768 
appropriate, if the average adjusted gross income of 
the person or legal entity exceeds $950,000. 
‘‘(2) COVERED BENEFITS.—Paragraph (1) ap-
plies with respect to a payment or benefit under sub-
title A, B, or E of title I, or title II of the Federal 
Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 
2013, title II of the Farm Security and Rural In-
vestment Act of 2002, title II of the Food, Con-
servation, and Energy Act of 2008, title XII of the 
Food Security Act of 1985, section 524(b) of the 
Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1524(b)), or 
section 196 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement 
and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333).’’. 
(b) ELIMINATION OF UNUSED DEFINITIONS.—Para-
graph (1) of section 1001D(a) of the Food Security Act 
of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308–3a(a)) is amended to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(1) AVERAGE ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME.—In 
this section, the term ‘average adjusted gross in-
come’, with respect to a person or legal entity, 
means the average of the adjusted gross income or 
comparable measure of the person or legal entity 
over the 3 taxable years preceding the most imme-
diately preceding complete taxable year, as deter-
mined by the Secretary.’’. 
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(c) INCOME DETERMINATION.—Section 1001D of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308–3a) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by striking subsection (c); and 
(2) by redesignating subsections (d), (e), and 
(f) as subsections (c), (d), and (e), respectively. 
(d) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.—Section 1001D of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308–3a) is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(2)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘subparagraph (A) or (B) 
of’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘, the average adjusted 
gross farm income, and the average adjusted 
gross nonfarm income’’; 
(2) in subsection (a)(3), by striking ‘‘, average 
adjusted gross farm income, and average adjusted 
gross nonfarm income’’ both places it appears; 
(3) in subsection (c) (as redesignated by sub-
section (c)(2) of this section)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘, aver-
age adjusted gross farm income, and average 
adjusted gross nonfarm income’’ both places it 
appears; and 
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(B) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘para-
graphs (1)(C) and (2)(B) of subsection (b)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘subsection (b)(2)’’; and 
(4) in subsection (d) (as redesignated by sub-
section (c)(2) of this section)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘paragraphs (1)(C) and 
(2)(B) of subsection (b)’’ and inserting ‘‘sub-
section (b)(2)’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘, average adjusted gross 
farm income, or average adjusted gross non-
farm income’’. 
(e) EFFECTIVE PERIOD.—Subsection (e) of section 
1001D of the Food Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308– 
3a), as redesignated by subsection (c)(2) of this section, 
is amended by striking ‘‘2009 through 2012’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘2014 through 2018’’. 
(f) 
LIMITATION
ON
APPLICABILITY.—Section 
1001(d) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308) 
is amended by inserting before the period at the end the 
following: ‘‘or title I of the Federal Agriculture Reform 
and Risk Management Act of 2013’’. 
(g) TRANSITION.—Section 1001D of the Food Secu-
rity Act of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 1308-3a), as in effect on the 
day before the date of the enactment of this Act, shall 
apply with respect to the 2013 crop, fiscal, or program 
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year, as appropriate, for each program described in para-
graphs (1)(C) and (2)(B) of subsection (b) of that section 
(as so in effect on that day). 
SEC. 1605. GEOGRAPHICALLY DISADVANTAGED FARMERS 
AND RANCHERS. 
Section 1621(d) of the Food, Conservation, and En-
ergy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8792(d)) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘2012’’ and inserting ‘‘2018’’. 
SEC. 1606. PERSONAL LIABILITY OF PRODUCERS FOR DEFI-
CIENCIES. 
Section 164 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement 
and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7284) is amended by 
striking ‘‘and title I of the Food, Conservation, and En-
ergy Act of 2008’’ each place it appears and inserting 
‘‘title I of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 8702 et seq.), and title I of the Federal 
Agriculture Reform and Risk Management Act of 2013’’. 
SEC. 1607. PREVENTION OF DECEASED INDIVIDUALS RE-
CEIVING 
PAYMENTS 
UNDER 
FARM 
COM-
MODITY PROGRAMS. 
(a) RECONCILIATION.—At least twice each year, the 
Secretary shall reconcile social security numbers of all in-
dividuals who receive payments under this title, whether 
directly or indirectly, with the Commissioner of Social Se-
curity to determined if the individuals are alive. 
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(b) PRECLUSION.—The Secretary shall preclude the 
issuance of payments to, and on behalf of, deceased indi-
viduals that were not eligible for payments. 
SEC. 1608. TECHNICAL CORRECTIONS. 
(a) MISSING PUNCTUATION.—Section 359f(c)(1)(B) 
of the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 (7 U.S.C. 
1359ff(c)(1)(B)) is amended by adding a period at the 
end. 
(b) ERRONEOUS CROSS REFERENCE.— 
(1) AMENDMENT.—Section 1603(g) of the 
Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (Public 
Law 110–246; 122 Stat. 1739) is amended in para-
graphs (2) through (6) and the amendments made 
by those paragraphs by striking ‘‘1703(a)’’ each 
place it appears and inserting ‘‘1603(a)’’. 
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This subsection and the 
amendments made by this subsection take effect as 
if included in the Food, Conservation, and Energy 
Act of 2008 (Public Law 110–246; 122 Stat. 1651). 
(c) CONTINUED APPLICABILITY OF APPROPRIATIONS 
GENERAL PROVISION.—Section 767 of division A of Pub-
lic Law 108–7 (7 U.S.C. 7911 note; 117 Stat. 48) is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
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(A) by striking ‘‘sections 1101 and 1102 of 
Public Law 107–171’’ and inserting ‘‘subtitle A 
of title I of the Federal Agriculture Reform and 
Risk Management Act of 2013’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘such section 1102’’ and 
inserting ‘‘such subtitle’’; and 
(2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the 
following new subsection: 
‘‘(b) This section, as amended by section 1608(c) of 
the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Management 
Act of 2013, shall take effect beginning with the 2014 
crop year.’’. 
SEC. 1609. ASSIGNMENT OF PAYMENTS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The provisions of section 8(g) of 
the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act (16 
U.S.C. 590h(g)), relating to assignment of payments, shall 
apply to payments made under this title. 
(b) NOTICE.—The producer making the assignment, 
or the assignee, shall provide the Secretary with notice, 
in such manner as the Secretary may require, of any as-
signment made under this section. 
SEC. 1610. TRACKING OF BENEFITS. 
As soon as practicable after the date of enactment 
of this Act, the Secretary may track the benefits provided, 
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774 
directly or indirectly, to individuals and entities under ti-
tles I and II and the amendments made by those titles. 
SEC. 1611. SIGNATURE AUTHORITY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—In carrying out this title and title 
II and amendments made by those titles, if the Secretary 
approves a document, the Secretary shall not subsequently 
determine the document is inadequate or invalid because 
of the lack of authority of any person signing the docu-
ment on behalf of the applicant or any other individual, 
entity, general partnership, or joint venture, or the docu-
ments relied upon were determined inadequate or invalid, 
unless the person signing the program document know-
ingly and willfully falsified the evidence of signature au-
thority or a signature. 
(b) AFFIRMATION.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Nothing in this section pro-
hibits the Secretary from asking a proper party to 
affirm any document that otherwise would be consid-
ered approved under subsection (a). 
(2) NO
RETROACTIVE
EFFECT.—A denial of 
benefits based on a lack of affirmation under para-
graph (1) shall not be retroactive with respect to 
third-party producers who were not the subject of 
the erroneous representation of authority, if the 
third-party producers— 
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(A) relied on the prior approval by the Sec-
retary of the documents in good faith; and 
(B) substantively complied with all pro-
gram requirements. 
SEC. 1612. IMPLEMENTATION. 
(a) STREAMLINING.—In implementing this title, the 
Secretary shall, to the maximum extent practicable— 
(1) seek to reduce administrative burdens and 
costs to producers by streamlining and reducing pa-
perwork, forms, and other administrative require-
ments; 
(2) improve coordination, information sharing, 
and administrative work with the Risk Management 
Agency and the Natural Resources Conservation 
Service; and 
(3) take advantage of new technologies to en-
hance efficiency and effectiveness of program deliv-
ery to producers. 
(b) MAINTENANCE OF BASE ACRES AND PAYMENT 
YIELDS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall main-
tain through September 30, 2018, for each covered 
commodity and upland cotton, base acres and pay-
ment yields on a farm established under— 
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(A)(i) in the case of covered commodities 
and upland cotton, sections 1101 and 1102 of 
the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 
2002 (7 U.S.C. 7911, 7912); and 
(ii) in the case of peanuts, section 1302 of 
that Act (7 U.S.C. 7952); and 
(B)(i) in the case of covered commodities 
and upland cotton, sections 1101 and 1102 of 
the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 
2008 (7 U.S.C. 8711, 8712); and 
(ii) in the case of peanuts, section 1302 of 
that Act (7 U.S.C. 8752). 
(2) SPECIAL RULE FOR LONG GRAIN AND ME-
DIUM GRAIN RICE.— 
(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
maintain separate base acres for long grain rice 
and medium grain rice. 
(B) LIMITATION.—In carrying out this 
paragraph, the Secretary shall use the same 
total base acres and payment yields established 
with respect to rice under sections 1108 of the 
Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 
U.S.C. 8718), as in effect on the day before the 
date of enactment of this Act, subject to any 
adjustment under section 1105. 
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(c) IMPLEMENTATION.—The Secretary shall make 
available to the Farm Service Agency to carry out this 
title $100,000,000. 
TITLE II—CONSERVATION 
Subtitle A—Conservation Reserve 
Program 
SEC. 2001. EXTENSION AND ENROLLMENT REQUIREMENTS 
OF CONSERVATION RESERVE PROGRAM. 
(a) EXTENSION.—Section 1231(a) of the Food Secu-
rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831(a)) is amended by strik-
ing ‘‘2012’’ and inserting ‘‘2018’’. 
