200 
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 to producers under 
the program for practices, including recurring practices 
for the term of the contract, that support the restoration, 
development, protection, and improvement of wildlife habi-
tat on eligible land, including— 
‘‘(1) upland wildlife habitat; 
‘‘(2) wetland wildlife habitat; 
‘‘(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. 
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‘‘(k) FUNDING FOR COMMUNITY IRRIGATION ASSO-
CIATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may enter 
into an alternative funding arrangement with an eli-
gible irrigation association if the Secretary deter-
mines that— 
‘‘(A) the purposes of the program will be 
met by such an arrangement; and 
‘‘(B) statutory limitations regarding con-
tracts with individual producers will not be ex-
ceeded by any member of the irrigation associa-
tion. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE IRRIGATION ASSOCIATIONS.—In 
this subsection, the term ‘eligible irrigation associa-
tion’ means an irrigation association that is— 
‘‘(A) comprised of producers; and 
‘‘(B) a local government entity, but does 
not have the authority to impose taxes or lev-
ies.’’. 
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 
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202 
(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: 
‘‘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)— 
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203 
(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: 
‘‘(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.’’. 
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204 
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. 
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— 
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‘‘(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; 
‘‘(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 
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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— 
‘‘(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-
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207 
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— 
‘‘(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; 
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‘‘(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; 
‘‘(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-
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209 
ent upon it, if the State or other enti-
ty is willing to provide 50 percent 
share of the cost of an easement; and 
‘‘(II) a pothole and adjacent land 
that is functionally dependent on it; 
‘‘(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 
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‘‘(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 
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 
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‘‘(2) technical assistance to provide for the con-
servation of natural resources pursuant to an agri-
cultural land easement plan. 
‘‘(b) COST-SHARE ASSISTANCE.— 
‘‘(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.— 
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212 
‘‘(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. 
‘‘(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-
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213 
mize the benefit of Federal investment under 
the program. 
‘‘(B) CONSIDERATIONS.—In establishing 
the criteria, the Secretary shall emphasize sup-
port for— 
‘‘(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— 
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‘‘(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. 
‘‘(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 
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215 
land to meet the purposes for which 
the easement was acquired; 
‘‘(II) requires the management of 
grasslands according to a grasslands 
management plan; and 
‘‘(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 
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‘‘(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.— 
‘‘(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; 
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‘‘(ii) the capacity and resources to 
monitor and enforce agricultural land ease-
ments; and 
‘‘(iii) policies and procedures to en-
sure— 
‘‘(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— 
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‘‘(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 
‘‘(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— 
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‘‘(1) wetland easements and related wetland 
easement plans; and 
‘‘(2) technical assistance. 
‘‘(b) EASEMENTS.— 
‘‘(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 
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220 
‘‘(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 
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-
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221 
mize the benefit of Federal investment under 
the program. 
‘‘(B) CONSIDERATIONS.—When evaluating 
offers from landowners, the Secretary may con-
sider— 
‘‘(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. 
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222 
‘‘(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; 
‘‘(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— 
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‘‘(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-
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 
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‘‘(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 
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 
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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 
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 
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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 
‘‘(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; 
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‘‘(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 
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 
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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 
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.— 
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229 
‘‘(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 
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. 
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‘‘(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-
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. 
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‘‘(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 
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 
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‘‘(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— 
‘‘(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— 
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233 
‘‘(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 
‘‘(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. 
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‘‘(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— 
‘‘(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 
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(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 
(iii) by striking subparagraph (C); 
(B) by redesignating paragraph (2) as 
paragraph (3); and 
(C) by inserting after paragraph (1) the 
following new paragraph: 
‘‘(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 
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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 
shall include any acreage that was included in cal-
culations of percentages made under such para-
graph, as in effect on September 30, 2013, and that 
remains enrolled when the calculation is made after 
that date under paragraph (1).’’. 
(d) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect on October 1, 2013. 
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Subtitle E—Regional Conservation 
Partnership Program 
SEC. 2401. REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Title XII of the Food Security 
Act of 1985 is amended by inserting after subtitle H, as 
added by section 2301, the following new subtitle: 
‘‘Subtitle I—Regional Conservation 
Partnership Program 
‘‘SEC. 1271. ESTABLISHMENT AND PURPOSES. 
