I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5902 
To promote innovative practices for soil health through USDA conservation 
programs, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
NOVEMBER 4, 2025 
Mr. BEYER (for himself, Mr. LAWLER, and Ms. PINGREE) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture 
A BILL 
To promote innovative practices for soil health through 
USDA conservation programs, 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 ‘‘Innovative Practices 
for Soil Health Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 1240A of the Food Secu-
rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–1) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (6)(B)— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:02 Nov 05, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00001
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5902.IH
H5902
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(A) in clause (v), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; 
(B) by redesignating clause (vi) as clause 
(vii); and 
(C) by inserting after clause (v) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(vi) greenhouse gas emissions reduc-
tion planning; and’’; 
(2) in paragraph (7), in the matter preceding 
subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘natural resource 
concern or problem’’ and inserting ‘‘resource con-
cern’’; 
(3) by redesignating paragraphs (9) and (10) 
as paragraphs (10) and (11), respectively; and 
(4) by inserting after paragraph (8) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(9) RESOURCE CONCERN.—The term ‘resource 
concern’ means a natural resource condition of the 
soil, water, air, plant, animal, or energy resource 
base that impairs the sustainability or intended uses 
of the resource.’’. 
(b) 
ON-FARM
CONSERVATION
INNOVATION 
TRIALS.—Section 1240H(c)(1)(B)(i) of the Food Security 
Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–8(c)(1)(B)(i)) is amend-
ed— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:02 Nov 05, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00002
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5902.IH
H5902
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(1) in subclause (II), by inserting ‘‘on-farm nu-
trient recycling,’’ after ‘‘plans,’’; 
(2) in subclause (VI), by striking ‘‘and’’ at the 
end; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(VIII) perennial production sys-
tems, including agroforestry and pe-
rennial forages and grain crops; and’’. 
SEC. 3. CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 1240I of the Food Secu-
rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–21) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting ‘‘en-
hancements,’’ after ‘‘practices,’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (B)(v), by inserting 
‘‘and climate change’’ before the period at the 
end; 
(2) in paragraph (3)(C), by inserting ‘‘main-
tained, actively’’ after ‘‘implemented,’’; 
(3) in paragraph (5), in the matter preceding 
subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘natural resource 
concern or problem’’ and inserting ‘‘resource con-
cern’’; 
(4) by redesignating paragraph (7) as para-
graph (8); and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:02 Nov 05, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00003
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5902.IH
H5902
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(5) by inserting after paragraph (6) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(7) RESOURCE CONCERN.—The term ‘resource 
concern’ means a natural resource condition of the 
soil, water, air, plant, animal, or energy resource 
base that impairs the sustainability or intended uses 
of the resource.’’. 
(b) CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM.—Sec-
tion 1240J(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3839aa–22(a)) is amended by striking paragraphs 
(1) and (2) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(1) by maintaining, actively managing, and, 
where practicable, improving existing conservation 
activities; and 
‘‘(2) by undertaking additional conservation ac-
tivities.’’. 
(c) STEWARDSHIP CONTRACTS.— 
(1) SUBMISSION OF CONTRACT OFFERS.—Sec-
tion 1240K(a)(2)(B) of the Food Security Act of 
1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–23(a)(2)(B)) is amended 
by striking ‘‘improving, maintaining, and managing’’ 
and inserting ‘‘maintaining, actively managing, and, 
where practicable, improving’’. 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:02 Nov 05, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00004
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5902.IH
H5902
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(2) EVALUATION OF CONTRACT OFFERS.—Sec-
tion 1240K(b) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3839aa–23(b)) is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (1)(A), by striking clause 
(iii) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(iii) other criteria consistent with an 
equal weighting of the factors described in 
clauses (i) and (ii), as determined by the 
Secretary, including criteria the Secretary 
determines are necessary to ensure that— 
‘‘(I) the program effectively tar-
gets improvements to soil health, in-
creases in carbon sequestration, and 
reductions in greenhouse gas emis-
sions; and 
‘‘(II) other national, State, and 
local priority resource concerns are ef-
fectively addressed.’’; and 
(B) by striking paragraph (3). 
(3) CONTRACT
RENEWAL.—Section 1240K(e) 
of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3839aa–23(e)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(e) CONTRACT RENEWAL.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may provide 
the producer an opportunity to renew an existing 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:02 Nov 05, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00005
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5902.IH
H5902
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
contract in the first half of the fifth year of the con-
tract period if the producer— 
‘‘(A) demonstrates compliance with the 
terms of the existing contract; 
‘‘(B) agrees to adopt and continue to inte-
grate new or improved conservation activities 
across the entire agricultural operation, dem-
onstrating continued improvement during the 
additional 5-year period, as determined by the 
Secretary; and 
‘‘(C) agrees, by the end of the contract pe-
riod, to meet the stewardship threshold of at 
least 2 additional priority resource concerns on 
the agricultural operation, if applicable. 
