H. R. 2 
One Hundred Fifteenth Congress 
of the 
United States of America 
AT THE SECOND SESSION 
Begun and held at the City of Washington on Wednesday, 
the third day of January, two thousand and eighteen 
An Act 
To provide for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other programs 
of the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2023, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Agriculture 
Improvement Act of 2018’’. 
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for this Act 
is as follows: 
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 
Sec. 2. Definition of Secretary. 
TITLE I—COMMODITIES 
Subtitle A—Commodity Policy 
Sec. 1101. Definition of effective reference price. 
Sec. 1102. Base acres. 
Sec. 1103. Payment yields. 
Sec. 1104. Payment acres. 
Sec. 1105. Producer election. 
Sec. 1106. Price loss coverage. 
Sec. 1107. Agriculture risk coverage. 
Sec. 1108. Repeal of transition assistance for producers of upland cotton. 
Subtitle B—Marketing Loans 
Sec. 1201. Extensions. 
Sec. 1202. Loan rates for nonrecourse marketing assistance loans. 
Sec. 1203. Economic adjustment assistance for textile mills. 
Sec. 1204. Special competitive provisions for extra long staple cotton. 
Sec. 1205. Availability of recourse loans. 
Subtitle C—Sugar 
Sec. 1301. Sugar policy. 
Subtitle D—Dairy Margin Coverage and Other Dairy Related Provisions 
Sec. 1401. Dairy margin coverage. 
Sec. 1402. Reauthorizations. 
Sec. 1403. Class I skim milk price. 
Sec. 1404. Dairy product donation. 
Subtitle E—Supplemental Agricultural Disaster Assistance 
Sec. 1501. Supplemental agricultural disaster assistance. 
Subtitle F—Noninsured Crop Assistance 
Sec. 1601. Noninsured crop assistance program. 
Subtitle G—Administration 
Sec. 1701. Regulations. 
Sec. 1702. Suspension of permanent price support authority.
H. R. 2—2 
Sec. 1703. Payment limitations. 
Sec. 1704. Adjusted gross income limitations. 
Sec. 1705. Farm Service Agency accountability. 
Sec. 1706. Implementation. 
Sec. 1707. Exemption from certain reporting requirements for certain producers. 
TITLE II—CONSERVATION 
Subtitle A—Wetland Conservation 
Sec. 2101. Wetland conversion. 
Sec. 2102. Wetland conservation. 
Sec. 2103. Mitigation banking. 
Subtitle B—Conservation Reserve Program 
Sec. 2201. Conservation reserve. 
Sec. 2202. Conservation reserve enhancement program. 
Sec. 2203. Farmable wetland program. 
Sec. 2204. Pilot programs. 
Sec. 2205. Duties of owners and operators. 
Sec. 2206. Duties of the Secretary. 
Sec. 2207. Payments. 
Sec. 2208. Contracts. 
Sec. 2209. Eligible land; State law requirements. 
Subtitle C—Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation 
Stewardship Program 
Sec. 2301. Repeal of conservation programs. 
Sec. 2302. Purposes of environmental quality incentives program. 
Sec. 2303. Definitions under environmental quality incentives program. 
Sec. 2304. Establishment and administration of environmental quality incentives 
program. 
Sec. 2305. Environmental quality incentives program plan. 
Sec. 2306. Limitation on payments under environmental quality incentives pro-
gram. 
Sec. 2307. Conservation innovation grants and payments. 
Sec. 2308. Conservation stewardship program. 
Sec. 2309. Grassland conservation initiative. 
Subtitle D—Other Conservation Programs 
Sec. 2401. Watershed protection and flood prevention. 
Sec. 2402. Soil and water resources conservation. 
Sec. 2403. Emergency conservation program. 
Sec. 2404. Conservation of private grazing land. 
Sec. 2405. Grassroots source water protection program. 
Sec. 2406. Voluntary public access and habitat incentive program. 
Sec. 2407. Wildlife management. 
Sec. 2408. Feral swine eradication and control pilot program. 
Sec. 2409. Report on small wetlands. 
Sec. 2410. Sense of Congress relating to increased watershed-based collaboration. 
Subtitle E—Funding and Administration 
Sec. 2501. Commodity Credit Corporation. 
Sec. 2502. Delivery of technical assistance. 
Sec. 2503. Administrative requirements for conservation programs. 
Sec. 2504. Temporary administration of conservation programs. 
Subtitle F—Agricultural Conservation Easement Program 
Sec. 2601. Establishment and purposes. 
Sec. 2602. Definitions. 
Sec. 2603. Agricultural land easements. 
Sec. 2604. Wetland reserve easements. 
Sec. 2605. Administration. 
Subtitle G—Regional Conservation Partnership Program 
Sec. 2701. Establishment and purposes. 
Sec. 2702. Definitions. 
Sec. 2703. Regional conservation partnerships. 
Sec. 2704. Assistance to producers. 
Sec. 2705. Funding. 
Sec. 2706. Administration.
H. R. 2—3 
Sec. 2707. Critical conservation areas. 
Subtitle H—Repeals and Technical Amendments 
PART I—REPEALS 
Sec. 2811. Repeal of Conservation Corridor Demonstration Program. 
Sec. 2812. Repeal of cranberry acreage reserve program. 
Sec. 2813. Repeal of National Natural Resources Foundation. 
Sec. 2814. Repeal of flood risk reduction. 
Sec. 2815. Repeal of study of land use for expiring contracts and extension of au-
thority. 
Sec. 2816. Repeal of Integrated Farm Management Program Option. 
Sec. 2817. Repeal of clarification of definition of agricultural lands. 
PART II—TECHNICAL AMENDMENTS 
Sec. 2821. Technical amendments. 
Sec. 2822. State technical committees. 
TITLE III—TRADE 
Subtitle A—Food for Peace Act 
Sec. 3101. Labeling requirements. 
Sec. 3102. Food aid quality assurance. 
Sec. 3103. Local sale and barter of commodities. 
Sec. 3104. Minimum levels of assistance. 
Sec. 3105. Food aid consultative group. 
Sec. 3106. Issuance of regulations. 
Sec. 3107. Oversight, monitoring, and evaluation. 
Sec. 3108. Assistance for stockpiling and rapid transportation, delivery, and dis-
tribution of shelf-stable prepackaged foods. 
Sec. 3109. Consideration of impact of provision of agricultural commodities and 
other assistance on local farmers and economy. 
Sec. 3110. Allowance for distribution costs. 
Sec. 3111. Prepositioning of agricultural commodities. 
Sec. 3112. Annual report regarding food aid programs and activities. 
Sec. 3113. Deadline for agreements to finance sales or to provide other assistance. 
Sec. 3114. Minimum level of nonemergency food assistance. 
Sec. 3115. Termination date for micronutrient fortification programs. 
Sec. 3116. John Ogonowski and Doug Bereuter Farmer-to-Farmer program. 
Subtitle B—Agricultural Trade Act of 1978 
Sec. 3201. Agricultural trade promotion and facilitation. 
Subtitle C—Other Agricultural Trade Laws 
Sec. 3301. Growing American Food Exports. 
Sec. 3302. Food for Progress Act of 1985. 
Sec. 3303. Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust Act. 
Sec. 3304. Promotion of agricultural exports to emerging markets. 
Sec. 3305. Cochran fellowship program. 
Sec. 3306. Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship 
program. 
Sec. 3307. International Agricultural Education Fellowship program. 
Sec. 3308. International food security technical assistance. 
Sec. 3309. McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition 
program. 
Sec. 3310. Global Crop Diversity Trust. 
Sec. 3311. Local and regional food aid procurement projects. 
Sec. 3312. Foreign trade missions. 
TITLE IV—NUTRITION 
Subtitle A—Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program 
Sec. 4001. Requirements for online acceptance of benefits. 
Sec. 4002. Re-evaluation of thrifty food plan. 
Sec. 4003. Food distribution program on Indian reservations. 
Sec. 4004. Simplified homeless housing costs. 
Sec. 4005. Employment and training for supplemental nutrition assistance pro-
gram. 
Sec. 4006. Improvements to electronic benefit transfer system. 
Sec. 4007. Review of supplemental nutrition assistance program operations. 
Sec. 4008. Retail incentives.
H. R. 2—4 
Sec. 4009. Required action on data match information. 
Sec. 4010. Incentivizing technology modernization. 
Sec. 4011. Interstate data matching to prevent multiple issuances. 
Sec. 4012. Requirement of live-production environments for certain pilot projects 
relating to cost sharing for computerization. 
Sec. 4013. Quality control improvements. 
Sec. 4014. Evaluation of child support enforcement cooperation requirements. 
Sec. 4015. Longitudinal data for research. 
Sec. 4016. Authorization of appropriations. 
Sec. 4017. Assistance for community food projects. 
Sec. 4018. Emergency food assistance program. 
Sec. 4019. Nutrition education. 
Sec. 4020. Retail food store and recipient trafficking. 
Sec. 4021. Public-private partnerships. 
Sec. 4022. Technical corrections. 
Subtitle B—Commodity Distribution Programs 
Sec. 4101. Commodity distribution program. 
Sec. 4102. Commodity supplemental food program. 
Sec. 4103. Distribution of surplus commodities to special nutrition projects. 
Sec. 4104. Food donation standards. 
Subtitle C—Miscellaneous 
Sec. 4201. Seniors farmers’ market nutrition program. 
Sec. 4202. Purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables for distribution to schools and 
service institutions. 
Sec. 4203. Service of traditional foods in public facilities. 
Sec. 4204. Healthy food financing initiative. 
Sec. 4205. The Gus Schumacher nutrition incentive program. 
Sec. 4206. Micro-grants for food security. 
Sec. 4207. Buy American requirements. 
Sec. 4208. Healthy fluid milk incentives projects. 
TITLE V—CREDIT 
Subtitle A—Farm Ownership Loans 
Sec. 5101. Modification of the 3-year experience eligibility requirement for farm 
ownership loans. 
Sec. 5102. Conservation loan and loan guarantee program. 
Sec. 5103. Limitations on amount of farm ownership loans. 
Sec. 5104. Relending program to resolve ownership and succession on farmland. 
Subtitle B—Operating Loans 
Sec. 5201. Limitations on amount of operating loans. 
Sec. 5202. Microloans. 
Sec. 5203. Cooperative lending pilot projects. 
Subtitle C—Administrative Provisions 
Sec. 5301. Beginning farmer and rancher individual development accounts pilot 
program. 
Sec. 5302. Loan authorization levels. 
Sec. 5303. Loan fund set-asides. 
Sec. 5304. Use of additional funds for direct operating microloans under certain 
conditions. 
Sec. 5305. Equitable relief. 
Sec. 5306. Socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers; qualified beginning farm-
ers and ranchers. 
Sec. 5307. Emergency loan eligibility. 
Subtitle D—Miscellaneous 
Sec. 5401. Technical corrections to the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act. 
Sec. 5402. State agricultural mediation programs. 
Sec. 5403. Compensation of bank directors. 
Sec. 5404. Sharing of privileged and confidential information. 
Sec. 5405. Facility headquarters. 
Sec. 5406. Removal and prohibition authority; industry-wide prohibition. 
Sec. 5407. Jurisdiction over institution-affiliated parties. 
Sec. 5408. Definition of institution-affiliated party. 
Sec. 5409. Prohibition on use of funds.
H. R. 2—5 
Sec. 5410. Expansion of acreage exception to loan amount limitation. 
Sec. 5411. Repeal of obsolete provisions; technical corrections. 
Sec. 5412. Corporation as conservator or receiver; certain other powers. 
Sec. 5413. Reporting. 
Sec. 5414. Study on loan risk. 
Sec. 5415. GAO report on ability of the Farm Credit System to meet the agricul-
tural credit needs of Indian tribes and their members. 
Sec. 5416. GAO report on credit service to socially disadvantaged farmers and 
ranchers. 
TITLE VI—RURAL DEVELOPMENT 
Subtitle A—Improving Health Outcomes in Rural America 
Sec. 6101. Combating substance use disorder in rural America; prioritizations. 
Sec. 6102. Distance learning and telemedicine. 
Sec. 6103. Refinancing of certain rural hospital debt. 
Subtitle B—Connecting Rural Americans to High Speed Broadband 
Sec. 6201. Access to broadband telecommunications services in rural areas. 
Sec. 6202. Expansion of middle mile infrastructure into rural areas. 
Sec. 6203. Modifications to the Rural Gigabit Program. 
Sec. 6204. Community Connect Grant Program. 
Sec. 6205. Outdated broadband systems. 
Sec. 6206. Default and deobligation; deferral. 
Sec. 6207. Public notice, assessments, and reporting requirements. 
Sec. 6208. Environmental reviews. 
Sec. 6209. Use of loan proceeds to refinance loans for deployment of broadband 
service. 
Sec. 6210. Smart utility authority for broadband. 
Sec. 6211. Refinancing of telephone loans. 
Sec. 6212. Federal broadband program coordination. 
Sec. 6213. Transition rule. 
Sec. 6214. Rural broadband integration working group. 
Subtitle C—Miscellaneous 
Sec. 6301. Exclusion of certain populations from definition of rural area. 
Sec. 6302. Establishment of technical assistance program. 
Sec. 6303. Rural energy savings program. 
Sec. 6304. Northern Border Regional Commission reauthorization. 
Sec. 6305. Definition of rural area for purposes of the Housing Act of 1949. 
Sec. 6306. Council on Rural Community Innovation and Economic Development. 
Subtitle D—Additional Amendments to the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act 
Sec. 6401. Strategic economic and community development. 
Sec. 6402. Expanding access to credit for rural communities. 
Sec. 6403. Water, waste disposal, and wastewater facility grants. 
Sec. 6404. Rural water and wastewater technical assistance and training programs. 
Sec. 6405. Rural water and wastewater circuit rider program. 
Sec. 6406. Tribal college and university essential community facilities. 
Sec. 6407. Emergency and imminent community water assistance grant program. 
Sec. 6408. Water systems for rural and native villages in Alaska. 
Sec. 6409. Rural decentralized water systems. 
Sec. 6410. Solid waste management grants. 
Sec. 6411. Rural business development grants. 
Sec. 6412. Rural cooperative development grants. 
Sec. 6413. Locally or regionally produced agricultural food products. 
Sec. 6414. Appropriate technology transfer for rural areas program. 
Sec. 6415. Rural economic area partnership zones. 
Sec. 6416. Intemediary relending program. 
Sec. 6417. Access to information to verify income for participants in certain rural 
housing programs. 
Sec. 6418. Providing for additional fees for guaranteed loans under the Consoli-
dated Farm and Rural Development Act. 
Sec. 6419. Rural Business-Cooperative Service programs technical assistance and 
training. 
Sec. 6420. National Rural Development Partnership. 
Sec. 6421. Grants for NOAA weather radio transmitters. 
Sec. 6422. Rural microentrepreneur assistance program. 
Sec. 6423. Health care services. 
Sec. 6424. Rural innovation stronger economy grant program.
H. R. 2—6 
Sec. 6425. Delta Regional Authority. 
Sec. 6426. Rural business investment program. 
Sec. 6427. Rural business investment program. 
Subtitle E—Additional Amendments to the Rural Electrification Act of 1936 
Sec. 6501. Amendments to section 2 of the Rural Electrification Act of 1936. 
Sec. 6502. Loans for telephone service. 
Sec. 6503. Cushion of credit payments program. 
Sec. 6504. Extension of the rural economic development loan and grant program. 
Sec. 6505. Guarantees for bonds and notes issued for electrification or telephone 
purposes. 
Sec. 6506. Expansion of 911 access. 
Sec. 6507. Cybersecurity and grid security improvements. 
Subtitle F—Program Repeals 
Sec. 6601. Elimination of unfunded programs. 
Sec. 6602. Repeal of Rural Telephone Bank. 
Sec. 6603. Amendments to LOCAL TV Act. 
Subtitle G—Technical Corrections 
Sec. 6701. Corrections relating to the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act. 
Sec. 6702. Corrections relating to the Rural Electrification Act of 1936. 
TITLE VII—RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND RELATED MATTERS 
Subtitle A—National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 
1977 
Sec. 7101. Purposes of agricultural research, extension, and education. 
Sec. 7102. Matters related to certain school designations and declarations. 
Sec. 7103. National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics 
Advisory Board. 
Sec. 7104. Specialty crop committee. 
Sec. 7105. Renewable energy committee discontinued. 
Sec. 7106. Veterinary services grant program. 
Sec. 7107. Grants and fellowships for food and agriculture sciences education. 
Sec. 7108. Agricultural and food policy research centers. 
Sec. 7109. Education grants to Alaska Native serving institutions and Native Ha-
waiian serving institutions. 
Sec. 7110. Next generation agriculture technology challenge. 
Sec. 7111. Land-grant designation. 
Sec. 7112. Nutrition education program. 
Sec. 7113. Continuing animal health and disease research programs. 
Sec. 7114. Carryover of funds for extension at 1890 land-grant colleges, including 
Tuskegee University. 
Sec. 7115. Extension and agricultural research at 1890 land-grant colleges, includ-
ing Tuskegee University. 
Sec. 7116. Reports on disbursement of funds for agricultural research and exten-
sion at 1862 and 1890 land-grant colleges, including Tuskegee Univer-
sity. 
Sec. 7117. Scholarships for students at 1890 institutions. 
Sec. 7118. Grants to upgrade agricultural and food sciences facilities at 1890 land- 
grant colleges, including Tuskegee University. 
Sec. 7119. Grants to upgrade agriculture and food sciences facilities and equipment 
at insular area land-grant institutions. 
Sec. 7120. New Beginning for Tribal Students. 
Sec. 7121. Hispanic-serving institutions. 
Sec. 7122. Binational agricultural research and development. 
Sec. 7123. Partnerships to build capacity in international agricultural research, ex-
tension, and teaching. 
Sec. 7124. Competitive grants for international agricultural science and education 
programs. 
Sec. 7125. Limitation on indirect costs for agricultural research, education, and ex-
tension programs. 
Sec. 7126. Research equipment grants. 
Sec. 7127. University research. 
Sec. 7128. Extension service. 
Sec. 7129. Supplemental and alternative crops; hemp. 
Sec. 7130. New Era Rural Technology program. 
Sec. 7131. Capacity building grants for NLGCA Institutions. 
Sec. 7132. Agriculture advanced research and development authority pilot.
H. R. 2—7 
Sec. 7133. Aquaculture assistance programs. 
Sec. 7134. Rangeland research programs. 
Sec. 7135. Special authorization for biosecurity planning and response. 
Sec. 7136. Distance education and resident instruction grants program for insular 
area institutions of higher education. 
Subtitle B—Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 
Sec. 7201. Best utilization of biological applications. 
Sec. 7202. Integrated management systems. 
Sec. 7203. Sustainable agriculture technology development and transfer program. 
Sec. 7204. National training program. 
Sec. 7205. National strategic germplasm and cultivar collection assessment and uti-
lization plan. 
Sec. 7206. National Genetics Resources Program. 
Sec. 7207. National Agricultural Weather Information System. 
Sec. 7208. Agricultural genome to phenome initiative. 
Sec. 7209. High-priority research and extension initiatives. 
Sec. 7210. Organic agriculture research and extension initiative. 
Sec. 7211. Farm business management. 
Sec. 7212. Urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural production research, 
education, and extension initiative. 
Sec. 7213. Centers of excellence at 1890 Institutions. 
Sec. 7214. Clarification of veteran eligibility for assistive technology program for 
farmers with disabilities. 
Sec. 7215. National Rural Information Center Clearinghouse. 
Subtitle C—Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998 
Sec. 7301. National food safety training, education, extension, outreach, and tech-
nical assistance program. 
Sec. 7302. Integrated research, education, and extension competitive grants pro-
gram. 
Sec. 7303. Support for research regarding diseases of wheat, triticale, and barley 
caused by Fusarium graminearum or by Tilletia indica. 
Sec. 7304. Grants for youth organizations. 
Sec. 7305. Specialty crop research initiative. 
Sec. 7306. Food Animal Residue Avoidance Database program. 
Sec. 7307. Office of Pest Management Policy. 
Sec. 7308. Forestry products advanced utilization research. 
Subtitle D—Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 
PART I—AGRICULTURAL SECURITY 
Sec. 7401. Agricultural biosecurity communication center. 
Sec. 7402. Assistance to build local capacity in agricultural biosecurity planning, 
preparation, and response. 
Sec. 7403. Research and development of agricultural countermeasures. 
Sec. 7404. Agricultural biosecurity grant program. 
PART II—MISCELLANEOUS 
Sec. 7411. Grazinglands research laboratory. 
Sec. 7412. Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network. 
Sec. 7413. Natural products research program. 
Sec. 7414. Sun grant program. 
Subtitle E—Amendments to Other Laws 
Sec. 7501. Critical Agricultural Materials Act. 
Sec. 7502. Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 1994. 
Sec. 7503. Research Facilities Act. 
Sec. 7504. Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. 
Sec. 7505. Extension design and demonstration initiative. 
Sec. 7506. Repeal of review of agricultural research service. 
Sec. 7507. Biomass research and development. 
Sec. 7508. Reinstatement of matching requirement for Federal funds used in exten-
sion work at the University of the District of Columbia. 
Sec. 7509. Renewable Resources Extension Act of 1978. 
Sec. 7510. National Aquaculture Act of 1980. 
Sec. 7511. Federal agriculture research facilities. 
Subtitle F—Other Matters 
Sec. 7601. Enhanced use lease authority program.
H. R. 2—8 
Sec. 7602. Transfer of administrative jurisdiction over portion of Henry A. Wallace 
Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Beltsville, Maryland. 
Sec. 7603. Foundation for food and agriculture research. 
Sec. 7604. Assistance for forestry research under the McIntire-Stennis Cooperative 
Forestry Act. 
Sec. 7605. Legitimacy of industrial hemp research. 
Sec. 7606. Collection of data relating to barley area planted and harvested. 
Sec. 7607. Collection of data relating to the size and location of dairy farms. 
Sec. 7608. Agriculture innovation center demonstration program. 
Sec. 7609. Smith-Lever community extension program. 
Sec. 7610. Mechanization and automation for specialty crops. 
Sec. 7611. Experienced services program. 
Sec. 7612. Simplified plan of work. 
Sec. 7613. Review of land-grant time and effort reporting requirements. 
Sec. 7614. Matching funds requirement. 
TITLE VIII—FORESTRY 
Subtitle A—Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 
Sec. 8101. Support for State assessments and strategies for forest resources. 
Sec. 8102. State and private forest landscape-scale restoration program. 
Subtitle B—Forest and Rangeland Renewable Resources Research Act of 1978 
Sec. 8201. Repeal of recycling research. 
Sec. 8202. Repeal of forestry student grant program. 
Subtitle C—Global Climate Change Prevention Act of 1990 
Sec. 8301. Repeals relating to biomass. 
Subtitle D—Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 
Sec. 8401. Promoting cross-boundary wildfire mitigation. 
Sec. 8402. Authorization of appropriations for hazardous fuel reduction on Federal 
land. 