‘‘(a) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish a regional conservation partnership program to imple-
ment eligible activities on eligible land through— 
‘‘(1) partnership agreements with eligible part-
ners; and 
‘‘(2) contracts with producers. 
‘‘(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of the program are 
as follows: 
‘‘(1) To use covered programs to accomplish 
purposes and functions similar to those of the fol-
lowing programs, as in effect on September 30, 
2013: 
‘‘(A) The agricultural water enhancement 
program established under section 1240I. 
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‘‘(B) The Chesapeake Bay watershed pro-
gram established under section 1240Q. 
‘‘(C) The cooperative conservation partner-
ship initiative established under section 1243. 
‘‘(D) The Great Lakes basin program for 
soil erosion and sediment control established 
under section 1240P. 
‘‘(2) To further the conservation, restoration, 
and sustainable use of soil, water, wildlife, and re-
lated natural resources on eligible land on a regional 
or watershed scale. 
‘‘(3) To encourage eligible partners to cooperate 
with producers in— 
‘‘(A) meeting or avoiding the need for na-
tional, State, and local natural resource regu-
latory requirements related to production on eli-
gible land; and 
‘‘(B) implementing projects that will result 
in the carrying out of eligible activities that af-
fect multiple agricultural or nonindustrial pri-
vate forest operations on a local, regional, 
State, or multistate basis. 
‘‘SEC. 1271A. DEFINITIONS. 
‘‘In this subtitle: 
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‘‘(1) COVERED PROGRAM.—The term ‘covered 
program’ means the following: 
‘‘(A) The agricultural conservation ease-
ment program. 
‘‘(B) The environmental quality incentives 
program. 
‘‘(C) The conservation stewardship pro-
gram. 
‘‘(D) The healthy forests reserve program 
established under section 501 of the Healthy 
Forests Restoration Act of 2003 (16 U.S.C. 
6571). 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE
ACTIVITY.—The term ‘eligible 
activity’ means any of the following conservation ac-
tivities: 
‘‘(A) Water quality or quantity conserva-
tion, restoration, or enhancement projects relat-
ing to surface water and groundwater re-
sources, including— 
‘‘(i) the conversion of irrigated crop-
land to the production of less water-inten-
sive agricultural commodities or dryland 
farming; or 
‘‘(ii) irrigation system improvement 
and irrigation efficiency enhancement. 
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‘‘(B) Drought mitigation. 
‘‘(C) Flood prevention. 
‘‘(D) Water retention. 
‘‘(E) Air quality improvement. 
‘‘(F) Habitat conservation, restoration, 
and enhancement. 
‘‘(G) Erosion control and sediment reduc-
tion. 
‘‘(H) Other related activities that the Sec-
retary determines will help achieve conservation 
benefits. 
‘‘(3) ELIGIBLE LAND.—The term ‘eligible land’ 
means land on which agricultural commodities, live-
stock, or forest-related products are produced, in-
cluding— 
‘‘(A) cropland; 
‘‘(B) grassland; 
‘‘(C) rangeland; 
‘‘(D) pastureland; 
‘‘(E) nonindustrial private forest land; and 
‘‘(F) other land incidental to agricultural 
production (including wetlands and riparian 
buffers) on which significant natural resource 
issues could be addressed under the program. 
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‘‘(4) ELIGIBLE
PARTNER.—The term ‘eligible 
partner’ means any of the following: 
‘‘(A) An agricultural or silvicultural pro-
ducer association or other group of producers. 
‘‘(B) A State or unit of local government. 
‘‘(C) An Indian tribe. 
‘‘(D) A farmer cooperative. 
‘‘(E) A water district, irrigation district, 
rural water district or association, or other or-
ganization with specific water delivery authority 
to producers on agricultural land. 
‘‘(F) An institution of higher education. 
‘‘(G) An organization or entity with an es-
tablished history of working cooperatively with 
producers on agricultural land, as determined 
by the Secretary, to address— 
‘‘(i) local conservation priorities re-
lated to agricultural production, wildlife 
habitat development, or nonindustrial pri-
vate forest land management; or 
‘‘(ii) critical watershed-scale soil ero-
sion, water quality, sediment reduction, or 
other natural resource issues. 
