I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5252 
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to make adjustments to the 
environmental quality incentives program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
AUGUST 22, 2023 
Mrs. HAYES introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to make adjust-
ments to the environmental quality incentives program, 
and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘EQIP Improvement 
Act of 2023’’. 
SEC. 2. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM 
REFORMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1240B of the Food Secu-
rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2) is amended— 
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(1) in subsection (d), by striking paragraph (2) 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘(2) LIMITATION ON PAYMENTS.—A payment 
to a producer for performing a practice may not ex-
ceed, as determined by the Secretary— 
‘‘(A) except as provided in subparagraphs 
(B) through (D), 75 percent of the costs associ-
ated with planning, design, materials, equip-
ment, installation, labor, management, mainte-
nance, or training; 
‘‘(B) 40 percent of the costs associated 
with planning, design, materials, equipment, in-
stallation, labor, management, maintenance, or 
training for— 
‘‘(i) an access road; 
‘‘(ii) an animal mortality facility; 
‘‘(iii) an aquaculture pond; 
‘‘(iv) clearing and snagging; 
‘‘(v) a dam; 
‘‘(vi) a dam using a diversion; 
‘‘(vii) a dike; 
‘‘(viii) a diversion; 
‘‘(ix) a fish raceway or tank; 
‘‘(x) an irrigation pipeline; 
‘‘(xi) an irrigation reservoir; 
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‘‘(xii) land clearing; 
‘‘(xiii) land smoothing; 
‘‘(xiv) a livestock pipeline; 
‘‘(xv) obstruction removal; 
‘‘(xvi) a pond; 
‘‘(xvii) a pumping plant; 
‘‘(xviii) spoil spreading; 
‘‘(xix) a surface drain using a field 
ditch; 
‘‘(xx) a main or lateral surface drain; 
‘‘(xxi) a vertical drain; 
‘‘(xxii) a waste facility closure; 
‘‘(xxiii) a waste storage facility; 
‘‘(xxiv) waste transfer; or 
‘‘(xxv) a waste treatment lagoon; 
‘‘(C) 100 percent of income foregone by 
the producer; or 
‘‘(D) in the case of a practice that includes 
1 or more elements described in subparagraphs 
(A) through (C)— 
‘‘(i) 75 percent of the costs incurred 
with respect to any elements described in 
subparagraph (A); 
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‘‘(ii) 40 percent of the costs incurred 
with respect to any elements described in 
subparagraph (B); and 
‘‘(iii) 100 percent of the income for-
gone with respect to any elements de-
scribed in subparagraph (C).’’; and 
(2) in subsection (f), by striking the subsection 
designation and heading and all that follows through 
‘‘For each’’ in paragraph (2)(B) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(f) ALLOCATION OF FUNDING FOR WILDLIFE HABI-
TAT.—For each’’. 
(b) LIMITATION ON PAYMENTS.—Section 1240G of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–7) is 
amended 
by 
striking 
‘‘$450,000’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘$150,000’’. 
(c) REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Section 1240B of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2) is 
amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(k) ANNUAL REPORT TO CONGRESS.—Not less fre-
quently than once each year, the Secretary shall submit 
to Congress a report describing— 
‘‘(1) the amount obligated under the program 
with respect to each category of practice, with infor-
mation categorized by fiscal year and State; and 
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‘‘(2) the amount obligated under the program 
in each State, with information categorized by fiscal 
year and the size of the operation of each pro-
ducer.’’. 
Æ 
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