‘‘(2) RANKING
AND
PAYMENTS.—In deter-
mining whether to accept an application for contract 
renewal under this subsection, and when calculating 
payments for those renewed contracts, the Secretary 
shall consider the full conservation benefits across 
the entire applicable agricultural operation, includ-
ing— 
‘‘(A) the number of priority resource con-
cerns with respect to which the producer is ex-
pected to meet or exceed the stewardship 
threshold by the end of the contract period; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:02 Nov 05, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00006
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5902.IH
H5902
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(B) the active management and mainte-
nance of ongoing conservation activities, includ-
ing— 
‘‘(i) the conservation activities adopt-
ed during a prior contract period; and 
‘‘(ii) the new or improved conservation 
activities to be adopted if a contract is re-
newed.’’. 
(d) DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY.— 
(1) 
CONSERVATION
STEWARDSHIP
PAY-
MENTS.—Section 1240L(c) of the Food Security Act 
of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–24(c)) is amended— 
(A) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by inserting 
‘‘on 1 or more types of eligible land cov-
ered by the contract’’ after ‘‘activities’’; 
and 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
‘‘improving, maintaining, and managing’’ 
and inserting ‘‘maintaining, actively man-
aging, and improving’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) by striking subparagraph (B) and 
inserting the following: 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:02 Nov 05, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00007
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5902.IH
H5902
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(B) Income forgone by the producer, in-
cluding amounts that reflect— 
‘‘(i) increased economic risk; and 
‘‘(ii) loss in revenue due to— 
‘‘(I) production changes; 
‘‘(II) anticipated reductions in 
yield; 
‘‘(III) transitioning to an or-
ganic, resource-conserving cropping or 
grazing, or perennial production sys-
tem; or 
‘‘(IV) acreage converted to con-
servation uses.’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (E), by inserting 
‘‘, actively managed, and, where applicable, 
improved’’ after ‘‘maintained’’. 
(2) 
SUPPLEMENTAL
PAYMENTS.—Section 
1240L(d) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3839aa–24(d)) is amended— 
(A) in the subsection heading, by inserting 
‘‘, PERENNIAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS,’’ after 
‘‘ROTATIONS’’; 
(B) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by redesignating subparagraph (C) 
as subparagraph (D); and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:02 Nov 05, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00008
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5902.IH
H5902
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(ii) by inserting after subparagraph 
(B) the following: 
‘‘(C) PERENNIAL PRODUCTION SYSTEM.— 
The 
term 
‘perennial 
production 
system’ 
means— 
‘‘(i) the use of cropland for agro-
forestry, 
including 
alley 
cropping, 
silvopasture, and related production prac-
tices, as determined by the Secretary; 
‘‘(ii) the use of woodland for agro-
forestry, including forest farming, multi-
story cropping, and related production 
practices, as determined by the Secretary; 
and 
‘‘(iii) the use of cropland for perennial 
forages or perennial grain crops.’’; 
(C) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘or’’ at the end; 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
the period at the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; 
and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(C) a perennial production system.’’; and 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:02 Nov 05, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00009
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5902.IH
H5902
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(D) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘or ad-
vanced grazing management’’ and inserting ‘‘, 
advanced grazing management, or a perennial 
production system’’. 
(3) SOIL HEALTH.—Section 1240L(k) of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa– 
24(k)) is amended by striking the period at the end 
and inserting the following: ‘‘, including by— 
‘‘(1) conducting outreach to encourage the use 
of contracts to improve soil health and sequester 
carbon in the soil; and 
‘‘(2) offering payments for soil testing to pro-
vide producers and the Secretary with information 
on the soil health and carbon sequestration impacts 
of conservation activities.’’. 
SEC. 4. FUNDING AND ADMINISTRATION. 
Section 1242 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3842) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)(2)— 
(A) by inserting ‘‘an individual,’’ before ‘‘a 
commercial entity’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘State or local’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘State, local, or Tribal’’; and 
(C) by striking ‘‘nutrient management 
planning,’’ and inserting ‘‘soil health planning, 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:02 Nov 05, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00010
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5902.IH
H5902
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
greenhouse gas emissions reduction planning, 
nutrient management planning, integrated pest 
management planning, agroforestry planning, 
organic transition planning,’’; 
(2) in subsection (e)— 
(A) in paragraph (3)(A)— 
(i) by inserting ‘‘individuals,’’ before 
‘‘commercial entities,’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘State or local’’ and 
inserting ‘‘State, local, or Tribal’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (5), by inserting ‘‘or or-
ganic’’ after ‘‘sustainability’’; and 
(3) in subsection (i)— 
(A) in the subsection heading, by inserting 
‘‘PERENNIAL
AGRICULTURE
SYSTEM,’’ after 
‘‘ORGANIC,’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2), by inserting ‘‘a pe-
rennial agriculture system,’’ after ‘‘production,’’ 
each place it appears. 
SEC. 5. NATIONAL AND REGIONAL AGROFORESTRY CEN-
TERS. 