‘‘(5) PARTNERSHIP
AGREEMENT.—The term 
‘partnership agreement’ means an agreement en-
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tered into under section 1271B between the Sec-
retary and an eligible partner. 
‘‘(6) PROGRAM.—The term ‘program’ means 
the regional conservation partnership program estab-
lished by this subtitle. 
‘‘SEC. 1271B. REGIONAL CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIPS. 
‘‘(a) PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS AUTHORIZED.— 
The Secretary may enter into a partnership agreement 
with an eligible partner to implement a project that will 
assist producers with installing and maintaining an eligi-
ble activity on eligible land. 
‘‘(b) LENGTH.—A partnership agreement shall be for 
a period not to exceed 5 years, except that the Secretary 
may extend the agreement one time for up to 12 months 
when an extension is necessary to meet the objectives of 
the program. 
‘‘(c) DUTIES OF PARTNERS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Under a partnership agree-
ment, the eligible partner shall— 
‘‘(A) define the scope of a project, includ-
ing— 
‘‘(i) the eligible activities to be imple-
mented; 
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‘‘(ii) the potential agricultural or non-
industrial private forest land operations af-
fected; 
‘‘(iii) the local, State, multistate, or 
other geographic area covered; and 
‘‘(iv) the planning, outreach, imple-
mentation, and assessment to be con-
ducted; 
‘‘(B) conduct outreach to producers for po-
tential participation in the project; 
‘‘(C) at the request of a producer, act on 
behalf of a producer participating in the project 
in applying for assistance under section 1271C; 
‘‘(D) leverage financial or technical assist-
ance provided by the Secretary with additional 
funds to help achieve the project objectives; 
‘‘(E) conduct an assessment of the 
project’s effects; and 
‘‘(F) at the conclusion of the project, re-
port to the Secretary on its results and funds 
leveraged. 
‘‘(2) CONTRIBUTION.—An eligible partner shall 
provide a significant portion of the overall costs of 
the scope of the project that is the subject of the 
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agreement entered into under subsection (a), as de-
termined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(d) APPLICATIONS.— 
‘‘(1) COMPETITIVE
PROCESS.—The Secretary 
shall conduct a competitive process to select applica-
tions for partnership agreements and may assess 
and rank applications with similar conservation pur-
poses as a group. 
‘‘(2) CRITERIA
USED.—In carrying out the 
process described in paragraph (1), the Secretary 
shall make public the criteria used in evaluating ap-
plications. 
‘‘(3) CONTENT.—An application to the Sec-
retary shall include a description of— 
‘‘(A) the scope of the project, as described 
in subsection (c)(1)(A); 
‘‘(B) the plan for monitoring, evaluating, 
and reporting on progress made toward achiev-
ing the project’s objectives; 
‘‘(C) the program resources requested for 
the project, including the covered programs to 
be used and estimated funding needed from the 
Secretary; 
‘‘(D) eligible partners collaborating to 
achieve project objectives, including their roles, 
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responsibilities, capabilities, and financial con-
tribution; and 
‘‘(E) any other elements the Secretary con-
siders necessary to adequately evaluate and 
competitively select applications for funding 
under the program. 
‘‘(4) PRIORITY TO CERTAIN APPLICATIONS.— 
The Secretary may give a higher priority to applica-
tions that— 
‘‘(A) assist producers in meeting or avoid-
ing the need for a natural resource regulatory 
requirement; 
‘‘(B) have a high percentage of eligible 
producers in the area to be covered by the 
agreement; 
‘‘(C) significantly leverage non-Federal fi-
nancial and technical resources and coordinate 
with other local, State, or national efforts; 
‘‘(D) deliver high percentages of applied 
conservation to address conservation priorities 
or regional, State, or national conservation ini-
tiatives; 
‘‘(E) provide innovation in conservation 
methods and delivery, including outcome-based 
performance measures and methods; or 
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‘‘(F) meet other factors that are important 
for achieving the purposes of the program, as 
determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘SEC. 1271C. ASSISTANCE TO PRODUCERS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall enter into 
contracts with producers to provide financial and technical 
assistance to— 
‘‘(1) producers participating in a project with 
an eligible partner, as described in section 1271B; or 
‘‘(2) producers that fit within the scope of a 
project described in section 1271B or a critical con-
servation area designated under section 1271F, but 
who are seeking to implement an eligible activity on 
eligible land independent of a partner. 
