I 
115TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 3939 
To amend the Federal Crop Insurance Act and the Federal Agriculture 
Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to make the native sod provisions 
applicable to the United States and to modify those provisions, and 
for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
OCTOBER 4, 2017 
Mrs. NOEM (for herself and Mr. WALZ) introduced the following bill; which 
was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To amend the Federal Crop Insurance Act and the Federal 
Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to 
make the native sod provisions applicable to the United 
States and to modify those provisions, and for other 
purposes. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘American Prairie Con-
servation Act’’. 
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SEC. 2. CROP PRODUCTION ON NATIVE SOD. 
(a) FEDERAL CROP INSURANCE.—Section 508(o) of 
the Federal Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1508(o)) is 
amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2), by striking subparagraph 
(A) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(i) AGRICULTURAL
ACT
OF
2014.— 
Native sod acreage that has been tilled for 
the production of an insurable crop during 
the period beginning on February 8, 2014, 
and ending on the date of enactment of the 
American Prairie Conservation Act shall be 
subject to 4 cumulative years of a reduc-
tion in benefits under this subtitle as de-
scribed in this paragraph. 
‘‘(ii) AMERICAN
PRAIRIE
CONSERVA-
TION ACT.— 
‘‘(I) NON-HAY AND NON-FORAGE 
CROPS.—As determined by the Sec-
retary, native sod acreage that has 
been tilled for the production of an in-
surable crop other than a hay or for-
age crop after the date of enactment 
of the American Prairie Conservation 
Act shall be subject to 4 cumulative 
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years of a reduction in benefits under 
this subtitle as described in this para-
graph. 
‘‘(II) 
HAY
AND
FORAGE 
CROPS.—During each crop year of 
planting, as determined by the Sec-
retary, native sod acreage that has 
been tilled for the production of an in-
surable hay or forage crop after the 
date of enactment of the American 
Prairie Conservation Act shall be sub-
ject to 4 cumulative years of a reduc-
tion in benefits under this subtitle as 
described in this paragraph.’’; and 
(2) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(3) 
NATIVE
SOD
CONVERSION
CERTIFI-
CATION.— 
‘‘(A) CERTIFICATION.—As a condition on 
the receipt of benefits under this subtitle, a pro-
ducer that has tilled native sod acreage for the 
production of an insurable crop as described in 
paragraph (2)(A) shall certify to the Secretary 
that acreage using— 
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‘‘(i) an acreage report form of the 
Farm Service Agency (FSA–578 or any 
successor form); and 
‘‘(ii) one or more maps. 
‘‘(B) CORRECTIONS.—Beginning on the 
date on which a producer submits a certifi-
cation under subparagraph (A), as soon as 
practicable after the producer discovers a 
change in tilled native sod acreage described in 
that subparagraph, the producer shall submit to 
the Secretary any appropriate corrections to a 
form or map described in clause (i) or (ii) of 
that subparagraph. 
‘‘(C) ANNUAL REPORTS.—Not later than 
January 1, 2019, and each January 1 there-
after through January 1, 2023, the Secretary 
shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of 
the House of Representatives and the Com-
mittee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry 
of the Senate a report that describes the tilled 
native sod acreage that has been certified under 
subparagraph (A) in each county and State as 
of the date of submission of the report.’’. 
(b) NONINSURED CROP DISASTER ASSISTANCE.— 
Section 196(a)(4) of the Federal Agriculture Improvement 
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