Sec. 8403. Repeal of biomass commercial utilization grant program. 
Sec. 8404. Water Source Protection Program. 
Sec. 8405. Watershed Condition Framework. 
Sec. 8406. Authorization of appropriations to combat insect infestations and related 
diseases. 
Sec. 8407. Healthy Forests Restoration Act of 2003 amendments. 
Sec. 8408. Authorization of appropriations for designation of treatment areas. 
Subtitle E—Repeal or Reauthorization of Miscellaneous Forestry Programs 
Sec. 8501. Repeal of revision of strategic plan for forest inventory and analysis. 
Sec. 8502. Semiarid agroforestry research center. 
Sec. 8503. National Forest Foundation Act. 
Sec. 8504. Conveyance of Forest Service administrative sites. 
Subtitle F—Forest Management 
Sec. 8601. Definition of National Forest System. 
PART I—EXPEDITED ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS AND AVAILABILITY OF CATEGORICAL 
EXCLUSIONS TO EXPEDITE FOREST MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES 
Sec. 8611. Categorical exclusion for greater sage-grouse and mule deer habitat. 
PART II—MISCELLANEOUS FOREST MANAGEMENT ACTIVITIES 
Sec. 8621. Additional authority for sale or exchange of small parcels of National 
Forest System land. 
Sec. 8622. Forest Service participation in ACES program. 
Sec. 8623. Authorization for lease of Forest Service sites. 
Sec. 8624. Good neighbor authority. 
Sec. 8625. Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest land adjustment. 
Sec. 8626. Tennessee wilderness. 
Sec. 8627. Kisatchie National Forest land conveyance. 
Sec. 8628. Purchase of Natural Resources Conservation Service property, Riverside 
County, California. 
Sec. 8629. Collaborative Forest Landscape Restoration Program. 
Sec. 8630. Utility infrastructure rights-of-way vegetation management pilot pro-
gram. 
Sec. 8631. Okhissa Lake rural economic development land conveyance. 
Sec. 8632. Remote sensing technologies.
H. R. 2—9 
PART III—TIMBER INNOVATION 
Sec. 8641. Definitions. 
Sec. 8642. Clarification of research and development program for wood building 
construction. 
Sec. 8643. Wood innovation grant program. 
Sec. 8644. Community wood energy and wood innovation program. 
Subtitle G—Other Matters 
Sec. 8701. Rural revitalization technologies. 
Sec. 8702. Resource Advisory Committees. 
Sec. 8703. Tribal forest management demonstration project. 
Sec. 8704. Technical corrections. 
Sec. 8705. Streamlining the Forest Service process for consideration of communica-
tions facility location applications. 
Sec. 8706. Report on wildfire, insect infestation, and disease prevention on Federal 
land. 
Sec. 8707. West Fork Fire Station. 
Sec. 8708. Competitive forestry, natural resources, and environmental grants pro-
gram. 
TITLE IX—ENERGY 
Sec. 9001. Definitions. 
Sec. 9002. Biobased markets program. 
Sec. 9003. Biorefinery assistance. 
Sec. 9004. Repowering assistance program. 
Sec. 9005. Bioenergy program for advanced biofuels. 
Sec. 9006. Biodiesel fuel education program. 
Sec. 9007. Rural Energy for America Program. 
Sec. 9008. Rural Energy Self-Sufficiency Initiative. 
Sec. 9009. Feedstock flexibility. 
Sec. 9010. Biomass Crop Assistance Program. 
Sec. 9011. Carbon utilization and biogas education program. 
TITLE X—HORTICULTURE 
Sec. 10101. Specialty crops market news allocation. 
Sec. 10102. Local agriculture market program. 
Sec. 10103. Organic production and market data initiatives. 
Sec. 10104. Organic certification. 
Sec. 10105. National organic certification cost-share program. 
Sec. 10106. Food safety education initiatives. 
Sec. 10107. Specialty crop block grants. 
Sec. 10108. Amendments to the Plant Variety Protection Act. 
Sec. 10109. Multiple crop and pesticide use survey. 
Sec. 10110. Report on the arrival in the United States of forest pests through re-
strictions on the importation of certain plants for planting. 
Sec. 10111. Report on plant biostimulants. 
Sec. 10112. Clarification of use of funds for technical assistance. 
Sec. 10113. Hemp production. 
Sec. 10114. Interstate commerce. 
Sec. 10115. FIFRA interagency working group. 
Sec. 10116. Study on methyl bromide use in response to an emergency event. 
TITLE XI—CROP INSURANCE 
Sec. 11101. Definitions. 
Sec. 11102. Data collection. 
Sec. 11103. Sharing of records. 
Sec. 11104. Use of resources. 
Sec. 11105. Specialty crops. 
Sec. 11106. Insurance period. 
Sec. 11107. Cover crops. 
Sec. 11108. Underserved producers. 
Sec. 11109. Treatment of forage and grazing. 
Sec. 11110. Administrative basic fee. 
Sec. 11111. Enterprise units. 
Sec. 11112. Continued authority. 
Sec. 11113. Submission of policies and materials to board. 
Sec. 11114. Crop production on native sod. 
Sec. 11115. Use of national agricultural statistics service data to combat waste, 
fraud, and abuse. 
Sec. 11116. Submission of information to corporation.
H. R. 2—10 
Sec. 11117. Continuing education for loss adjusters and agents. 
Sec. 11118. Program administration. 
Sec. 11119. Agricultural commodity. 
Sec. 11120. Maintenance of policies. 
Sec. 11121. Reimbursement of research, development, and maintenance costs. 
Sec. 11122. Research and development authority. 
Sec. 11123. Funding for research and development. 
Sec. 11124. Technical amendment to pilot programs. 
Sec. 11125. Education and risk management assistance. 
Sec. 11126. Repeal of cropland report annual updates. 
TITLE XII—MISCELLANEOUS 
Subtitle A—Livestock 
Sec. 12101. Animal disease prevention and management. 
Sec. 12102. Sheep production and marketing grant program. 
Sec. 12103. Feasibility study on livestock dealer statutory trust. 
Sec. 12104. Definition of livestock. 
Sec. 12105. National Aquatic Animal Health Plan. 
Sec. 12106. Veterinary training. 
Sec. 12107. Report on FSIS guidance and outreach to small meat processors. 
Sec. 12108. Regional Cattle and Carcass Grading Correlation and Training Cen-
ters. 
Subtitle B—Agriculture and Food Defense 
Sec. 12201. Repeal of Office of Homeland Security. 
Sec. 12202. Office of Homeland Security. 
Sec. 12203. Agriculture and food defense. 
Sec. 12204. Biological agents and toxins list. 
Sec. 12205. Authorization of appropriations. 
Subtitle C—Historically Underserved Producers 
Sec. 12301. Farming opportunities training and outreach. 
Sec. 12302. Urban agriculture. 
Sec. 12303. Tribal Advisory Committee. 
Sec. 12304. Beginning farmer and rancher coordination. 
Sec. 12305. Agricultural youth organization coordinator. 
Sec. 12306. Availability of Department of Agriculture programs for veteran farmers 
and ranchers. 
Subtitle D—Department of Agriculture Reorganization Act of 1994 Amendments 
Sec. 12401. Office of Congressional Relations and Intergovernmental Affairs. 
Sec. 12402. Military Veterans Agricultural Liaison. 
Sec. 12403. Civil rights analyses. 
Sec. 12404. Farm Service Agency. 
Sec. 12405. Under Secretary of Agriculture for Farm Production and Conservation. 
Sec. 12406. Office of Partnerships and Public Engagement. 
Sec. 12407. Under Secretary of Agriculture for Rural Development. 
Sec. 12408. Administrator of the Rural Utilities Service. 
Sec. 12409. Rural Health Liaison. 
Sec. 12410. Natural Resources Conservation Service. 
Sec. 12411. Office of the Chief Scientist. 
Sec. 12412. Appointment of national appeals division hearing officers. 
Sec. 12413. Trade and foreign agricultural affairs. 
Sec. 12414. Repeals. 
Sec. 12415. Technical corrections. 
Sec. 12416. Termination of authority. 
Subtitle E—Other Miscellaneous Provisions 
PART I—MISCELLANEOUS AGRICULTURE PROVISIONS 
Sec. 12501. Acer access and development program. 
Sec. 12502. Protecting animals with shelter. 
Sec. 12503. Marketing orders. 
Sec. 12504. Establishment of food loss and waste reduction liaison. 
Sec. 12505. Report on business centers. 
Sec. 12506. Report on personnel. 
Sec. 12507. Report on absent landlords. 
Sec. 12508. Century farms program. 
Sec. 12509. Report on importation of live dogs. 
Sec. 12510. Tribal Promise Zones.
H. R. 2—11 
Sec. 12511. Precision agriculture connectivity. 
Sec. 12512. Improvements to United States Drought Monitor. 
Sec. 12513. Dairy business innovation initiatives. 
Sec. 12514. Report on funding for the National Institute of Food and Agriculture 
and other extension programs. 
Sec. 12515. Prohibition on slaughter of dogs and cats for human consumption. 
Sec. 12516. Labeling exemption for single ingredient foods and products. 
Sec. 12517. South Carolina inclusion in Virginia/Carolina peanut producing region. 
Sec. 12518. Forest Service hire authority. 
Sec. 12519. Conversion authority. 
Sec. 12520. Authorization of protection operations for the Secretary of Agriculture 
and others. 
PART II—NATIONAL OILHEAT RESEARCH ALLIANCE 
Sec. 12531. National oilheat research alliance. 
Subtitle F—General Provisions 
Sec. 12601. Baiting of migratory game birds. 
Sec. 12602. Pima agriculture cotton trust fund. 
Sec. 12603. Agriculture wool apparel manufacturers trust fund. 
Sec. 12604. Wool research and promotion. 
Sec. 12605. Emergency Citrus Disease Research and Development Trust Fund. 
Sec. 12606. Extension of merchandise processing fees. 
Sec. 12607. Reports on land access and farmland ownership data collection. 
Sec. 12608. Reauthorization of rural emergency medical services training and 
equipment assistance program. 
Sec. 12609. Commission on Farm Transitions—Needs for 2050. 
Sec. 12610. Exceptions under United States Grain Standards Act. 
Sec. 12611. Conference report requirement threshold. 
Sec. 12612. National agriculture imagery program. 
Sec. 12613. Report on inclusion of natural stone products in Commodity Promotion, 
Research, and Information Act of 1996. 
Sec. 12614. Establishment of food access liaison. 
Sec. 12615. Eligibility for operators on heirs property land to obtain a farm num-
ber. 
Sec. 12616. Extending prohibition on animal fighting to the territories. 
Sec. 12617. Exemption of exportation of certain echinoderms from permission and 
licensing requirements. 
Sec. 12618. Data on conservation practices. 
Sec. 12619. Conforming changes to Controlled Substances Act. 
SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF SECRETARY. 
In this Act, the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Secretary of Agri-
culture. 
TITLE I—COMMODITIES 
Subtitle A—Commodity Policy 
SEC. 1101. DEFINITION OF EFFECTIVE REFERENCE PRICE. 
Section 1111 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9011) 
is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (8) through (25) as para-
graphs (9) through (26), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (7) the following: 
‘‘(8) EFFECTIVE REFERENCE PRICE.—The term ‘effective ref-
erence price’, with respect to a covered commodity for a crop 
year, means the lesser of the following: 
‘‘(A) An amount equal to 115 percent of the reference 
price for such covered commodity. 
‘‘(B) An amount equal to the greater of— 
‘‘(i) the reference price for such covered commodity; 
or 
‘‘(ii) 85 percent of the average of the marketing 
year average price of the covered commodity for the
H. R. 2—12 
most recent 5 crop years, excluding each of the crop 
years with the highest and lowest marketing year aver-
age price.’’. 
SEC. 1102. BASE ACRES. 
(a) TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS.—Section 1112(c)(2) of the Agricul-
tural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9012(c)(2)) is amended by striking 
subparagraph (A) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) Any acreage on the farm enrolled in— 
‘‘(i) the conservation reserve program established 
under subchapter B of chapter 1 of subtitle D of title 
XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831 
et seq.); or 
‘‘(ii) a wetland reserve easement under section 
1265C of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3865c).’’. 
(b) REDUCTION IN BASE ACRES.—Section 1112(d) of the Agricul-
tural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9012(d)) is amended by adding at 
the end the following: 
‘‘(3) TREATMENT
OF
BASE
ACRES
ON
FARMS
ENTIRELY 
PLANTED TO GRASS OR PASTURE.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In the case of a farm on which 
all of the cropland was planted to grass or pasture 
(including cropland that was idle or fallow), as determined 
by the Secretary, during the period beginning on January 
1, 2009, and ending on December 31, 2017, the Secretary 
shall maintain all base acres and payment yields for the 
covered commodities on the farm, except that no payment 
shall be made with respect to those base acres under section 
1116 or 1117 for the 2019 through 2023 crop years. 
‘‘(B) INELIGIBILITY.—The producers on a farm for which 
all of the base acres are maintained under subparagraph 
(A) shall be ineligible for the option to change the election 
applicable to the producers on the farm under section 
1115(h). 
‘‘(4) PROHIBITION ON RECONSTITUTION OF FARM.—The Sec-
retary shall ensure that producers on a farm do not reconstitute 
the farm to void or change the treatment of base acres under 
this section.’’. 
SEC. 1103. PAYMENT YIELDS. 
(a) TREATMENT OF DESIGNATED OILSEEDS.—Section 1113(b) of 
the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9013(b)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘designated oilseeds’’ and 
inserting ‘‘oilseeds designated before the date of enactment 
of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018’’; 
(2) in paragraphs (2) and (3), by striking ‘‘a designated 
oilseed’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘an oilseed des-
ignated before the date of enactment of the Agriculture 
Improvement Act of 2018’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) TREATMENT OF OILSEEDS DESIGNATED AFTER CERTAIN 
DATE.—In the case of oilseeds designated on or after the date 
of enactment of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, the 
payment yield shall be equal to 90 percent of the average 
of the yield per planted acre for the most recent 5 crop years, 
as determined by the Secretary, excluding any crop year in 
which the acreage planted to the covered commodity was zero.’’.
H. R. 2—13 
(b) SINGLE OPPORTUNITY
TO UPDATE YIELDS.—Section 1113 
of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9013) is amended by 
striking subsection (d) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(d) SINGLE OPPORTUNITY TO UPDATE YIELDS.— 
‘‘(1) ELECTION TO UPDATE.—At the sole discretion of the 
owner of a farm, the owner of a farm shall have a 1-time 
opportunity to update, on a covered-commodity-by-covered-com-
modity basis, the payment yield that would otherwise be used 
in calculating any price loss coverage payment for each covered 
commodity on the farm for which the election is made. 
‘‘(2) METHOD OF UPDATING YIELDS FOR COVERED COMMOD-
ITIES.—If the owner of a farm elects to update yields under 
paragraph (1), the payment yield for a covered commodity on 
the farm, for the purpose of calculating price loss coverage 
payments only, shall be equal to the product obtained by multi-
plying— 
‘‘(A) 90 percent; 
‘‘(B) the average of the yield per planted acre for the 
crop of covered commodities on the farm for the 2013 
through 2017 crop years, as determined by the Secretary, 
excluding any crop year in which the acreage planted to 
the covered commodity was zero; and 
‘‘(C) subject to paragraph (3), the ratio obtained by 
dividing— 
‘‘(i) the average of the 2008 through 2012 national 
average yield per planted acre for the covered com-
modity, as determined by the Secretary; by 
‘‘(ii) the average of the 2013 through 2017 national 
average yield per planted acre for the covered com-
modity, as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(3) LIMITATION.—In no case shall the ratio obtained under 
paragraph (2)(C) be less than 90 percent or greater than 100 
percent. 
‘‘(4) USE OF COUNTY AVERAGE YIELD.—For the purposes 
of determining the average yield per planted acre under para-
graph (2)(B), if the yield per planted acre for a crop of a 
covered commodity for a farm for any of the crop years described 
in that subparagraph was less than 75 percent of the average 
of county yields for those crop years for that commodity, the 
Secretary shall assign a yield for that crop year equal to 75 
percent of the average of the 2013 through 2017 county yield 
for the covered commodity. 
‘‘(5) UPLAND
COTTON
CONVERSION.—In the case of seed 
cotton, for purposes of determining the average of the yield 
per planted acre under this subsection, the average yield for 
seed cotton per planted acre shall be equal to 2.4 times the 
average yield for upland cotton per planted acre. 
‘‘(6) TIME FOR ELECTION.—An election under this subsection 
shall be made at a time and manner so as to be in effect 
beginning with the 2020 crop year, as determined by the Sec-
retary.’’. 
SEC. 1104. PAYMENT ACRES. 
Section 1114 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9014) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (d)—
H. R. 2—14 
(A) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘, unless the sum 
of the base acres on the farm, when combined with the 
base acres of other farms in which the producer has an 
interest, is more than 10 acres’’ before the period at the 
end; and 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘or’’ at the 
end; 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period 
at the end and inserting a semicolon; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) a beginning farmer or rancher (as defined in sub-
section (a) of section 2501 of the Food, Agriculture, Con-
servation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279)); or 
‘‘(D) a veteran farmer or rancher (as defined in sub-
section (a) of section 2501 of the Food, Agriculture, Con-
servation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279)).’’; and 
(2) in subsection (e), by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) EFFECT OF REDUCTION.—For each crop year for which 
fruits, vegetables (other than mung beans and pulse crops), 
or wild rice are planted to base acres on a farm for which 
a reduction in payment acres is made under this subsection, 
the Secretary shall consider such base acres to be planted, 
or prevented from being planted, to a covered commodity for 
purposes of any adjustment or reduction of base acres for 
the farm under section 1112.’’. 
SEC. 1105. PRODUCER ELECTION. 
Section 1115 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9015) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph 
(1), by striking ‘‘Except as provided in subsection (g), for the 
2014 through 2018 crop years’’ and inserting ‘‘For the 2014 
through 2018 crop years (except as provided in subsection (g)) 
and for the 2019 through 2023 crop years (subject to subsection 
(h))’’; 
(2) in subsection (b), in the matter preceding paragraph 
(1), by striking ‘‘subsection (a), the producers on a farm that 
elect under paragraph (2) of such subsection to obtain agri-
culture risk coverage under section 1117’’ and inserting ‘‘sub-
section (a) or (h), as applicable, the producers on a farm that 
elect to obtain agriculture risk coverage’’; 
(3) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), by inserting 
‘‘or the 2019 crop year, as applicable’’ after ‘‘2014 crop 
year’’; 
(B) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘or the 2019 crop 
year, as applicable,’’ after ‘‘2014 crop year’’; and 
(C) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(2) subject to subsection (h), the producers on the farm 
shall be deemed to have elected, as applicable— 
‘‘(A) price loss coverage for all covered commodities 
on the farm for the 2015 through 2018 crop years; and 
‘‘(B) the same coverage for each covered commodity 
on the farm for the 2020 through 2023 crop years as 
was applicable for the 2015 through 2018 crop years.’’;
H. R. 2—15 
(4) in subsection (g)(1), by inserting ‘‘for the 2018 crop 
year,’’ before ‘‘all of the producers’’; and 
(5) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(h) OPTION TO CHANGE ELECTION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For the 2021 crop year and each crop 
year thereafter, all of the producers on a farm may change 
the election under subsection (a), subsection (c), or this sub-
section, as applicable, to price loss coverage or agriculture 
risk coverage, as applicable. 
‘‘(2) APPLICABILITY.—An election change under paragraph 
(1) shall apply to— 
‘‘(A) the crop year for which the election change is 
made; and 
‘‘(B) each crop year thereafter until another election 
change is made under that paragraph.’’. 
SEC. 1106. PRICE LOSS COVERAGE. 
Section 1116 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9016) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as subpara-
graphs (A) and (B), respectively, and indenting appro-
priately; 
(B) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) (as so 
redesignated)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘or (h)’’ after ‘‘subsection (a)’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘determines that, for any of the 
2014 through 2018 crop years—’’ and inserting ‘‘deter-
mines that— 
‘‘(1) for any of the 2014 through 2018 crop years—’’; 
(C) in paragraph (1)(B) (as so redesignated), by striking 
the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) for any of the 2019 through 2023 crop years— 
‘‘(A) the effective price for the covered commodity for 
the crop year; is less than 
‘‘(B) the effective reference price for the covered com-
modity for the crop year.’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as clauses 
(i) and (ii), respectively, and indenting appropriately; 
(B) in the matter preceding clause (i) (as so redesig-
nated), by striking ‘‘The payment rate’’ and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(A) 2014 THROUGH 2018 CROP YEARS.—For the 2014 
through 2018 crop years, the payment rate’’; 
(C) in paragraph (1) (as so designated), by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(B) 2019 THROUGH 2023 CROP YEARS.—For the 2019 
through 2023 crop years, the payment rate shall be equal 
to the difference between— 
‘‘(i) the effective reference price for the covered 
commodity; and 
‘‘(ii) the effective price determined under sub-
section (b) for the covered commodity.’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following:
H. R. 2—16 
‘‘(2) ANNOUNCEMENT.—Not later than 30 days after the 
end of each applicable 12-month marketing year for each cov-
ered commodity, the Secretary shall publish the payment rate 
determined under paragraph (1). 
‘‘(3) INSUFFICIENT DATA.—In the case of a covered com-
modity, such as temperate japonica rice, for which the Secretary 
cannot determine the payment rate for the most recent 12- 
month marketing year by the date described in paragraph 
(2) due to insufficient reporting of timely pricing data by 1 
or more nongovernmental entities, including a marketing 
cooperative for the covered commodity, the Secretary shall pub-
lish the payment rate as soon as practicable after the marketing 
year data are made available.’’; and 
(3) by striking subsection (g) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(g) REFERENCE PRICE
FOR TEMPERATE JAPONICA RICE.—In 
order to reflect price premiums, the Secretary shall provide a ref-
erence price with respect to temperate japonica rice in an amount 
equal to the amount established under subparagraph (F) of section 
1111(19), as adjusted by paragraph (8) of such section, multiplied 
by the ratio obtained by dividing— 
‘‘(1) the simple average of the marketing year average 
price of medium grain rice from the 2012 through 2016 crop 
years; by 
‘‘(2) the simple average of the marketing year average 
price of all rice from the 2012 through 2016 crop years.’’. 
SEC. 1107. AGRICULTURE RISK COVERAGE. 