‘‘(b) TERMS AND CONDITIONS.— 
‘‘(1) CONSISTENCY WITH PROGRAM RULES.— 
Except as provided in paragraph (2), the Secretary 
shall ensure that the terms and conditions of a con-
tract under this section are consistent with the ap-
plicable rules of the covered programs to be used as 
part of the project, as described in the application 
under section 1271B(d)(3)(C). 
‘‘(2) ADJUSTMENTS.—Except with respect to 
statutory program requirements governing appeals, 
payment limitations, and conservation compliance, 
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the Secretary may adjust the discretionary program 
rules of a covered program— 
‘‘(A)
to provide a simplified application 
and evaluation process; and 
‘‘(B) to better reflect unique local cir-
cumstances and purposes if the Secretary deter-
mines such adjustments are necessary to 
achieve the purposes of the program. 
‘‘(c) PAYMENTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In accordance with statu-
tory requirements of the covered programs involved, 
the Secretary may make payments to a producer in 
an amount determined by the Secretary to be nec-
essary to achieve the purposes of the program. 
‘‘(2) PAYMENTS
TO
PRODUCERS
IN
STATES 
WITH WATER QUANTITY CONCERNS.—The Secretary 
may provide payments to producers participating in 
a project that addresses water quantity concerns for 
a period of five years in an amount sufficient to en-
courage conversion from irrigated farming to 
dryland farming. 
‘‘(3) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—To assist in the im-
plementation of the program, the Secretary may 
waive the applicability of the limitation in section 
1001D(b)(2) of this Act for participating producers 
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248 
if the Secretary determines that the waiver is nec-
essary to fulfill the objectives of the program. 
‘‘SEC. 1271D. FUNDING. 
‘‘(a) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—The Secretary shall 
use $100,000,000 of the funds of the Commodity Credit 
Corporation for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018 
to carry out the program. 
‘‘(b) DURATION
OF AVAILABILITY.—Funds made 
available under subsection (a) shall remain available until 
expended. 
‘‘(c) ADDITIONAL FUNDING AND ACRES.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—In addition to the funds 
made available under subsection (a), the Secretary 
shall reserve 6 percent of the funds and acres made 
available for a covered program for each of fiscal 
years 2014 through 2018 in order to ensure addi-
tional resources are available to carry out this pro-
gram. 
‘‘(2) UNUSED FUNDS AND ACRES.—Any funds 
or acres reserved under paragraph (1) for a fiscal 
year from a covered program that are not obligated 
under this program by April 1 of that fiscal year 
shall be returned for use under the covered program. 
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‘‘(d) ALLOCATION OF FUNDING.—Of the funds and 
acres made available for the program under subsections 
(a) and (c), the Secretary shall allocate— 
‘‘(1) 25 percent of the funds and acres to 
projects based on a State competitive process admin-
istered by the State Conservationist, with the advice 
of the State technical committee established under 
subtitle G; 
‘‘(2) 50 percent of the funds and acres to 
projects based on a national competitive process to 
be established by the Secretary; and 
‘‘(3) 25 percent of the funds and acres to 
projects for the critical conservation areas des-
ignated under section 1271F. 
‘‘(e) LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.— 
None of the funds made available under the program may 
be used to pay for the administrative expenses of eligible 
partners. 
‘‘SEC. 1271E. ADMINISTRATION. 
‘‘(a) DISCLOSURE.—In addition to the criteria used 
in evaluating applications as described in section 
1271B(d)(2), the Secretary shall make publicly available 
information on projects selected through the competitive 
process described in section 1271B(d)(1). 