(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 ‘‘the date 
of enactment of the Food, Conservation, and Energy 
Act of 2008’’ and inserting ‘‘the date of the enact-
ment of the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk 
Management Act of 2013’’; 
(2) by striking paragraph (2) and redesignating 
paragraph (3) as paragraph (2); 
(3) by inserting before paragraph (4) the fol-
lowing new paragraph: 
‘‘(3) grasslands that— 
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‘‘(A) contain forbs or shrubland (including 
improved rangeland and pastureland) for which 
grazing is the predominant use; 
‘‘(B) are located in an area historically 
dominated by grasslands; and 
‘‘(C) could provide habitat for animal and 
plant populations of significant ecological value 
if the land is retained in its current use or re-
stored to a natural condition;’’; 
(4) 
in 
paragraph 
(4)(C), 
by 
striking 
‘‘filterstrips devoted to trees or shrubs’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘filterstrips or riparian buffers devoted to trees, 
shrubs, or grasses’’; and 
(5) by striking paragraph (5) and inserting the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(5) the portion of land in a field not enrolled 
in the conservation reserve in a case in which— 
‘‘(A) more than 50 percent of the land in 
the field is enrolled as a buffer or filterstrip, or 
more than 75 percent of the land in the field 
is enrolled as a conservation practice other than 
as a buffer or filterstrip; and 
‘‘(B) the remainder of the field is— 
‘‘(i) infeasible to farm; and 
‘‘(ii) enrolled at regular rental rates.’’. 
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(c) PLANTING STATUS OF CERTAIN LAND.—Section 
1231(c) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3831(c)) is amended by striking ‘‘if’’ and all that follows 
through the period at the end and inserting ‘‘if, during 
the crop year, the land was devoted to a conserving use.’’. 
(d) ENROLLMENT.—Subsection (d) of section 1231 
of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(d) ENROLLMENT.— 
‘‘(1) MAXIMUM
ACREAGE
ENROLLED.—The 
Secretary may maintain in the conservation reserve 
at any one time during— 
‘‘(A) fiscal year 2014, no more than 
27,500,000 acres; 
‘‘(B) fiscal year 2015, no more than 
26,000,000 acres; 
‘‘(C) fiscal year 2016, no more than 
25,000,000 acres; 
‘‘(D) fiscal year 2017, no more than 
24,000,000 acres; and 
‘‘(E) fiscal year 2018, no more than 
24,000,000 acres. 
‘‘(2) GRASSLANDS.— 
‘‘(A) LIMITATION.—For purposes of apply-
ing the limitations in paragraph (1), no more 
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than 2,000,000 acres of the land described in 
subsection (b)(3) may be enrolled in the pro-
gram at any one time during the 2014 through 
2018 fiscal years. 
‘‘(B) PRIORITY.—In enrolling acres under 
subparagraph (A), the Secretary may give pri-
ority to land with expiring conservation reserve 
program contracts. 
‘‘(C) METHOD OF ENROLLMENT.—In en-
rolling acres under subparagraph (A), the Sec-
retary shall make the program available to own-
ers or operators of eligible land on a continuous 
enrollment basis with one or more ranking peri-
ods.’’. 
(e) DURATION OF CONTRACT.—Section 1231(e) of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831(e)) is 
amended by striking paragraphs (2) and (3) and inserting 
the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(2) SPECIAL RULE FOR CERTAIN LAND.—In 
the case of land devoted to hardwood trees, 
shelterbelts, windbreaks, or wildlife corridors under 
a contract entered into under this subchapter, the 
owner or operator of the land may, within the limita-
tions prescribed under paragraph (1), specify the du-
ration of the contract.’’. 
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(f) 
CONSERVATION
PRIORITY
AREAS.—Section 
1231(f) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3831(f)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘watershed 
areas of the Chesapeake Bay Region, the Great 
Lakes Region, the Long Island Sound Region, and 
other’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘WATER-
SHEDS.—Watersheds’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘AREAS.— 
Areas’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘a watershed’s 
designation—’’ and all that follows through the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘an area’s designation 
if the Secretary finds that the area no longer con-
tains actual and significant adverse water quality or 
habitat impacts related to agricultural production 
activities.’’. 
SEC. 2002. FARMABLE WETLAND PROGRAM. 
(a) EXTENSION.—Section 1231B(a)(1) of the Food 
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831b(a)(1)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) by striking ‘‘2012’’ and inserting ‘‘2018’’; 
and 
(2) by striking ‘‘a program’’ and inserting ‘‘a 
farmable wetland program’’. 
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(b) ELIGIBLE ACREAGE.—Section 1231B(b)(1)(B) of 
the 
Food 
Security 
Act 
of 
1985 
(16 
U.S.C. 
3831b(b)(1)(B)) is amended by striking ‘‘flow from a row 
crop agriculture drainage system’’ and inserting ‘‘surface 
and subsurface flow from row crop agricultural produc-
tion’’. 
(c) ACREAGE LIMITATION.—Section 1231B(c)(1)(B) 
of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3831b(c)(1)(B)) is amended by striking ‘‘1,000,000’’ and 
inserting ‘‘750,000’’. 
(d) CLERICAL AMENDMENT.—The heading of section 
1231B of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3831b) is amended to read as follows: ‘‘FARMABLE WET-
LAND PROGRAM’’. 
SEC. 2003. DUTIES OF OWNERS AND OPERATORS. 
(a) LIMITATION ON HARVESTING, GRAZING, OR COM-
MERCIAL USE OF FORAGE.—Section 1232(a)(8) of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3832(a)(8)) is 
amended by striking ‘‘except that’’ and all that follows 
through the semicolon at the end of the paragraph and 
inserting ‘‘except as provided in subsection (b) or (c) of 
section 1233;’’. 
(b) CONSERVATION PLAN REQUIREMENTS.—Sub-
section (b) of section 1232 of the Food Security Act of 
1985 (16 U.S.C. 3832) is amended to read as follows: 
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‘‘(b) CONSERVATION PLANS.—The plan referred to 
in subsection (a)(1) shall set forth— 
‘‘(1) the conservation measures and practices to 
be carried out by the owner or operator during the 
term of the contract; and 
‘‘(2) the commercial use, if any, to be permitted 
on the land during the term.’’. 
(c) RENTAL PAYMENT REDUCTION.—Section 1232 
of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3832) is 
amended by striking subsection (d). 
SEC. 2004. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY. 
Section 1233 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3833) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘SEC. 1233. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY. 
‘‘(a) COST-SHARE AND RENTAL PAYMENTS.—In re-
turn for a contract entered into by an owner or operator 
under the conservation reserve program, the Secretary 
shall— 
‘‘(1) share the cost of carrying out the con-
servation measures and practices set forth in the 
contract for which the Secretary determines that 
cost sharing is appropriate and in the public inter-
est; and 
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‘‘(2) for a period of years not in excess of the 
term of the contract, pay an annual rental payment 
in an amount necessary to compensate for— 
‘‘(A) the conversion of highly erodible crop-
land or other eligible lands normally devoted to 
the production of an agricultural commodity on 
a farm or ranch to a less intensive use; 
‘‘(B) the retirement of any base history 
that the owner or operator agrees to retire per-
manently; and 
‘‘(C) the development and management of 
grasslands for multiple natural resource con-
servation benefits, including to soil, water, air, 
and wildlife. 
‘‘(b) SPECIFIED ACTIVITIES PERMITTED.—The Sec-
retary shall permit certain activities or commercial uses 
of land that is subject to a contract under the conservation 
reserve program in a manner that is consistent with a plan 
approved by the Secretary, as follows: 
‘‘(1) Harvesting, grazing, or other commercial 
use of the forage in response to a drought or other 
emergency created by a natural disaster, without 
any reduction in the rental rate. 
‘‘(2) Consistent with the conservation of soil, 
water quality, and wildlife habitat (including habitat 
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during nesting seasons for birds in the area), and in 
exchange for a reduction of not less than 25 percent 
in the annual rental rate for the acres covered by 
the authorized activity— 
‘‘(A) managed harvesting and other com-
mercial use (including the managed harvesting 
of biomass), except that in permitting managed 
harvesting, the Secretary, in coordination with 
the State technical committee— 
‘‘(i) shall develop appropriate vegeta-
tion management requirements; and 
‘‘(ii) shall identify periods during 
which managed harvesting may be con-
ducted, such that the frequency is not 
more than once every three years; 
‘‘(B) routine grazing or prescribed grazing 
for the control of invasive species, except that 
in permitting such routine grazing or prescribed 
grazing, the Secretary, in coordination with the 
State technical committee— 
‘‘(i) shall develop appropriate vegeta-
tion management requirements and stock-
ing rates for the land that are suitable for 
continued routine grazing; and 
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‘‘(ii) shall identify the periods during 
which routine grazing may be conducted, 
such that the frequency is not more than 
once every two years, taking into consider-
ation regional differences such as— 
‘‘(I) climate, soil type, and nat-
ural resources; 
‘‘(II) the number of years that 
should be required between routine 
grazing activities; and 
‘‘(III) how often during a year in 
which routine grazing is permitted 
that routine grazing should be allowed 
to occur; and 
‘‘(C) the installation of wind turbines and 
associated access, except that in permitting the 
installation of wind turbines, the Secretary shall 
determine the number and location of wind tur-
bines that may be installed, taking into ac-
count— 
‘‘(i) the location, size, and other phys-
ical characteristics of the land; 
‘‘(ii) the extent to which the land con-
tains wildlife and wildlife habitat; and 
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‘‘(iii) the purposes of the conservation 
reserve program under this subchapter. 
‘‘(3) The intermittent and seasonal use of vege-
tative buffer practices incidental to agricultural pro-
duction on lands adjacent to the buffer such that the 
permitted use does not destroy the permanent vege-
tative cover. 
‘‘(c) AUTHORIZED ACTIVITIES ON GRASSLANDS.— 
For eligible land described in section 1231(b)(3), the Sec-
retary shall permit the following activities: 
‘‘(1) Common grazing practices, including 
maintenance and necessary cultural practices, on the 
land in a manner that is consistent with maintaining 
the viability of grassland, forb, and shrub species ap-
propriate to that locality. 
‘‘(2) Haying, mowing, or harvesting for seed 
production, subject to appropriate restrictions dur-
ing the nesting season for critical bird species in the 
area. 
‘‘(3) Fire presuppression, fire-related rehabilita-
tion, and construction of fire breaks. 
‘‘(4) Grazing-related activities, such as fencing 
and livestock watering. 
‘‘(d) RESOURCE CONSERVING USE.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Beginning on the date that 
is 1 year before the date of termination of a contract 
under the program, the Secretary shall allow an 
owner or operator to make conservation and land 
improvements that facilitate maintaining protection 
of enrolled land after expiration of the contract. 