Section 1117 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9017) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph 
(1)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘(beginning with the 2019 crop year, 
based on the physical location of the farm)’’ after ‘‘pay-
ments’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘or the 2019 through 2023 crop years, 
as applicable’’ after ‘‘2014 through 2018 crop years’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘paragraph 
(4)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraphs (4) and (5)’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘(5)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘(6)’’; 
(B) in paragraph (3)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A)(ii), by striking ‘‘(5)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘(6)’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘2018’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2023’’; 
(C) in paragraph (4)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘If’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) 2014 THROUGH
2018
CROP
YEARS.—Effective for 
the 2014 through 2018 crop years, if’’; and 
(ii) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(B) 2019 THROUGH
2023
CROP
YEARS.—Effective for 
the 2019 through 2023 crop years, if the yield per planted 
acre for the covered commodity or historical county yield 
per planted acre for the covered commodity for any of
H. R. 2—17 
the 5 most recent crop years, as determined by the Sec-
retary, is less than 80 percent of the transitional yield, 
as determined by the Secretary, the amounts used for 
any of those years in paragraph (2)(A) or (3)(A)(i) shall 
be 80 percent of the transitional yield.’’; 
(D) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (6); 
(E) by inserting after paragraph (4) the following: 
‘‘(5) TREND-ADJUSTED YIELD.—The Secretary shall calculate 
and use a trend-adjusted yield factor to adjust the yield deter-
mined under paragraph (2)(A) and subsection (b)(1)(A), taking 
into consideration, but not exceeding, the trend-adjusted yield 
factor that is used to increase yield history under the endorse-
ment under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 
et seq.) for that crop and county.’’; and 
(F) in paragraph (6) (as so redesignated)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘REFERENCE PRICE.—If the national 
average market price’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘LOW NATIONAL AVERAGE MARKET PRICE.— 
‘‘(A) REFERENCE PRICE.—For the 2014 through 2018 
crop years, if the national average market price’’; and 
(ii) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(B) EFFECTIVE
REFERENCE
PRICE.—For the 2019 
through 2023 crop years, if the national average market 
price received by producers during the 12-month marketing 
year for any of the 5 most recent crop years is lower 
than the effective reference price for the covered com-
modity, the Secretary shall use the effective reference price 
for any of those years for the amounts in paragraph (2)(B) 
or (3)(A)(ii).’’; 
(3) in subsection (d)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by redesignating subparagraphs 
(A) and (B) as clauses (i) and (ii), respectively, and 
indenting appropriately; 
(B) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as subpara-
graphs (A) and (B), respectively, and indenting appro-
priately; 
(C) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) (as so 
redesignated), by striking ‘‘The payment’’ and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The payment’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) ANNOUNCEMENT.—Not later than 30 days after the 
end of each applicable 12-month marketing year for each cov-
ered commodity, the Secretary shall publish the payment rate 
determined under paragraph (1) for each county.’’; 
(4) in subsection (e), in the matter preceding paragraph 
(1), by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’; 
(5) in subsection (g)— 
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘to the maximum 
extent practicable,’’; 
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘and’’ after the semi-
colon at the end; 
(C) in paragraph (4)— 
(i) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
inserting ‘‘effective for the 2014 through 2018 crop 
years,’’ before ‘‘in the case of’’; and
H. R. 2—18 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period 
at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) effective for the 2019 through 2023 crop years, in 
the case of county coverage, assign an actual or benchmark 
county yield for each planted acre for the crop year for the 
covered commodity— 
‘‘(A) for a county for which county data collected by 
the Risk Management Agency are sufficient for the Sec-
retary to offer a county-wide insurance product, using the 
actual average county yield determined by the Risk 
Management Agency; or 
‘‘(B) for a county not described in subparagraph (A), 
using— 
‘‘(i) other sources of yield information, as deter-
mined by the Secretary; or 
‘‘(ii) the yield history of representative farms in 
the State, region, or crop reporting district, as deter-
mined by the Secretary.’’; and 
(6) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(h) PUBLICATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) COUNTY GUARANTEE.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—For each crop year for a covered 
commodity, the Secretary shall publish information 
describing, for that crop year for the covered commodity 
in each county— 
‘‘(i) the agriculture risk coverage guarantee for 
county coverage determined under subsection (c)(1); 
‘‘(ii) the average historical county yield determined 
under subsection (c)(2)(A); and 
‘‘(iii) the national average market price determined 
under subsection (c)(2)(B). 
‘‘(B) TIMING.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in clauses 
(ii) and (iii), not later than 30 days after the end 
of each applicable 12-month marketing year, the Sec-
retary shall publish the information described in 
subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(ii) INSUFFICIENT DATA.—In the case of a covered 
commodity, such as temperate japonica rice, for which 
the Secretary cannot determine the national average 
market price for the most recent 12-month marketing 
year by the date described in clause (i) due to insuffi-
cient reporting of timely pricing data by 1 or more 
nongovernmental entities, including a marketing 
cooperative for the covered commodity, as soon as prac-
ticable after the pricing data are made available, the 
Secretary shall publish information describing— 
‘‘(I) the agriculture risk coverage guarantee 
under subparagraph (A)(i); and 
‘‘(II) the national average market price under 
subparagraph (A)(iii). 
‘‘(iii) TRANSITION.—Not later than 60 days after 
the date of enactment of the Agriculture Improvement 
Act of 2018, the Secretary shall publish the information 
described in clauses (i) and (ii) of subparagraph (A) 
for the 2018 crop year.
H. R. 2—19 
‘‘(2) ACTUAL AVERAGE COUNTY YIELD.—As soon as prac-
ticable after each crop year, the Secretary shall determine 
and publish each actual average county yield for each covered 
commodity, as determined under subsection (b)(1)(A). 
‘‘(3) DATA
SOURCES
FOR
COUNTY
YIELDS.—For the 2018 
crop year and each crop year thereafter, the Secretary shall 
make publicly available information describing, for the most 
recent crop year— 
‘‘(A) the sources of data used to calculate county yields 
under subsection (c)(2)(A) for each covered commodity— 
‘‘(i) by county; and 
‘‘(ii) nationally; and 
‘‘(B) the number and outcome of occurrences in which 
the Farm Service Agency reviewed, changed, or determined 
not to change a source of data used to calculate county 
yields under subsection (c)(2)(A). 
‘‘(i) ADMINISTRATIVE UNITS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of agriculture risk coverage 
payments in the case of county coverage, a county may be 
divided into not greater than 2 administrative units in accord-
ance with this subsection. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE COUNTIES.—A county that may be divided 
into administrative units under this subsection is a county 
that— 
‘‘(A) is larger than 1,400 square miles; and 
‘‘(B) contains more than 190,000 base acres. 
‘‘(3) ELECTIONS.—Before making any agriculture risk cov-
erage payments for the 2019 crop year, the Farm Service 
Agency State committee, in consultation with the Farm Service 
Agency county or area committee of a county described in 
paragraph (2), may make a 1-time election to divide the county 
into administrative units under this subsection along a 
boundary that better reflects differences in weather patterns, 
soil types, or other factors. 
‘‘(4) LIMITATION.—The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) limit the number of counties that may be divided 
into administrative units under paragraph (3) to 25 coun-
ties; and 
‘‘(B) give preference to the division of counties that 
have greater variation in climate, soils, and expected 
productivity between the proposed administrative units. 
‘‘(5) ADMINISTRATION.—For purposes of providing agri-
culture risk coverage payments in the case of county coverage, 
the Secretary shall consider an administrative unit elected 
under paragraph (3) to be a county for the 2019 through 2023 
crop years.’’. 
SEC. 1108. REPEAL OF TRANSITION ASSISTANCE FOR PRODUCERS OF 
UPLAND COTTON. 
Section 1119 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9019) 
is repealed.
H. R. 2—20 
Subtitle B—Marketing Loans 
SEC. 1201. EXTENSIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1201(b)(1) of the Agricultural Act 
of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9031(b)(1)) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
(b) REPAYMENT.—Section 1204 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 
(7 U.S.C. 9034) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (e)(2)(B), in the matter preceding clause 
(i), by striking ‘‘2019’’and inserting ‘‘2024’’; and 
(2) in subsection (g), by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘2023’’. 
(c) LOAN DEFICIENCY PAYMENTS.— 
(1) EXTENSION.—Section 1205(a)(2)(B) of the Agricultural 
Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9035(a)(2)(B)) is amended by striking 
‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
(2) PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF LDPS.—Section 1206 of the Agri-
cultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9036) is amended in subsections 
(a) and (d) by striking ‘‘2018’’ each place it appears and 
inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 1202. LOAN RATES FOR NONRECOURSE MARKETING ASSISTANCE 
LOANS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1202 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 
(7 U.S.C. 9032) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking the subsection heading 
and inserting ‘‘2014 THROUGH 2018 CROP YEARS’’; 
(2) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as subsections 
(c) and (d), respectively; 
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the following: 
‘‘(b) 2019 THROUGH 2023 CROP YEARS.—For purposes of each 
of the 2019 through 2023 crop years, the loan rate for a marketing 
assistance loan under section 1201 for a loan commodity shall 
be equal to the following: 
‘‘(1) In the case of wheat, $3.38 per bushel. 
‘‘(2) In the case of corn, $2.20 per bushel. 
‘‘(3) In the case of grain sorghum, $2.20 per bushel. 
‘‘(4) In the case of barley, $2.50 per bushel. 
‘‘(5) In the case of oats, $2.00 per bushel. 
‘‘(6)(A) Subject to subparagraphs (B) and (C), in the case 
of base quality of upland cotton, the simple average of the 
adjusted prevailing world price for the 2 immediately preceding 
marketing years, as determined by the Secretary and 
announced October 1 preceding the next domestic planting. 
‘‘(B) Except as provided in subparagraph (C), the loan 
rate determined under subparagraph (A) may not equal less 
than an amount equal to 98 percent of the loan rate for base 
quality of upland cotton for the preceding year. 
‘‘(C) The loan rate determined under subparagraph (A) 
may not be equal to an amount— 
‘‘(i) less than $0.45 per pound; or 
‘‘(ii) more than $0.52 per pound. 
‘‘(7) In the case of extra long staple cotton, $0.95 per 
pound. 
‘‘(8) In the case of long grain rice, $7.00 per hundredweight.
H. R. 2—21 
‘‘(9) In the case of medium grain rice, $7.00 per hundred-
weight. 
‘‘(10) In the case of soybeans, $6.20 per bushel. 
‘‘(11) In the case of other oilseeds, $10.09 per hundred-
weight for each of the following kinds of oilseeds: 
‘‘(A) Sunflower seed. 
‘‘(B) Rapeseed. 
‘‘(C) Canola. 
‘‘(D) Safflower. 
‘‘(E) Flaxseed. 
‘‘(F) Mustard seed. 
‘‘(G) Crambe. 
‘‘(H) Sesame seed. 
‘‘(I) Other oilseeds designated by the Secretary. 
‘‘(12) In the case of dry peas, $6.15 per hundredweight. 
‘‘(13) In the case of lentils, $13.00 per hundredweight. 
‘‘(14) In the case of small chickpeas, $10.00 per hundred-
weight. 
‘‘(15) In the case of large chickpeas, $14.00 per hundred-
weight. 
‘‘(16) In the case of graded wool, $1.15 per pound. 
‘‘(17) In the case of nongraded wool, $0.40 per pound. 
‘‘(18) In the case of mohair, $4.20 per pound. 
‘‘(19) In the case of honey, $0.69 per pound. 
‘‘(20) In the case of peanuts, $355 per ton.’’; and 
(4) in subsection (c) (as so redesignated), by striking ‘‘sub-
section (a)(11)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsections (a)(11) and (b)(11)’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 1204(h)(1) of the Agri-
cultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9034(h)(1)) is amended by striking 
‘‘section 1202(a)(20)’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (a)(20) or (b)(20), 
as applicable, of section 1202’’. 
SEC. 1203. ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE FOR TEXTILE MILLS. 
(a) 2008 AUTHORITY.—Section 1207 of the Food, Conservation, 
and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8737) is amended by striking 
subsection (c). 
(b) 2014 AUTHORITY.—Section 1207(c) of the Agricultural Act 
of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9037(c)) is amended by striking the subsection 
heading and inserting ‘‘ECONOMIC ADJUSTMENT ASSISTANCE FOR 
TEXTILE MILLS’’. 
SEC. 1204. SPECIAL COMPETITIVE PROVISIONS FOR EXTRA LONG 
STAPLE COTTON. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1208(a) of the Agricultural Act of 
2014 (7 U.S.C. 9038(a)) is amended in the matter preceding para-
graph (1) by striking ‘‘2019’’ and inserting ‘‘2024’’. 
(b) PAYMENTS UNDER PROGRAM; TRIGGER.—Section 1208(b)(2) 
of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9038(b)(2)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘134 percent’’ and inserting ‘‘113 percent’’. 
SEC. 1205. AVAILABILITY OF RECOURSE LOANS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1209 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 
(7 U.S.C. 9039) is amended in subsections (a)(2) and (b) by striking 
‘‘2018’’ each place it appears and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
(b) RECOURSE LOANS AVAILABLE FOR CONTAMINATED COMMOD-
ITIES.—Section 1209 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9039) 
is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsection (c) as subsection (d); and
H. R. 2—22 
(2) by inserting after subsection (b) the following: 
‘‘(c) RECOURSE LOANS AVAILABLE FOR CONTAMINATED COMMOD-
ITIES.—In the case of a loan commodity that is ineligible for 100 
percent of the nonrecourse marketing loan rate in the county due 
to a determination that the commodity is contaminated yet still 
merchantable, for each of the 2019 through 2023 crops of such 
loan commodity, the Secretary shall make available recourse com-
modity loans, at the rate provided under section 1202, on any 
production.’’. 
Subtitle C—Sugar 
SEC. 1301. SUGAR POLICY. 
(a) SUGAR PROGRAM.— 
(1) SUGARCANE.—Section 156(a) of the Federal Agriculture 
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7272(a)) is 
amended— 
(A) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(B) in paragraph (4), by striking the period at the 
end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) 19.75 cents per pound for raw cane sugar for each 
of the 2019 through 2023 crop years.’’. 
(2) SUGAR BEETS.—Section 156(b)(2) of the Federal Agri-
culture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 
7272(b)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
(3) EFFECTIVE PERIOD.—Section 156(i) of the Federal Agri-
culture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7272(i)) 
is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
(b) FLEXIBLE MARKETING ALLOTMENTS FOR SUGAR.— 
(1) SUGAR ESTIMATES.—Section 359b(a)(1) of the Agricul-
tural Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359bb(a)(1)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
(2) EFFECTIVE PERIOD.—Section 359l(a) of the Agricultural 
Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1359ll(a)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
Subtitle D—Dairy Margin Coverage and 
Other Dairy Related Provisions 
SEC. 1401. DAIRY MARGIN COVERAGE. 
(a) REVIEW OF DATA USED IN CALCULATION OF AVERAGE FEED 
COST.—Not later than 60 days after the date of the enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agri-
culture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report evalu-
ating the extent to which the average cost of feed used by a 
dairy operation to produce a hundredweight of milk calculated 
by the Secretary as required by section 1402(a) of the Agricultural 
Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9052(a)) is representative of actual dairy 
feed costs. 
(b) CORN SILAGE REPORT.—Not later than 1 year after the 
date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to 
the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the
H. R. 2—23 
Senate a report detailing the costs incurred by dairy operations 
in the use of corn silage as feed, and the difference between the 
feed cost of corn silage and the feed cost of corn. 
(c) COLLECTION OF ALFALFA HAY DATA.—Not later than 120 
days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary, 
acting through the National Agricultural Statistics Service, shall 
revise monthly price survey reports to include prices for high- 
quality alfalfa hay in the top five milk producing States, as meas-
ured by volume of milk produced during the previous month. 
(d) REGISTRATION OF MULTIPRODUCER DAIRY OPERATIONS.—Sec-
tion 1404(b) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9054(b)) 
is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (5); and 
(2) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(3) ELECTION PERIOD FOR 2019 CALENDAR YEAR.—For the 
2019 calendar year, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) open the election period not later than 60 days 
after the effective date described in section 1401(m) of 
the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018; and 
‘‘(B) hold that election period open for not less than 
90 days. 
‘‘(4) TREATMENT OF MULTIPRODUCER DAIRY OPERATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—If a participating dairy operation 
is operated by more than 1 dairy producer, the dairy pro-
ducers of the dairy operation who elect to participate shall 
be treated as a single dairy operation for purposes of 
participating in dairy margin coverage. 
‘‘(B) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Subparagraph (A) shall 
not be construed to allow a producer to adjust the propor-
tion of their share covered under tier I or tier II premiums 
from the proportion covered for the operation.’’. 
(e) RELATION TO LIVESTOCK GROSS MARGIN FOR DAIRY PRO-
GRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1404 of the Agricultural Act of 
2014 (7 U.S.C. 9054) is amended by striking subsection (d). 
(2) RETROACTIVE PROGRAM OPTION.—Section 1404(b)(2) of 
the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9054(b)(2)) is amended— 
(A) by striking ‘‘The Secretary’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(B) RETROACTIVE PROGRAM OPTION.—In the case of 
a dairy operation that, by operation of subsection (d) (as 
in effect on the day before the date of enactment of the 
Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018), was ineligible to 
participate in the margin protection program for any part 
of calendar year 2018, the Secretary shall establish a new 
election period for that calendar year that ends on a date 
that is not less than 90 days after the date of enactment 
of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 and the Sec-
retary determines is necessary for dairy operations to make 
new elections to participate in the margin protection pro-
gram (as in effect on the day before the date of enactment 
of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018) for that cal-
endar year, including dairy operations that elected to 
participate in the livestock gross margin for dairy program 
under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et
H. R. 2—24 
seq.) before the date of enactment of the Bipartisan Budget 
Act of 2018 (Public Law 115–123).’’. 
(f) PRODUCTION HISTORY
OF PARTICIPATING DAIRY OPERA-
TORS.— 
(1) ADJUSTMENT.—Section 1405 of the Agricultural Act of 
2014 (7 U.S.C. 9055) is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a)— 
(i) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘In subsequent 
years’’ and inserting ‘‘In the subsequent calendar years 
ending before January 1, 2019’’; and 
(ii) in paragraph (3), by inserting ‘‘, as applicable’’ 
after ‘‘paragraph (2)’’; and 
(B) in subsection (b)— 
(i) by redesignating paragraphs (1) and (2) as sub-
paragraphs (A) and (B), respectively, and indenting 
appropriately; 
(ii) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A) (as 
so redesignated), by striking ‘‘In the case’’ and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(1) DAIRY OPERATIONS WITH LESS THAN 1 YEAR OF PRODUC-
TION HISTORY.—In the case’’; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) DAIRY OPERATIONS WITH 1 YEAR OR MORE OF PRODUC-
TION HISTORY.—In the case of a participating dairy operation 
that was not in operation prior to January 1, 2014, that has 
not established a production history, and that has been in 
operation for equal to or longer than 1 year, the participating 
dairy operation shall elect the annual milk marketings during 
any 1 calendar year to determine the production history of 
the participating dairy operation. 
‘‘(3) ADJUSTMENT.—The Secretary shall adjust the produc-
tion history of a participating dairy operation determined under 
paragraph (1) or (2) to reflect any increase or decrease in 
the national average milk production relative to calendar year 
2017.’’. 
(2) LIMITATION
ON
CHANGES
TO
BUSINESS
STRUCTURE.— 
Section 1405 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9055) 
is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection: 
‘‘(d) LIMITATION ON CHANGES TO BUSINESS STRUCTURE.—The 
Secretary may not make dairy margin coverage payments to a 
participating dairy operation if the Secretary determines that the 
participating dairy operation has reorganized the structure of such 
operation solely for the purpose of qualifying as a new operation 
under subsection (b).’’. 
(g) COVERAGE LEVEL THRESHOLD
AND COVERAGE PERCENT-
AGE.—Section 1406 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9056) 
is amended by striking subsection (a) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(a) COVERAGE LEVEL THRESHOLD AND COVERAGE PERCENT-
AGE.— 
‘‘(1) COVERAGE LEVEL THRESHOLD.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—For purposes of receiving dairy 
margin coverage payments for a month, a participating 
dairy operation shall annually elect a coverage level 
threshold that is equal to $4.00, $4.50, $5.00, $5.50, $6.00, 
$6.50, $7.00, $7.50, $8.00, $8.50, $9.00, or $9.50. 
‘‘(B) APPLICABILITY.—Except as provided in subpara-
graph (C), the coverage level threshold elected under
H. R. 2—25 
subparagraph (A) shall apply to the covered production 
elected by the participating dairy operation under para-
graph (2). 
‘‘(C) SECOND COVERAGE ELECTION FOR TIER II.—In the 
case of a participating dairy operation that elects a coverage 
level threshold of $8.50, $9.00, or $9.50 under subpara-
graph (A)— 
‘‘(i) that coverage level threshold shall apply to 
the first 5,000,000 pounds of milk marketings included 
in the covered production elected by the participating 
dairy operation; and 
‘‘(ii) the participating dairy operation shall elect 
a coverage level threshold that is equal to $4.00, $4.50, 
$5.00, $5.50, $6.00, $6.50, $7.00, $7.50, or $8.00 to 
apply to milk marketings in excess of 5,000,000 pounds 
included in the covered production elected by the 
participating dairy operation. 
‘‘(2) COVERAGE
PERCENTAGE.—For purposes of receiving 
dairy margin coverage payments for a month, a participating 
dairy operation shall annually elect a percentage of coverage, 
in 5-percent increments, not exceeding 95 percent of the produc-
tion history of the participating dairy operation.’’. 
(h) PRODUCER PREMIUMS.—Section 1407 of the Agricultural 
Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9057) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b), by striking paragraphs (2) and (3) 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘(2) PRODUCER
PREMIUMS.—Except as provided in sub-
section (g), the following annual premiums apply: 
‘‘Coverage Level 
Premium per Cwt. 
$4.00 
None 
$4.50 
$0.0025 
$5.00 
$0.005 
$5.50 
$0.030 
$6.00 
$0.050 
$6.50 
$0.070 
$7.00 
$0.080 
$7.50 
$0.090 
$8.00 
$0.100 
$8.50 
$0.105 
$9.00 
$0.110 
$9.50 
$0.150’’; and 
(2) in subsection (c), by striking paragraph (2) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(2) PRODUCER
PREMIUMS.—Except as provided in sub-
section (g), the following annual premiums apply: 
‘‘Coverage Level 
Premium per Cwt. 
$4.00 
None
H. R. 2—26 
‘‘Coverage Level 
Premium per Cwt. 
$4.50 
$0.0025 
$5.00 
$0.005 
$5.50 
$0.100 
$6.00 
$0.310 
$6.50 
$0.650 
$7.00 
$1.107 
$7.50 
$1.413 
$8.00 
$1.813’’. 
(i) REPAYMENT OF PREMIUMS.—Section 1407 of the Agricultural 
Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9057) is amended by adding at the end 
the following: 
‘‘(f) REPAYMENT OF PREMIUMS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Each dairy operation described in para-
graph (2) shall be eligible to receive a repayment from the 
Secretary in an amount equal to the difference between— 
‘‘(A) the total amount of premiums paid by the partici-
pating dairy operation under this section for each 
applicable calendar year; and 
‘‘(B) the total amount of payments made to the partici-
pating dairy operation under section 1406 for that calendar 
year. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBILITY.—A dairy operation that is eligible to 
receive a repayment under paragraph (1) is a dairy operation 
that— 
‘‘(A) participated in the margin protection program, 
as in effect for any of calendar years 2014 through 2017; 
and 
‘‘(B) submits to the Secretary an application for the 
repayment at such time, in such manner, and containing 
such information as the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(3) METHOD OF REPAYMENT.—A dairy operation that is 
eligible to receive a repayment under paragraph (1) shall elect 
to receive the repayment— 
‘‘(A) in an amount equal to 75 percent of the repayment 
calculated under that paragraph as credit that may be 
used by the dairy operation for dairy margin coverage 
premiums; or 
‘‘(B) in an amount equal to 50 percent of the repayment 
calculated under that paragraph as a direct cash repay-
ment. 