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250 
‘‘(b) REPORTING.—Not later than December 31, 
2014, and every two years thereafter, the Secretary shall 
submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of 
Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutri-
tion, and Forestry of the Senate a report on the status 
of projects funded under the program, including— 
‘‘(1) the number and types of eligible partners 
and producers participating in the partnership 
agreements selected; 
‘‘(2) the number of producers receiving assist-
ance; and 
‘‘(3) total funding committed to projects, in-
cluding from Federal and non-Federal resources. 
‘‘SEC. 1271F. CRITICAL CONSERVATION AREAS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—In administering funds under 
section 1271D(d)(3), the Secretary shall select applica-
tions for partnership agreements and producer contracts 
within critical conservation areas designated under this 
section. 
‘‘(b) CRITICAL
CONSERVATION
AREA
DESIGNA-
TIONS.— 
‘‘(1) PRIORITY.—In designating critical con-
servation areas under this section, the Secretary 
shall give priority to geographical areas based on the 
degree to which the geographical area— 
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‘‘(A) includes multiple States with signifi-
cant agricultural production; 
‘‘(B) is covered by an existing regional, 
State, binational, or multistate agreement or 
plan that has established objectives, goals, and 
work plans and is adopted by a Federal, State, 
or regional authority; 
‘‘(C) would benefit from water quality im-
provement, including through reducing erosion, 
promoting sediment control, and addressing nu-
trient management activities affecting large 
bodies of water of regional, national, or inter-
national significance; 
‘‘(D) would benefit from water quantity 
improvement, including improvement relating 
to— 
‘‘(i) groundwater, surface water, aqui-
fer, or other water sources; or 
‘‘(ii) a need to promote water reten-
tion and flood prevention; or 
‘‘(E) contains producers that need assist-
ance in meeting or avoiding the need for a nat-
ural resource regulatory requirement that could 
have a negative economic impact on agricultural 
operations within the area. 
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‘‘(2) LIMITATION.—The Secretary may not des-
ignate more than 8 geographical areas as critical 
conservation areas under this section. 
‘‘(c) ADMINISTRATION.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), the Secretary shall administer any part-
nership agreement or producer contract under this 
section in a manner that is consistent with the terms 
of the program. 
‘‘(2) RELATIONSHIP TO EXISTING ACTIVITY.— 
The Secretary shall, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, ensure that eligible activities carried out in 
critical conservation areas designated under this sec-
tion complement and are consistent with other Fed-
eral and State programs and water quality and 
quantity strategies. 
‘‘(3) ADDITIONAL AUTHORITY.—For a critical 
conservation area described in subsection (b)(1)(D), 
the Secretary may use authorities under the Water-
shed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 
U.S.C. 1001 et seq.), other than section 14 of such 
Act (16 U.S.C. 1012), to carry out projects for the 
purposes of this section.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
this section shall take effect on October 1, 2013. 
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253 
Subtitle F—Other Conservation 
Programs 
SEC. 2501. CONSERVATION OF PRIVATE GRAZING LAND. 
Section 1240M(e) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839bb(e)) is amended by striking ‘‘2012’’ and 
inserting ‘‘2018’’. 
SEC. 2502. GRASSROOTS SOURCE WATER PROTECTION 
PROGRAM. 
Section 1240O(b) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839bb–2) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(b) FUNDING.— 
‘‘(1) AUTHORIZATION
OF
APPROPRIATIONS.— 
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 
2008 through 2018. 
‘‘(2) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—In addition to 
funds made available under paragraph (1), of the 
funds of the Commodity Credit Corporation, the 
Secretary shall use $5,000,000, to remain available 
until expended.’’. 
SEC. 2503. VOLUNTARY PUBLIC ACCESS AND HABITAT IN-
CENTIVE PROGRAM. 
(a) FUNDING.—Section 1240R(f)(1) of the Food Se-
curity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839bb–5(f)(1)) is amended 
by inserting before the period at the end the following: 
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‘‘and $30,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2014 
through 2018’’. 
(b) REPORT
ON PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS.—Not 
later than two years after the date of the enactment of 
this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture shall submit to the 
Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives 
and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and For-
estry of the Senate a report evaluating the effectiveness 
of the voluntary public access program established by sec-
tion 1240R of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3839bb–5), including— 
(1) identifying cooperating agencies; 
(2) identifying the number of land holdings and 
total acres enrolled by each State and tribal govern-
ment; 
(3) evaluating the extent of improved access on 
eligible lands, improved wildlife habitat, and related 
economic benefits; and 
(4) any other relevant information and data re-
lating to the program that would be helpful to such 
committees. 
