I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5500 
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Secretary of Agri-
culture to establish an initiative to support peer learning relating to 
a wide range of agriculture conservation activities, and for other pur-
poses. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 14, 2023 
Mr. MOLINARO (for himself and Ms. SALINAS) introduced the following bill; 
which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the 
Secretary of Agriculture to establish an initiative to sup-
port peer learning relating to a wide range of agriculture 
conservation activities, and for other purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Peer Learning for Ag-
riculture Conservation Education Act of 2023’’ or the 
‘‘PLACE Act of 2023’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:06 Sep 16, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5500.IH
H5500
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
SEC. 2. PEER LEARNING FOR AGRICULTURE CONSERVA-
TION EDUCATION. 
Section 1271C of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3871c) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(e) PEER LEARNING INITIATIVE.— 
‘‘(1) DEFINITION OF PEER LEARNING.—In this 
subsection, the term ‘peer learning’ means an edu-
cational experience that includes— 
‘‘(A) farmer, rancher, or forester led infor-
mation sharing, education, or training activities 
that support agricultural producers or foresters; 
or 
‘‘(B) the provision of farmer, rancher, or 
forester led technical assistance to agricultural 
producers or foresters. 
‘‘(2) ESTABLISHMENT
OF
INITIATIVE.—Not 
later than 1 year after enactment, the Secretary 
shall establish an initiative to support projects that 
provide to agricultural producers peer learning op-
portunities relating to a wide range of agriculture 
conservation activities, such as— 
‘‘(A) activities or management systems, as 
determined by the Secretary, that directly con-
tribute to improving soil health; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:06 Sep 16, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5500.IH
H5500
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(B) any other regional priority natural re-
source concerns, as determined by the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(3) GRANTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out the 
initiative established under paragraph (2), the 
Secretary shall enter into not fewer than 5 
grant agreements each fiscal year to support 
peer learning projects in accordance with that 
paragraph. 
‘‘(B) AGREEMENTS.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary 
may enter into a grant agreement under 
subparagraph (A) with 1 or more eligible 
partners that are engaged in providing 
peer learning to agricultural producers. 
‘‘(ii) PROJECTS.—A grant agreement 
under subparagraph (A) may support any 
of the following: 
‘‘(I) Projects within or sponsored 
by a State. 
‘‘(II) Multistate projects. 
‘‘(III) Projects in a critical con-
servation area designated under sec-
tion 1271F. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:06 Sep 16, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5500.IH
H5500
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(C) APPLICATIONS.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—An organization 
described in subparagraph (B)(i) desiring 
to enter into a grant agreement under sub-
paragraph (A) shall submit to the Sec-
retary an application at such time, in such 
manner, and containing such information 
as the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(ii) MULTIPLE APPLICANTS.—An ap-
plication under clause (i) may be submitted 
jointly by multiple organizations described 
in subparagraph (B)(i). 
‘‘(4) DUTIES OF THE ELIGIBLE PARTNER.— 
‘‘(A) Entities that enter into an agreement 
with the Secretary under paragraph (3)(B) 
shall use funding for purposes related to coordi-
nating peer learning initiatives, such as— 
‘‘(i) convening of stakeholders to 
achieve the goals of the contractual part-
nership with NRCS through the Program; 
‘‘(ii) farmer outreach and education; 
‘‘(iii) forester outreach and education; 
‘‘(iv) convening of the scientific com-
munity for the purposes of coordinating 
scientific research methodologies and data 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:06 Sep 16, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5500.IH
H5500
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
sets related to priority resource concerns 
identified in the agreement; 
‘‘(v) coordination of municipal and 
State policies with on-farm practices; 
‘‘(vi) facilitating trainings; and 
‘‘(vii) other activities as determined by 
the Secretary that facilitate peer learning 
oriented around priority resource concerns 
identified in the agreement. 
‘‘(B) Submit to the Secretary, in addition 
to any information that the Secretary requires 
to prepare the report under section 3871e(b) of 
this title, an annual report that describes the 
status of the project, including a description 
of— 
‘‘(i) the use of the funds awarded 
under paragraph (3); 
‘‘(ii) any subcontracts awarded; 
‘‘(iii) the producers receiving funding 
through the funding agreement under 
paragraph (3); 
‘‘(iv)(I) the progress made by the 
project in addressing each natural resource 
concern defined in the funding agreement 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
01:06 Sep 16, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5500.IH
H5500
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
under paragraph (3), including in a quan-
tified form to the extent practicable; and 
‘‘(II) as appropriate, other outcomes 
of the project; and 
‘‘(v) any other reporting data the Sec-
retary determines are necessary to ensure 
compliance with the program rules. 
‘‘(5) WAIVER.—With respect to a project fund-
ed under the initiative established under paragraph 
(2), the Secretary may waive any requirement under 
the program that limits the percentage of program 
funding that may be used for technical assistance, or 
requires a minimum percentage of program funding 
to be used for financial assistance, such that up to 
100 percent of the funding provided for the project 
may be used for technical assistance, if the grant 
agreement entered into under paragraph (3)(B) with 
respect to that project includes a plan to promote 
the availability of covered programs to agricultural 
producers.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
23:11 Sep 18, 2023
Jkt 039200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H5500.IH
H5500
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB