SEC. 2. CONSERVATION AND INNOVATIVE CLIMATE PART-
NERSHIP COMPETITIVE GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subtitle H of title XVI of the 
Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 
is amended by inserting after section 1672 (7 U.S.C. 
5925) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 1672A. CONSERVATION AND INNOVATIVE CLIMATE 
PARTNERSHIP COMPETITIVE GRANT PRO-
GRAM. 
‘‘(a) DEFINITIONS.—In this section: 
‘‘(1) 1862 INSTITUTION; 1890 INSTITUTION.— 
The terms ‘1862 Institution’ and ‘1890 Institution’ 
have the meanings given those terms in section 2 of 
the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education 
Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7601). 
‘‘(2) 1994 INSTITUTION.—The term ‘1994 In-
stitution’ has the meaning given the term in section 
532 of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Sta-
tus Act of 1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note; Public Law 
103–382). 
‘‘(3) CONSERVATION
PRACTICE.—The term 
‘conservation practice’ means a practice— 
‘‘(A) that may include any or a combina-
tion of— 
‘‘(i) carbon retention or carbon se-
questration cropping practices; 
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‘‘(ii) resource conserving crop rota-
tion; 
‘‘(iii) alley cropping; 
‘‘(iv) integrated livestock-crop sys-
tems; 
‘‘(v) advanced grazing management; 
‘‘(vi) improved forestry or agro-
forestry management; 
‘‘(vii) the insertion of buffers or satu-
rated buffers; or 
‘‘(viii) any other practice that an eligi-
ble institution carrying out a project under 
the program determines to be appropriate; 
and 
‘‘(B) the purpose of which is to increase 
overall sustainability on farmland or ranch land 
through— 
‘‘(i) improved soil health and tilth; 
‘‘(ii) improved water quality, quantity, 
and management; 
‘‘(iii) improved nutrient management; 
‘‘(iv) reduction in tillage; or 
‘‘(v) wildlife promotion and mainte-
nance. 
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‘‘(4) ELIGIBLE INSTITUTION.—The term ‘eligi-
ble institution’ means— 
‘‘(A) an 1862 Institution; 
‘‘(B) an 1890 Institution; and 
‘‘(C) a 1994 Institution. 
‘‘(5) INNOVATIVE
CLIMATE
PRACTICE.—The 
term ‘innovative climate practice’ means a practice, 
including any practice that an eligible institution 
carrying out a project under the program determines 
to be appropriate, that results in— 
‘‘(A) a reduction of greenhouse gas emis-
sions, including carbon dioxide, methane, sulfur 
dioxide, and nitrous oxide; 
‘‘(B) carbon sequestration; 
‘‘(C) soil health improvement; or 
‘‘(D) reduced exposure to climate-related 
risk. 
‘‘(6) PROGRAM.—The term ‘program’ means 
the competitive grant program established under 
subsection (b). 
‘‘(7) SECRETARY.—The term ‘Secretary’ means 
the Secretary of Agriculture. 
‘‘(b) ESTABLISHMENT.—The Secretary shall estab-
lish a program to provide competitive grants pursuant to 
section 3(d) of the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 343(d)) to 
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eligible institutions to carry out projects to increase the 
voluntary adoption of conservation practices and innova-
tive climate practices through public awareness cam-
paigns, workshops, and specialized technical assistance. 
‘‘(c) APPLICATIONS.—To be eligible to receive a grant 
under the program, an eligible institution shall submit to 
the Secretary an application, including a demonstration 
that the applicant will— 
‘‘(1) increase interaction with local agricultural 
producers by a rate of not less than 25 percent 
above the outreach rate before the implementation of 
the project under the program; 
‘‘(2) assist agricultural producers in imple-
menting new conservation practices or innovative cli-
mate practices on farms or edges of fields, improving 
existing conservation practices or innovative climate 
practices on farms or edges of fields, or any com-
bination thereof; and 
‘‘(3) assist agricultural producers in imple-
menting a combination of conservation practices or 
innovative climate practices that contribute to— 
‘‘(A) the overall improvement of conserva-
tion; or 
‘‘(B) a decrease in, or sequestration of, 
greenhouse gas emissions. 
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‘‘(d) PARTNERSHIPS.—An eligible institution shall 
carry out a project using a grant under the program in 
partnership with not fewer than 1 other entity, which may 
include— 
‘‘(1) a nonprofit organization; 
‘‘(2) a State entity; 
‘‘(3) the Natural Resources Conservation Serv-
ice; 
‘‘(4) an 1862 Institution; 
‘‘(5) an 1890 Institution; 
‘‘(6) a 1994 Institution; or 
‘‘(7) any combination thereof. 
‘‘(e) MAXIMUM AMOUNT.—The amount of a grant 
under the program shall be not more than $400,000. 
‘‘(f) USE OF FUNDS.—An eligible institution may use 
a grant under the program— 
‘‘(1) to support agricultural producers in imple-
menting a conservation practice or an innovative cli-
mate practice; 
‘‘(2) subject to subsection (g), for additional 
staffing at the eligible institution to assist in car-
rying out a project using the grant; 
‘‘(3) to conduct workshops for agricultural pro-
ducers, and develop and distribute digital and hard- 
copy materials directly to agricultural producers, 
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that provide clear directions for accessing technical 
assistance for adopting conservation practices and 
innovative climate practices; and 
‘‘(4) for soil testing and the measuring of other 
indicators of the effectiveness of conservation prac-
tices and innovative climate practices. 
‘‘(g) LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES.— 
An eligible institution may use not more than 30 percent 
of the amount of a grant under the program for adminis-
trative expenses. 
‘‘(h) DURATION.—A grant provided under the pro-
gram shall be for such period as the Secretary determines 
to be appropriate, but not less than 4 years. 
‘‘(i) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is 
authorized to be appropriated to provide grants under the 
program pursuant to section 3(d) of the Smith-Lever Act 
(7 U.S.C. 343(d)) $13,000,000 for each fiscal year.’’. 
(b) ELIGIBILITY OF 1994 INSTITUTIONS.—Section 
3(d) of the Smith-Lever Act (7 U.S.C. 343(d)) is amend-
ed, in the third sentence— 
(1) by striking ‘‘program and’’ and inserting 
‘‘program,’’; and 
(2) by inserting ‘‘, and the conservation and in-
novative climate partnership competitive grant pro-
gram established under section 1672A of the Food, 
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