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255 
SEC. 2504. AGRICULTURE CONSERVATION EXPERIENCED 
SERVICES PROGRAM. 
(a) FUNDING.—Subsection (c) of section 1252 of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3851) is amended 
to read as follows: 
‘‘(c) FUNDING.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may carry 
out the ACES program using funds made available 
to carry out each program under this title. 
‘‘(2) EXCLUSION.—Funds made available to 
carry out the conservation reserve program may not 
be used to carry out the ACES program.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
this section shall take effect on October 1, 2013. 
SEC. 2505. SMALL WATERSHED REHABILITATION PRO-
GRAM. 
(a) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Section 14(h)(1) of 
the Watershed Protection and Flood Prevention Act (16 
U.S.C. 1012(h)(1)) is amended— 
(1) in subparagraph (E), by striking ‘‘; and’’ 
and inserting a semicolon; 
(2) in subparagraph (F), by striking the period 
and inserting a semicolon; 
(3) in subparagraph (G), by striking the period 
and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
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(4) by adding at the end the following new sub-
paragraph: 
‘‘(H) $250,000,000 for fiscal year 2014, to 
remain available until expended.’’. 
(b) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—Section 
14(h)(2)(E) of the Watershed Protection and Flood Pre-
vention Act (16 U.S.C. 1012(h)(2)(E)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘2012’’ and inserting ‘‘2018’’. 
SEC. 2506. AGRICULTURAL MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE 
PROGRAM. 
(a) USES.—Section 524(b)(2) of the Federal Crop 
Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1524(b)(2)) is amended— 
(1) by striking subparagraph (B) and redesig-
nating subparagraphs (C) through (F) as subpara-
graphs (B) through (E), respectively; and 
(2) in subparagraph (B) (as so redesignated)— 
(A) in the matter preceding clause (i), by 
striking ‘‘or resource conservation practices’’; 
and 
(B) by striking clause (i) and redesig-
nating clauses (ii) through (iv) as clauses (i) 
through (iii), respectively. 
(b) COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION.— 
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(1) FUNDING.—Section 524(b)(4)(B) of the 
Federal 
Crop 
Insurance 
Act 
(7 
U.S.C. 
1524(b)(4)(B)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(B) FUNDING.—The Commodity Credit 
Corporation shall make available to carry out 
this subsection not less than $10,000,000 for 
each fiscal year.’’. 
(2) CERTAIN
USES.—Section 524(b)(4)(C) of 
the 
Federal 
Crop 
Insurance 
Act 
(7 
U.S.C. 
1524(b)(4)(C)) is amended— 
(A) in clause (i)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘50’’ and inserting 
‘‘30’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘(A), (B), and (C)’’ 
and inserting ‘‘(A) and (B)’’; and 
(B) in clause (iii), by striking ‘‘40’’ and in-
serting ‘‘60’’. 
SEC. 2507. EMERGENCY WATERSHED PROTECTION PRO-
GRAM. 
Section 403 of the Agricultural Credit Act of 1978 
(16 U.S.C. 2203) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new sentence: ‘‘In evaluating requests for assist-
ance under this section, the Secretary shall give priority 
consideration to projects that address runoff retardation 
and soil-erosion preventive measures needed to mitigate 
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the risks and remediate the effects of catastrophic wildfire 
on land that is the source of drinking water for landowners 
and land users.’’. 
Subtitle G—Funding and 
Administration 
SEC. 2601. FUNDING. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (a) of section 1241 of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841) is 
amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(a) ANNUAL FUNDING.—For each of fiscal years 
2014 through 2018, the Secretary shall use the funds, fa-
cilities, and authorities of the Commodity Credit Corpora-
tion to carry out the following programs under this title 
(including the provision of technical assistance): 
‘‘(1) The conservation reserve program under 
subchapter B of chapter 1 of subtitle D, including, 
to the maximum extent practicable, $25,000,000 for 
the period of fiscal years 2014 through 2018 to 
carry out section 1235(f) to facilitate the transfer of 
land subject to contracts from retired or retiring 
owners and operators to beginning farmers or ranch-
ers and socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers. 