‘‘(2) CONSERVATION
PLAN.—The Secretary 
shall require an owner or operator carrying out the 
activities described in paragraph (1) to develop and 
implement a conservation plan. 
‘‘(3) RE-ENROLLMENT PROHIBITED.—Land im-
proved under paragraph (1) may not be re-enrolled 
in the conservation reserve program for 5 years after 
the date of termination of the contract.’’. 
SEC. 2005. PAYMENTS. 
(a) TREES, WINDBREAKS, SHELTERBELTS, AND 
WILDLIFE CORRIDORS.—Section 1234(b)(3)(A) of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3834(b)(3)(A)) is 
amended— 
(1) in clause (i), by inserting ‘‘and’’ after the 
semicolon; 
(2) by striking clause (ii); and 
(3) by redesignating clause (iii) as clause (ii). 
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(b) ANNUAL RENTAL PAYMENTS.—Section 1234(c) 
of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3834(c)) is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by inserting ‘‘or other eli-
gible lands’’ after ‘‘highly erodible cropland’’ both 
places it appears; and 
(2) by striking paragraph (2) and inserting the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(2) METHODS OF DETERMINATION.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The amounts payable 
to owners or operators in the form of rental 
payments under contracts entered into under 
this subchapter may be determined through— 
‘‘(i) the submission of bids for such 
contracts by owners and operators in such 
manner as the Secretary may prescribe; or 
‘‘(ii) such other means as the Sec-
retary determines are appropriate. 
‘‘(B) GRASSLANDS.—In the case of eligible 
land described in section 1231(b)(3), the Sec-
retary shall make annual payments in an 
amount that is not more than 75 percent of the 
grazing value of the land covered by the con-
tract.’’. 
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(c) PAYMENT SCHEDULE.—Subsection (d) of section 
1234 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3834) 
is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(d) PAYMENT SCHEDULE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as otherwise pro-
vided in this section, payments under this sub-
chapter shall be made in cash in such amount and 
on such time schedule as is agreed on and specified 
in the contract. 
‘‘(2) ADVANCE
PAYMENT.—Payments under 
this subchapter may be made in advance of deter-
mination of performance.’’. 
(d) PAYMENT LIMITATION.—Section 1234(f) of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3834(f)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘, including 
rental payments made in the form of in-kind com-
modities,’’; 
(2) by striking paragraph (3); and 
(3) by redesignating paragraph (4) as para-
graph (2). 
SEC. 2006. CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS. 
(a) EARLY TERMINATION
BY OWNER
OR OPER-
ATOR.—Section 1235(e) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3835(e)) is amended— 
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(1) in paragraph (1)(A)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘The Secretary’’ and in-
serting ‘‘During fiscal year 2014, the Sec-
retary’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘before January 1, 1995,’’; 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraph 
(C) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(C) Land devoted to hardwood trees. 
‘‘(D) Wildlife habitat, duck nesting habi-
tat, pollinator habitat, upland bird habitat buff-
er, wildlife food plots, State acres for wildlife 
enhancement, shallow water areas for wildlife, 
and rare and declining habitat. 
‘‘(E) Farmable wetland and restored wet-
land. 
‘‘(F) Land that contains diversions, ero-
sion control structures, flood control structures, 
contour grass strips, living snow fences, salinity 
reducing vegetation, cross wind trap strips, and 
sediment retention structures. 
‘‘(G) Land located within a federally-des-
ignated wellhead protection area. 
‘‘(H) Land that is covered by an easement 
under the conservation reserve program. 
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‘‘(I) Land located within an average width, 
according to the applicable Natural Resources 
Conservation Service field office technical guide, 
of a perennial stream or permanent water 
body.’’; and 
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘60 days after 
the date on which the owner or operator submits the 
notice required under paragraph (1)(C)’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘upon approval by the Secretary’’. 
(b) 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)— 
(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph 
(A), by striking ‘‘DUTIES’’ and all that follows 
through ‘‘a beginning farmer’’ and inserting 
‘‘TRANSITION TO COVERED FARMER OR RANCH-
ER.—In the case of a contract modification ap-
proved in order to facilitate the transfer of land 
subject to a contract from a retired farmer or 
rancher to a beginning farmer’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (A)(i), by inserting ‘‘, 
including preparing to plant an agricultural 
crop’’ after ‘‘improvements’’; 
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(C) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘the 
farmer or rancher’’ and inserting ‘‘the covered 
farmer or rancher’’; and 
(D) in subparagraph (E), by striking ‘‘sec-
tion 1001A(b)(3)(B)’’ and inserting ‘‘section 
1001’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘requirement 
of section 1231(h)(4)(B)’’ and inserting ‘‘option pur-
suant to section 1234(c)(2)(A)(ii)’’. 
(c) FINAL YEAR CONTRACT.—Section 1235 of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3835) is amended 
by adding at the end the following new subsections: 
‘‘(g) FINAL YEAR OF CONTRACT.—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 land is enrolled in the conservation 
stewardship program; and 
‘‘(2) the activity required under the conserva-
tion stewardship program pursuant to such enroll-
ment is consistent with this subchapter. 
‘‘(h) LAND ENROLLED
IN AGRICULTURAL CON-
SERVATION EASEMENT PROGRAM.—The Secretary may 
terminate or modify a contract entered into under this 
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subchapter if eligible land that is subject to such contract 
is transferred into the agricultural conservation easement 
program under subtitle H.’’. 
SEC. 2007. CONVERSION OF LAND SUBJECT TO CONTRACT 
TO OTHER CONSERVING USES. 
Section 1235A of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3835a) is repealed. 
SEC. 2008. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by this 
subtitle shall take effect on October 1, 2013, except the 
amendment made by section 2001(d), which shall take ef-
fect on the date of the enactment of this Act. 
(b) EFFECT ON EXISTING CONTRACTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the amendments made by this subtitle 
shall not affect the validity or terms of any contract 
entered into by the Secretary of Agriculture 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.) before October 1, 2013, or any payments re-
quired to be made in connection with the contract. 
(2) UPDATING OF EXISTING CONTRACTS.—The 
Secretary shall permit an owner or operator of land 
subject to a contract entered into under subchapter 
B of chapter 1 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food 
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Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831 et seq.) be-
fore October 1, 2013, to update the contract to re-
flect the activities and uses of land under contract 
permitted under the terms and conditions of section 
1233(b) of that Act (as amended by section 2004), 
as determined appropriate by the Secretary. 
Subtitle B—Conservation 
Stewardship Program 
SEC. 2101. CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM. 
(a) REVISION OF CURRENT PROGRAM.—Subchapter 
B of chapter 2 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Secu-
rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3838d et seq.) is amended 
to read as follows: 
‘‘Subchapter B—Conservation Stewardship 
Program 
‘‘SEC. 1238D. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this subchapter: 
‘‘(1) AGRICULTURAL
OPERATION.—The term 
‘agricultural operation’ means all eligible land, 
whether or not contiguous, that is— 
‘‘(A) under the effective control of a pro-
ducer at the time the producer enters into a 
contract under the program; and 
‘‘(B) operated with equipment, labor, man-
agement, and production or cultivation prac-
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tices that are substantially separate from other 
agricultural operations, as determined by the 
Secretary. 
‘‘(2) CONSERVATION ACTIVITIES.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—The term ‘conserva-
tion activities’ means conservation systems, 
practices, or management measures. 
‘‘(B) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘conserva-
tion activities’ includes— 
‘‘(i) structural measures, vegetative 
measures, and land management measures, 
including agriculture drainage manage-
ment systems, as determined by the Sec-
retary; and 
‘‘(ii) planning needed to address a pri-
ority resource concern. 
‘‘(3) CONSERVATION
STEWARDSHIP
PLAN.— 
The term ‘conservation stewardship plan’ means a 
plan that— 
‘‘(A) identifies and inventories priority re-
source concerns; 
‘‘(B) establishes benchmark data and con-
servation objectives; 
‘‘(C) describes conservation activities to be 
implemented, managed, or improved; and 
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‘‘(D) includes a schedule and evaluation 
plan for the planning, installation, and manage-
ment of the new and existing conservation ac-
tivities. 
‘‘(4) ELIGIBLE LAND.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The term ‘eligible 
land’ means— 
‘‘(i) private or tribal land on which 
agricultural commodities, livestock, or for-
est-related products are produced; and 
‘‘(ii) lands associated with the land 
described in clause (i) on which priority re-
source 
concerns 
could 
be 
addressed 
through a contract under the program. 
‘‘(B) INCLUSIONS.—The term ‘eligible 
land’ includes— 
‘‘(i) cropland; 
‘‘(ii) grassland; 
‘‘(iii) rangeland; 
‘‘(iv) pasture land; 
‘‘(v) nonindustrial private forest land; 
and 
‘‘(vi) other agricultural areas (includ-
ing cropped woodland, marshes, and agri-
cultural land used or capable of being used 
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for the production of livestock), as deter-
mined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(5) 
PRIORITY
RESOURCE
CONCERN.—The 
term ‘priority resource concern’ means a natural re-
source 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; 
‘‘(B) represents a significant concern in a 
State or region; and 
‘‘(C) is likely to be addressed successfully 
through the implementation of conservation ac-
tivities under this program. 
‘‘(6) PROGRAM.—The term ‘program’ means 
the conservation stewardship program established by 
this subchapter. 
‘‘(7) STEWARDSHIP
THRESHOLD.—The term 
‘stewardship threshold’ means the level of manage-
ment required, as determined by the Secretary, to 
conserve and improve the quality and condition of a 
natural resource. 
‘‘SEC. 1238E. CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSE.—During each 
of fiscal years 2014 through 2018, the Secretary shall 
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carry out a conservation stewardship program to encour-
age producers to address priority resource concerns in a 
comprehensive manner— 
‘‘(1) by undertaking additional conservation ac-
tivities; and 
‘‘(2) by improving, maintaining, and managing 
existing conservation activities. 
‘‘(b) EXCLUSIONS.— 
‘‘(1) LAND ENROLLED IN OTHER CONSERVA-
TION PROGRAMS.—Subject to paragraph (2), the fol-
lowing land (even if covered by the definition of eli-
gible land) is not eligible for enrollment in the pro-
gram: 
‘‘(A) Land enrolled in the conservation re-
serve program, unless— 
‘‘(i) the conservation reserve contract 
will expire at the end of the fiscal year in 
which the land is to be enrolled in the pro-
gram; and 
‘‘(ii) conservation reserve program 
payments for land enrolled in the program 
cease before the first program payment is 
made to the applicant under this sub-
chapter. 
