Collaborative Water and Soil Enhancement Act of 2018

To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 with respect to nutrient and soil health management and source water protection, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Collaborative Water and Soil Enhancement Act of 2018 2. Nutrient and soil health management (a) In general Section 1244 of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3844 (m) Nutrient and soil health management In carrying out the conservation stewardship program and the environmental quality incentives program, the Secretary shall enroll not less than 5 million acres annually, in watersheds where nutrient delivery to hypoxic zones is highest, to provide payments to producers for conservation activities or practices that promote nutrient and soil health management, as determined by the Secretary. . (b) Technical assistance Section 1242(e) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3842(e) (4) Certified crop advisors The Secretary shall provide a streamlined certification process under this subsection for third-party providers that have a 4R Nutrient Management Specialty Certification or a Sustainability Specialty Certification from the American Society of Agronomy. . 3. Source water protection through targeting of agriculture practices Section 1244 of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3844 (n) Source water protection (1) In general In carrying out the conservation stewardship program and the environmental quality incentives program, the Secretary shall encourage practices that relate to water quality or water quantity that protect source waters for drinking water (including protecting against public health threats) while also benefitting agricultural producers. (2) Collaboration with drinking water utilities and increased incentives In encouraging practices under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall— (A) work collaboratively with community water systems and State technical committees established under section 1261 to identify, in each State, local priority areas for the protection of source waters for drinking water; and (B) for practices that relate to water quality or water quantity that result in benefits that primarily occur outside of the land on which the practices are implemented, offer increased incentives and higher cost-share rates to producers than are otherwise statutorily authorized through the conservation stewardship program and the environmental quality incentives program. (3) Reservation of funds and acres In each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, the Secretary shall use not less than 10 percent of any funds or acres available with respect to the conservation stewardship program and the environmental quality incentives program, in carrying out this subsection, to target the most effective practices for improving the quality or quantity of source water. (4) Priority In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall give priority— (A) to practices determined by the Secretary, using the Conservation Practices Physical Effects matrix developed by the Secretary, to be the most effective; and (B) to practices implemented in local priority areas identified under paragraph (2)(A). .

Summary: Collaborative Water and Soil Enhancement Act of 2018 This bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to establish requirements for Department of Agriculture (USDA) conservation programs regarding: (1) nutrient and soil health management, and (2) source water protection. In carrying out the Conservation Stewardship Program and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, USDA must: enroll at least five million acres annually in watersheds where nutrient delivery to hypoxic (low oxygen) zones is highest; encourage water quality or water quantity practices that protect source waters for drinking water (including protecting against public health threats) while also benefitting agricultural producers; collaborate with community water systems and state technical committees to identify local priority areas for the protection of source waters for drinking water; offer increased incentives and higher cost-share rates for water quality or water quantity practices that result in benefits that primarily occur outside of the land on which the practices are implemented; and reserve at least 10% of the funds or acres available for the programs to target the most effective practices for improving the quality or quantity of source water. USDA must also provide a streamlined certification process for third-party technical service providers that have certain certifications from the American Society of Agronomy.