‘‘(2) The agriculture conservation easement 
program under subtitle H, using, to the maximum 
extent practicable— 
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‘‘(A) $425,000,000 in fiscal year 2014; 
‘‘(B) $450,000,000 in fiscal year 2015; 
‘‘(C) $475,000,000 in fiscal year 2016; 
‘‘(D) $500,000,000 in fiscal year 2017; 
and 
‘‘(E) $200,000,000 in fiscal year 2018. 
‘‘(3) The conservation security program under 
subchapter A of chapter 2 of subtitle D, using such 
sums as are necessary to administer contracts en-
tered into before September 30, 2008. 
‘‘(4) The conservation stewardship program 
under subchapter B of chapter 2 of subtitle D. 
‘‘(5) The environmental quality incentives pro-
gram under chapter 4 of subtitle D, using, to the 
maximum extent practicable, $1,750,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018.’’. 
(b) REGIONAL EQUITY; GUARANTEED AVAILABILITY 
OF FUNDS.—Section 1241 of the Food Security Act of 
1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841) is amended— 
(1) by striking subsection (d); 
(2) by redesignating subsections (b) and (c) as 
subsections (c) and (d), respectively; and 
(3) by inserting after subsection (a) the fol-
lowing new subsection: 
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‘‘(b) AVAILABILITY
OF
FUNDS.—Amounts made 
available by subsection (a) shall be used by the Secretary 
to carry out the programs specified in such subsection for 
fiscal years 2014 through 2018 and shall remain available 
until expended. Amounts made available for the programs 
specified in such subsection during a fiscal year through 
modifications, cancellations, terminations, and other re-
lated administrative actions and not obligated in that fis-
cal year shall remain available for obligation during subse-
quent fiscal years, but shall reduce the amount of addi-
tional funds made available in the subsequent fiscal year 
by an amount equal to the amount remaining unobli-
gated.’’. 
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect on October 1, 2013. 
SEC. 2602. TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (c) of section 1241 of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841), as redes-
ignated by section 2601(b)(2) of this Act, is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(c) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.— 
‘‘(1) AVAILABILITY
OF
FUNDS.—Commodity 
Credit Corporation funds made available for a fiscal 
year for each of the programs specified in subsection 
(a)— 
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‘‘(A) shall be available for the provision of 
technical assistance for the programs for which 
funds are made available as necessary to imple-
ment the programs effectively; and 
‘‘(B) shall not be available for the provi-
sion of technical assistance for conservation 
programs specified in subsection (a) other than 
the program for which the funds were made 
available. 
‘‘(2) REPORT.—Not later than December 31, 
2013, the Secretary shall submit (and update as 
necessary in subsequent years) to the Committee on 
Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the 
Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 
of the Senate a report— 
‘‘(A) detailing the amount of technical as-
sistance funds requested and apportioned in 
each program specified in subsection (a) during 
the preceding fiscal year; and 
‘‘(B) any other data relating to this sub-
section that would be helpful to such commit-
tees.’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 
this section shall take effect on October 1, 2013. 
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262 
SEC. 2603. RESERVATION OF FUNDS TO PROVIDE ASSIST-
ANCE TO CERTAIN FARMERS OR RANCHERS 
FOR CONSERVATION ACCESS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (g) of section 1241 of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841) is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (1) by striking ‘‘2012’’ and in-
serting ‘‘2018’’; and 
(2) by adding at the end the following new 
paragraph: 
‘‘(4) PREFERENCE.—In providing assistance 
under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give pref-
erence to a veteran farmer or rancher (as defined in 
section 2501(e) of the Food, Agriculture, Conserva-
tion, and Trade Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 2279(e))) 
that qualifies under subparagraph (A) or (B) of 
paragraph (1).’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect on October 1, 2013. 