‘‘(4) APPLICABILITY.—Paragraph (1) shall only apply to a 
calendar year during the period of calendar years 2014 through 
2017 for which the amount described in subparagraph (A) of 
that paragraph is greater than the amount described in 
subparagraph (B) of that paragraph.’’. 
(j) PREMIUM DISCOUNT.—Section 1407 of the Agricultural Act 
of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9057) (as amended by subsection (i)) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(g) PREMIUM DISCOUNT.—The premium per hundredweight 
specified in the tables contained in subsections (b) and (c) for 
each coverage level shall be reduced by 25 percent in accordance 
with the following:
H. R. 2—27 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—For each of calendar years 2019 through 
2023, for a participating dairy operation that makes a 1-time 
election of coverage level in a tier and of a percentage of 
coverage under section 1406(a) for the 5-year period beginning 
in January 2019. 
‘‘(2) NEW DAIRY OPERATIONS.—For each applicable calendar 
year through 2023, for a participating dairy operation that— 
‘‘(A) establishes a production history pursuant to sec-
tion 1405(b); and 
‘‘(B) makes a 1-time election of coverage level in a 
tier and of a percentage of coverage under section 1406(a) 
for the period beginning with the first available calendar 
year and ending in December 2023. 
‘‘(3) FULL PARTICIPATION REQUIRED.—Notwithstanding the 
annual elections under section 1406(a)— 
‘‘(A) a 1-time enrollment under this subsection shall 
remain in effect for the full duration applicable to a partici-
pating dairy operation in accordance with paragraph (1) 
or (2)(B), as applicable; and 
‘‘(B) a participating dairy operation that makes a 1- 
time enrollment under this subsection and is noncompliant 
under section 1408 shall be subject to that section.’’. 
(k) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS RELATED TO PROGRAM NAME.— 
(1) HEADING.—The heading of part I of subtitle D of title 
I of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113–79; 128 
Stat. 688) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘PART I—DAIRY MARGIN COVERAGE’’. 
(2) DEFINITIONS.—Section 1401 of the Agricultural Act of 
2014 (7 U.S.C. 9051) is amended— 
(A) by striking paragraphs (5) and (6) and inserting 
the following new paragraphs: 
‘‘(5) DAIRY
MARGIN
COVERAGE.—The term ‘dairy margin 
coverage’ means the dairy margin coverage program required 
by section 1403. 
‘‘(6) DAIRY MARGIN COVERAGE PAYMENT.—The term ‘dairy 
margin coverage payment’ means a payment made to a partici-
pating dairy operation under dairy margin coverage pursuant 
to section 1406.’’; and 
(B) in paragraphs (7) and (8), by striking ‘‘the margin 
protection program’’ both places it appears and inserting 
‘‘dairy margin coverage’’. 
(3) CALCULATION OF ACTUAL DAIRY PRODUCTION MARGIN.— 
Section 1402(b)(1) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 
9052(b)(1)) is amended in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A) by striking ‘‘the margin protection program’’ and inserting 
‘‘dairy margin coverage’’. 
(4) PROGRAM OPERATION.—Section 1403 of the Agricultural 
Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9053) is amended— 
(A) by striking the section heading and inserting 
‘‘DAIRY MARGIN COVERAGE’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘Not later than September 1, 2014, 
the Secretary shall establish and administer a margin 
protection program’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall continue to administer 
a dairy margin coverage program’’;
H. R. 2—28 
(C) in subsection (a) (as so designated), by striking 
‘‘margin protection payment’’ both places it appears and 
inserting ‘‘dairy margin coverage payment’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(b) REGULATIONS.—Subpart A of part 1430 of title 7, Code 
of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of 
the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018), shall remain in effect 
for dairy margin coverage beginning with the 2019 calendar year, 
except to the extent that the regulations are inconsistent with 
any provision of this Act.’’. 
(5) PARTICIPATION.—Section 1404 of the Agricultural Act 
of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9054) is amended— 
(A) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘MARGIN 
PROTECTION
PROGRAM’’ and inserting ‘‘DAIRY
MARGIN 
COVERAGE’’; 
(B) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘the margin protection 
program to receive margin protection payments’’ and 
inserting ‘‘dairy margin coverage to receive dairy margin 
coverage payments’’; and 
(C) in subsections (b) and (c), by striking ‘‘the margin 
protection program’’ each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘dairy margin coverage’’. 
(6) PRODUCTION HISTORY.—Section 1405 of the Agricultural 
Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9055) is amended in subsections (a)(1) 
and (c) by striking ‘‘the margin protection program’’ each place 
it appears and inserting ‘‘dairy margin coverage’’. 
(7) PAYMENTS.—Section 1406 of the Agricultural Act of 
2014 (7 U.S.C. 9056) is amended— 
(A) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘MARGIN 
PROTECTION’’ and inserting ‘‘DAIRY MARGIN COVERAGE’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘margin protection’’ each place it 
appears and inserting ‘‘dairy margin coverage’’; and 
(C) in the heading of subsection (c), by striking 
‘‘MARGIN PROTECTION’’. 
(8) PREMIUMS.—Section 1407 of the Agricultural Act of 
2014 (7 U.S.C. 9057) is amended— 
(A) in the section heading, by striking ‘‘MARGIN 
PROTECTION
PROGRAM’’ and inserting ‘‘DAIRY
MARGIN 
COVERAGE’’; 
(B) in subsection (a), in the matter preceding paragraph 
(1), by striking ‘‘the margin protection program’’ and 
inserting ‘‘dairy margin coverage’’; 
(C) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘program’’ and 
inserting ‘‘dairy margin coverage’’; and 
(D) in subsection (e)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘the margin protection program’’ 
both places it appears and inserting ‘‘dairy margin 
coverage’’; and 
(ii) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘integrity of the 
program’’ and inserting ‘‘integrity of dairy margin cov-
erage’’. 
(9) FAILURE TO PAY ADMINISTRATIVE FEES OR PREMIUMS.— 
Section 1408 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9058) 
is amended— 
(A) in subsection (a)(2), by striking ‘‘margin protection’’ 
and inserting ‘‘dairy margin coverage’’; and
H. R. 2—29 
(B) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘the margin protection 
program’’ and inserting ‘‘dairy margin coverage’’. 
(10) ADMINISTRATION AND ENFORCEMENT.—Section 1410 of 
the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9060) is amended— 
(A) in subsections (a) and (c), by striking ‘‘the margin 
protection program’’ each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘dairy margin coverage’’; and 
(B) in subsection (b), by striking ‘‘margin protection’’ 
and inserting ‘‘dairy margin coverage’’. 
(l) DURATION.—Section 1409 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 
(7 U.S.C. 9059) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘The margin protection program’’ and 
inserting ‘‘Dairy margin coverage’’; and 
(2) by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
(m) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by this section 
shall take effect on January 1, 2019. 
SEC. 1402. REAUTHORIZATIONS. 
(a) FORWARD PRICING.—Section 1502(e) of the Food, Conserva-
tion, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8772(e)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘2023’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘2021’’ and inserting 
‘‘2026’’. 
(b) INDEMNITY PROGRAM.—Section 3 of Public Law 90–484 (7 
U.S.C. 4553) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
(c) PROMOTION AND RESEARCH.—Section 113(e)(2) of the Dairy 
Production Stabilization Act of 1983 (7 U.S.C. 4504(e)(2)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 1403. CLASS I SKIM MILK PRICE. 
(a) CLASS I SKIM MILK PRICE.—Section 8c(5)(A) of the Agricul-
tural Adjustment Act (7 U.S.C. 608c(5)(A)), reenacted with amend-
ments by the Agricultural Marketing Agreement Act of 1937, is 
amended by striking ‘‘Throughout’’ in the third sentence and all 
that follows through the period at the end of the fourth sentence 
and inserting ‘‘Throughout the 2-year period beginning on the effec-
tive date of this sentence (and subsequent to such 2-year period 
unless modified by amendment to the order involved), for purposes 
of determining prices for milk of the highest use classification, 
the Class I skim milk price per hundredweight specified in section 
1000.50(b) of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor 
regulations), shall be the sum of the adjusted Class I differential 
specified in section 1000.52 of such title 7 (or successor regulations), 
plus the adjustment to Class I prices specified in sections 1005.51(b), 
1006.51(b), and 1007.51(b) of such title 7 (or successor regulations), 
plus the simple average of the advanced pricing factors computed 
in sections 1000.50(q)(1) and 1000.50(q)(2) of such title 7 (or suc-
cessor regulations), plus $0.74.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE AND IMPLEMENTATION.— 
(1) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by subsection 
(a) shall take effect on the first day of the first month beginning 
more than 120 days after the date of enactment of this Act. 
(2) IMPLEMENTATION.—Implementation of the amendment 
made by subsection (a) shall not be subject to any of the 
following: 
(A) The notice and comment provisions of section 553 
of title 5, United States Code.
H. R. 2—30 
(B) The notice and hearing requirements of section 
8c(3) of the Agricultural Adjustment Act (7 U.S.C. 608c(3)), 
reenacted with amendments by the Agricultural Marketing 
Agreement Act of 1937. 
(C) The order amendment requirements of section 
8c(17) of that Act (7 U.S.C. 608c(17)). 
(D) A referendum under section 8c(19) of that Act 
(7 U.S.C. 608c(19)). 
SEC. 1404. DAIRY PRODUCT DONATION. 
(a) REPEAL OF DAIRY PRODUCT DONATION PROGRAM.—Section 
1431 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9071) is repealed. 
(b) MILK DONATION PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Part III of subtitle D of title I of the 
Agricultural Act of 2014 (Public Law 113–79; 128 Stat. 695) 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘PART III—MILK DONATION PROGRAM 
‘‘SEC. 1431. MILK DONATION PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) ELIGIBLE
DAIRY
ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘eligible 
dairy organization’ means a dairy farmer (either individually 
or as part of a cooperative), or a dairy processor, who— 
‘‘(A) accounts to a Federal milk marketing order 
marketwide pool; and 
‘‘(B) incurs qualified expenses under subsection (e). 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE DISTRIBUTOR.—The term ‘eligible distributor’ 
means a public or private nonprofit organization that distrib-
utes donated eligible milk. 
‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE MILK.—The term ‘eligible milk’ means Class 
I fluid milk products produced and processed in the United 
States. 
‘‘(4) ELIGIBLE PARTNERSHIP.—The term ‘eligible partnership’ 
means a partnership between an eligible dairy organization 
and an eligible distributor. 
‘‘(5) PARTICIPATING PARTNERSHIP.—The term ‘participating 
partnership’ means an eligible partnership for which the Sec-
retary has approved a donation and distribution plan for eligible 
milk under subsection (c)(2). 
‘‘(b) PROGRAM REQUIRED; PURPOSES.—Not later than 180 days 
after the date of enactment of the Agriculture Improvement Act 
of 2018, the Secretary shall establish and administer a milk dona-
tion program for the purposes of— 
‘‘(1) encouraging the donation of eligible milk; 
‘‘(2) providing nutrition assistance to individuals in low- 
income groups; and 
‘‘(3) reducing food waste. 
‘‘(c) DONATION AND DISTRIBUTION PLANS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to receive reimbursement 
under subsection (d), an eligible partnership shall submit to 
the Secretary a donation and distribution plan that— 
‘‘(A) describes the process that the eligible partnership 
will use for the donation, processing, transportation, tem-
porary storage, and distribution of eligible milk;
H. R. 2—31 
‘‘(B) includes an estimate of the quantity of eligible 
milk that the eligible partnership will donate each year, 
based on— 
‘‘(i) preplanned donations; and 
‘‘(ii) contingency plans to address unanticipated 
donations; and 
‘‘(C) describes the rate at which the eligible partnership 
will be reimbursed, which shall be based on a percentage 
of the limitation described in subsection (e)(2), not to exceed 
100 percent. 
‘‘(2) REVIEW
AND
APPROVAL.—Not less frequently than 
annually, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) review donation and distribution plans submitted 
under paragraph (1); and 
‘‘(B) determine whether to approve or disapprove each 
of those donation and distribution plans. 
‘‘(d) REIMBURSEMENT.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—On receipt of appropriate documentation 
under paragraph (2), the Secretary shall reimburse an eligible 
dairy organization that is a member of a participating partner-
ship on a regular basis for qualified expenses described in 
subsection (e). 
‘‘(2) DOCUMENTATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—An eligible dairy organization shall 
submit to the Secretary such documentation as the Sec-
retary may require to demonstrate the qualified expenses 
described in subsection (e) of the eligible dairy organization. 
‘‘(B) VERIFICATION.—The Secretary may verify the 
accuracy of documentation submitted under subparagraph 
(A) by spot checks and audits. 
‘‘(3) 
RETROACTIVE
REIMBURSEMENT.—In 
providing 
reimbursements under paragraph (1), the Secretary may pro-
vide reimbursements for qualified expenses incurred before the 
date on which the donation and distribution plan for the 
applicable participating partnership was approved by the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(e) QUALIFIED EXPENSES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The amount of a reimbursement under 
subsection (d) shall be an amount equal to the product of— 
‘‘(A) the quantity of eligible milk donated by the eligible 
dairy organization under a donation and distribution plan 
approved by the Secretary under subsection (c); and 
‘‘(B) subject to the limitation under paragraph (2), the 
rate described in that donation and distribution plan under 
subsection (c)(1)(C). 
‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—Expenses eligible for reimbursement 
under subsection (d) shall not exceed the value that an eligible 
dairy organization incurred by accounting to the Federal milk 
marketing order pool at the difference in the Class I milk 
value and the lowest classified price for the applicable month 
(either Class III milk or Class IV milk). 
‘‘(f) PREAPPROVAL.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) establish a process for an eligible partnership 
to apply for preapproval of donation and distribution plans 
under subsection (c); and
H. R. 2—32 
‘‘(B) not less frequently than annually, preapprove an 
amount for qualified expenses described in subsection (e) 
that the Secretary will allocate for reimbursement under 
each donation and distribution plan preapproved under 
subparagraph (A), based on an assessment of— 
‘‘(i) the feasibility of the plan; and 
‘‘(ii) the extent to which the plan advances the 
purposes described in subsection (b). 
‘‘(2) PREFERENCE.—In preapproving amounts for reimburse-
ment under paragraph (1)(B), the Secretary shall give pref-
erence to eligible partnerships that will provide funding and 
in-kind contributions in addition to the reimbursements. 
‘‘(3) ADJUSTMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall adjust or 
increase amounts preapproved for reimbursement under 
paragraph (1)(B) based on performance and demand. 
‘‘(B) REQUESTS FOR INCREASE.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a 
procedure for a participating partnership to request 
an increase in the amount preapproved for reimburse-
ment under paragraph (1)(B) based on changes in 
conditions. 
‘‘(ii) INTERIM APPROVAL; INCREMENTAL INCREASE.— 
The Secretary may provide an interim approval of an 
increase requested under clause (i) and an incremental 
increase in the amount of reimbursement to the 
applicable participating partnership to allow time for 
the Secretary to review the request without interfering 
with the donation and distribution of eligible milk by 
the participating partnership. 
‘‘(g) PROHIBITION ON RESALE OF PRODUCTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—An eligible distributor that receives 
eligible milk donated under this section may not sell the prod-
ucts back into commercial markets. 
‘‘(2) PROHIBITION ON FUTURE PARTICIPATION.—An eligible 
distributor that the Secretary determines has violated para-
graph (1) shall not be eligible for any future participation 
in the program established under this section. 
‘‘(h) ADMINISTRATION.—The Secretary shall publicize opportuni-
ties to participate in the program established under this section. 
‘‘(i) REVIEWS.—The Secretary shall conduct appropriate reviews 
or audits to ensure the integrity of the program established under 
this section. 
‘‘(j) FUNDING.—Of the funds of the Commodity Credit Corpora-
tion, the Secretary shall use to carry out this section $9,000,000 
for fiscal year 2019, and $5,000,000 for each fiscal year thereafter, 
to remain available until expended.’’. 
(2) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 1401 of the Agricul-
tural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9051) is amended, in the matter 
preceding paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘and part III’’.
H. R. 2—33 
Subtitle E—Supplemental Agricultural 
Disaster Assistance 
SEC. 1501. SUPPLEMENTAL AGRICULTURAL DISASTER ASSISTANCE. 
(a) MEMBERS OF INDIAN TRIBES.—Section 1501(a)(1)(B) of the 
Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9081(a)(1)(B)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating clauses (iii) and (iv) as clauses (iv) 
and (v), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after clause (ii) the following: 
‘‘(iii) an Indian tribe or tribal organization (as those 
terms are defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Deter-
mination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
5304));’’. 
(b) COVERED LIVESTOCK LOSSES FOR LIVESTOCK INDEMNITY PAY-
MENTS.—Section 1501(b) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 
9081(b)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end of subparagraph (A); 
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘cold.’’ and 
inserting ‘‘cold, on the condition that in the case of the 
death loss of unweaned livestock due to that adverse 
weather, the Secretary may disregard any management 
practice, vaccination protocol, or lack of vaccination by 
the eligible producer on a farm; or’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new subpara-
graph: 
‘‘(C) disease that, as determined by the Secretary— 
‘‘(i) is caused or transmitted by a vector; and 
‘‘(ii) is not susceptible to control by vaccination 
or acceptable management practices.’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘A payment’’ and inserting 
‘‘PAYMENT REDUCTIONS.—A payment’’. 
(c) EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FOR LIVESTOCK, HONEY BEES, AND 
FARM-RAISED FISH.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1501(d)(2) of the Agricultural Act 
of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9081(d)(2)) is amended by inserting ‘‘, 
including inspections of cattle tick fever’’ before the period 
at the end. 
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by paragraph 
(1) shall apply to inspections of cattle tick fever conducted 
on or after the date of enactment of this Act. 
(d) TREE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM.—Section 1501(e) of the Agricul-
tural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9081(e)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (3), in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A), by striking ‘‘paragraph (4)’’ and inserting ‘‘paragraphs (4) 
and (5)’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(5) PAYMENT
RATE
FOR
BEGINNING
AND
VETERAN
PRO-
DUCERS.—Subject to paragraph (4), in the case of a beginning 
farmer or rancher or a veteran farmer or rancher (as those 
terms are defined in subsection (a) of section 2501 of the 
Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 
U.S.C. 2279)) that is eligible to receive assistance under this 
subsection, the Secretary shall provide reimbursement of 75 
percent of the costs under subparagraphs (A)(i) and (B) of 
paragraph (3).’’.
H. R. 2—34 
(e) PAYMENT LIMITATION.—Section 1501(f)(2) of the Agricultural 
Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9081(f)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘this 
section (excluding payments received under subsections (b) and 
(e))’’ and inserting ‘‘subsection (c)’’. 
Subtitle F—Noninsured Crop Assistance 
SEC. 1601. NONINSURED CROP ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
Section 196 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and 
Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(C) DATA COLLECTION AND SHARING.—The Secretary 
shall coordinate with the Administrator of the Risk 
Management Agency on the type and format of data 
received under the noninsured crop disaster assistance pro-
gram that— 
‘‘(i) best facilitates the use of that data in devel-
oping policies or plans of insurance offered under the 
Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.); 
and 
‘‘(ii) ensures the availability of that data on a 
regular basis. 
‘‘(D) COORDINATION.—The Secretary shall coordinate 
between the agencies of the Department that provide pro-
grams or services to farmers and ranchers that are poten-
tially eligible for the noninsured crop disaster assistance 
program under this section— 
‘‘(i) to make available coverage under— 
‘‘(I) the fee waiver under subsection (k)(2); or 
‘‘(II) the premium discount under subsection 
(l)(3); and 
‘‘(ii) to share eligibility information to reduce 
paperwork and avoid duplication.’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraph (A) 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subparagraph (B), in this 
section, the term ‘eligible crop’ means each commercial 
crop or other agricultural commodity that is produced for 
food or fiber (except livestock) for which catastrophic risk 
protection under subsection (b) of section 508 of the Federal 
Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1508) and additional coverage 
under subsections (c) and (h) of such section are not avail-
able or, if such coverage is available, it is only available 
under a policy that provides coverage for specific intervals 
based on weather indexes or under a whole farm plan 
of insurance.’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (4)(B)— 
(i) by striking clause (i) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(I) AGRICULTURAL ACT OF 2014.—During the 
first 4 crop years of planting, as determined by 
the Secretary, native sod acreage that has been 
tilled for the production of an annual crop during 
the period beginning on February 8, 2014, and 
ending on the date of enactment of the Agriculture
H. R. 2—35 
Improvement Act of 2018 shall be subject to a 
reduction in benefits under this section as 
described in this subparagraph. 
‘‘(II) SUBSEQUENT YEARS.—Native sod acreage 
that has been tilled for the production of an eligible 
crop after the date of enactment of the Agriculture 
Improvement Act of 2018 shall be subject to a 
reduction in benefits under this section as 
described in this subparagraph for not more than 
any 4 crop years— 
‘‘(aa) during the first 10 crop years after 
the initial tillage; and 
‘‘(bb) during which a crop on that acreage 
is enrolled under subsection (l)(2) or (k).’’; and 
(ii) in clause (iii)(I), by striking ‘‘transitional yield 
of the producer’’ and inserting ‘‘county expected yield’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘not later than 30 
days’’ and inserting ‘‘by an appropriate deadline’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) STREAMLINED
SUBMISSION
PROCESS.—The Secretary 
shall establish a streamlined process for the submission of 
records and acreage reports under paragraphs (2) and (3) for 
diverse production systems such as those typical of urban 
production systems, other small-scale production systems, and 
direct-to-consumer production systems.’’; 
(3) in subsection (d)— 
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) as 
paragraphs (2), (3), and (4), respectively; 
(B) by inserting before paragraph (2) (as so redesig-
nated) the following: 
‘‘(1) the producer’s share of the total acres devoted to the 
eligible crop; by’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (2) (as so redesignated), by striking 
‘‘established yield for the crop’’ and inserting ‘‘approved 
yield for the crop, as determined by the Secretary’’; 
(4) in subsection (e)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘farm’’ and inserting 
‘‘approved’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in the second sentence— 
(I) by inserting ‘‘approved’’ before ‘‘yield’’; and 
(II) by striking ‘‘Subject’’ and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(B) CALCULATION.—Subject’’; and 
(ii) in the matter preceding subparagraph (B) (as 
so designated)— 
(I) by striking ‘‘yield coverage’’ and inserting 
‘‘an approved yield’’; and 
(II) by striking ‘‘The Secretary’’ and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary’’; and 
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘transitional yield 
of the producer’’ and inserting ‘‘county expected yield’’; 
(5) in subsection (i)(2), by striking ‘‘exceed $125,000’’ and 
inserting the following: ‘‘exceed—
H. R. 2—36 
‘‘(A) in the case of catastrophic coverage under sub-
section (c), $125,000; and 
‘‘(B) in the case of additional coverage under subsection 
(l), $300,000’’; 
(6) in subsection (k)(1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘$250’’ and 
inserting ‘‘$325’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (B)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘$750’’ and inserting ‘‘$825’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘$1,875’’ and inserting ‘‘$1,950’’; 
and 
(7) in subsection (l)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by redesignating subparagraphs (A), (B), and 
(C) as subparagraphs (B), (C), and (D), respectively; 
(ii) by inserting before subparagraph (B) (as so 
redesignated) the following: 
‘‘(A) the producer’s share of the total acres devoted 
to the crop;’’; and 
(iii) in subparagraph (C) (as so redesignated), by 
inserting ‘‘, contract price, or other premium price (such 
as a local, organic, or direct market price, as elected 
by the producer)’’ after ‘‘price’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2)(B)(i)— 
(i) in subclause (IV), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(ii) in subclause (V), by striking ‘‘or’’ at the end 
and inserting ‘‘and’’; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(VI) the producer’s share of the crop; or’’; 
(C) by striking paragraphs (3) and (5); and 
(D) by redesignating paragraph (4) as paragraph (3). 
