (4), to disseminate information to 

6 the public; and 

7 (E) collaborate with other colleges, univer8 sities, and nonprofit organizations in the re9 gions selected by the Liaison that have dem10 onstrated capability for research, information 

11 dissemination, and professional training in 

12 order to develop regional networks that are 

13 knowledgeable in food waste reduction issues. 

14 (2) AREAS OF STUDY.—In carrying out the du15 ties listed in paragraph (1), the Liaison and the re16 gional partner institutions shall consider the fol17 lowing areas of study: 

18 (A) Reducing the volume of surplus food 

19 produced. 

20 (B) Utilizing excess food to feed individ21 uals in need, including through the use of dona22 tions of surplus food. 

23 (C) Diverting food unusable for purposes 

24 described in subparagraph (B) to feed animals. 


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1 (D) Utilizing food waste to create renew2 able energy sources. 

3 (E) Composting food waste to create nutri4 ent rich soil. 

5 (F) Diminishing the deposits of food waste 

6 in landfills and reducing the incineration of 

7 food waste. 

8 (3) USE OF FUNDS.— 

9 (A) IN GENERAL.—The Liaison may make 

10 funds available under this section to improve 

11 the capacities and facilities of the regional part12 ner institutions to a level that meets the re13 quirements of the role of a regional partner in14 stitution. 

15 (B) PLAN.—A regional partner institution 

16 may not receive any funding for any facility up17 grade under subparagraph (A), unless— 

18 (i) the regional partner institution 

19 submits to the Liaison a plan detailing the 

20 type of facility construction or improve21 ments to take place (including any land ac22 quisition, engineering, design, and staffing 

23 and equipment needs, in addition to other 

24 information as required by the Liaison); 

25 and 


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1 (ii) the Liaison approves such plan. 

2 (C) NON-FEDERAL COST SHARE FOR FA3 CILITY IMPROVEMENT.—A regional partner in4 stitution shall be required to provide at least a 

5 20-percent non-Federal cost share for facility 

6 improvement or construction projects pursued 

7 by a regional partner institution under subpara8 graph (A). 

9 (D) MATCHING FUNDS FOR OPERATING

10 EXPENSES.—A regional partner institution shall 

11 be required to provide at least a 30-percent 

12 non-Federal cost share for all Program oper13 ating expenses related to such regional partner 

14 institution. 

15 (E) WAGE RATE REQUIREMENTS.—A con16 struction activity carried out pursuant to this 

17 subsection shall meet Federal prevailing wage 

18 requirements as determined by the Secretary of 

19 Labor in accordance with subchapter IV of 

20 chapter 31 of part A of subtitle II of title 40, 

21 United States Code (commonly referred to as 

22 the ‘‘Davis-Bacon Act’’). 

23 (4) FOOD WASTE RESEARCH PROGRAM

24 WEBSITE.—The Liaison shall establish a website 

25 that shall contain at least the following information: 


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1 (A) Key findings and best practices. 

2 (B) A list of collaborations and partner3 ships carried out pursuant to this subsection. 

4 (C) Annual reports and other pertinent in5 formation on the duties of the Program. 

6 (D) The location and contact information 

7 for regional partner institutions. 

8 (E) Federal, State, local, and regionally 

9 specific public research, data, education, and 

10 policy recommendations that shall be updated 

11 in a timely manner with new information. 

12 (F) Tools for tracking reduction efforts 

13 and measuring food waste production. 

14 (c) SELECTION OF REGIONAL PARTNER INSTITU15 TIONS.— 

16 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 180 days 

17 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Liai18 son shall select 5 regional partner institutions to 

19 partner with to carry out the requirements of the 

20 Program under subsection (b). 

21 (2) CRITERIA FOR REGIONAL PARTNER INSTI22 TUTIONS.—In making a selection under paragraph 

23 (1), the Liaison shall select an institution of higher 

24 education that— 


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1 (A) has a focus or expertise in at least one 

2 of the areas of study described in subsection 

3 (b)(2); 

4 (B) has the ability to plan, conduct, and 

5 arrange for public research, data, education, 

6 and recommendations related to food waste re7 duction and the areas of study described in sub8 section (b)(2); 

9 (C) can assist the Liaison in fulfilling the 

10 duties listed in subsection (b)(1); 

11 (D) can contribute the required non-Fed12 eral funding to maintain a regional partner in13 stitution center; and 

14 (E) satisfies any other criteria determined 

15 by the Liaison. 

16 (3) ELIGIBLE SUB-AWARDEES.—A State, Trib17 al, or local government, local educational agency, ag18 ricultural or commodity organization, farmer, or 

19 other organization focused on food waste prevention 

20 may serve as an eligible sub-awardee of a regional 

21 partner institution if the entity meets the require22 ments of subparagraphs (A) through (C) of para23 graph (2). 


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1 (4) EMPLOYMENT STATUS.—Members of re2 gional partner institutions shall not be considered 

3 Federal employees for any purpose. 

4 (d) COLLABORATION WITH FEDERAL, REGIONAL, 

5 STATE, TRIBAL, AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND ORGA6 NIZATIONS.—The Liaison, in conjunction with the 5 re7 gional partner institutions selected under subsection (c), 

8 shall collaborate and share best practices on regional, 

9 State, Tribal, and locally specific food waste and food 

10 waste reduction issues with— 

11 (1) State and county governments; 

12 (2) Tribal governments; 

13 (3) units of local government; 

14 (4) local educational entities; 

15 (5) colleges and universities; 

16 (6) agricultural and commodity organizations; 

17 (7) farmers; and 

18 (8) organizations focused on food waste preven19 tion. 

20 (e) INFORMATION COLLECTION AND DISSEMINA21 TION.— 

22 (1) REPORT OF REGIONAL PARTNER INSTITU23 TIONS.—Not later than 1 year after the date of the 

24 enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter, the 

25 regional partnership institutions shall submit to the 


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1 Liaison a report containing the activities, partner2 ships, collaborations, Federal policy recommenda3 tions, previous and continuing budgets, findings, and 

4 any other applicable information carried out under 

5 the Program. 

6 (2) LIAISON REPORT.—Not later than 15 

7 months after the date of the enactment of this Act, 

8 and annually thereafter, the Liaison shall submit to 

9 the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Rep10 resentatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nu11 trition, and Forestry of the Senate and publish on 

12 the Program website an annual report containing a 

13 compilation of the activities, partnerships, collabora14 tions, Federal policy recommendations, previous and 

15 continuing budgets, findings, and any other applica16 ble information relating to the Program. 

17 (3) REVIEW OF REPORT.—The Liaison shall re18 view the annual report from the regional partner in19 stitutions to ensure that funds are being used effi20 ciently according to the duties of the Program and 

21 that the Program is producing utilizable public re22 search, data, education, and recommendations re23 lated to food waste and food waste reduction issues. 

Æ 


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