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‘‘(B) Land enrolled in a wetland easement 
through the agricultural conservation easement 
program. 
‘‘(C) Land enrolled in the conservation se-
curity program. 
‘‘(2) CONVERSION
TO
CROPLAND.—Eligible 
land used for crop production after October 1, 2013, 
that had not been planted, considered to be planted, 
or devoted to crop production for at least 4 of the 
6 years preceding that date shall not be the basis for 
any payment under the program, unless the land 
does not meet the requirement because— 
‘‘(A) the land had previously been enrolled 
in the conservation reserve program; 
‘‘(B) the land has been maintained using 
long-term crop rotation practices, as determined 
by the Secretary; or 
‘‘(C) the land is incidental land needed for 
efficient operation of the farm or ranch, as de-
termined by the Secretary. 
‘‘SEC. 1238F. STEWARDSHIP CONTRACTS. 
‘‘(a) SUBMISSION OF CONTRACT OFFERS.—To be eli-
gible to participate in the conservation stewardship pro-
gram, a producer shall submit to the Secretary a contract 
offer for the agricultural operation that— 
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‘‘(1) demonstrates to the satisfaction of the 
Secretary that the producer, at the time of the con-
tract offer, meets or exceeds the stewardship thresh-
old for at least 2 priority resource concerns; and 
‘‘(2) would, at a minimum, meet or exceed the 
stewardship threshold for at least 1 additional pri-
ority resource concern by the end of the stewardship 
contract by— 
‘‘(A) installing and adopting additional 
conservation activities; and 
‘‘(B) improving, maintaining, and man-
aging existing conservation activities across the 
entire agricultural operation in a manner that 
increases or extends the conservation benefits in 
place at the time the contract offer is accepted 
by the Secretary. 
‘‘(b) EVALUATION OF CONTRACT OFFERS.— 
‘‘(1) RANKING
OF
APPLICATIONS.—In evalu-
ating contract offers submitted under subsection (a), 
the Secretary shall rank applications based on— 
‘‘(A) the level of conservation treatment on 
all applicable priority resource concerns at the 
time of application; 
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‘‘(B) the degree to which the proposed con-
servation activities effectively increase conserva-
tion performance; 
‘‘(C) the number of applicable priority re-
source concerns proposed to be treated to meet 
or exceed the stewardship threshold by the end 
of the contract; 
‘‘(D) the extent to which other priority re-
source concerns will be addressed to meet or ex-
ceed the stewardship threshold by the end of 
the contract period; 
‘‘(E) the extent to which the actual and 
anticipated conservation benefits from the con-
tract are provided at the least cost relative to 
other similarly beneficial contract offers; and 
‘‘(F) the extent to which priority resource 
concerns will be addressed when transitioning 
from the conservation reserve program to agri-
cultural production. 
‘‘(2) PROHIBITION.—The Secretary may not as-
sign a higher priority to any application because the 
applicant is willing to accept a lower payment than 
the applicant would otherwise be eligible to receive. 
‘‘(3) ADDITIONAL
CRITERIA.—The Secretary 
may develop and use such additional criteria that 
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the Secretary determines are necessary to ensure 
that national, State, and local priority resource con-
cerns are effectively addressed. 
‘‘(c) ENTERING INTO CONTRACTS.—After a deter-
mination that a producer is eligible for the program under 
subsection (a), and a determination that the contract offer 
ranks sufficiently high under the evaluation criteria under 
subsection (b), the Secretary shall enter into a conserva-
tion stewardship contract with the producer to enroll the 
eligible land to be covered by the contract. 
‘‘(d) CONTRACT PROVISIONS.— 
‘‘(1) TERM.—A conservation stewardship con-
tract shall be for a term of 5 years. 
‘‘(2) REQUIRED PROVISIONS.—The conservation 
stewardship contract of a producer shall— 
‘‘(A) state the amount of the payment the 
Secretary agrees to make to the producer for 
each year of the conservation stewardship con-
tract under section 1238G(d); 
‘‘(B) require the producer— 
‘‘(i) to implement a conservation stew-
ardship plan that describes the program 
purposes to be achieved through 1 or more 
conservation activities; 
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‘‘(ii) to maintain and supply informa-
tion as required by the Secretary to deter-
mine compliance with the conservation 
stewardship plan and any other require-
ments of the program; and 
‘‘(iii) not to conduct any activities on 
the agricultural operation that would tend 
to defeat the purposes of the program; 
‘‘(C) permit all economic uses of the eligi-
ble land that— 
‘‘(i) maintain the agricultural nature 
of the land; and 
‘‘(ii) are consistent with the conserva-
tion purposes of the conservation steward-
ship contract; 
‘‘(D) include a provision to ensure that a 
producer shall not be considered in violation of 
the contract for failure to comply with the con-
tract due to circumstances beyond the control 
of the producer, including a disaster or related 
condition, as determined by the Secretary; 
‘‘(E) include provisions requiring that 
upon the violation of a term or condition of the 
contract at any time the producer has control 
of the land— 
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‘‘(i) if the Secretary determines that 
the violation warrants termination of the 
contract— 
‘‘(I) the producer shall forfeit all 
rights to receive payments under the 
contract; and 
‘‘(II) the producer shall refund 
all or a portion of the payments re-
ceived by the producer under the con-
tract, including any interest on the 
payments, as determined by the Sec-
retary; or 
‘‘(ii) if the Secretary determines that 
the violation does not warrant termination 
of the contract, the producer shall refund 
or accept adjustments to the payments 
provided to the producer, as the Secretary 
determines to be appropriate; 
‘‘(F) include provisions in accordance with 
paragraphs (3) and (4) of this section; and 
‘‘(G) include any additional provisions the 
Secretary determines are necessary to carry out 
the program. 
‘‘(3) CHANGE OF INTEREST IN LAND SUBJECT 
TO A CONTRACT.— 
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‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—At the time of appli-
cation, a producer shall have control of the eli-
gible land to be enrolled in the program. Except 
as provided in subparagraph (B), a change in 
the interest of a producer in eligible land cov-
ered by a contract under the program shall re-
sult in the termination of the contract with re-
gard to that land. 
‘‘(B) 
TRANSFER
OF
DUTIES
AND 
RIGHTS.—Subparagraph (A) shall not apply 
if— 
‘‘(i) within a reasonable period of time 
(as determined by the Secretary) after the 
date of the change in the interest in eligi-
ble land covered by a contract under the 
program, the transferee of the land pro-
vides written notice to the Secretary that 
all duties and rights under the contract 
have been transferred to, and assumed by, 
the transferee for the portion of the land 
transferred; 
‘‘(ii) the transferee meets the eligi-
bility requirements of the program; and 
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‘‘(iii) the Secretary approves the 
transfer of all duties and rights under the 
contract. 
‘‘(4) MODIFICATION
AND
TERMINATION
OF 
CONTRACTS.— 
‘‘(A) VOLUNTARY MODIFICATION OR TER-
MINATION.—The Secretary may modify or ter-
minate a contract with a producer if— 
‘‘(i) the producer agrees to the modi-
fication or termination; and 
‘‘(ii) the Secretary determines that 
the modification or termination is in the 
public interest. 
‘‘(B) INVOLUNTARY
TERMINATION.—The 
Secretary may terminate a contract if the Sec-
retary determines that the producer violated the 
contract. 
‘‘(5) REPAYMENT.—If a contract is terminated, 
the Secretary may, consistent with the purposes of 
the program— 
‘‘(A) allow the producer to retain payments 
already received under the contract; or 
‘‘(B) require repayment, in whole or in 
part, of payments received and assess liquidated 
damages. 
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‘‘(e) CONTRACT RENEWAL.—At the end of the initial 
5-year contract period, the Secretary may allow the pro-
ducer to renew the contract for 1 additional 5-year period 
if the producer— 
‘‘(1) demonstrates compliance with the terms of 
the initial contract; 
‘‘(2) agrees to adopt and continue to integrate 
conservation activities across the entire agricultural 
operation, as determined by the Secretary; and 
‘‘(3) agrees, by the end of the contract period— 
‘‘(A) to meet the stewardship threshold of 
at least two additional priority resource con-
cerns on the agricultural operation; or 
‘‘(B) to exceed the stewardship threshold 
of two existing priority resource concerns that 
are specified by the Secretary in the initial con-
tract. 
‘‘SEC. 1238G. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—To achieve the conservation 
goals of a contract under the conservation stewardship 
program, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) make the program available to eligible pro-
ducers on a continuous enrollment basis with 1 or 
more ranking periods, one of which shall occur in 
the first quarter of each fiscal year; 
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‘‘(2) identify not less than 5 priority resource 
concerns in a particular watershed or other appro-
priate region or area within a State; and 
‘‘(3) establish a science-based stewardship 
threshold for each priority resource concern identi-
fied under paragraph (2). 
‘‘(b) ALLOCATION TO STATES.—The Secretary shall 
allocate acres to States for enrollment, based— 
‘‘(1) primarily on each State’s proportion of eli-
gible land to the total acreage of eligible land in all 
States; and 
‘‘(2) also on consideration of— 
‘‘(A) the extent and magnitude of the con-
servation needs associated with agricultural 
production in each State; 
‘‘(B) the degree to which implementation 
of the program in the State is, or will be, effec-
tive in helping producers address those needs; 
and 
‘‘(C) other considerations to achieve equi-
table geographic distribution of funds, as deter-
mined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(c) ACREAGE ENROLLMENT LIMITATION.—During 
the period beginning on October 1, 2013, and ending on 
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September 30, 2021, the Secretary shall, to the maximum 
extent practicable— 
‘‘(1) enroll in the program an additional 
8,695,000 acres for each fiscal year; and 
‘‘(2) manage the program to achieve a national 
average rate of $18 per acre, which shall include the 
costs of all financial assistance, technical assistance, 
and any other expenses associated with enrollment 
or participation in the program. 