Subtitle G—Administration 
SEC. 1701. REGULATIONS. 
Section 1601(c)(2) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 
9091(c)(2)) is amended— 
(1) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘title and sections 11003 and 11017’’ and inserting ‘‘title, sec-
tions 11003 and 11017, title I of the Agriculture Improvement 
Act of 2018 and the amendments made by that title, and 
section 10109 of that Act’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (A), by adding ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(3) in subparagraph (B), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and inserting 
a period; and 
(4) by striking subparagraph (C). 
SEC. 1702. SUSPENSION OF PERMANENT PRICE SUPPORT AUTHORITY. 
Section 1602 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9092) 
is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘2023’’. 
SEC. 1703. PAYMENT LIMITATIONS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1001 of the Food Security Act of 
1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)—
H. R. 2—37 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘section 1001 of the 
Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008’’ and inserting 
‘‘section 1111 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 
9011)’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘first cousin, niece, 
nephew,’’ after ‘‘sibling,’’; 
(2) in subsections (b) and (c), by striking ‘‘and as marketing 
loan gains or loan deficiency payments under subtitle B of 
title I of the Agricultural Act of 2014’’ each place it appears 
and inserting ‘‘of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9016, 
9017)’’; and 
(3) in subsection (f), by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(9) ADMINISTRATION OF REDUCTION.—The Secretary shall 
apply any order described in section 1614(d)(1) of the Agricul-
tural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9097(d)(1)) to payments under 
sections 1116 and 1117 of that Act (7 U.S.C. 9016, 9017) prior 
to applying payment limitations under this section.’’. 
(b) APPLICATION.—The amendments made by this section shall 
apply beginning with the 2019 crop year. 
SEC. 1704. ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME LIMITATIONS. 
(a) WAIVER.—Section 1001D(b) of the Food Security Act of 
1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308–3a(b)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)(C), by inserting ‘‘title II of the Agri-
culture Improvement Act of 2018,’’ after ‘‘under’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) WAIVER.—The Secretary may waive the limitation 
established by paragraph (1) with respect to a payment pursu-
ant to a covered benefit described in paragraph (2)(C), on a 
case-by-case basis, if the Secretary determines that environ-
mentally sensitive land of special significance would be pro-
tected as a result of such waiver.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—Section 1001D(b)(1) of the Food 
Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308–3a(b)(1)) is amended by 
inserting ‘‘subject to paragraph (3),’’ after ‘‘of law,’’. 
(c) TRANSITION.—Section 1001D of the Food Security Act of 
1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308–3a), as in effect on the day before the date 
of enactment of this Act, shall apply with respect to the 2018 
crop, fiscal, or program year, as appropriate, for each program 
described in subsection (b)(2) of that section (as so in effect on 
that day). 
SEC. 1705. FARM SERVICE AGENCY ACCOUNTABILITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Not later than 1 year after the date of enact-
ment of this Act, the Secretary shall establish policies, procedures, 
and plans to improve program accountability and integrity through 
targeted and coordinated activities, including utilizing data mining 
to identify and reduce errors, waste, fraud, and abuse in programs 
administered by the Farm Service Agency. 
(b) REPORT.—Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agri-
culture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on 
Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report 
describing the progress and results of the activities conducted under 
subsection (a).
H. R. 2—38 
SEC. 1706. IMPLEMENTATION. 
(a) MAINTENANCE OF BASE ACRES AND PAYMENT YIELDS.—Sec-
tion 1614(a) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9097(a)) 
is amended by inserting ‘‘, and as adjusted pursuant to sections 
1112 and 1113’’ before the period at the end. 
(b) STREAMLINING.—Section 1614 of the Agricultural Act of 
2014 (7 U.S.C. 9097) is amended by striking subsection (b) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(b) STREAMLINING.—In implementing this title and the amend-
ments made by this title, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) continue to reduce administrative burdens and costs 
to producers by streamlining and reducing paperwork, forms, 
and other administrative requirements, to ensure that— 
‘‘(A) a producer (or an agent of a producer) may report 
information, electronically (including geospatial data) or 
conventionally, to the Department of Agriculture, subject 
to the Secretary— 
‘‘(i) establishing reasonable levels of tolerance that 
reflect the differences in accuracy between measures 
of common land units and geospatial data; and 
‘‘(ii) ensuring that discrepancies that occur within 
the levels of tolerance established under clause (i) shall 
not be used to penalize a producer (or an agent of 
a producer) under any program administered by the 
Department of Agriculture; 
‘‘(B) on the request of a producer (or an agent of 
a producer), the Department of Agriculture electronically 
shares with the producer (or agent) in real time and with-
out cost to the producer (or agent) the common land unit 
data, related farm level data, conservation practices, and 
other information of the producer through a single Depart-
ment of Agriculture-wide login; 
‘‘(C) not later than September 30, 2020, the Adminis-
trator of the Risk Management Agency and the Adminis-
trator of the Farm Service Agency shall implement a con-
sistent method for determining crop acreage, acreage yields, 
farm acreage, property descriptions, and other common 
informational requirements, including measures of common 
land units; 
‘‘(D) except in the case of misrepresentation, fraud, 
or scheme and device, no crop insurance agent, approved 
insurance provider, or employee or contractor of a crop 
insurance agency or approved insurance provider bears 
responsibility or liability under the Acreage Crop Reporting 
and Streamlining Initiative (or any successor or similar 
initiative) for the eligibility of a producer for a program 
administered by the Department of Agriculture, not 
including a policy or plan of insurance offered under the 
Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.); and 
‘‘(E) on request of a crop insurance agent or approved 
insurance provider required to deliver policies and plans 
of insurance under the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 
U.S.C. 1501 et seq.) the crop insurance agent or approved 
insurance provider receives, in a timely manner, any 
information held by the Farm Service Agency that is nec-
essary to ensure effective crop insurance coverage for 
farmer customers;
H. R. 2—39 
‘‘(2) continue to improve coordination, information sharing, 
and administrative work among the Farm Service Agency, Risk 
Management Agency, Natural Resources Conservation Service, 
and other agencies, as determined by the Secretary; 
‘‘(3) continue to take advantage of new technologies to 
enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the delivery of 
Department of Agriculture programs to producers, including 
by developing and making publicly available data standards 
and security procedures to allow third-party providers to 
develop applications that use or feed data (including geospatial 
and precision agriculture data) into the datasets and analyses 
of the Department of Agriculture; and 
‘‘(4) reduce administrative burdens on producers partici-
pating in price loss coverage or agriculture risk coverage by 
offering— 
‘‘(A) those producers an option to remotely and elec-
tronically sign annual contracts for that coverage; and 
‘‘(B) to the maximum extent practicable, an option 
to sign a multiyear contract for that coverage.’’. 
(c) IMPLEMENTATION.—Section 1614(c) of the Agricultural Act 
of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9097(c)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(4) AGRICULTURE IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2018.—The Sec-
retary shall make available to the Farm Service Agency to 
carry out title I of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 
and the amendments made by that title $15,500,000.’’. 
(d) LOAN IMPLEMENTATION.—Section 1614(d)(1) of the Agricul-
tural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9097(d)(1)) is amended by striking 
‘‘under subtitles’’ and all that follows through ‘‘except’’ and inserting 
‘‘under subtitle B or C, under the amendments made by subtitle 
B or C, or under the amendments made by subtitle B or C of 
the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, except’’. 
(e) DEOBLIGATION
OF UNLIQUIDATED OBLIGATIONS.—Section 
1614 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9097) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(e) DEOBLIGATION OF UNLIQUIDATED OBLIGATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (3), any payment 
obligated or otherwise made available by the Secretary under 
this title on or after the date of enactment of the Agriculture 
Improvement Act of 2018 that is not disbursed to the recipient 
by the date that is 5 years after the date on which the payment 
is obligated or otherwise made available shall— 
‘‘(A) be deobligated; and 
‘‘(B) revert to the Treasury. 
‘‘(2) OUTSTANDING PAYMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (3), any pay-
ment obligated or otherwise made available by the Farm 
Service Agency (or any predecessor agency of the Depart-
ment of Agriculture) under the laws described in subpara-
graph (B) before the date of enactment of the Agriculture 
Improvement Act of 2018, that is not disbursed by the 
date that is 5 years after the date on which the payment 
is obligated or otherwise made available shall— 
‘‘(i) be deobligated; and 
‘‘(ii) revert to the Treasury. 
‘‘(B) LAWS
DESCRIBED.—The laws referred to in 
subparagraph (A) are any of the following:
H. R. 2—40 
‘‘(i) This title. 
‘‘(ii) Title I of the Food, Conservation, and Energy 
Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8702 et seq.). 
‘‘(iii) Title I of the Farm Security and Rural Invest-
ment Act of 2002 (7 U.S.C. 7901 et seq.). 
‘‘(iv) The Agricultural Market Transition Act (7 
U.S.C. 7201 et seq.). 
‘‘(v) Titles I through XI of the Food, Agriculture, 
Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 (Public Law 101– 
624; 104 Stat. 3374) and the amendments made by 
those titles. 
‘‘(vi) Titles I through X of the Food Security Act 
of 1985 (Public Law 99–198; 99 Stat. 1362) and the 
amendments made by those titles. 
‘‘(vii) Titles I through XI of the Agriculture and 
Food Act of 1981 (Public Law 97–98; 95 Stat. 1218) 
and the amendments made by those titles. 
‘‘(viii) Titles I through X of the Food and Agri-
culture Act of 1977 (Public Law 95–113; 91 Stat. 917) 
and the amendments made by those titles. 
‘‘(3) WAIVER.—The Secretary may delay the date of the 
deobligation and reversion under paragraph (1) or (2) of any 
payment— 
‘‘(A) that is the subject of— 
‘‘(i) ongoing administrative review or appeal; 
‘‘(ii) litigation; or 
‘‘(iii) the settlement of an estate; or 
‘‘(B) for which the Secretary otherwise determines that 
the circumstances are such that the delay is equitable.’’. 
(f) REPORT.—Section 1614 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 
U.S.C. 9097) (as amended by subsection (e)) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(f) REPORT.—Not later than January 1, 2020, and each January 
1 thereafter through January 1, 2023, the Secretary shall submit 
to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the 
Senate a report that describes the tilled native sod acreage that 
was subject to a reduction in benefits under section 196(a)(4)(B) 
of the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 
(7 U.S.C. 7333(a)(4)(B) and section 508(o)(2) of the Federal Crop 
Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1508(o)(2))— 
‘‘(1) as of the date of submission of the report; and 
‘‘(2) by State and county, relative to the total acres of 
cropland in the State or county.’’. 
SEC. 1707. EXEMPTION FROM CERTAIN REPORTING REQUIREMENTS 
FOR CERTAIN PRODUCERS. 
(a) DEFINITION OF EXEMPTED PRODUCER.—In this section, the 
term ‘‘exempted producer’’ means an individual or entity that is 
eligible to participate in— 
(1) a conservation program under title II or a law amended 
by title II; 
(2) an indemnity or disease control program under the 
Animal Health Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 8301 et seq.) or the 
Plant Protection Act (7 U.S.C. 7701 et seq.); or 
(3) a commodity program under title I of the Agricultural 
Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C. 9011 et seq.), excluding the assistance
H. R. 2—41 
provided to users of cotton under sections 1207(c) and 1208 
of that Act (7 U.S.C. 9037(c), 9038). 
(b) 
EXEMPTION.—Notwithstanding 
the 
Federal 
Funding 
Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Public Law 109– 
282; 31 U.S.C. 6101 note), the requirements of parts 25 and 170 
of title 2, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations), 
shall not apply with respect to assistance received by an exempted 
producer from the Secretary, acting through the Chief of the Natural 
Resources Conservation Service, the Administrator of the Animal 
and Plant Health Inspection Service, or the Administrator of the 
Farm Service Agency. 
TITLE II—CONSERVATION 
Subtitle A—Wetland Conservation 
SEC. 2101. WETLAND CONVERSION. 
Section 1221(d) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3821(d)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘Except as’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) DUTY OF THE SECRETARY.—No person shall become 
ineligible under paragraph (1) if the Secretary determines that 
an exemption under section 1222(b) applies to that person.’’. 
SEC. 2102. WETLAND CONSERVATION. 
Section 1222(c) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3822(c)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘No program’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—No program’’; 
(2) in paragraph (1) (as so designated), by inserting ‘‘, 
which, except as provided in paragraph (2), shall be conducted 
in the presence of the affected person’’ before the period at 
the end; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) EXCEPTION.—The Secretary may conduct an on-site 
visit under paragraph (1) without the affected person present 
if the Secretary has made a reasonable effort to include the 
presence of the affected person at the on-site visit.’’. 
SEC. 2103. MITIGATION BANKING. 
Section 1222(k)(1)(B) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3822(k)(1)(B)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(B) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry 
out this paragraph $5,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 
through 2023.’’. 
Subtitle B—Conservation Reserve Program 
SEC. 2201. CONSERVATION RESERVE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1231(a) of the Food Security Act 
of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘2018’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2023’’.
H. R. 2—42 
(b) ELIGIBLE LAND.—Section 1231(b) of the Food Security Act 
of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831(b)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking ‘‘Agricultural Act of 
2014 (except for land enrolled in the conservation reserve pro-
gram as of that date)’’ and inserting ‘‘Agriculture Improvement 
Act of 2018, on the condition that the Secretary shall consider 
to be planted cropland enrolled in the conservation reserve 
program’’; 
(2) by redesignating paragraphs (4) and (5) as paragraphs 
(5) and (6), respectively; 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (3) the following: 
‘‘(4) cropland, marginal pasture land, and grasslands that 
will have a positive impact on water quality and will be devoted 
to— 
‘‘(A) a grass sod waterway; 
‘‘(B) a contour grass sod strip; 
‘‘(C) a prairie strip; 
‘‘(D) a filterstrip; 
‘‘(E) a riparian buffer; 
‘‘(F) a wetland or a wetland buffer; 
‘‘(G) a saturated buffer; 
‘‘(H) a bioreactor; or 
‘‘(I) another similar water quality practice, as deter-
mined by the Secretary;’’; 
(4) in paragraph (5) (as so redesignated)— 
(A) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘or filterstrips 
or riparian buffers devoted to trees, shrubs, or grasses’’ 
and inserting ‘‘salt tolerant vegetation, field borders, or 
practices to benefit State or federally identified wellhead 
protection areas’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (E), by striking ‘‘or’’ after the 
semicolon; 
(5) in paragraph (6) (as so redesignated), in subparagraph 
(B)(ii), by striking the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; 
and 
(6) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(7) as determined by the Secretary, land— 
‘‘(A) that was enrolled in the conservation reserve pro-
gram under a 15-year contract that expired on September 
30, 2017, or September 30, 2018; 
‘‘(B) for which there was no opportunity for additional 
enrollment in that program; and 
‘‘(C) on which the conservation practice under the 
expired contract under subparagraph (A) is maintained.’’. 
(c) ENROLLMENT.—Section 1231(d) of the Food Security Act 
of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831(d)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking subparagraphs (A) through 
(E) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) fiscal year 2019, not more than 24,000,000 acres; 
‘‘(B) fiscal year 2020, not more than 24,500,000 acres; 
‘‘(C) fiscal year 2021, not more than 25,000,000 acres; 
‘‘(D) fiscal year 2022, not more than 25,500,000 acres; 
and 
‘‘(E) fiscal year 2023, not more than 27,000,000 acres.’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by striking subparagraphs (A) and (B) and inserting 
the following:
H. R. 2—43 
‘‘(A) LIMITATION.—For purposes of applying the limita-
tions in paragraph (1)— 
‘‘(i) the Secretary shall enroll and maintain in 
the conservation reserve not fewer than 2,000,000 acres 
of the land described in subsection (b)(3) by September 
30, 2023; and 
‘‘(ii) in carrying out clause (i), to the maximum 
extent practicable, the Secretary shall maintain in the 
conservation reserve at any one time during— 
‘‘(I) fiscal year 2019, 1,000,000 acres; 
‘‘(II) fiscal year 2020, 1,500,000 acres; and 
‘‘(III) fiscal years 2021 through 2023, 2,000,000 
acres. 
‘‘(B) PRIORITY.—In enrolling acres under subparagraph 
(A), the Secretary may give priority to land, as determined 
by the Secretary— 
‘‘(i) with expiring conservation reserve contracts; 
‘‘(ii) at risk of conversion or development; or 
‘‘(iii) of ecological significance, including land 
that— 
‘‘(I) may assist in the restoration of threatened 
or endangered species under the Endangered Spe-
cies Act of 1973 (16 U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); 
‘‘(II) may assist in preventing a species from 
being listed as a threatened or endangered species 
under the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (16 
U.S.C. 1531 et seq.); or 
‘‘(III) improves or creates wildlife habitat cor-
ridors.’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (C)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘In enrolling’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—In enrolling’’; 
(ii) in clause (i) (as so designated), by striking 
‘‘a continuous’’ and inserting ‘‘an annual’’; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(ii) TIMING OF GRASSLAND RANKING PERIOD.—For 
purposes of grasslands described in subsection (b)(3), 
the Secretary shall announce at least 1 ranking period 
subsequent to the announcement of general enrollment 
offers.’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(D) RESERVATION OF UNENROLLED ACRES.—If the Sec-
retary is unable in a fiscal year to enroll enough acres 
of land described in subsection (b)(3) to meet the number 
of acres described in clause (ii) or (iii) of subparagraph 
(A) for the fiscal year— 
‘‘(i) the Secretary shall reserve the remaining 
number of acres for that fiscal year for the enrollment 
of land described in subsection (b)(3); and 
‘‘(ii) that number of acres shall not be available 
for the enrollment of any other type of eligible land.’’; 
and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) WATER QUALITY PRACTICES TO FOSTER CLEAN LAKES, 
ESTUARIES, AND RIVERS (CLEAR INITIATIVE).—
H. R. 2—44 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall give priority 
within continuous enrollment under paragraph (6) to the 
enrollment of land described in subsection (b)(4). 
‘‘(B) SEDIMENT AND NUTRIENT LOADINGS.—In carrying 
out subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall give priority 
to the implementation of practices on land that, if enrolled, 
will help reduce sediment loadings, nutrient loadings, and 
harmful algal blooms, as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(C) ACREAGE.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Of the acres maintained in the 
conservation reserve in accordance with paragraph (1), 
to the maximum extent practicable, not less than 40 
percent of acres enrolled in the conservation reserve 
using continuous enrollment under paragraph (6) shall 
be of land described in subsection (b)(4). 
‘‘(ii) LIMITATION.—The acres described in clause 
(i) shall not include grasslands described in subsection 
(b)(3). 
‘‘(D) REPORT.—The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(i) in the monthly publication of the Secretary 
describing conservation reserve program statistics, 
include a description of enrollments through the pri-
ority under this paragraph; and 
‘‘(ii) publish on the website of the Farm Service 
Agency an annual report describing a summary of, 
with respect to the enrollment priority under this para-
graph— 
‘‘(I) new enrollments; 
‘‘(II) expirations; 
‘‘(III) geographic distribution; and 
‘‘(IV) estimated water quality benefits. 
‘‘(4) STATE ENROLLMENT RATES.—At the beginning of each 
of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, to the maximum extent 
practicable, the Secretary shall allocate to the States propor-
tionately 60 percent of the available number of acres each 
year for enrollment in the conservation reserve, in accordance 
with historical State enrollment rates, taking into consider-
ation— 
‘‘(A) the average number of acres of all land enrolled 
in the conservation reserve in each State during each of 
fiscal years 2007 through 2016; 
‘‘(B) the average number of acres of all land enrolled 
in the conservation reserve nationally during each of fiscal 
years 2007 through 2016; and 
‘‘(C) the acres available for enrollment during each 
of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, excluding acres described 
in paragraph (2). 
‘‘(5) FREQUENCY.—In carrying out this subchapter, for con-
tracts that are not available on a continuous enrollment basis, 
the Secretary shall hold a signup and enrollment not less 
often than once each year. 
‘‘(6) CONTINUOUS ENROLLMENT PROCEDURE.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—To the maximum extent practicable, 
the Secretary shall allow producers to submit applications 
on a continuous basis for enrollment in— 
‘‘(i) the conservation reserve of—
H. R. 2—45 
‘‘(I) marginal pasture land described in sub-
section (b)(2); 
‘‘(II) land described in subsection (b)(4); and 
‘‘(III) cropland described in subsection (b)(5); 
and 
‘‘(ii) the conservation reserve enhancement pro-
gram under section 1231A. 
‘‘(B) LIMITATION.—For purposes of applying the limita-
tions in paragraph (1)— 
‘‘(i) the Secretary shall, to the maximum extent 
practicable, enroll and maintain not fewer than 
8,600,000 acres of land under subparagraph (A) by 
September 30, 2023; and 
‘‘(ii) in carrying out clause (i), to the maximum 
extent practicable, the Secretary shall maintain in the 
conservation reserve at any one time during— 
‘‘(I) fiscal year 2019, 8,000,000 acres; 
‘‘(II) fiscal year 2020, 8,250,000 acres; 
‘‘(III) fiscal year 2021, 8,500,000 acres; and 
‘‘(IV) fiscal years 2022 and 2023, 8,600,000 
acres.’’. 
(d) ELIGIBILITY FOR CONSIDERATION.—Section 1231(h) of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831(h)) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘On the expiration’’ and inserting the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—On the expiration’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) REENROLLMENT LIMITATION FOR CERTAIN LAND.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subparagraph 
(B), land subject to a contract entered into under this 
subchapter shall be eligible for only one reenrollment in 
the conservation reserve under paragraph (1) if the land 
is devoted to hardwood trees. 