Section 1243 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, 
and Trade Act of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 1642 note; Public Law 
101–624) is amended— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:02 Nov 05, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00011
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5902.IH
H5902
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(1) by striking the section heading and insert-
ing 
‘‘NATIONAL
AND
REGIONAL
AGRO-
FORESTRY CENTERS’’; 
(2) by redesignating subsections (b), (c), and 
(d) as subsections (c), (d), and (e), respectively; 
(3) by striking subsection (a) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(a) DEFINITION OF AGROFORESTRY.—In this sec-
tion, the term ‘agroforestry’ means a management system 
that intentionally integrates trees and shrubs into crop 
and animal farming systems to build more profitable and 
weather-resilient farms, ranches, and communities, ad-
dress natural resource concerns and conservation needs, 
and establish productive and sustainable land use prac-
tices, including— 
‘‘(1) riparian forest buffers; 
‘‘(2) alley cropping; 
‘‘(3) silvopasture; 
‘‘(4) forest farming and multistory cropping; 
and 
‘‘(5) windbreaks, shelterbelts, hedgerows, field 
borders, and living snow fences. 
‘‘(b) NATIONAL
AND
REGIONAL
AGROFORESTRY 
CENTERS.— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:02 Nov 05, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00012
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5902.IH
H5902
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary of Agri-
culture (referred to in this section as the ‘Sec-
retary’)— 
‘‘(A) shall establish at the Forestry 
Sciences Laboratory of the Forest Service, in 
Lincoln, Nebraska, a National Agroforestry Re-
search, Development, and Demonstration Cen-
ter; and 
‘‘(B) acting through the Chief of the For-
est Service and in cooperation with the Natural 
Resources Conservation Service, shall establish 
not fewer than 3 additional regional agro-
forestry centers at other locations, as deter-
mined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(2) NATIONAL AND REGIONAL DIRECTORS.— 
The Secretary, acting through the Chief of the For-
est Service, in coordination with the Natural Re-
sources Conservation Service, shall appoint a Na-
tional Director and Regional Directors to manage 
and coordinate the program established under sub-
section (c).’’; 
(4) in subsection (c) (as so redesignated)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph 
(1)— 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:02 Nov 05, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00013
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5902.IH
H5902
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(i) by striking ‘‘Center’’ and inserting 
‘‘Centers established under subparagraphs 
(A) and (B) of subsection (b)(1) (referred 
to in this section as the ‘Centers’)’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘and organizations’’ 
after ‘‘nonprofit foundations’’; 
(B) in paragraph (1)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘on semiarid lands 
that’’ and inserting ‘‘that build soil health 
and’’; and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘, including agro-
forestry systems on semiarid land and 
other fragile agroecosystems where woody 
perennial plant communities can enhance 
carbon sequestration and reduce green-
house gas emissions’’ before the semicolon; 
(C) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘forestry 
products for commercial sale from semiarid 
land’’ and inserting ‘‘agroforestry products for 
commercial sale’’; 
(D) in paragraph (4)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘in semiarid regions’’; 
and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘the Great Plains re-
gion’’ and inserting ‘‘particular regions’’; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:02 Nov 05, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00014
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5902.IH
H5902
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(E) in paragraph (5), by inserting ‘‘tech-
nical assistance and’’ before ‘‘technology’’; 
(F) by striking paragraph (6) and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(6) develop improved silvopasture, alley crop-
ping, forest farming, multistory cropping, riparian 
buffer, windbreak and shelterbelt, and other peren-
nial production and conservation systems and tech-
nologies to improve soil health, carbon sequestration, 
drought preparedness, soil and water conservation, 
environmental quality, and biological diversity;’’; 
(G) in paragraph (7), by striking ‘‘on 
semiarid lands’’; 
(H) in paragraph (8), by striking ‘‘on 
semiarid 
lands 
worldwide’’ 
and 
inserting 
‘‘worldwide, including on semiarid land’’; and 
(I) in paragraph (9)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘on semiarid lands’’; 
and 
(ii) by inserting ‘‘and climate change’’ 
after ‘‘pollution’’; 
(5) in subsection (d) (as so redesignated)— 
(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
by striking ‘‘Center’’ and inserting ‘‘Centers’’; 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:02 Nov 05, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00015
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6201
E:\BILLS\H5902.IH
H5902
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB
(B) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(C) in paragraph (2), by striking the pe-
riod at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(D) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(3) facilitate agroforestry adoption by dissemi-
nating comprehensive information on Federal, State, 
local, and Tribal programs that provide support for 
agroforestry.’’; and 
(6) by amending subsection (e) (as so redesig-
nated) to read as follows: 
‘‘(e) GRANTS.—The Secretary may establish regional 
grant programs at each of the Centers to support agro-
forestry projects, including demonstration farms.’’. 
Æ 
VerDate Sep 11 2014 
04:02 Nov 05, 2025
Jkt 069200
PO 00000
Frm 00016
Fmt 6652
Sfmt 6301
E:\BILLS\H5902.IH
H5902
kjohnson on DSK7ZCZBW3PROD with $$_JOB