‘‘(d) CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PAYMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) AVAILABILITY OF PAYMENTS.—The Sec-
retary shall provide annual payments under the pro-
gram to compensate the producer for— 
‘‘(A) installing and adopting additional 
conservation activities; and 
‘‘(B) improving, maintaining, and man-
aging conservation activities in place at the ag-
ricultural operation of the producer at the time 
the contract offer is accepted by the Secretary. 
‘‘(2) PAYMENT AMOUNT.—The amount of the 
conservation stewardship annual payment shall be 
determined by the Secretary and based, to the max-
imum extent practicable, on the following factors: 
‘‘(A) Costs incurred by the producer asso-
ciated with planning, design, materials, installa-
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tion, labor, management, maintenance, or train-
ing. 
‘‘(B) Income forgone by the producer. 
‘‘(C) Expected conservation benefits. 
‘‘(D) The extent to which priority resource 
concerns will be addressed through the installa-
tion and adoption of conservation activities on 
the agricultural operation. 
‘‘(E) The level of stewardship in place at 
the time of application and maintained over the 
term of the contract. 
‘‘(F) The degree to which the conservation 
activities will be integrated across the entire ag-
ricultural operation for all applicable priority 
resource concerns over the term of the contract. 
‘‘(G) Such other factors as determined ap-
propriate by the Secretary. 
‘‘(3) EXCLUSIONS.—A payment to a producer 
under this subsection shall not be provided for— 
‘‘(A) the design, construction, or mainte-
nance of animal waste storage or treatment fa-
cilities or associated waste transport or transfer 
devices for animal feeding operations; or 
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‘‘(B) conservation activities for which there 
is no cost incurred or income forgone to the 
producer. 
‘‘(4) DELIVERY
OF
PAYMENTS.—In making 
payments under this subsection, the Secretary shall, 
to the extent practicable— 
‘‘(A) prorate conservation performance 
over the term of the contract so as to accommo-
date, to the extent practicable, producers earn-
ing equal annual payments in each fiscal year; 
and 
‘‘(B) make payments as soon as prac-
ticable after October 1 of each fiscal year for 
activities carried out in the previous fiscal year. 
‘‘(e) SUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENTS
FOR RESOURCE- 
CONSERVING CROP ROTATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) AVAILABILITY OF PAYMENTS.—The Sec-
retary shall provide additional payments to pro-
ducers that, in participating in the program, agree 
to adopt or improve resource-conserving crop rota-
tions to achieve beneficial crop rotations as appro-
priate for the eligible land of the producers. 
‘‘(2) BENEFICIAL CROP ROTATIONS.—The Sec-
retary shall determine whether a resource-conserving 
crop rotation is a beneficial crop rotation eligible for 
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additional payments under paragraph (1) based on 
whether the resource-conserving crop rotation is de-
signed to provide natural resource conservation and 
production benefits. 
‘‘(3) ELIGIBILITY.—To be eligible to receive a 
payment described in paragraph (1), a producer 
shall agree to adopt and maintain beneficial re-
source-conserving crop rotations for the term of the 
contract. 
‘‘(4) 
RESOURCE-CONSERVING
CROP
ROTA-
TION.—In this subsection, the term ‘resource-con-
serving crop rotation’ means a crop rotation that— 
‘‘(A) includes at least 1 resource con-
serving crop (as defined by the Secretary); 
‘‘(B) reduces erosion; 
‘‘(C) improves soil fertility and tilth; 
‘‘(D) interrupts pest cycles; and 
‘‘(E) in applicable areas, reduces depletion 
of soil moisture or otherwise reduces the need 
for irrigation. 
‘‘(f) PAYMENT LIMITATIONS.—A person or legal enti-
ty may not receive, directly or indirectly, payments under 
the program that, in the aggregate, exceed $200,000 
under all contracts entered into during fiscal years 2013 
through 2017, excluding funding arrangements with In-
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dian tribes, regardless of the number of contracts entered 
into under the program by the person or legal entity. 
‘‘(g) SPECIALTY CROP AND ORGANIC PRODUCERS.— 
The Secretary shall ensure that outreach and technical as-
sistance are available, and program specifications are ap-
propriate to enable specialty crop and organic producers 
to participate in the program. 
‘‘(h) COORDINATION
WITH
ORGANIC
CERTIFI-
CATION.—The Secretary shall establish a transparent 
means by which producers may initiate organic certifi-
cation under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 
(7 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.) while participating in a contract 
under the program. 
‘‘(i) REGULATIONS.—The Secretary shall promulgate 
regulations that— 
‘‘(1) prescribe such other rules as the Secretary 
determines to be necessary to ensure a fair and rea-
sonable application of the limitations established 
under subsection (f); and 
‘‘(2) otherwise enable the Secretary to carry out 
the program.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
this section shall take effect on October 1, 2013. 
(c) EFFECT ON EXISTING CONTRACTS.— 
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(1) IN
GENERAL.—The amendment made by 
this section shall not affect the validity or terms of 
any contract entered into by the Secretary of Agri-
culture 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 October 1, 2013, or 
any payments required to be made in connection 
with the contract. 
(2) CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM.— 
Funds made available under section 1241(a)(4) of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3841(a)(4)) (as amended by section 2601(a) of this 
title) may be used to administer and make payments 
to program participants that enrolled into contracts 
during any of fiscal years 2009 through 2013. 
Subtitle C—Environmental Quality 
Incentives Program 
SEC. 2201. PURPOSES. 
Section 1240 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3839aa) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (3)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
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(B) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as 
subparagraph (C) and, in such subparagraph, 
by inserting ‘‘and’’ after the semicolon; and 
(C) by inserting after subparagraph (A) 
the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(B) developing and improving wildlife 
habitat; and’’; 
(2) in paragraph (4), by striking ‘‘; and’’ and 
inserting a period; and 
(3) by striking paragraph (5). 
SEC. 2202. ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION. 
Section 1240B of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3839aa–2) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘2014’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2018’’; 
(2) in subsection (b), by striking paragraph (2) 
and inserting the following new paragraph: 
‘‘(2) TERM.—A contract under the program 
shall have a term that does not exceed 10 years.’’; 
(3) in subsection (d)(4)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), in the matter 
preceding clause (i), by inserting ‘‘, veteran 
farmer or rancher (as defined in section 
2501(e) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, 
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and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279(e))),’’ 
before ‘‘or a beginning farmer or rancher’’; and 
(B) by striking subparagraph (B) and in-
serting the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(B) ADVANCE PAYMENTS.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Not more than 50 
percent of the amount determined under 
subparagraph (A) may be provided in ad-
vance for the purpose of purchasing mate-
rials or contracting. 
‘‘(ii) RETURN
OF
FUNDS.—If funds 
provided in advance are not expended dur-
ing the 90-day period beginning on the 
date of receipt of the funds, the funds shall 
be returned within a reasonable time 
frame, as determined by the Secretary.’’; 
(4) by striking subsection (f) and inserting the 
following new subsection: 
‘‘(f) ALLOCATION OF FUNDING.— 
‘‘(1) LIVESTOCK.—For each of fiscal years 
2014 through 2018, at least 60 percent of the funds 
made available for payments under the program 
shall be targeted at practices relating to livestock 
production. 
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‘‘(2) WILDLIFE HABITAT.—For each of fiscal 
years 2014 through 2018, 5 percent of the funds 
made available for payments under the program 
shall be targeted at practices benefitting wildlife 
habitat.’’; 
(5) in subsection (g)— 
(A) in the subsection heading, by striking 
‘‘FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED NATIVE AMERICAN 
INDIAN TRIBES
AND ALASKA NATIVE COR-
PORATIONS’’ and inserting ‘‘INDIAN TRIBES’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘federally recognized Na-
tive American Indian Tribes and Alaska Native 
Corporations (including their affiliated member-
ship organizations)’’ and inserting ‘‘Indian 
tribes’’; and 
(C) by striking ‘‘or Native Corporation’’; 
and 
(6) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(j) WILDLIFE HABITAT INCENTIVE PRACTICE.— 
The Secretary shall provide payments under the program 
for conservation practices that support the restoration, de-
velopment, and improvement of wildlife habitat on eligible 
land, including— 
‘‘(1) upland wildlife habitat; 
‘‘(2) wetland wildlife habitat; 
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‘‘(3) habitat for threatened and endangered 
species; 
‘‘(4) fish habitat; 
‘‘(5) habitat on pivot corners and other irreg-
ular areas of a field; and 
‘‘(6) other types of wildlife habitat, as deter-
mined appropriate by the Secretary.’’. 
SEC. 2203. EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS. 
Section 1240C(b) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa–3(b)) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘environ-
mental’’ and inserting ‘‘conservation’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘purpose of 
the environmental quality incentives program speci-
fied in section 1240(1)’’ and inserting ‘‘purposes of 
the program’’. 
SEC. 2204. DUTIES OF PRODUCERS. 
Section 1240D(2) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa–4(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘farm, 
ranch, or forest’’ and inserting ‘‘enrolled’’. 
SEC. 2205. LIMITATION ON PAYMENTS. 
Section 1240G of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3839aa–7) is amended to read as follows: 
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‘‘SEC. 1240G. LIMITATION ON PAYMENTS. 
‘‘A person or legal entity may not receive, directly 
or indirectly, cost share or incentive payments under this 
chapter that, in aggregate, exceed $450,000 for all con-
tracts entered into under this chapter by the person or 
legal entity during the period of fiscal years 2014 through 
2018, regardless of the number of contracts entered into 
under this chapter by the person or legal entity.’’. 
SEC. 2206. CONSERVATION INNOVATION GRANTS AND PAY-
MENTS. 
Section 1240H of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3839aa–8) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (C), by striking ‘‘; 
and’’ and inserting a semicolon; 
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking the 
period and inserting a semicolon; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
subparagraphs: 
‘‘(E) facilitate on-farm conservation re-
search and demonstration activities; and 
‘‘(F) facilitate pilot testing of new tech-
nologies or innovative conservation practices.’’; 
and 
(2) by striking subsection (b) and inserting the 
following new subsection: 
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‘‘(b) REPORTING.—Not later than December 31, 
2014, and every two years thereafter, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture 
of the House of Representatives a report on the status 
of projects funded under this section, including— 
‘‘(1) funding awarded; 
‘‘(2) project results; and 
‘‘(3) incorporation of project findings, such as 
new technology and innovative approaches, into the 
conservation efforts implemented by the Secretary.’’. 
