218 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘environ-
mental’’ and inserting ‘‘conservation’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘purpose of 
the environmental quality incentives program speci-
fied in section 1240(1)’’ and inserting ‘‘purposes of 
the program’’. 
SEC. 2205. DUTIES OF PRODUCERS. 
Section 1240D(2) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa–4(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘farm, 
ranch, or forest’’ and inserting ‘‘enrolled’’. 
SEC. 2206. LIMITATION ON PAYMENTS. 
Section 1240G of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3839aa–7) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘by the person or entity 
during any six-year period,’’ and inserting 
‘‘during fiscal years 2014 through 2018’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘federally recognized’’ and 
all that follows through the period and inserting 
‘‘Indian tribes under section 1244(l).’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ‘‘any six- 
year period’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal years 2014 
through 2018’’. 
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219 
SEC. 2207. CONSERVATION INNOVATION GRANTS AND PAY-
MENTS. 
Section 1240H of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3839aa–8) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(2), by striking ‘‘2012’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2018’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(c) REPORTING.—Not later than December 31, 
2014, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture 
of the House of Representatives a report on the status 
of projects funded under this section, including— 
‘‘(1) funding awarded; 
‘‘(2) project results; and 
‘‘(3) incorporation of project findings, such as 
new technology and innovative approaches, into the 
conservation efforts implemented by the Secretary.’’. 
SEC. 2208. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by this 
subtitle shall take effect on October 1, 2013. 
(b) EFFECT ON EXISTING CONTRACTS.—The amend-
ments made by this title shall not affect the validity or 
terms of any contract entered into by the Secretary of Ag-
riculture under chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa et seq.) 
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220 
before October 1, 2013, or any payments required to be 
made in connection with the contract. 
Subtitle D—Agricultural 
Conservation Easement Program 
SEC. 2301. AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION EASEMENT 
PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Title XII of the Food Secu-
rity Act of 1985 is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘Subtitle H—Agricultural 
Conservation Easement Program 
‘‘SEC. 1265. ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSES. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish an Agricultural Conservation Easement Program for 
the conservation of eligible land and natural resources 
through easements or other interests in land. 
‘‘(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the program are 
to— 
‘‘(1) combine the purposes and coordinate the 
functions of the wetlands reserve program estab-
lished under section 1237, the grassland reserve pro-
gram established under section 1238N, and the 
farmland protection program established under sec-
tion 1238I; 
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‘‘(2) restore, protect, and enhance wetland on 
eligible land; 
‘‘(3) protect the agricultural use, viability, and 
related conservation values of eligible land by lim-
iting nonagricultural uses of that land; and 
‘‘(4) protect grazing uses and related conserva-
tion values by restoring and conserving eligible land. 
‘‘SEC. 1265A. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this subtitle: 
‘‘(1) AGRICULTURAL
LAND
EASEMENT.—The 
term ‘agricultural land easement’ means an ease-
ment or other interest in eligible land that— 
‘‘(A) is conveyed for the purposes of pro-
tecting natural resources and the agricultural 
nature of the land, and of promoting agricul-
tural viability for future generations; and 
‘‘(B) permits the landowner the right to 
continue agricultural production and related 
uses subject to an agricultural land easement 
plan. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible en-
tity’ means— 
‘‘(A) an agency of State or local govern-
ment or an Indian tribe (including farmland 
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222 
protection board or land resource council estab-
lished under State law); or 
‘‘(B) an organization that is— 
‘‘(i) organized for, and at all times 
since the formation of the organization has 
been operated principally for, 1 or more of 
the conservation purposes specified in 
clause (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv) of section 
170(h)(4)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986; 
‘‘(ii) an organization described in sec-
tion 501(c)(3) of that Code that is exempt 
from taxation under section 501(a) of that 
Code; or 
‘‘(iii) described in— 
‘‘(I) paragraph (1) or (2) of sec-
tion 509(a) of that Code; or 
‘‘(II) section 509(a)(3) of that 
Code and is controlled by an organiza-
tion described in section 509(a)(2) of 
that Code. 
‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE LAND.—The term ‘eligible land’ 
means private or tribal land that is— 
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‘‘(A) in the case of an agricultural land 
easement, agricultural land, including land on a 
farm or ranch— 
‘‘(i) that is subject to a pending offer 
for purchase from an eligible entity; 
‘‘(ii) that— 
‘‘(I) has prime, unique, or other 
productive soil; 
‘‘(II) contains historical or ar-
chaeological resources; or 
‘‘(III) the protection of which 
could, consistent with the purposes of 
the program— 
‘‘(aa) further a State or 
local policy; or 
‘‘(bb) conserve grassland or 
agricultural landscapes of signifi-
cant ecological value; and 
‘‘(iii) that is— 
‘‘(I) cropland; 
‘‘(II) rangeland; 
‘‘(III) grassland or land that con-
tains forbs, or shrubland for which 
grazing is the predominant use; 
‘‘(IV) pastureland; or 
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