196 
‘‘(C) is likely to be addressed successfully 
through the implementation of conservation ac-
tivities under this program. 
‘‘(6) PROGRAM.—The term ‘program’ means 
the conservation stewardship program established by 
this subchapter. 
‘‘(7) STEWARDSHIP
THRESHOLD.—The term 
‘stewardship threshold’ means the level of manage-
ment required, as determined by the Secretary, to 
conserve and improve the quality and condition of a 
natural resource. 
‘‘SEC. 1238E. CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE.—During each 
of fiscal years 2014 through 2018, the Secretary shall 
carry out a conservation stewardship program to encour-
age producers to address priority resource concerns and 
improve and conserve the quality and condition of natural 
resources in a comprehensive manner— 
‘‘(1) by undertaking additional conservation ac-
tivities; and 
‘‘(2) by improving, maintaining, and managing 
existing conservation activities. 
‘‘(b) EXCLUSIONS.— 
‘‘(1) LAND ENROLLED IN OTHER CONSERVA-
TION PROGRAMS.—Subject to paragraph (2), the fol-
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197 
lowing land (even if covered by the definition of eli-
gible land) is not eligible for enrollment in the pro-
gram: 
‘‘(A) Land enrolled in the conservation re-
serve program, unless— 
‘‘(i) the conservation reserve contract 
will expire at the end of the fiscal year in 
which the land is to be enrolled in the pro-
gram; and 
‘‘(ii) conservation reserve program 
payments for land enrolled in the program 
cease prior to the date on which the first 
program payment is made to the applicant 
under this subchapter. 
‘‘(B) Land enrolled in the agricultural con-
servation easement program in a wetland re-
serve easement. 
‘‘(C) Land enrolled in the conservation se-
curity program. 
‘‘(2) CONVERSION
TO
CROPLAND.—Eligible 
land used for crop production after October 1, 2013, 
that had not been planted, considered to be planted, 
or devoted to crop production for at least 4 of the 
6 years preceding that date shall not be the basis for 
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any payment under the program, unless the land 
does not meet the requirement because— 
‘‘(A) the land had previously been enrolled 
in the conservation reserve program; 
‘‘(B) the land has been maintained using 
long-term crop rotation practices, as determined 
by the Secretary; or 
‘‘(C) the land is incidental land needed for 
efficient operation of the farm or ranch, as de-
termined by the Secretary. 
‘‘SEC. 1238F. STEWARDSHIP CONTRACTS. 
‘‘(a) SUBMISSION OF CONTRACT OFFERS.—To be eli-
gible to participate in the conservation stewardship pro-
gram, a producer shall submit a contract offer for the ag-
ricultural operation that— 
‘‘(1) demonstrates to the satisfaction of the 
Secretary that the producer, at the time of the con-
tract offer, is meeting the stewardship threshold for 
at least 2 priority resource concerns; and 
‘‘(2) would, at a minimum, meet or exceed the 
stewardship threshold for at least 1 additional pri-
ority resource concern by the end of the stewardship 
contract by— 
‘‘(A) installing and adopting additional 
conservation activities; and 
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‘‘(B) improving, maintaining, and man-
aging existing conservation activities on the ag-
ricultural operation in a manner that increases 
or extends the conservation benefits in place at 
the time the contract offer is accepted by the 
Secretary. 
‘‘(b) EVALUATION OF CONTRACT OFFERS.— 
‘‘(1) RANKING
OF
APPLICATIONS.—In evalu-
ating contract offers the Secretary shall rank appli-
cations based on— 
‘‘(A) the level of conservation treatment on 
all applicable priority resource concerns at the 
time of application; 
‘‘(B) the degree to which the proposed con-
servation activities effectively increase conserva-
tion performance; 
‘‘(C) the number of applicable priority re-
source concerns proposed to be treated to meet 
or exceed the stewardship threshold by the end 
of the contract; 
‘‘(D) the extent to which other priority re-
source concerns will be addressed to meet or ex-
ceed the stewardship threshold by the end of 
the contract period; 
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