‘‘(B) EXCLUSIONS.—Subparagraph (A) shall not apply 
to— 
‘‘(i) riparian forested buffers; 
‘‘(ii) forested wetlands enrolled under subsection 
(d)(3) or the conservation reserve enhancement pro-
gram under section 1231A; and 
‘‘(iii) shelterbelts.’’. 
SEC. 2202. CONSERVATION RESERVE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter B of chapter 1 of subtitle D 
of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 is amended by inserting 
after section 1231 (16 U.S.C. 3831) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 1231A. CONSERVATION RESERVE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) CREP.—The term ‘CREP’ means a conservation reserve 
enhancement program carried out under subsection (b)(1). 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE LAND.—The term ‘eligible land’ means land 
that is eligible to be included in the program established under 
this subchapter. 
‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE
PARTNER.—The term ‘eligible partner’ 
means— 
‘‘(A) a State; 
‘‘(B) a political subdivision of a State;
H. R. 2—46 
‘‘(C) an Indian tribe (as defined in section 4 of the 
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act 
(25 U.S.C. 5304)); or 
‘‘(D) a nongovernmental organization. 
‘‘(4) MANAGEMENT.—The term ‘management’ means an 
activity conducted by an owner or operator under a contract 
entered into under this subchapter after the establishment 
of a conservation practice on eligible land, to regularly maintain 
or enhance the vegetative cover established by the conservation 
practice— 
‘‘(A) throughout the term of the contract; and 
‘‘(B) consistent with the conservation plan that covers 
the eligible land. 
‘‘(b) AGREEMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may enter into an agree-
ment with an eligible partner to carry out a conservation 
reserve enhancement program— 
‘‘(A) to assist in enrolling eligible land in the program 
established under this subchapter; and 
‘‘(B) that the Secretary determines will advance the 
purposes of this subchapter. 
‘‘(2) CONTENTS.—An agreement entered into under para-
graph (1) shall— 
‘‘(A) describe— 
‘‘(i) 1 or more specific State or nationally significant 
conservation concerns to be addressed by the agree-
ment; 
‘‘(ii) 
quantifiable 
environmental 
goals 
for 
addressing the concerns under clause (i); 
‘‘(iii) a suitable acreage goal for enrollment of 
eligible land under the agreement, as determined by 
the Secretary; 
‘‘(iv) the location of eligible land to be enrolled 
in the project area identified under the agreement; 
‘‘(v) the payments to be offered by the Secretary 
and eligible partner to an owner or operator; and 
‘‘(vi) an appropriate list of conservation reserve 
program conservation practices that are appropriate 
to meeting the concerns described under clause (i), 
as determined by the Secretary in consultation with 
eligible partners; 
‘‘(B) subject to subparagraph (C), require the eligible 
partner to provide matching funds— 
‘‘(i) in an amount determined during a negotiation 
between the Secretary and 1 or more eligible partners, 
if the majority of the matching funds to carry out 
the agreement are provided by 1 or more eligible part-
ners that are not nongovernmental organizations; or 
‘‘(ii) in an amount not less than 30 percent of 
the cost required to carry out the conservation meas-
ures and practices described in the agreement, if a 
majority of the matching funds to carry out the agree-
ment are provided by 1 or more nongovernmental 
organizations; and 
‘‘(C) include procedures to allow for a temporary waiver 
of the matching requirements under subparagraph (B), or
H. R. 2—47 
continued enrollment with a temporary suspension of incen-
tives or eligible partner contributions for new agreements, 
during a period when an eligible partner loses the authority 
or ability to provide matching contributions, if the Sec-
retary determines that the temporary waiver or continued 
enrollment with a temporary suspension will advance the 
purposes of this subchapter. 
‘‘(3) EFFECT ON EXISTING AGREEMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subparagraph (B), an 
agreement under this subsection shall not affect, modify, 
or interfere with existing agreements under this sub-
chapter. 
‘‘(B) MODIFICATION
OF
EXISTING
AGREEMENTS.—To 
implement this section, the signatories to an agreement 
under this subsection may mutually agree to a modification 
of an agreement entered into before the date of enactment 
of this section under the Conservation Reserve Enhance-
ment Program established by the Secretary under this 
subchapter. 
‘‘(c) PAYMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) MATCHING
REQUIREMENT.—Funds provided by an 
eligible partner may be in cash, in-kind contributions, or tech-
nical assistance, as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(2) MARGINAL PASTURELAND COST-SHARE PAYMENTS.—The 
Secretary shall ensure that cost-share payments to an owner 
or operator to install stream fencing, crossings, and alternative 
water development on marginal pastureland under a CREP 
reflect the fair market value of the cost of installation. 
‘‘(3) COST-SHARE AND PRACTICE INCENTIVE PAYMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—On request of an owner or operator, 
the Secretary shall provide cost-share payments when a 
major component of a conservation practice is completed 
under a CREP, as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(B) EXEMPTION.—For purposes of implementing con-
servation practices on land enrolled under a CREP, the 
Secretary may waive the contribution limitation described 
in section 1234(b)(2)(A). 
‘‘(4) RIPARIAN BUFFER MANAGEMENT PAYMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In the case of an agreement under 
subsection (b)(1) that includes riparian buffers as an 
eligible practice, the Secretary shall make cost-share pay-
ments to encourage the regular management of the riparian 
buffer throughout the term of the agreement, consistent 
with the conservation plan that covers the eligible land. 
‘‘(B) LIMITATION.—The amount of payments received 
by an owner or operator under subparagraph (A) shall 
not be greater than 100 percent of the normal and cus-
tomary projected management cost, as determined by the 
Secretary, in consultation with the applicable State tech-
nical committee established under section 1261(a). 
‘‘(d) FORESTED RIPARIAN BUFFER PRACTICE.— 
‘‘(1) FOOD-PRODUCING WOODY PLANTS.—In the case of an 
agreement under subsection (b)(1) that includes forested 
riparian buffers as an eligible practice, the Secretary shall 
allow an owner or operator— 
‘‘(A) to plant food-producing woody plants in the for-
ested riparian buffers, on the conditions that—
H. R. 2—48 
‘‘(i) the plants shall contribute to the conservation 
of soil, water quality, and wildlife habitat; and 
‘‘(ii) the planting shall be consistent with— 
‘‘(I) recommendations of the applicable State 
technical committee established under section 
1261(a); and 
‘‘(II) 
technical 
guide 
standards 
of 
the 
applicable field office of the Natural Resources 
Conservation Service; and 
‘‘(B) to harvest from plants described in subparagraph 
(A), on the conditions that— 
‘‘(i) the harvesting shall not damage the conserving 
cover or otherwise have a negative impact on the con-
servation concerns targeted by the CREP; 
‘‘(ii) only native plant species appropriate to the 
region shall be used within 35 feet of the watercourse; 
and 
‘‘(iii) the producer shall be subject to a reduction 
in the rental rate commensurate to the value of the 
crop harvested. 
‘‘(2) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—For the purpose of enrolling 
forested riparian buffers in a CREP, the Administrator of the 
Farm Service Agency shall coordinate with the applicable State 
forestry agency. 
‘‘(e) DROUGHT AND WATER CONSERVATION AGREEMENTS.—In the 
case of an agreement under subsection (b)(1) to address regional 
drought concerns, in accordance with the conservation purposes 
of the CREP, the Secretary, in consultation with the applicable 
State technical committee established under section 1261(a), may— 
‘‘(1) notwithstanding subsection (a)(2), enroll other agricul-
tural land on which the resource concerns identified in the 
agreement can be addressed if the enrollment of the land is 
critical to the accomplishment of the purposes of the agreement; 
‘‘(2) permit dryland agricultural uses with the adoption 
of best management practices on enrolled land if the agreement 
involves the significant long-term reduction of consumptive 
water use and dryland production is compatible with the agree-
ment; and 
‘‘(3) calculate annual rental payments consistent with 
existing administrative practice for similar drought and water 
conservation agreements under this subtitle and ensure 
regional consistency in those rates. 
‘‘(f) STATUS REPORT.—Not later than 180 days after the end 
of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report 
that describes, with respect to each agreement entered into under 
subsection (b)(1)— 
‘‘(1) the status of the agreement; 
‘‘(2) the purposes and objectives of the agreement; 
‘‘(3) the Federal and eligible partner commitments made 
under the agreement; and 
‘‘(4) the progress made in fulfilling those commitments.’’. 
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) Section 1240R(c)(3) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839bb–5(c)(3)) is amended by striking ‘‘a special 
conservation reserve enhancement program described in section 
1234(f)(4)’’ and inserting ‘‘a conservation reserve enhancement 
program under section 1231A’’.
H. R. 2—49 
(2) Section 1244(f)(3) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3844(f)(3)) is amended by striking ‘‘subsection 
(d)(2)(A)(ii) or (g)(2) of section 1234’’ and inserting ‘‘section 
1231A’’. 
SEC. 2203. FARMABLE WETLAND PROGRAM. 
Section 1231B of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3831b) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘2023’’; and 
(2) in subsection (f)(2), by striking ‘‘1234(d)(2)(A)(ii)’’ and 
inserting ‘‘1234(d)’’. 
SEC. 2204. PILOT PROGRAMS. 
Subchapter B of chapter 1 of subtitle D of title XII of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 is amended by inserting after section 
1231B (16 U.S.C. 3831b) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 1231C. PILOT PROGRAMS. 
‘‘(a) CLEAR 30.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(A) ENROLLMENT.—The Secretary shall establish a 
pilot program to enroll land in the conservation reserve 
program through a 30-year conservation reserve contract 
(referred to in this subsection as a ‘CLEAR 30 contract’) 
in accordance with this subsection. 
‘‘(B) INCLUSION OF ACREAGE LIMITATION.—For purposes 
of applying the limitations in section 1231(d)(1), the Sec-
retary shall include acres of land enrolled under this sub-
section. 
‘‘(2) EXPIRED CONSERVATION CONTRACT ELECTION.— 
‘‘(A) DEFINITION OF COVERED CONTRACT.—In this para-
graph, the term ‘covered contract’ means a contract entered 
into under this subchapter that— 
‘‘(i) expires on or after the date of enactment of 
the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018; and 
‘‘(ii) covers land enrolled in the conservation 
reserve program under the clean lakes, estuaries, and 
rivers priority described in section 1231(d)(3) (or the 
predecessor practices that constitute the priority, as 
determined by the Secretary). 
‘‘(B) ELECTION.—On the expiration of a covered con-
tract, an owner or operator party to the covered contract 
shall elect— 
‘‘(i) not to reenroll the land under the contract; 
‘‘(ii) to offer to reenroll the land under the contract 
if the land remains eligible under the terms in effect 
as of the date of expiration; or 
‘‘(iii) not to reenroll the land under the contract 
and to enroll that land through a CLEAR 30 contract 
under this subsection. 
‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE LAND.—Only land that is subject to an expired 
covered contract shall be eligible for enrollment through a 
CLEAR 30 contract under this subsection. 
‘‘(4) TERM.—The term of a CLEAR 30 contract shall be 
30 years. 
‘‘(5) AGREEMENTS.—To be eligible to enroll land in the 
conservation reserve program through a CLEAR 30 contract,
H. R. 2—50 
the owner of the land shall enter into an agreement with 
the Secretary— 
‘‘(A) to implement a conservation reserve plan devel-
oped for the land; 
‘‘(B) to comply with the terms and conditions of the 
contract and any related agreements; and 
‘‘(C) to temporarily suspend the base history for the 
land covered by the contract. 
‘‘(6) TERMS
AND
CONDITIONS
OF
CLEAR
CONTRACTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A CLEAR 30 contract shall include 
terms and conditions that— 
‘‘(i) permit— 
‘‘(I) repairs, improvements, and inspections on 
the land that are necessary to maintain existing 
public drainage systems; and 
‘‘(II) owners to control public access on the 
land while identifying access routes to be used 
for restoration activities and management and con-
tract monitoring; 
‘‘(ii) prohibit— 
‘‘(I) the alteration of wildlife habitat and other 
natural features of the land, unless specifically 
authorized by the Secretary as part of the con-
servation reserve plan; 
‘‘(II) the spraying of the land with chemicals 
or the mowing of the land, except where the 
spraying or mowing is authorized by the Secretary 
or is necessary— 
‘‘(aa) to comply with Federal or State nox-
ious weed control laws; 
‘‘(bb) to comply with a Federal or State 
emergency pest treatment program; or 
‘‘(cc) to meet habitat needs of specific wild-
life species; 
‘‘(III) any activity to be carried out on the 
land of the owner or successor that is immediately 
adjacent to, and functionally related to, the land 
that is subject to the contract if the activity will 
alter, degrade, or otherwise diminish the func-
tional value of the land; and 
‘‘(IV) the adoption of any other practice that 
would tend to defeat the purposes of the conserva-
tion reserve program, as determined by the Sec-
retary; and 
‘‘(iii) include any additional provision that the Sec-
retary determines is appropriate to carry out this sec-
tion or facilitate the practical administration of this 
section. 
‘‘(B) VIOLATION.—On the violation of a term or condi-
tion of a CLEAR 30 contract, the Secretary may require 
the owner to refund all or part of any payments received 
by the owner under the conservation reserve program, with 
interest on the payments, as determined appropriate by 
the Secretary. 
‘‘(C) COMPATIBLE USES.—Land subject to a CLEAR 30 
contract may be used for compatible economic uses,
H. R. 2—51 
including hunting and fishing, managed timber harvest, 
or periodic haying or grazing, if the use— 
‘‘(i) is specifically permitted by the conservation 
reserve plan developed for the land; and 
‘‘(ii) is consistent with the long-term protection 
and enhancement of the conservation resources for 
which the contract was established. 
‘‘(7) COMPENSATION.— 
‘‘(A) AMOUNT OF PAYMENTS.—The Secretary shall pro-
vide payment under this subsection to an owner of land 
enrolled through a CLEAR 30 contract using 30 annual 
payments in an amount equal to the amount that would 
be used if the land were to be enrolled in the conservation 
reserve program under section 1231(d)(3). 
‘‘(B) FORM OF PAYMENT.—Compensation for a CLEAR 
30 contract shall be provided by the Secretary in the form 
of a cash payment in an amount determined under subpara-
graph (A). 
‘‘(C) TIMING.—The Secretary shall provide any annual 
payment obligation under subparagraph (A) as early as 
practicable in each fiscal year. 
‘‘(D) PAYMENTS TO OTHERS.—The Secretary shall make 
a payment, in accordance with regulations prescribed by 
the Secretary, in a manner as the Secretary determines 
is fair and reasonable under the circumstances, if an owner 
who is entitled to a payment under this section— 
‘‘(i) dies; 
‘‘(ii) becomes incompetent; 
‘‘(iii) is succeeded by another person or entity who 
renders or completes the required performance; or 
‘‘(iv) is otherwise unable to receive the payment. 
‘‘(8) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall assist owners 
in complying with the terms and conditions of a CLEAR 
30 contract. 
‘‘(B) CONTRACTS OR AGREEMENTS.—The Secretary may 
enter into 1 or more contracts with private entities or 
agreements with a State, nongovernmental organization, 
or Indian Tribe to carry out necessary maintenance of 
a CLEAR 30 contract if the Secretary determines that 
the contract or agreement will advance the purposes of 
the conservation reserve program. 
‘‘(9) ADMINISTRATION.— 
‘‘(A) CONSERVATION
RESERVE
PLAN.—The Secretary 
shall develop a conservation reserve plan for any land 
subject to a CLEAR 30 contract, which shall include prac-
tices and activities necessary to maintain, protect, and 
enhance the conservation value of the enrolled land. 
‘‘(B) DELEGATION OF CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION.— 
‘‘(i) FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL GOVERNMENT AGEN-
CIES.—The Secretary may delegate any of the manage-
ment, monitoring, and enforcement responsibilities of 
the Secretary under this subsection to other Federal, 
State, or local government agencies that have the 
appropriate authority, expertise, and resources nec-
essary to carry out those delegated responsibilities.
H. R. 2—52 
‘‘(ii) CONSERVATION
ORGANIZATIONS.—The Sec-
retary may delegate any management responsibilities 
of the Secretary under this subsection to conservation 
organizations if the Secretary determines the conserva-
tion organization has similar expertise and resources. 
‘‘(b) SOIL HEALTH AND INCOME PROTECTION PILOT PROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) DEFINITION OF ELIGIBLE LAND.—In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘eligible land’ means crop-
land that— 
‘‘(i) is selected by the owner or operator of the 
land for proposed enrollment in the pilot program 
under this subsection; and 
‘‘(ii) as determined by the Secretary— 
‘‘(I) is located within 1 or more States that 
are part of the prairie pothole region, as selected 
by the Secretary based on consultation with State 
Committees of the Farm Service Agency and State 
technical committees established under section 
1261(a) from that region; 
‘‘(II) had a cropping history or was considered 
to be planted during each of the 3 crop years 
preceding enrollment; and 
‘‘(III) is verified to be less-productive land, as 
compared to other land on the applicable farm. 
‘‘(B) EXCLUSION.—The term ‘eligible land’ does not 
include any land that was enrolled in a conservation 
reserve program contract in any of the 3 crop years pre-
ceding enrollment in the pilot program under this sub-
section. 
‘‘(2) ESTABLISHMENT.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall establish a vol-
untary soil health and income protection pilot program 
under which eligible land is enrolled through the use of 
contracts to assist owners and operators of eligible land 
to conserve and improve the soil, water, and wildlife 
resources of the eligible land. 
‘‘(B) DEADLINE FOR PARTICIPATION.—Eligible land may 
be enrolled in the program under this section through 
December 31, 2020. 
‘‘(3) CONTRACTS.— 
‘‘(A) REQUIREMENTS.—A contract described in para-
graph (2) shall— 
‘‘(i) be entered into by the Secretary, the owner 
of the eligible land, and (if applicable) the operator 
of the eligible land; and 
‘‘(ii) provide that, during the term of the contract— 
‘‘(I) the lowest practicable cost perennial con-
serving use cover crop for the eligible land, as 
determined by the applicable State conservationist 
after considering the advice of the applicable State 
technical committee, shall be planted on the 
eligible land; 
‘‘(II) except as provided in subparagraph (E), 
the owner or operator of the eligible land shall 
pay the cost of planting the conserving use cover 
crop under subclause (I);
H. R. 2—53 
‘‘(III) subject to subparagraph (F), the eligible 
land may be harvested for seed, hayed, or grazed 
outside the primary nesting season established for 
the applicable county; 
‘‘(IV) the eligible land may be eligible for a 
walk-in access program of the applicable State, 
if any; and 
‘‘(V) a nonprofit wildlife organization may pro-
vide to the owner or operator of the eligible land 
a payment in exchange for an agreement by the 
owner or operator not to harvest the conserving 
use cover. 
‘‘(B) PAYMENTS.—Except as provided in subparagraphs 
(E) and (F)(ii)(II), the annual rental rate for a payment 
under a contract described in paragraph (2) shall be equal 
to 50 percent of the average rental rate for the applicable 
county under section 1234(d), as determined by the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(C) LIMITATION ON ENROLLED LAND.—Not more than 
15 percent of the eligible land on a farm may be enrolled 
in the pilot program under this subsection. 
‘‘(D) TERM.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—Except as provided in clause 
(ii), each contract described in paragraph (2) shall be 
for a term of 3, 4, or 5 years, as determined by the 
parties to the contract. 
‘‘(ii) EARLY TERMINATION.— 
‘‘(I) SECRETARY.—The Secretary may termi-
nate a contract described in paragraph (2) before 
the end of the term described in clause (i) if the 
Secretary determines that the early termination 
of the contract is necessary. 
‘‘(II) OWNERS AND OPERATORS.—An owner and 
(if applicable) an operator of eligible land enrolled 
in the pilot program under this subsection may 
terminate a contract described in paragraph (2) 
before the end of the term described in clause 
(i) if the owner and (if applicable) the operator 
pay to the Secretary an amount equal to the 
amount of rental payments received under the con-
tract. 
‘‘(E) BEGINNING, LIMITED
RESOURCE, SOCIALLY
DIS-
ADVANTAGED, OR VETERAN FARMERS AND RANCHERS.—With 
respect to a beginning, limited resource, socially disadvan-
taged, or veteran farmer or rancher, as determined by 
the Secretary— 
‘‘(i) a contract described in paragraph (2) shall 
provide that, during the term of the contract, of the 
actual cost of establishment of the conserving use cover 
crop under subparagraph (A)(ii)(I)— 
‘‘(I) using the funds of the Commodity Credit 
Corporation, the Secretary shall pay 50 percent; 
and 
‘‘(II) the beginning, limited resource, socially 
disadvantaged, or veteran farmer or rancher shall 
pay 50 percent; and
H. R. 2—54 
‘‘(ii) the annual rental rate for a payment under 
a contract described in paragraph (2) shall be equal 
to 75 percent of the average rental rate for the 
applicable county under section 1234(d), as determined 
by the Secretary. 
‘‘(F) HARVESTING, 
HAYING, 
AND
GRAZING
OUTSIDE 
APPLICABLE PERIOD.—The harvesting for seed, haying, or 
grazing of eligible land under subparagraph (A)(ii)(III) out-
side of the primary nesting season established for the 
applicable county shall be subject to the conditions that— 
‘‘(i) with respect to eligible land that is so hayed 
or grazed, adequate stubble height shall be maintained 
to protect the soil on the eligible land, as determined 
by the applicable State conservationist after consid-
ering the advice of the applicable State technical com-
mittee; and 
‘‘(ii) with respect to eligible land that is so har-
vested for seed— 
‘‘(I) the eligible land shall not be eligible to 
be insured or reinsured under the Federal Crop 
Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq.); and 
‘‘(II) the rental payment otherwise applicable 
to the eligible land under this subsection shall 
be reduced by 25 percent. 
‘‘(4) ACREAGE LIMITATION.—Of the number of acres avail-
able for enrollment in the conservation reserve under section 
1231(d)(1), not more than 50,000 total acres of eligible land 
may be enrolled under the pilot program under this subsection. 
‘‘(5) REPORT.—The Secretary shall submit to the Committee 
on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate 
an annual report describing the eligible land enrolled in the 
pilot program under this subsection, including— 
‘‘(A) the estimated conservation value of the land; and 
‘‘(B) estimated savings from reduced commodity pay-
ments, crop insurance indemnities, and crop insurance pre-
mium subsidies.’’. 
SEC. 2205. DUTIES OF OWNERS AND OPERATORS. 
Section 1232(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3832(a)) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (10) and (11) as paragraphs 
(11) and (12), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after paragraph (9) the following: 
‘‘(10) on land devoted to hardwood or other trees, excluding 
windbreaks and shelterbelts, to carry out proper thinning and 
other practices— 
‘‘(A) to enhance the conservation benefits and wildlife 
habitat resources addressed by the conservation practice 
under which the land is enrolled; and 
‘‘(B) to promote forest management;’’. 
SEC. 2206. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY. 