SEC. 2207. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—The amendments made by this 
subtitle shall take effect on October 1, 2013. 
(b) EFFECT ON EXISTING CONTRACTS.—The amend-
ments made by this subtitle shall not affect the validity 
or terms of any contract entered into by the Secretary of 
Agriculture under chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa et seq.) 
before October 1, 2013, or any payments required to be 
made in connection with the contract. 
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Subtitle D—Agricultural 
Conservation Easement Program 
SEC. 2301. AGRICULTURAL CONSERVATION EASEMENT 
PROGRAM. 
(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—Title XII of the Food Secu-
rity Act of 1985 is amended by adding at the end the fol-
lowing new subtitle: 
‘‘Subtitle H—Agricultural 
Conservation Easement Program 
‘‘SEC. 1265. ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSES. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish an agricultural conservation easement program for the 
conservation of eligible land and natural resources through 
easements or other interests in land. 
‘‘(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the program are 
to— 
‘‘(1) combine the purposes and coordinate the 
functions of the wetlands reserve program estab-
lished under section 1237, the grassland reserve pro-
gram established under section 1238N, and the 
farmland protection program established under sec-
tion 1238I, as such sections were in effect on Sep-
tember 30, 2013; 
‘‘(2) restore, protect, and enhance wetlands on 
eligible land; 
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‘‘(3) protect the agricultural use and related 
conservation values of eligible land by limiting non-
agricultural uses of that land; and 
‘‘(4) protect grazing uses and related conserva-
tion values by restoring and conserving eligible land. 
‘‘SEC. 1265A. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this subtitle: 
‘‘(1) AGRICULTURAL
LAND
EASEMENT.—The 
term ‘agricultural land easement’ means an ease-
ment or other interest in eligible land that— 
‘‘(A) is conveyed for the purpose of pro-
tecting natural resources and the agricultural 
nature of the land; and 
‘‘(B) permits the landowner the right to 
continue agricultural production and related 
uses subject to an agricultural land easement 
plan, as approved by the Secretary. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE ENTITY.—The term ‘eligible en-
tity’ means— 
‘‘(A) an agency of State or local govern-
ment or an Indian tribe (including a farmland 
protection board or land resource council estab-
lished under State law); or 
‘‘(B) an organization that is— 
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‘‘(i) organized for, and at all times 
since the formation of the organization has 
been operated principally for, 1 or more of 
the conservation purposes specified in 
clause (i), (ii), (iii), or (iv) of section 
170(h)(4)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code 
of 1986; 
‘‘(ii) an organization described in sec-
tion 501(c)(3) of that Code that is exempt 
from taxation under section 501(a) of that 
Code; or 
‘‘(iii) described in— 
‘‘(I) paragraph (1) or (2) of sec-
tion 509(a) of that Code; or 
‘‘(II) section 509(a)(3) of that 
Code and is controlled by an organiza-
tion described in section 509(a)(2) of 
that Code. 
‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE LAND.—The term ‘eligible land’ 
means private or tribal land that is— 
‘‘(A) in the case of an agricultural land 
easement, agricultural land, including land on a 
farm or ranch— 
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‘‘(i) that is subject to a pending offer 
for purchase of an agricultural land ease-
ment from an eligible entity; 
‘‘(ii) that— 
‘‘(I) has prime, unique, or other 
productive soil; 
‘‘(II) contains historical or ar-
chaeological resources; or 
‘‘(III) the protection of which will 
further a State or local policy con-
sistent with the purposes of the pro-
gram; and 
‘‘(iii) that is— 
‘‘(I) cropland; 
‘‘(II) rangeland; 
‘‘(III) grassland or land that con-
tains forbs, or shrubland for which 
grazing is the predominate use; 
‘‘(IV) pastureland; or 
‘‘(V) nonindustrial private forest 
land that contributes to the economic 
viability of an offered parcel or serves 
as a buffer to protect such land from 
development; 
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‘‘(B) in the case of a wetland easement, a 
wetland or related area, including— 
‘‘(i) farmed or converted wetlands, to-
gether with adjacent land that is function-
ally dependent on that land, if the Sec-
retary determines it— 
‘‘(I) is likely to be successfully 
restored in a cost effective manner; 
and 
‘‘(II) will maximize the wildlife 
benefits and wetland functions and 
values, as determined by the Secretary 
in consultation with the Secretary of 
the Interior at the local level; 
‘‘(ii) cropland or grassland that was 
used for agricultural production prior to 
flooding from the natural overflow of— 
‘‘(I) a closed basin lake and adja-
cent land that is functionally depend-
ent upon it, if the State or other enti-
ty is willing to provide 50 percent 
share of the cost of an easement; 
‘‘(II) a pothole and adjacent land 
that is functionally dependent on it; 
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‘‘(iii) farmed wetlands and adjoining 
lands that— 
‘‘(I) are enrolled in the conserva-
tion reserve program; 
‘‘(II) have the highest wetland 
functions and values, as determined 
by the Secretary; and 
‘‘(III) are likely to return to pro-
duction after they leave the conserva-
tion reserve program; 
‘‘(iv) riparian areas that link wetlands 
that are protected by easements or some 
other device that achieves the same pur-
pose as an easement; or 
‘‘(v) other wetlands of an owner that 
would not otherwise be eligible, if the Sec-
retary determines that the inclusion of 
such wetlands in a wetland easement would 
significantly add to the functional value of 
the easement; or 
‘‘(C) in the case of either an agricultural 
land easement or wetland easement, other land 
that is incidental to land described in subpara-
graph (A) or (B), if the Secretary determines 
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that it is necessary for the efficient administra-
tion of the easements under this program. 
‘‘(4) PROGRAM.—The term ‘program’ means 
the agricultural conservation easement program es-
tablished by this subtitle. 
‘‘(5) WETLAND EASEMENT.—The term ‘wetland 
easement’ means a reserved interest in eligible land 
that— 
‘‘(A) is defined and delineated in a deed; 
and 
‘‘(B) stipulates— 
‘‘(i) the rights, title, and interests in 
land conveyed to the Secretary; and 
‘‘(ii) the rights, title, and interests in 
land that are reserved to the landowner. 
‘‘SEC. 1265B. AGRICULTURAL LAND EASEMENTS. 
‘‘(a) AVAILABILITY OF ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary 
shall facilitate and provide funding for— 
‘‘(1) the purchase by eligible entities of agricul-
tural land easements and other interests in eligible 
land; and 
‘‘(2) technical assistance to provide for the con-
servation of natural resources pursuant to an agri-
cultural land easement plan. 
‘‘(b) COST-SHARE ASSISTANCE.— 
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‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall protect 
the agricultural use, including grazing, and related 
conservation values of eligible land through cost- 
share assistance to eligible entities for purchasing 
agricultural land easements. 
‘‘(2) SCOPE OF ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE.— 
‘‘(A) FEDERAL SHARE.—An agreement de-
scribed in paragraph (4) shall provide for a 
Federal share determined by the Secretary of 
an amount not to exceed 50 percent of the fair 
market value of the agricultural land easement 
or other interest in land, as determined by the 
Secretary using— 
‘‘(i) the Uniform Standards of Profes-
sional Appraisal Practice; 
‘‘(ii) an area-wide market analysis or 
survey; or 
‘‘(iii) another industry-approved meth-
od. 
‘‘(B) NON-FEDERAL SHARE.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—Under the agree-
ment, the eligible entity shall provide a 
share that is at least equivalent to that 
provided by the Secretary. 
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‘‘(ii) SOURCE OF CONTRIBUTION.—An 
eligible entity may include as part of its 
share a charitable donation or qualified 
conservation contribution (as defined by 
section 170(h) of the Internal Revenue 
Code of 1986) from the private landowner 
if the eligible entity contributes its own 
cash resources in an amount that is at 
least 50 percent of the amount contributed 
by the Secretary. 
‘‘(C) EXCEPTION.—In the case of grass-
land of special environmental significance, as 
determined by the Secretary, the Secretary may 
provide an amount not to exceed 75 percent of 
the fair market value of the agricultural land 
easement. 
‘‘(3) EVALUATION AND RANKING OF APPLICA-
TIONS.— 
‘‘(A) CRITERIA.—The Secretary shall es-
tablish evaluation and ranking criteria to maxi-
mize the benefit of Federal investment under 
the program. 
‘‘(B) CONSIDERATIONS.—In establishing 
the criteria, the Secretary shall emphasize sup-
port for— 
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‘‘(i) protecting agricultural uses and 
related conservation values of the land; and 
‘‘(ii) maximizing the protection of 
areas devoted to agricultural use. 
‘‘(C) BIDDING
DOWN.—If the Secretary 
determines that 2 or more applications for cost- 
share assistance are comparable in achieving 
the purpose of the program, the Secretary shall 
not assign a higher priority to any of those ap-
plications solely on the basis of lesser cost to 
the program. 
‘‘(4) AGREEMENTS WITH ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
enter into agreements with eligible entities to 
stipulate the terms and conditions under which 
the eligible entity is permitted to use cost-share 
assistance provided under this section. 
‘‘(B) 
LENGTH
OF
AGREEMENTS.—An 
agreement shall be for a term that is— 
‘‘(i) in the case of an eligible entity 
certified under the process described in 
paragraph (5), a minimum of five years; 
and 
‘‘(ii) for all other eligible entities, at 
least three, but not more than five years. 
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‘‘(C) MINIMUM TERMS AND CONDITIONS.— 
An eligible entity shall be authorized to use its 
own terms and conditions for agricultural land 
easements so long as the Secretary determines 
such terms and conditions— 
‘‘(i) are consistent with the purposes 
of the program; 
‘‘(ii) permit effective enforcement of 
the conservation purposes of such ease-
ments; 
‘‘(iii) include a right of enforcement 
for the Secretary, that may be used only if 
the terms of the easement are not enforced 
by the holder of the easement; 
‘‘(iv) subject the land in which an in-
terest is purchased to an agricultural land 
easement plan that— 
‘‘(I) describes the activities which 
promote the long-term viability of the 
land to meet the purposes for which 
the easement was acquired; 
‘‘(II) requires the management of 
grasslands according to a grasslands 
management plan; and 
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‘‘(III) includes a conservation 
plan, where appropriate, and requires, 
at the option of the Secretary, the 
conversion of highly erodible cropland 
to less intensive uses; and 
‘‘(v) include a limit on the impervious 
surfaces to be allowed that is consistent 
with the agricultural activities to be con-
ducted. 