SEC. 2604. ANNUAL REPORT ON PROGRAM ENROLLMENTS 
AND ASSISTANCE. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subsection (h) of section 1241 of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841) is 
amended— 
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(1) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘wetlands re-
serve program’’ and inserting ‘‘agricultural conserva-
tion easement program’’; 
(2) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3) and re-
designating paragraphs (4), (5), and (6) as para-
graphs (2), (3), and (4), respectively; and 
(3) in paragraph (3) (as so redesignated)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘agricultural water en-
hancement program’’ and inserting ‘‘regional 
conservation partnership program’’; and 
(B) by striking ‘‘1240I(g)’’ and inserting 
‘‘1271C(c)(3)’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect on October 1, 2013. 
SEC. 2605. REVIEW OF CONSERVATION PRACTICE STAND-
ARDS. 
Section 1242(h)(1)(A) of the Food Security Act of 
1985 (16 U.S.C. 3842(h)(1)(A)) is amended by striking 
‘‘the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008’’ and 
inserting ‘‘the Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk Man-
agement Act of 2013’’. 
SEC. 2606. ADMINISTRATIVE REQUIREMENTS APPLICABLE 
TO ALL CONSERVATION PROGRAMS. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1244 of the Food Security 
Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3844) is amended— 
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264 
(1) in subsection (a)(2), by adding at the end 
the following new subparagraph: 
‘‘(E) Veteran farmers or ranchers (as de-
fined in section 2501(e) of the Food, Agri-
culture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 
(7 U.S.C. 2279(e))).’’; 
(2) in subsection (d), by inserting ‘‘, H, and I’’ 
before the period at the end; 
(3) in subsection (f)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)(B), by striking 
‘‘country’’ and inserting ‘‘county’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘sub-
section (c)(2)(B) or (f)(4)’’ and inserting ‘‘sub-
section (c)(2)(A)(ii) or (f)(2)’’; 
(4) in subsection (h)(2), by inserting ‘‘, includ-
ing, to the extent practicable, practices that maxi-
mize benefits for honey bees’’ after ‘‘pollinators’’; 
and 
(5) by adding at the end the following new sub-
sections: 
‘‘(j) IMPROVED ADMINISTRATIVE EFFICIENCY AND 
EFFECTIVENESS.—In administrating a conservation pro-
gram under this title, the Secretary shall, to the maximum 
extent practicable— 
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‘‘(1) seek to reduce administrative burdens and 
costs to producers by streamlining conservation 
planning and program resources; and 
‘‘(2) take advantage of new technologies to en-
hance efficiency and effectiveness. 
‘‘(k) RELATION TO OTHER PAYMENTS.—Any pay-
ment received by an owner or operator under this title, 
including an easement payment or rental payment, shall 
be in addition to, and not affect, the total amount of pay-
ments that the owner or operator is otherwise eligible to 
receive under any of the following: 
‘‘(1) This Act. 
‘‘(2) The Agricultural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C. 
1421 et seq.). 
‘‘(3) The Federal Agriculture Reform and Risk 
Management Act of 2013. 
‘‘(4) Any law that succeeds a law specified in 
paragraph (1), (2), or (3).’’. 
(b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendments made by 
this section shall take effect on October 1, 2013. 
SEC. 2607. STANDARDS FOR STATE TECHNICAL COMMIT-
TEES. 
Section 1261(b) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3861(b)) is amended by striking ‘‘Not later 
than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Food, 
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Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008, the Secretary shall 
develop’’ and inserting ‘‘The Secretary shall review and 
update as necessary’’. 
SEC. 2608. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY. 
Subtitle E of title XII of the Food Security Act of 
1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841 et seq.) is amended by adding at 
the end the following new section: 
‘‘SEC. 1246. REGULATIONS. 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall promulgate 
such regulations as are necessary to implement programs 
under this title, including such regulations as the Sec-
retary determines to be necessary to ensure a fair and rea-
sonable application of the limitations established under 
section 1244(f). 
‘‘(b) RULEMAKING PROCEDURE.—The promulgation 
of regulations and administration of programs under this 
title— 
‘‘(1) shall be carried out without regard to— 
‘‘(A) the Statement of Policy of the Sec-
retary effective July 24, 1971 (36 Fed. Reg. 
13804), relating to notices of proposed rule-
making and public participation in rulemaking; 
and 
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