(a) COST-SHARE AND RENTAL PAYMENTS.—Section 1233(a) of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3833(a)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘, including the cost 
of fencing and other water distribution practices, if applicable’’ 
after ‘‘interest’’; and
H. R. 2—55 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
striking ‘‘in an amount necessary to compensate’’ and 
inserting ‘‘, in accordance with section 1234(d),’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (A)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘, marginal pastureland,’’ after 
‘‘cropland’’; and 
(ii) by adding ‘‘or’’ at the end; 
(C) by striking subparagraph (B); and 
(D) by redesignating subparagraph (C) as subpara-
graph (B). 
(b) SPECIFIED ACTIVITIES PERMITTED.—Section 1233 of the Food 
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3833) is amended by striking 
subsection (b) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(b) SPECIFIED ACTIVITIES PERMITTED.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in coordination with the 
applicable State technical committee established under section 
1261(a), shall permit certain activities or commercial uses of 
established cover on land that is subject to a contract under 
the conservation reserve program if— 
‘‘(A) those activities or uses— 
‘‘(i) are consistent with the conservation of soil, 
water quality, and wildlife habitat; 
‘‘(ii) are subject to appropriate restrictions during 
the primary nesting season for birds in the local area 
that are economically significant, in significant decline, 
or conserved in accordance with Federal or State law; 
‘‘(iii) contribute to the health and vigor of the 
established cover; and 
‘‘(iv) are consistent with a site-specific plan, 
including 
vegetative 
management 
requirements, 
stocking rates, and frequency and duration of activity, 
taking into consideration regional differences, such as 
climate, soil type, and natural resources; and 
‘‘(B) the Secretary, in coordination with the State tech-
nical committee, includes contract modifications— 
‘‘(i) without any reduction in the rental rate for— 
‘‘(I) emergency haying, emergency grazing, or 
other emergency use of the forage in response to 
a localized or regional drought, flooding, wildfire, 
or other emergency, on all practices, outside the 
primary nesting season, when— 
‘‘(aa) the county is designated as D2 
(severe drought) or greater according to the 
United States Drought Monitor; 
‘‘(bb) there is at least a 40 percent loss 
in forage production in the county; or 
‘‘(cc) the Secretary, in coordination with 
the State technical committee, determines that 
the program can assist in the response to a 
natural disaster event without permanent 
damage to the established cover; 
‘‘(II) emergency grazing on all practices during 
the primary nesting season if payments are 
authorized for a county under the livestock forage 
disaster program under clause (ii) of section 
1501(c)(3)(D) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7
H. R. 2—56 
U.S.C. 9081(c)(3)(D)), at 50 percent of the normal 
carrying capacity determined under clause (i) of 
that section, adjusted to the site-specific plan; 
‘‘(III) emergency haying on certain practices, 
outside the primary nesting season, if payments 
are authorized for a county under the livestock 
forage disaster program under clause (ii) of section 
1501(c)(3)(D) of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 
U.S.C. 9081(c)(3)(D)), on not more than 50 percent 
of contract acres, as identified in the site-specific 
plan; 
‘‘(IV) grazing of all practices, outside the pri-
mary nesting season, if included as a mid-contract 
management practice under section 1232(a)(5); 
‘‘(V) the intermittent and seasonal use of vege-
tative buffer established under paragraphs (4) and 
(5) of section 1231(b) that are incidental to agricul-
tural production on land adjacent to the buffer 
such that the permitted use— 
‘‘(aa) does not destroy the permanent vege-
tative cover; and 
‘‘(bb) retains suitable vegetative structure 
for wildlife cover and shelter outside the pri-
mary nesting season; or 
‘‘(VI) grazing on all practices, outside the pri-
mary nesting season, if conducted by a beginning 
farmer or rancher; or 
‘‘(ii) with a 25 percent reduction in the annual 
rental rate for the acres covered by the authorized 
activity, including— 
‘‘(I) grazing not more frequently than every 
other year on the same land, except that during 
the primary nesting season, grazing shall be sub-
ject to a 50 percent reduction in the stocking rate 
specified in the site-specific plan; 
‘‘(II) grazing of all practices during the primary 
nesting season, with a 50 percent reduction in 
the stocking rate specified in the site-specific plan; 
‘‘(III) haying and other commercial use 
(including the managed harvesting of biomass and 
excluding the harvesting of vegetative cover), on 
the condition that the activity— 
‘‘(aa) is completed outside the primary 
nesting season; 
‘‘(bb) occurs not more than once every 3 
years; and 
‘‘(cc) maintains 25 percent of the total con-
tract acres unharvested, in accordance with 
a site-specific plan that provides for wildlife 
cover and shelter; 
‘‘(IV) annual grazing outside the primary 
nesting season if consistent with a site-specific 
plan that is authorized for the control of invasive 
species; and 
‘‘(V) the installation of wind turbines and asso-
ciated access, except that in permitting the 
installation of wind turbines, the Secretary shall
H. R. 2—57 
determine the number and location of wind tur-
bines that may be installed, taking into account— 
‘‘(aa) the location, size, and other physical 
characteristics of the land; 
‘‘(bb) the extent to which the land contains 
threatened or endangered wildlife and wildlife 
habitat; and 
‘‘(cc) the purposes of the conservation 
reserve program under this subchapter. 
‘‘(2) CONDITIONS ON HAYING AND GRAZING.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may permit haying 
or grazing in accordance with paragraph (1) on any land 
or practice subject to a contract under the conservation 
reserve program. 
‘‘(B) EXCEPTIONS.— 
‘‘(i) DAMAGE
TO
VEGETATIVE
COVER.—Haying or 
grazing described in paragraph (1) shall not be per-
mitted on land subject to a contract under the conserva-
tion reserve program, or under a particular practice, 
if haying or grazing for that year under that practice, 
as applicable, would cause long-term damage to vegeta-
tive cover on that land. 
‘‘(ii) SPECIAL AGREEMENTS.— 
‘‘(I) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in sub-
clause (II), haying or grazing described in para-
graph (1) shall not be permitted on— 
‘‘(aa) land covered by a contract enrolled 
under the State acres for wildlife enhancement 
program established by the Secretary; or 
‘‘(bb) land covered by a contract enrolled 
under a conservation reserve enhancement 
program established under section 1231A or 
the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Pro-
gram established by the Secretary under this 
subchapter. 
‘‘(II) EXCEPTION.—Subclause (I) shall not apply 
to land on which haying or grazing is specifically 
permitted 
under 
the 
applicable 
conservation 
reserve enhancement program agreement or other 
partnership agreement entered into under this 
subchapter.’’. 
(c) NATURAL DISASTER OR ADVERSE WEATHER AS MID-CONTRACT 
MANAGEMENT.—Section 1233 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3833) is amended by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(e) NATURAL DISASTER OR ADVERSE WEATHER AS MID-CON-
TRACT MANAGEMENT.—In the case of a natural disaster or adverse 
weather event that has the effect of a management practice con-
sistent with the conservation plan, the Secretary shall not require 
further management practices pursuant to section 1232(a)(5) that 
are intended to achieve the same effect.’’. 
SEC. 2207. PAYMENTS. 
(a) COST SHARING PAYMENTS.—Section 1234(b) of the Food 
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3834(b)) is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraphs (2) through (4) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(2) LIMITATIONS.—
H. R. 2—58 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall ensure, to the 
maximum extent practicable, that cost sharing payments 
to an owner or operator under this subchapter, when com-
bined with the sum of payments from all other funding 
sources for measures and practices described in paragraph 
(1), do not exceed 100 percent of the total actual cost 
of establishing those measures and practices, as determined 
by the Secretary. 
‘‘(B) MID-CONTRACT MANAGEMENT GRAZING.—The Sec-
retary may not make any cost sharing payment to an 
owner or operator under this subchapter pursuant to sec-
tion 1232(a)(5). 
‘‘(C) SEED
COST.—In the case of seed costs related 
to the establishment of cover, cost sharing payments under 
this subchapter shall not exceed 50 percent of the actual 
cost of the seed mixture, as determined by the Secretary.’’; 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (3); 
(3) in paragraph (3) (as so redesignated), by striking ‘‘An 
owner’’ and inserting ‘‘Except in the case of incentive payments 
that are related to the cost of the establishment of a practice 
and received from eligible partners under the conservation 
reserve enhancement program under section 1231A, an owner’’; 
and 
(4) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) PRACTICE INCENTIVES FOR CONTINUOUS PRACTICES.— 
In addition to the cost sharing payment described in this sub-
section, the Secretary shall make an incentive payment to 
an owner or operator of land enrolled under section 1231(d)(6) 
in an amount not to exceed 50 percent of the actual cost 
of establishing all measures and practices described in para-
graph (1), including seed costs related to the establishment 
of cover, as determined by the Secretary.’’. 
(b) INCENTIVE PAYMENTS.—Section 1234(c) of the Food Security 
Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3834(c)) is amended— 
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ‘‘INCENTIVE’’ and 
inserting ‘‘FOREST MANAGEMENT INCENTIVE’’; 
(2) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘The Secretary’’ and 
inserting 
‘‘Using 
funds 
made 
available 
under 
section 
1241(a)(1)(A), the Secretary’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘150 percent’’ and inserting 
‘‘100 percent’’. 
(c) ANNUAL RENTAL PAYMENTS.—Section 1234(d) of the Food 
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3834(d)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘the Secretary may consider, among 
other things, the amount’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘the 
Secretary shall consider— 
‘‘(A) the amount’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (A) (as so designated), by striking 
the period at the end and inserting a semicolon; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(B) the impact on the local farmland rental market; 
and 
‘‘(C) such other factors as the Secretary determines 
to be appropriate.’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A)—
H. R. 2—59 
(i) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘; or’’ and inserting 
a period; 
(ii) by striking clause (ii); and 
(iii) by striking ‘‘determined through—’’ in the 
matter preceding clause (i) and all that follows through 
‘‘the submission of bids’’ in clause (i) and inserting 
‘‘determined through the submission of applications’’; 
(B) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subpara-
graph (C); 
(C) by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following: 
‘‘(B) MULTIPLE ENROLLMENTS.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to clause (ii), if land 
subject to a contract entered into under this subchapter 
is reenrolled under section 1231(h)(1) or has been pre-
viously enrolled in the conservation reserve, the annual 
rental payment shall be in an amount that is not 
more than 85 percent in the case of general enrollment 
contacts, or 90 percent in the case of continuous enroll-
ment contracts, of the applicable estimated average 
county rental rate published pursuant to paragraph 
(4) for the year in which the reenrollment occurs. 
‘‘(ii) CONSERVATION RESERVE ENHANCEMENT PRO-
GRAM.—The reduction in annual rental payments 
under clause (i) may be waived as part of the negotia-
tion between the Secretary and an eligible partner 
to enter into a conservation reserve enhancement pro-
gram agreement under section 1231A.’’; 
(D) in subparagraph (C) (as so redesignated), by 
striking ‘‘In the case’’ and inserting ‘‘Notwithstanding 
subparagraph (A), in the case’’; and 
(E) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(D) CONTINUOUS SIGN-UP INCENTIVES.—The Secretary 
shall make an incentive payment to the owner or operator 
of land enrolled under section 1231(d)(6) at the time of 
initial enrollment in an amount equal to 32.5 percent of 
the amount of the first annual rental payment under 
subparagraph (A).’’; 
(3) by striking paragraph (4); 
(4) by redesignating paragraph (5) as paragraph (4); and 
(5) in paragraph (4) (as so redesignated)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘, not less frequently than once 
every other year,’’ and inserting ‘‘annually’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘, and shall publish the estimates 
derived from the survey not later than September 15 
of each year’’ before the period at the end; 
(B) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘and the average 
current and previous soil rental rates for each county’’ 
after ‘‘subparagraph (A)’’; 
(C) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘may use’’ and 
inserting ‘‘shall consider’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(D) SUBMISSION OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BY STATE 
FSA OFFICES AND CREP PARTNERS.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide an 
opportunity for State Committees of the Farm Service 
Agency or eligible partners (as defined in section
H. R. 2—60 
1231A(a)) in conservation reserve enhancement pro-
grams under section 1231A to propose an alternative 
soil rental rate prior to finalizing new rates, on the 
condition that documentation described in clause (ii) 
is provided to support the proposed alternative. 
‘‘(ii) ACCEPTABLE
DOCUMENTATION.—Documenta-
tion referred to in clause (i) includes— 
‘‘(I) an average of cash rents from a random 
sample of lease agreements; 
‘‘(II) cash rent estimates from a published 
survey; 
‘‘(III) neighboring county estimate comparisons 
from the National Agricultural Statistics Service; 
‘‘(IV) an average of cash rents from Farm 
Service Agency farm business plans; 
‘‘(V) models that estimate cash rents, such 
as models that use returns to estimate crop produc-
tion or land value data; or 
‘‘(VI) other documentation, as determined by 
the Secretary. 
‘‘(iii) NOTIFICATION.—Not less than 14 days prior 
to the announcement of new or revised soil rental 
rates, the Secretary shall offer a briefing to the Chair-
man and Ranking Member of the Committee on Agri-
culture of the House of Representatives and the Chair-
man and Ranking Member of the Committee on Agri-
culture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate, 
including information on and the rationale for the 
alternative rates proposed under clause (i) that were 
accepted or rejected. 
‘‘(E) RENTAL RATE LIMITATION.—Notwithstanding forest 
management incentive payments described in subsection 
(c), the county average soil rental rate (before any adjust-
ments relating to specific practices, wellhead protection, 
or soil productivity) shall not exceed— 
‘‘(i) 85 percent of the estimated rental rate deter-
mined under this paragraph for general enrollment; 
or 
‘‘(ii) 90 percent of the estimated rental rate deter-
mined under this paragraph for continuous enroll-
ment.’’. 
(d) PAYMENT
LIMITATION
FOR
RENTAL
PAYMENTS.—Section 
1234(g) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3834(g)) is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘The total’’ and inserting 
‘‘Except as provided in paragraph (2), the total’’; and 
(2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(2) WELLHEAD
PROTECTION.—Paragraph (1) and section 
1001D(b) shall not apply to rental payments received by a 
rural water district or association for land that is enrolled 
under this subchapter for the purpose of protecting a wellhead.’’. 
SEC. 2208. CONTRACTS. 
(a) TRANSITION OPTION FOR CERTAIN FARMERS OR RANCHERS.— 
Section 1235(f) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3835(f)) 
is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)—
H. R. 2—61 
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
striking ‘‘retired farmer or rancher’’ and inserting ‘‘contract 
holder’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘retired or retiring owner or operator’’ 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘contract holder’’; 
(C) in subparagraph (A), in the matter preceding clause 
(i), by striking ‘‘1 year’’ and inserting ‘‘2 years’’; 
(D) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘, including a 
lease with a term of less than 5 years and an option 
to purchase’’ after ‘‘option to purchase’’; 
(E) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and 
inserting a semicolon; 
(F) by redesignating subparagraph (E) as subparagraph 
(F); and 
(G) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following: 
‘‘(E) give priority to the enrollment of the land covered 
by the contract in— 
‘‘(i) the environmental quality incentives program 
established under subchapter A of chapter 4; 
‘‘(ii) the conservation stewardship program estab-
lished under subchapter B of chapter 4; or 
‘‘(iii) the agricultural conservation easement pro-
gram established under subtitle H; and’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
striking ‘‘The Secretary’’ and inserting ‘‘To the extent that 
the maximum number of acres permitted to be enrolled 
under the conservation reserve program has not been met, 
the Secretary’’; and 
(B) by striking subparagraph (A) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(A)(i) is carried out on land described in paragraph 
(4) or (5) of section 1231(b); and 
‘‘(ii) is eligible for continuous enrollment under section 
1231(d)(6); and’’. 
(b) END
OF CONTRACT CONSIDERATIONS.—Section 1235(g) of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3835(g)) is amended 
to read as follows: 
‘‘(g) END OF CONTRACT CONSIDERATIONS.—The Secretary shall 
not consider an owner or operator to be in violation of a term 
or condition of the conservation reserve contract if— 
‘‘(1) during the year prior to expiration of the contract, 
the owner or operator— 
‘‘(A)(i) enters into a contract under the environmental 
quality incentives program established under subchapter 
A of chapter 4; and 
‘‘(ii) begins the establishment of a practice under that 
contract; or 
‘‘(B)(i) enters into a contract under the conservation 
stewardship program established under subchapter B of 
chapter 4; and 
‘‘(ii) begins the establishment of a practice under that 
contract; or 
‘‘(2) during the 3 years prior to the expiration of the con-
tract, the owner or operator begins the certification process 
under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 
6501 et seq.).’’.
H. R. 2—62 
SEC. 2209. ELIGIBLE LAND; STATE LAW REQUIREMENTS. 
The Secretary shall revise paragraph (4) of section 1410.6(d) 
of title 7, Code of Federal Regulations, to provide that land enrolled 
under a Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program agreement 
initially established before January 1, 2014 (including an amended 
or successor Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program agree-
ment, as determined by the Secretary), shall not be ineligible for 
enrollment in the conservation reserve program established under 
subchapter B of chapter 1 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food 
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831 et seq.) under that paragraph 
if the Deputy Administrator (as defined in section 1410.2(b) of 
title 7, Code of Federal Regulations (or successor regulations)), 
on recommendation from and in consultation with the applicable 
State technical committee established under section 1261(a) of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3861(a)) determines, under 
such terms and conditions as the Deputy Administrator, in consulta-
tion with the State technical committee, determines to be appro-
priate, that making that land eligible for enrollment in that program 
is not contrary to the purposes of that program. 
Subtitle C—Environmental Quality Incen-
tives Program and Conservation Stew-
ardship Program 
SEC. 2301. REPEAL OF CONSERVATION PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa et seq.) is amended— 
(1) by striking the chapter designation and heading and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘CHAPTER 4—ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES 
PROGRAM AND CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PRO-
GRAM 
‘‘Subchapter A—Environmental Quality Incentives 
Program’’; and 
(2) by inserting after section 1240H the following: 
‘‘Subchapter B—Conservation Stewardship Program’’. 
(b) CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM.—Subchapter B of 
chapter 2 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 
1985 (16 U.S.C. 3838d et seq.) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating sections 1238D through 1238G as sec-
tions 1240I through 1240L, respectively; and 
(2) by moving sections 1240I through 1240L (as so redesig-
nated) so as to appear after the subchapter heading for sub-
chapter B of chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of that Act 
(as added by subsection (a)(2)). 
(c) REPEAL.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Chapter 2 of subtitle D of title XII of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3838 et seq.) (as 
amended by subsection (b)) is repealed.
H. R. 2—63 
(2) TERMINATION
OF
CONSERVATION
STEWARDSHIP
PRO-
GRAM.—Effective on the date of enactment of this Act, the 
conservation stewardship program under subchapter B of 
chapter 2 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act 
of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3838d et seq.) (as in effect on the day 
before the date of enactment of this Act) shall cease to be 
effective. 
(3) TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS.— 
(A) EFFECT
ON
EXISTING
CONTRACTS
AND
AGREE-
MENTS.—The cessation of effectiveness under paragraph 
(2) shall not affect— 
(i) the validity or terms of any contract entered 
into by the Secretary under subchapter B of chapter 
2 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act 
of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3838d et seq.) before the date of 
enactment of this Act, or any payments, modifications, 
or technical assistance required to be made in connec-
tion with the contract; or 
(ii) subject to subparagraph (D), any agreement 
entered into by the Secretary under the regional con-
servation partnership program under subtitle I of title 
XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3871 
et seq.) on or before September 30, 2018, under which 
conservation stewardship program acres and associated 
funding have been allocated to the agreement for the 
purpose of entering into a contract under subchapter 
B of chapter 2 of subtitle D of title XII of that Act 
(16 U.S.C. 3838d et seq.) (as in effect on the day 
before the date of enactment of this Act). 
(B) EXTENSION
PERMITTED.—Notwithstanding para-
graph (2), the Secretary may extend for 1 year a contract 
described in subparagraph (A)(i) if that contract expires 
on or before December 31, 2019, under the terms and 
payment rate of the existing contract and in accordance 
with subchapter B of chapter 2 of subtitle D of title XII 
of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3838d et seq.) 
(as in effect on the day before the date of enactment of 
this Act). 
(C) RENEWAL NOT PERMITTED.— 
(i) IN
GENERAL.—Notwithstanding subparagraph 
(A), and subject to clause (ii), the Secretary may not 
renew a contract or agreement described in that 
subparagraph. 
(ii) EXCEPTION.—The Secretary may renew a con-
tract described in subparagraph (A)(i)— 
(I) if that contract expires on or after 
December 31, 2019; 
(II) under the terms of the conservation 
stewardship program under subchapter B of 
chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food 
Security Act of 1985 (as added by subsections (a)(2) 
and (b)); and 
(III) subject to the limitation on funding for 
that subchapter under section 1241 of the Food 
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841). 
(D) RCPP CONTRACTS.—
H. R. 2—64 
(i) TREATMENT OF ACREAGE.—In the case of an 
agreement described in subparagraph (A)(ii), the Sec-
retary may provide an amount of funding that is 
equivalent to the value of any acres covered by the 
agreement. 
(ii) FUNDS AND ACRES NOT OBLIGATED.—In the case 
of an agreement described in subparagraph (A)(ii) to 
which program acres and associated funding have been 
allocated but not yet obligated to enter into a contract 
under subchapter B of chapter 2 of subtitle D of title 
XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3838d 
et seq.) (as in effect on the day before the date of 
enactment of this Act)— 
(I) the Secretary shall modify the agreement 
to authorize the entrance into a contract under 
subchapter B of chapter 4 of subtitle D of title 
XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (as added 
by subsections (a)(2) and (b)); and 
(II) the funds associated with the conservation 
stewardship program acres allocated under that 
agreement, on modification under subclause (I), 
may be used to enter into conservation stewardship 
program contracts with producers under sub-
chapter B of chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII 
of the Food Security Act of 1985 (as added by 
subsections (a)(2) and (b)). 
(4) CONTRACT
ADMINISTRATION.—Subject to paragraphs 
(3)(C) and (3)(D)(ii)(II), the Secretary shall administer each 
contract and agreement described in clauses (i) and (ii) of 
paragraph (3)(A) until the expiration of the contract or agree-
ment in accordance with the regulations to carry out the con-
servation stewardship program under subchapter B of chapter 
2 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3838d et seq.) (as in effect on the day before the 
date of enactment of this Act) that are in effect on the day 
before that date of enactment. 
(5) FUNDING.—Notwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (2), any 
funds made available from the Commodity Credit Corporation 
under section 1241(a)(4) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3841(a)(4)) for fiscal years 2014 through 2018 shall 
be available to carry out— 
(A) any contract or agreement described in paragraph 
(3)(A)(i) for fiscal year 2019; 
(B) any contract or agreement described in paragraph 
(3)(A)(ii); 
(C) any contract extended under paragraph (3)(B); and 
(D) any contract or agreement under subchapter B 
of chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security 
Act of 1985 (as added by subsections (a)(2) and (b)). 