‘‘(D) 
SUBSTITUTION
OF
QUALIFIED 
PROJECTS.—An agreement shall allow, upon 
mutual agreement of the parties, substitution of 
qualified projects that are identified at the time 
of the proposed substitution. 
‘‘(E) EFFECT OF VIOLATION.—If a viola-
tion occurs of a term or condition of an agree-
ment under this subsection— 
‘‘(i) the Secretary may terminate the 
agreement; and 
‘‘(ii) the Secretary may require the el-
igible entity to refund all or part of any 
payments received by the entity under the 
program, with interest on the payments as 
determined appropriate by the Secretary. 
‘‘(5) CERTIFICATION OF ELIGIBLE ENTITIES.— 
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‘‘(A) CERTIFICATION PROCESS.—The Sec-
retary shall establish a process under which the 
Secretary may— 
‘‘(i) directly certify eligible entities 
that meet established criteria; 
‘‘(ii) enter into long-term agreements 
with certified eligible entities; and 
‘‘(iii) accept proposals for cost-share 
assistance for the purchase of agricultural 
land easements throughout the duration of 
such agreements. 
‘‘(B) CERTIFICATION CRITERIA.—In order 
to be certified, an eligible entity shall dem-
onstrate to the Secretary that the entity will 
maintain, at a minimum, for the duration of the 
agreement— 
‘‘(i) a plan for administering ease-
ments that is consistent with the purpose 
of this subtitle; 
‘‘(ii) the capacity and resources to 
monitor and enforce agricultural land ease-
ments; and 
‘‘(iii) policies and procedures to en-
sure— 
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‘‘(I) the long-term integrity of 
agricultural land easements on eligible 
land; 
‘‘(II) timely completion of acqui-
sitions of such easements; and 
‘‘(III) timely and complete eval-
uation and reporting to the Secretary 
on the use of funds provided under 
the program. 
‘‘(C) REVIEW AND REVISION.— 
‘‘(i) REVIEW.—The Secretary shall 
conduct a review of eligible entities cer-
tified under subparagraph (A) every three 
years to ensure that such entities are 
meeting the criteria established under sub-
paragraph (B). 
‘‘(ii) REVOCATION.—If the Secretary 
finds that the certified eligible entity no 
longer meets the criteria established under 
subparagraph (B), the Secretary may— 
‘‘(I) allow the certified eligible 
entity a specified period of time, at a 
minimum 180 days, in which to take 
such actions as may be necessary to 
meet the criteria; and 
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‘‘(II) revoke the certification of 
the eligible entity, if after the speci-
fied period of time, the certified eligi-
ble entity does not meet such criteria. 
‘‘(c) METHOD
OF ENROLLMENT.—The Secretary 
shall enroll eligible land under this section through the use 
of— 
‘‘(1) permanent easements; or 
‘‘(2) easements for the maximum duration al-
lowed under applicable State laws. 
‘‘(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary may 
provide technical assistance, if requested, to assist in— 
‘‘(1) compliance with the terms and conditions 
of easements; and 
‘‘(2) implementation of an agricultural land 
easement plan. 
‘‘SEC. 1265C. WETLAND EASEMENTS. 
‘‘(a) AVAILABILITY OF ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary 
shall provide assistance to owners of eligible land to re-
store, protect, and enhance wetlands through— 
‘‘(1) wetland easements and related wetland 
easement plans; and 
‘‘(2) technical assistance. 
‘‘(b) EASEMENTS.— 
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‘‘(1) METHOD
OF
ENROLLMENT.—The Sec-
retary shall enroll eligible land under this section 
through the use of— 
‘‘(A) 30-year easements; 
‘‘(B) permanent easements; 
‘‘(C) easements for the maximum duration 
allowed under applicable State laws; or 
‘‘(D) as an option for Indian tribes only, 
30-year contracts (which shall be considered to 
be 30-year easements for the purposes of this 
subtitle). 
‘‘(2) LIMITATIONS.— 
‘‘(A) INELIGIBLE
LAND.—The Secretary 
may not acquire easements on— 
‘‘(i) land established to trees under 
the conservation reserve program, except in 
cases where the Secretary determines it 
would further the purposes of the program; 
and 
‘‘(ii) farmed wetlands or converted 
wetlands where the conversion was not 
commenced prior to December 23, 1985. 
‘‘(B) CHANGES IN OWNERSHIP.—No wet-
land easement shall be created on land that has 
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changed ownership during the preceding 24- 
month period unless— 
‘‘(i) the new ownership was acquired 
by will or succession as a result of the 
death of the previous owner; 
‘‘(ii)(I) the ownership change occurred 
because of foreclosure on the land; and 
‘‘(II) immediately before the fore-
closure, the owner of the land exercises a 
right of redemption from the mortgage 
holder in accordance with State law; or 
‘‘(iii) the Secretary determines that 
the land was acquired under circumstances 
that give adequate assurances that such 
land was not acquired for the purposes of 
placing it in the program. 
‘‘(3) EVALUATION AND RANKING OF OFFERS.— 
‘‘(A) CRITERIA.—The Secretary shall es-
tablish evaluation and ranking criteria to maxi-
mize the benefit of Federal investment under 
the program. 
‘‘(B) CONSIDERATIONS.—When evaluating 
offers from landowners, the Secretary may con-
sider— 
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‘‘(i) the conservation benefits of ob-
taining a wetland easement, including the 
potential environmental benefits if the land 
was removed from agricultural production; 
‘‘(ii) the cost-effectiveness of each 
wetland easement, so as to maximize the 
environmental benefits per dollar expended; 
‘‘(iii) whether the landowner or an-
other person is offering to contribute fi-
nancially to the cost of the wetland ease-
ment to leverage Federal funds; and 
‘‘(iv) such other factors as the Sec-
retary determines are necessary to carry 
out the purposes of the program. 
‘‘(C) PRIORITY.—The Secretary shall place 
priority on acquiring wetland easements based 
on the value of the wetland easement for pro-
tecting and enhancing habitat for migratory 
birds and other wildlife. 
‘‘(4) AGREEMENT.—To be eligible to place eligi-
ble land into the program through a wetland ease-
ment, the owner of such land shall enter into an 
agreement with the Secretary to— 
‘‘(A) grant an easement on such land to 
the Secretary; 
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‘‘(B) authorize the implementation of a 
wetland easement plan developed for the eligible 
land under subsection (f); 
‘‘(C) create and record an appropriate 
deed restriction in accordance with applicable 
State law to reflect the easement agreed to; 
‘‘(D) provide a written statement of con-
sent to such easement signed by those holding 
a security interest in the land; 
‘‘(E) comply with the terms and conditions 
of the easement and any related agreements; 
and 
‘‘(F) permanently retire any existing base 
history for the land on which the easement has 
been obtained. 
‘‘(5) TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF EASEMENT.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A wetland easement 
shall include terms and conditions that— 
‘‘(i) permit— 
‘‘(I) repairs, improvements, and 
inspections on the land that are nec-
essary to maintain existing public 
drainage systems; and 
‘‘(II) owners to control public ac-
cess on the easement areas while iden-
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tifying access routes to be used for 
restoration activities and management 
and easement monitoring; 
‘‘(ii) prohibit— 
‘‘(I) the alteration of wildlife 
habitat and other natural features of 
such land, unless specifically author-
ized by the Secretary; 
‘‘(II) the spraying of such land 
with chemicals or the mowing of such 
land, except where such spraying or 
mowing is authorized by the Secretary 
or is necessary— 
‘‘(aa) to comply with Fed-
eral or State noxious weed con-
trol laws; 
‘‘(bb) to comply with a Fed-
eral or State emergency pest 
treatment program; or 
‘‘(cc) to meet habitat needs 
of specific wildlife species; 
‘‘(III) any activities to be carried 
out on the owner’s or successor’s land 
that is immediately adjacent to, and 
functionally related to, the land that 
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is subject to the easement if such ac-
tivities will alter, degrade, or other-
wise diminish the functional value of 
the eligible land; and 
‘‘(IV) the adoption of any other 
practice that would tend to defeat the 
purposes of the program, as deter-
mined by the Secretary; 
‘‘(iii) provide for the efficient and ef-
fective establishment of wildlife functions 
and values; and 
‘‘(iv) include such additional provi-
sions as the Secretary determines are de-
sirable to carry out the program or facili-
tate the practical administration thereof. 
‘‘(B) VIOLATION.—On the violation of the 
terms or conditions of a wetland easement, the 
wetland easement shall remain in force and the 
Secretary may require the owner to refund all 
or part of any payments received by the owner 
under the program, together with interest 
thereon as determined appropriate by the Sec-
retary. 
‘‘(C) COMPATIBLE USES.—Land subject to 
a wetland easement may be used for compatible 
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economic uses, including such activities as 
hunting and fishing, managed timber harvest, 
or periodic haying or grazing, if such use is spe-
cifically permitted by the wetland easement plan 
developed for the land under subsection (f) and 
is consistent with the long-term protection and 
enhancement of the wetland resources for which 
the easement was established. 
‘‘(D) 
RESERVATION
OF
GRAZING 
RIGHTS.—The Secretary may include in the 
terms and conditions of a wetland easement a 
provision under which the owner reserves graz-
ing rights if— 
‘‘(i) the Secretary determines that the 
reservation and use of the grazing rights— 
‘‘(I) is compatible with the land 
subject to the easement; 
‘‘(II) is consistent with the his-
torical natural uses of the land and 
the long-term protection and enhance-
ment goals for which the easement 
was established; and 
‘‘(III) complies with the wetland 
easement plan developed for the land 
under subsection (f); and 
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‘‘(ii) the agreement provides for a 
commensurate reduction in the easement 
payment to account for the grazing value, 
as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(6) COMPENSATION.— 
‘‘(A) DETERMINATION.— 
‘‘(i) PERMANENT
EASEMENTS.—The 
Secretary shall pay as compensation for a 
permanent 
wetland 
easement 
acquired 
under the program an amount necessary to 
encourage enrollment in the program, 
based on the lowest of— 
‘‘(I) the fair market value of the 
land, as determined by the Secretary, 
using the Uniform Standards of Pro-
fessional Appraisal Practice or an 
area-wide market analysis or survey; 
‘‘(II) the amount corresponding 
to a geographical cap, as determined 
by the Secretary in regulations; or 
‘‘(III) the offer made by the 
landowner. 