(d) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.— 
(1) FOOD SECURITY ACT OF 1985.— 
(A) Section 1211(a)(3)(A) of the Food Security Act of 
1985 (16 U.S.C. 3811(a)(3)(A)) is amended by inserting 
‘‘subchapter A of’’ before ‘‘chapter 4’’. 
(B) Section 1221(b)(3)(A) of the Food Security Act of 
1985 (16 U.S.C. 3821(b)(3)(A)) is amended by inserting 
‘‘subchapter A of’’ before ‘‘chapter 4’’.
H. R. 2—65 
(C) Section 1240J(b)(1) of the Food Security Act of 
1985 (as redesignated by subsection (b)(1)) is amended 
by striking subparagraph (C). 
(D) Section 1240 of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa) is amended in the matter preceding 
paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘chapter’’ and inserting ‘‘sub-
chapter’’. 
(E) Section 1240A of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa–1) is amended by striking ‘‘chapter’’ 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘subchapter’’. 
(F) Section 1240B(i)(2)(B) of the Food Security Act 
of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(i)(2)(B)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘chapter’’ and inserting ‘‘subchapter’’. 
(G) Section 1240C(b) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa–3(b)) is amended in the matter preceding 
paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘chapter’’ and inserting ‘‘sub-
chapter’’. 
(H) Section 1240E(b)(2) of the Food Security Act of 
1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–5(b)(2)) is amended by striking 
‘‘chapter’’ and inserting ‘‘subchapter’’. 
(I) Section 1240G of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa–7) is amended by striking ‘‘chapter’’ 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘subchapter’’. 
(J) Section 1240H of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa–8) is amended by striking ‘‘chapter’’ 
each place it appears and inserting ‘‘subchapter’’. 
(K) Section 1244(c)(3) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3844(c)(3)) is amended by inserting ‘‘subchapter 
A of’’ before ‘‘chapter 4’’. 
(L) Section 1244(l) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3844(l)) is amended— 
(i) by striking ‘‘chapter 2’’ and inserting ‘‘chapter 
4’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘subchapter A of’’ after ‘‘incentives 
program under’’. 
(2) OTHER LAWS.— 
(A) Section 344(f)(8) of the Agricultural Adjustment 
Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1344(f)(8)) is amended by inserting 
‘‘subchapter A of’’ before ‘‘chapter 4’’. 
(B) Section 377 of the Agricultural Adjustment Act 
of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 1377) is amended by inserting ‘‘subchapter 
A of’’ before ‘‘chapter 4’’. 
(C) Paragraph (1) of the last proviso of the matter 
under the heading ‘‘CONSERVATION
RESERVE
PROGRAM’’ 
under the heading ‘‘SOIL BANK PROGRAMS’’ of title I of 
the Department of Agriculture and Farm Credit Adminis-
tration Appropriation Act, 1959 (7 U.S.C. 1831a), is 
amended by inserting ‘‘subchapter A of’’ before ‘‘chapter 
4’’. 
(D) Section 8(b)(1) of the Soil Conservation and 
Domestic Allotment Act (16 U.S.C. 590h(b)(1)) is amended 
by inserting ‘‘subchapter A of’’ before ‘‘chapter 4’’. 
(E) Section 1271(c)(3)(C) of the Food, Agriculture, Con-
servation, and Trade Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 2106a(c)(3)(C)) 
is amended by inserting ‘‘subchapter A of’’ before ‘‘chapter 
4’’.
H. R. 2—66 
(F) Section 304(a)(1) of the Lake Champlain Special 
Designation Act of 1990 (33 U.S.C. 1270 note; Public Law 
101–596) is amended by inserting ‘‘subchapter A of’’ before 
‘‘chapter 4’’. 
(G) Section 202(c) of the Colorado River Basin Salinity 
Control Act (43 U.S.C. 1592(c)) is amended by inserting 
‘‘subchapter A of’’ before ‘‘chapter 4’’. 
SEC. 2302. PURPOSES OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PRO-
GRAM. 
Section 1240 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa) 
is amended by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(4) assisting producers to make beneficial, cost-effective 
changes to production systems, including addressing identified, 
new, or expected resource concerns related to organic produc-
tion, grazing management, fuels management, forest manage-
ment, nutrient management associated with crops and live-
stock, pest management, irrigation management, adapting to, 
and mitigating against, increasing weather volatility, drought 
resiliency measures, or other practices on agricultural and for-
ested land.’’. 
SEC. 2303. DEFINITIONS UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCEN-
TIVES PROGRAM. 
Section 1240A of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3839aa–1) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2), (3), (4) and (5) 
as paragraphs (2), (4), (5), (6), and (8), respectively; 
(2) by inserting before paragraph (2) (as so redesignated) 
the following: 
‘‘(1) CONSERVATION PLANNING ASSESSMENT.—The term ‘con-
servation planning assessment’ means a report, as determined 
by the Secretary, that— 
‘‘(A) is developed by— 
‘‘(i) a State or unit of local government (including 
a conservation district); 
‘‘(ii) a Federal agency; or 
‘‘(iii) a third-party provider certified under section 
1242(e) (including a certified rangeland professional); 
‘‘(B) assesses rangeland or cropland function and 
describes conservation activities to enhance the economic 
and ecological management of that land; and 
‘‘(C) can be incorporated into a comprehensive planning 
document required by the Secretary for enrollment in a 
conservation program of the Department of Agriculture.’’; 
(3) in paragraph (2) (as so redesignated), in subparagraph 
(B)(vi)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘environmentally sensitive areas,’’ 
after ‘‘marshes,’’; and 
(B) by inserting ‘‘identified or expected’’ before 
‘‘resource concerns’’; 
(4) by inserting after paragraph (2) (as so redesignated) 
the following: 
‘‘(3) INCENTIVE
PRACTICE.—The term ‘incentive practice’ 
means a practice or set of practices approved by the Secretary 
that, when implemented and maintained on eligible land, 
address 1 or more priority resource concerns.’’; 
(5) in paragraph (6) (as so redesignated)—
H. R. 2—67 
(A) in subparagraph (A)— 
(i) in clause (iv), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(ii) by redesignating clause (v) as clause (vii); and 
(iii) by inserting after clause (iv) the following: 
‘‘(v) soil testing; 
‘‘(vi) soil remediation to be carried out by the pro-
ducer; and’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (B)— 
(i) in clause (i), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(ii) by redesignating clause (ii) as clause (vi); and 
(iii) by inserting after clause (i) the following: 
‘‘(ii) planning for resource-conserving crop rota-
tions (as defined in section 1240L(d)(1)); 
‘‘(iii) soil health planning, including increasing soil 
organic matter and the use of cover crops; 
‘‘(iv) a conservation planning assessment; 
‘‘(v) precision conservation management planning; 
and’’; 
(6) by inserting after paragraph (6) (as so redesignated) 
the following: 
‘‘(7) PRIORITY
RESOURCE
CONCERN.—The term ‘priority 
resource concern’ means a natural resource concern or problem, 
as determined by the Secretary, that— 
‘‘(A) is identified at the national, State, or local level 
as a priority for a particular area of a State; and 
‘‘(B) represents a significant concern in a State or 
region.’’; and 
(7) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(9) SOIL REMEDIATION.—The term ‘soil remediation’ means 
scientifically based practices that— 
‘‘(A) ensure the safety of producers from contaminants 
in soil; 
‘‘(B) limit contaminants in soil from entering agricul-
tural products for human or animal consumption; and 
‘‘(C) regenerate and sustain the soil. 
‘‘(10) SOIL
TESTING.—The term ‘soil testing’ means the 
evaluation of soil health, including testing for— 
‘‘(A) the optimal level of constituents in the soil, such 
as organic matter, nutrients, and the potential presence 
of soil contaminants, including heavy metals, volatile 
organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or 
other contaminants; and 
‘‘(B) the biological and physical characteristics indic-
ative of proper soil functioning.’’. 
SEC. 2304. ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION OF ENVIRON-
MENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Section 1240B(a) of the Food Security 
Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(a)) is amended by striking ‘‘2019’’ 
and inserting ‘‘2023’’. 
(b) PAYMENTS.—Section 1240B(d) of the Food Security Act of 
1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(d)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (4)(B)— 
(A) in clause (i)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘Not more than’’ and inserting ‘‘On 
an election by a producer described in subparagraph 
(A), the Secretary shall provide at least’’;
H. R. 2—68 
(ii) by striking ‘‘may be provided’’; and 
(iii) by striking ‘‘the purpose of’’ and inserting ‘‘all 
costs related to’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(iii) NOTIFICATION
AND
DOCUMENTATION.—The 
Secretary shall— 
‘‘(I) notify each producer described in subpara-
graph (A), at the time of enrollment in the pro-
gram, of the option to receive advance payments 
under clause (i); and 
‘‘(II) document the election of each producer 
described in subparagraph (A) to receive advance 
payments under clause (i) with respect to each 
practice that has costs described in that clause.’’; 
and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(7) INCREASED PAYMENTS FOR HIGH-PRIORITY PRACTICES.— 
‘‘(A) STATE DETERMINATION.—Each State, in consulta-
tion with the State technical committee established under 
section 1261(a) for the State, may designate not more than 
10 practices to be eligible for increased payments under 
subparagraph (B), on the condition that the practice, as 
determined by the Secretary— 
‘‘(i) addresses specific causes of impairment 
relating to excessive nutrients in groundwater or sur-
face water; 
‘‘(ii) addresses the conservation of water to advance 
drought mitigation and declining aquifers; 
‘‘(iii) meets other environmental priorities and 
other priority resource concerns identified in habitat 
or other area restoration plans; or 
‘‘(iv) is geographically targeted to address a natural 
resource concern in a specific watershed. 
‘‘(B) INCREASED
PAYMENTS.—Notwithstanding para-
graph (2), in the case of a practice designated under 
subparagraph (A), the Secretary may increase the amount 
that would otherwise be provided for a practice under 
this subsection to not more than 90 percent of the costs 
associated with planning, design, materials, equipment, 
installation, 
labor, 
management, 
maintenance, 
or 
training.’’. 
(c) ALLOCATION
OF FUNDING.—Section 1240B(f) of the Food 
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(f)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘2014 through 2018’’ and inserting 
‘‘2019 through 2023’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘60’’ and inserting ‘‘50’’; and 
(C) by striking ‘‘production.’’ and inserting ‘‘production, 
including grazing management practices.’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘For each’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) FISCAL YEARS 2014 THROUGH 2018.—For each’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(B) FISCAL YEARS 2019 THROUGH 2023.—For each of 
fiscal years 2019 through 2023, at least 10 percent of 
the funds made available for payments under the program
H. R. 2—69 
shall be targeted at practices benefitting wildlife habitat 
under subsection (g).’’. 
(d) WILDLIFE HABITAT INCENTIVE PROGRAM.—Section 1240B(g) 
of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(g)) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) MAXIMUM TERM.—In the case of a contract under the 
program entered into solely for the establishment of 1 or more 
annual management practices for the benefit of wildlife as 
described in paragraph (1), notwithstanding any maximum con-
tract term established by the Secretary, the contract shall 
have a term that does not exceed 10 years. 
‘‘(4) INCLUDED PRACTICES.—For the purpose of providing 
seasonal wetland habitat for waterfowl and migratory birds, 
a practice that is eligible for payment under paragraph (1) 
and targeted for funding under subsection (f) may include— 
‘‘(A) a practice to carry out postharvest flooding; or 
‘‘(B) a practice to maintain the hydrology of temporary 
and seasonal wetlands of not more than 2 acres to maintain 
waterfowl and migratory bird habitat on working crop-
land.’’. 
(e) WATER CONSERVATION
OR IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY PRAC-
TICE.—Section 1240B(h) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3839aa–2(h)) is amended— 
(1) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(1) AVAILABILITY OF PAYMENTS.—The Secretary may pro-
vide water conservation and system efficiency payments under 
this subsection to an entity described in paragraph (2) or a 
producer for— 
‘‘(A) water conservation scheduling, water distribution 
efficiency, soil moisture monitoring, or an appropriate com-
bination thereof; 
‘‘(B) irrigation-related structural or other measures 
that conserve surface water or groundwater, including man-
aged aquifer recovery practices; or 
‘‘(C) a transition to water-conserving crops, water-con-
serving crop rotations, or deficit irrigation.’’; 
(2) by redesignating paragraph (2) as paragraph (3); 
(3) by inserting after paragraph (1) the following: 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBILITY OF CERTAIN ENTITIES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding section 1001(f)(6), 
the Secretary may enter into a contract under this sub-
section with a State, irrigation district, groundwater 
management district, acequia, land-grant mercedes, or 
similar entity under a streamlined contracting process to 
implement water conservation or irrigation practices under 
a watershed-wide project that will effectively conserve 
water, provide fish and wildlife habitat, or provide for 
drought-related environmental mitigation, as determined 
by the Secretary. 
‘‘(B) IMPLEMENTATION.—Water conservation or irriga-
tion practices that are the subject of a contract entered 
into under subparagraph (A) shall be implemented on— 
‘‘(i) eligible land of a producer; or 
‘‘(ii) land that is— 
‘‘(I) under the control of an irrigation district, 
groundwater management district, acequia, land- 
grant mercedes, or similar entity; and
H. R. 2—70 
‘‘(II) adjacent to eligible land described in 
clause (i), as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(C) WAIVER
AUTHORITY.—The Secretary may waive 
the applicability of the limitations in section 1001D(b) or 
section 1240G for a payment made under a contract entered 
into under this paragraph if the Secretary determines that 
the waiver is necessary to fulfill the objectives of the 
project. 
‘‘(D) CONTRACT LIMITATIONS.—If the Secretary grants 
a waiver under subparagraph (C), the Secretary may 
impose a separate payment limitation for the contract with 
respect to which the waiver applies.’’; 
(4) in paragraph (3) (as so redesignated)— 
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A), by 
striking ‘‘to a producer’’ and inserting ‘‘under this sub-
section’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘the eligible land 
of the producer is located, there is a reduction in water 
use in the operation of the producer’’ and inserting ‘‘the 
land on which the practices will be implemented is located, 
there is a reduction in water use in the operation on 
that land’’; and 
(C) in subparagraph (B), by inserting ‘‘except in the 
case of an application under paragraph (2),’’ before ‘‘the 
producer agrees’’; and 
(5) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) EFFECT.—Nothing in this subsection authorizes the 
Secretary to modify the process for determining the annual 
allocation of funding to States under the program.’’. 
(f) PAYMENTS
FOR
CONSERVATION
PRACTICES
RELATED
TO 
ORGANIC PRODUCTION.—Section 1240B(i)(3) of the Food Security 
Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(i)(3)) is amended— 
(1) in the first sentence, by striking ‘‘Payments’’ and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Payments’’; 
(2) in the second sentence, by striking ‘‘In applying these 
limitations’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘(B) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—In applying the limita-
tions under subparagraph (A)’’; and 
(3) in subparagraph (A) (as so designated)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘aggregate, $20,000 per year or $80,000 
during any 6-year period.’’ and inserting the following: 
‘‘aggregate— 
‘‘(i) through fiscal year 2018— 
‘‘(I) $20,000 per year; or 
‘‘(II) $80,000 during any 6-year period; and’’; 
and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(ii) during the period of fiscal years 2019 through 
2023, $140,000.’’. 
(g) CONSERVATION INCENTIVE CONTRACTS.—Section 1240B of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2) is amended 
by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(j) CONSERVATION INCENTIVE CONTRACTS.— 
‘‘(1) IDENTIFICATION OF ELIGIBLE PRIORITY RESOURCE CON-
CERNS FOR STATES.—
H. R. 2—71 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary, in consultation with 
the applicable State technical committee established under 
section 1261(a), shall identify watersheds (or other appro-
priate regions or areas within a State) and the cor-
responding priority resource concerns for those watersheds 
or other regions or areas that are eligible to be the subject 
of an incentive contract under this subsection. 
‘‘(B) LIMITATION.—For each of the relevant land uses 
within the watersheds, regions, or other areas identified 
under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall identify not 
more than 3 eligible priority resource concerns. 
‘‘(2) CONTRACTS.— 
‘‘(A) AUTHORITY.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall enter into 
contracts with producers under this subsection that 
require the implementation, adoption, management, 
and maintenance of incentive practices that effectively 
address at least 1 eligible priority resource concern 
identified under paragraph (1) for the term of the 
contract. 
‘‘(ii) INCLUSIONS.—Through a contract entered into 
under clause (i), the Secretary may provide— 
‘‘(I) funding, through annual payments, for cer-
tain incentive practices to attain increased levels 
of conservation on eligible land; or 
‘‘(II) assistance, through a practice payment, 
to implement an incentive practice. 
‘‘(B) TERM.—A contract under this subsection shall 
have a term of not less than 5, and not more than 10, 
years. 
‘‘(C) PRIORITIZATION.—Notwithstanding section 1240C, 
the Secretary shall develop criteria for evaluating incentive 
practice applications that— 
‘‘(i) give priority to applications that address 
eligible priority resource concerns identified under 
paragraph (1); and 
‘‘(ii) evaluate applications relative to other applica-
tions for similar agriculture and forest operations. 
‘‘(3) INCENTIVE PRACTICE PAYMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide pay-
ments to producers through contracts entered into under 
paragraph (2) for— 
‘‘(i) adopting and installing incentive practices; and 
‘‘(ii) managing, maintaining, and improving the 
incentive practices for the duration of the contract, 
as determined appropriate by the Secretary. 
‘‘(B) PAYMENT AMOUNTS.—In determining the amount 
of payments under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall 
consider, to the extent practicable— 
‘‘(i) the level and extent of the incentive practice 
to be installed, adopted, completed, maintained, man-
aged, or improved; 
‘‘(ii) the cost of the installation, adoption, comple-
tion, management, maintenance, or improvement of 
the incentive practice; 
‘‘(iii) income foregone by the producer, including 
payments, as appropriate, to address—
H. R. 2—72 
‘‘(I) increased economic risk; 
‘‘(II) loss in revenue due to anticipated reduc-
tions in yield; and 
‘‘(III) economic losses during transition to a 
resource-conserving cropping system or resource- 
conserving land use; and 
‘‘(iv) the extent to which compensation would 
ensure long-term continued maintenance, manage-
ment, and improvement of the incentive practice. 
‘‘(C) DELIVERY
OF
PAYMENTS.—In making payments 
under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall, to the extent 
practicable— 
‘‘(i) in the case of annual payments under para-
graph (2)(A)(ii)(I), make those payments as soon as 
practicable after October 1 of each fiscal year for which 
increased levels of conservation are maintained during 
the term of the contract; and 
‘‘(ii) in the case of practice payments under para-
graph (2)(A)(ii)(II), make those payments as soon as 
practicable on the implementation of an incentive prac-
tice.’’. 
SEC. 2305. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM PLAN. 
Section 1240E(a)(3) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3839aa–5(a)(3)) is amended by inserting ‘‘progressive’’ before 
‘‘implementation’’. 
SEC. 2306. LIMITATION ON PAYMENTS UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL 
QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM. 
Section 1240G of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3839aa–7) is amended— 
(1) by striking ‘‘A person’’ and inserting ‘‘Not including 
payments made under section 1240B(j), a person’’; and 
(2) by inserting ‘‘or the period of fiscal years 2019 through 
2023,’’ after ‘‘2018,’’. 
SEC. 2307. CONSERVATION INNOVATION GRANTS AND PAYMENTS. 
(a) COMPETITIVE
GRANTS
FOR
INNOVATIVE
CONSERVATION 
APPROACHES.—Section 1240H(a)(2) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa–8(a)(2)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘program;’’ and 
inserting ‘‘program or community colleges (as defined in section 
1473E(a) of the National Agricultural Research, Extension, and 
Teaching Policy Act of 1977 (7 U.S.C. 3319e(a))) carrying out 
demonstration projects on land of the community college;’’; 
(2) by redesignating subparagraphs (E) and (F) as subpara-
graphs (G) and (H), respectively; and 
(3) by inserting after subparagraph (D) the following: 
‘‘(E) partner with farmers to develop innovative prac-
tices for urban, indoor, or other emerging agricultural oper-
ations; 
‘‘(F) utilize edge-of-field and other monitoring practices 
on farms— 
‘‘(i) to quantify the impacts of practices imple-
mented under the program; and 
‘‘(ii) to assist producers in making the best con-
servation investments for the operations of the pro-
ducers;’’.
H. R. 2—73 
(b) AIR
QUALITY
CONCERNS
FROM
AGRICULTURAL
OPER-
ATIONS.—Section 1240H(b)(2) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3839aa–8(b)(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘$25,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2009 through 2018’’ and inserting ‘‘$37,500,000 
for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023’’. 
(c) ON-FARM CONSERVATION INNOVATION TRIALS; REPORTING 
AND DATABASE.—Section 1240H of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa–8) is amended by striking subsection (c) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(c) ON-FARM CONSERVATION INNOVATION TRIALS.— 
‘‘(1) DEFINITIONS.—In this subsection: 
‘‘(A) ELIGIBLE
ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible entity’ 
means, as determined by the Secretary— 
‘‘(i) a third-party private entity the primary busi-
ness of which is related to agriculture; 
‘‘(ii) a nongovernmental organization with experi-
ence working with agricultural producers; or 
‘‘(iii) a governmental organization. 
‘‘(B) NEW OR INNOVATIVE CONSERVATION APPROACH.— 
The term ‘new or innovative conservation approach’ 
means— 
‘‘(i) new or innovative— 
‘‘(I) precision agriculture technologies; 
‘‘(II) enhanced nutrient management plans, 
nutrient recovery systems, and fertilization sys-
tems; 
‘‘(III) 
soil 
health 
management 
systems, 
including systems to increase soil carbon levels; 
‘‘(IV) water management systems; 
‘‘(V) resource-conserving crop rotations (as 
defined in section 1240L(d)(1)); 
‘‘(VI) cover crops; and 
‘‘(VII) irrigation systems; and 
‘‘(ii) any other conservation approach approved by 
the Secretary as new or innovative. 
‘‘(2) 
TESTING
NEW
OR
INNOVATIVE
CONSERVATION 
APPROACHES.—Using $25,000,000 of the funds made available 
to carry out this subchapter for each of fiscal years 2019 
through 2023, the Secretary shall carry out on-farm conserva-
tion innovation trials, on eligible land of producers, to test 
new or innovative conservation approaches— 
‘‘(A) directly with producers; or 
‘‘(B) through eligible entities. 
‘‘(3) INCENTIVE PAYMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) AGREEMENTS.—In carrying out paragraph (2), the 
Secretary shall enter into agreements with producers 
(either directly or through eligible entities) on whose land 
an on-farm conservation innovation trial is being carried 
out to provide payments (including payments to compensate 
for foregone income, as appropriate to address the increased 
economic risk potentially associated with new or innovative 
conservation approaches) to the producers to assist with 
adopting and evaluating new or innovative conservation 
approaches to achieve conservation benefits. 
‘‘(B) ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Adjusted gross income require-
ments under section 1001D(b)(1) shall—