‘‘(ii) 
30-YEAR
EASEMENTS.—Com-
pensation for a 30-year wetland easement 
shall be not less than 50 percent, but not 
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845 
more than 75 percent, of the compensation 
that would be paid for a permanent wet-
land easement. 
‘‘(B) FORM OF PAYMENT.—Compensation 
for a wetland easement shall be provided by the 
Secretary in the form of a cash payment, in an 
amount determined under subparagraph (A). 
‘‘(C) PAYMENT SCHEDULE.— 
‘‘(i) EASEMENTS VALUED AT $500,000 
OR LESS.—For wetland easements valued 
at $500,000 or less, the Secretary may 
provide easement payments in not more 
than 10 annual payments. 
‘‘(ii) EASEMENTS VALUED AT MORE 
THAN
$500,000.—For wetland easements 
valued at more than $500,000, the Sec-
retary may provide easement payments in 
at least 5, but not more than 10 annual 
payments, except that, if the Secretary de-
termines it would further the purposes of 
the program, the Secretary may make a 
lump sum payment for such an easement. 
‘‘(c) EASEMENT RESTORATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide 
financial assistance to owners of eligible land to 
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carry out the establishment of conservation meas-
ures and practices and protect wetland functions 
and values, including necessary maintenance activi-
ties, as set forth in a wetland easement plan devel-
oped for the eligible land under subsection (f). 
‘‘(2) PAYMENTS.—The Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) in the case of a permanent wetland 
easement, pay an amount that is not less than 
75 percent, but not more than 100 percent, of 
the eligible costs, as determined by the Sec-
retary; and 
‘‘(B) in the case of a 30-year wetland ease-
ment, pay an amount that is not less than 50 
percent, but not more than 75 percent, of the 
eligible costs, as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(d) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall assist 
owners in complying with the terms and conditions 
of wetland easements. 
‘‘(2) CONTRACTS OR AGREEMENTS.—The Sec-
retary may enter into 1 or more contracts with pri-
vate entities or agreements with a State, non-govern-
mental organization, or Indian tribe to carry out 
necessary restoration, enhancement, or maintenance 
of a wetland easement if the Secretary determines 
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847 
that the contract or agreement will advance the pur-
poses of the program. 
‘‘(e) WETLAND ENHANCEMENT OPTION.—The Sec-
retary may enter into 1 or more agreements with a State 
(including a political subdivision or agency of a State), 
nongovernmental organization, or Indian tribe to carry out 
a special wetland enhancement option that the Secretary 
determines would advance the purposes of program. 
‘‘(f) ADMINISTRATION.— 
‘‘(1) WETLAND
EASEMENT
PLAN.—The Sec-
retary shall develop a wetland easement plan for eli-
gible lands subject to a wetland easement, which 
shall include practices and activities necessary to re-
store, protect, enhance, and maintain the enrolled 
lands. 
‘‘(2) DELEGATION OF EASEMENT ADMINISTRA-
TION.—The Secretary may delegate— 
‘‘(A) any of the easement management, 
monitoring, and enforcement responsibilities of 
the Secretary to other Federal or State agencies 
that have the appropriate authority, expertise, 
and resources necessary to carry out such dele-
gated responsibilities; and 
‘‘(B) any of the easement management re-
sponsibilities of the Secretary to other conserva-
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848 
tion organizations if the Secretary determines 
the organization has the appropriate expertise 
and resources. 
‘‘(3) PAYMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) TIMING
OF
PAYMENTS.—The Sec-
retary shall provide payment for obligations in-
curred by the Secretary under this section— 
‘‘(i) with respect to any easement res-
toration obligation under subsection (c), as 
soon as possible after the obligation is in-
curred; and 
‘‘(ii) with respect to any annual ease-
ment payment obligation incurred by the 
Secretary, as soon as possible after Octo-
ber 1 of each calendar year. 
‘‘(B) PAYMENTS TO OTHERS.—If an owner 
who is entitled to a payment under this section 
dies, becomes incompetent, is otherwise unable 
to receive such payment, or is succeeded by an-
other person or entity who renders or completes 
the required performance, the Secretary shall 
make such payment, in accordance with regula-
tions prescribed by the Secretary and without 
regard to any other provision of law, in such 
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manner as the Secretary determines is fair and 
reasonable in light of all of the circumstances. 
‘‘SEC. 1265D. ADMINISTRATION. 
‘‘(a) INELIGIBLE LAND.—The Secretary may not use 
program funds for the purposes of acquiring an easement 
on— 
‘‘(1) lands owned by an agency of the United 
States, other than land held in trust for Indian 
tribes; 
‘‘(2) lands owned in fee title by a State, includ-
ing an agency or a subdivision of a State, or a unit 
of local government; 
‘‘(3) land subject to an easement or deed re-
striction which, as determined by the Secretary, pro-
vides similar protection as would be provided by en-
rollment in the program; or 
‘‘(4) lands where the purposes of the program 
would be undermined due to on-site or off-site condi-
tions, such as risk of hazardous substances, pro-
posed or existing rights of way, infrastructure devel-
opment, or adjacent land uses. 
‘‘(b) PRIORITY.—In evaluating applications under the 
program, the Secretary may give priority to land that is 
currently enrolled in the conservation reserve program in 
a contract that is set to expire within 1 year and— 
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‘‘(1) in the case of an agricultural land ease-
ment, is grassland that would benefit from protec-
tion under a long-term easement; and 
‘‘(2) in the case of a wetland easement, is a 
wetland or related area with the highest functions 
and value and is likely to return to production after 
the land leaves the conservation reserve program. 
‘‘(c) SUBORDINATION, EXCHANGE, MODIFICATION, 
AND TERMINATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may subor-
dinate, exchange, modify, or terminate any interest 
in land, or portion of such interest, administered by 
the Secretary, either directly or on behalf of the 
Commodity Credit Corporation under the program if 
the Secretary determines that— 
‘‘(A) it is in the Federal Government’s in-
terest to subordinate, exchange, modify, or ter-
minate the interest in land; 
‘‘(B) the subordination, exchange, modi-
fication, or termination action— 
‘‘(i) will address a compelling public 
need for which there is no practicable al-
ternative; or 
‘‘(ii) such action will further the prac-
tical administration of the program; and 
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‘‘(C) the subordination, exchange, modi-
fication, or termination action will result in 
comparable conservation value and equivalent 
or greater economic value to the United States. 
‘‘(2) CONSULTATION.—The Secretary shall 
work with the owner, and eligible entity if applicable, 
to address any subordination, exchange, modifica-
tion, or termination of the interest, or portion of 
such interest, in land. 
‘‘(3) NOTICE.—At least 90 days before taking 
any termination action described in paragraph (1), 
the Secretary shall provide written notice of such ac-
tion to the Committee on Agriculture of the House 
of Representatives and the Committee on Agri-
culture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate. 
‘‘(d) LAND ENROLLED IN CONSERVATION RESERVE 
PROGRAM.—The Secretary may terminate or modify a 
contract entered into under section 1231(a) if eligible land 
that is subject to such contract is transferred into the pro-
gram. 
‘‘(e) ALLOCATION OF FUNDS FOR AGRICULTURAL 
LAND EASEMENTS.—Of the funds made available under 
section 1241 to carry out the program for a fiscal year, 
the Secretary shall, to the extent practicable, use for agri-
cultural land easements— 
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‘‘(1) no less than 40 percent in each of fiscal 
years 2014 through 2017; and 
‘‘(2) no less than 50 percent in fiscal year 
2018.’’. 
(b) COMPLIANCE WITH CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS.— 
Before an eligible entity or owner of eligible land may re-
ceive assistance under subtitle H of title XII of the Food 
Security Act of 1985, the eligible entity or person shall 
agree, during the crop year for which the assistance is pro-
vided and in exchange for the assistance— 
(1) to comply with applicable conservation re-
quirements under subtitle B of title XII of that Act 
(16 U.S.C. 3811 et seq.); and 
(2) to comply with applicable wetland protection 
requirements under subtitle C of title XII of that 
Act (16 U.S.C. 3821 et seq.). 
(c) CROSS
REFERENCE; CALCULATION.—Section 
1244 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3844) 
is amended— 
(1) in subsection (c)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘and’’ at the end of 
subparagraph (A); 
(ii) by striking ‘‘and’’ at the end of 
subparagraph (B); and 
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853 
(iii) by striking subparagraph (C); 
(B) by redesignating paragraph (2) as 
paragraph (3); and 
(C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the 
following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(2) the agricultural conservation easement 
program established under subtitle H; and’’; and 
(2) in subsection (f)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘programs administered under subchapters 
B and C of chapter 1 of subtitle D’’ and 
inserting ‘‘conservation reserve program 
established under subchapter B of chapter 
1 of subtitle D and wetland easements 
under section 1265C’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
‘‘an easement acquired under subchapter C 
of chapter 1 of subtitle D’’ and inserting 
‘‘a 
wetland 
easement 
under 
section 
1265C’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(5) CALCULATION.—In calculating the per-
centages described in paragraph (1), the Secretary 
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1054 
SEC. 7405. COMPETITIVE, SPECIAL, AND FACILITIES RE-
SEARCH GRANT ACT. 
(a) EXTENSION.—Subsection (b)(11)(A) of the Com-
petitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (7 
U.S.C. 450i(b)(11)(A)) is amended in the matter pre-
ceding clause (i) by striking ‘‘2012’’ and inserting ‘‘2018’’. 
(b) PRIORITY AREAS.—Subsection (b)(2) of the Com-
petitive, Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (7 
U.S.C. 450i(b)(2)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (A)— 
(A) in clause (vi), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(B) in clause (vii), by striking the period 
at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
clause: 
‘‘(viii) plant-based foods that are 
major sources of nutrients of concern (as 
determined by the Secretary).’’; 
(2) in subparagraph (B)— 
(A) in clause (vii), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(B) in clause (viii), by striking the period 
at the end and inserting a semicolon; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following new 
clauses: 
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