I 
118TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 5354 
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the Secretary of Agri-
culture to establish a small farm EQIP subprogram under the environ-
mental quality incentives program, and for other purposes. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
SEPTEMBER 8, 2023 
Ms. CARAVEO (for herself, Mr. VASQUEZ, Ms. SLOTKIN, and Ms. PETTERSEN) 
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ag-
riculture 
A BILL 
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to require the 
Secretary of Agriculture to establish a small farm EQIP 
subprogram under the environmental quality incentives 
program, 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 ‘‘Small Farm Conserva-
tion Act’’. 
SEC. 2. SMALL FARM EQIP SUBPROGRAM. 
Section 1240B of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3839aa–2) is amended— 
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(1) in subsection (d)— 
(A) by striking paragraph (1) and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(1) AVAILABILITY; MINIMUM AMOUNT.— 
‘‘(A) AVAILABILITY.—A payment provided 
to a producer under the program shall be used 
to implement 1 or more practices under the 
program. 
‘‘(B) MINIMUM AMOUNT.—The amount of 
a payment provided to a producer under the 
program shall be not less than $2,500.’’; 
(B) in paragraph (2), in the matter pre-
ceding subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘A pay-
ment’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to paragraph 
(1)(B), a payment’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(8) SOIL HEALTH MANAGEMENT SYSTEM PAY-
MENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding para-
graph (2), the Secretary shall increase the 
amount that would otherwise be provided for 
practices comprising a soil health management 
system on a farm by 50 percent for any appli-
cation for a soil health management system on 
an operation of not more than 50 acres. 
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‘‘(B) RAPID AND STREAMLINED APPLICA-
TION
AND
CONTRACT
APPROVAL.—The Sec-
retary shall provide payments under this para-
graph on a continuous enrollment basis, using 
a rapid and streamlined application and con-
tract approval process.’’; 
(2) in subsection (f), by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(3) SMALL FARM EQIP SUBPROGRAM.— 
‘‘(A) TOTAL FUNDING.—For each of fiscal 
years 2024 through 2028, not less than 
$100,000,000 of the funds made available for 
payments under the program shall be used to 
carry out the subprogram established under 
subsection (k). 
‘‘(B) TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSIST-
ANCE.—Of the amounts made available under 
subparagraph (A)— 
‘‘(i) 35 percent shall be used to ensure 
the provision of tailored technical assist-
ance for small-scale agricultural producers 
by— 
‘‘(I) hiring new Natural Re-
sources Conservation Service staff 
who are familiar with the unique con-
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servation challenges faced by small- 
scale agricultural producers; 
‘‘(II) training current Natural 
Resources Conservation Service field 
staff regarding the challenges de-
scribed in subclause (I); and 
‘‘(III) ensuring sufficient Natural 
Resources Conservation Service staff-
ing levels to deliver a streamlined and 
expedited application and contracting 
experience to small-scale agricultural 
producers; and 
‘‘(ii) 65 percent shall be used to pro-
vide financial assistance directly to small- 
scale agricultural producers.’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(k) SMALL FARM EQIP SUBPROGRAM.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—In each State, the Sec-
retary shall establish under the program a subpro-
gram, under which the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(A) provide financial and technical assist-
ance to small-scale agricultural producers that 
enter into contracts with the Secretary under 
the subprogram; 
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‘‘(B) conduct outreach to small-scale agri-
cultural producers to increase participation in 
the subprogram; and 
‘‘(C) provide to field staff of the Natural 
Resources Conservation Service training and 
education regarding the specific conservation 
needs of small-scale agricultural producers. 
‘‘(2) PAYMENTS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall 
determine whether a small-scale agricultural 
producer is eligible to receive payments under 
this subsection— 
‘‘(i) on a State-by-State basis, subject 
to subparagraph (C); 
‘‘(ii) in consultation with the technical 
committee 
established 
under 
section 
1261(a) of the State in which the small- 
scale agricultural producer is located; and 
‘‘(iii) based on— 
‘‘(I) the operations of a small- 
scale agricultural producer, including 
with respect to farm size and gross 
sales; 
‘‘(II) demographic data compiled 
by the National Agricultural Statistics 
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Service relating to small-scale agricul-
tural producers, including— 
‘‘(aa) 
historically 
under-
served farmers, ranchers, and 
forest owners, including— 
‘‘(AA) veteran farmers 
and ranchers; 
‘‘(BB) limited-resource 
farmers, ranchers, and for-
est owners; 
‘‘(CC) beginning farm-
ers and ranchers; and 
‘‘(DD) 
socially 
dis-
advantaged farmers; and 
‘‘(bb) farmers, ranchers, and 
forest owners operating in high- 
poverty areas; 
‘‘(III) the applicable advanced 
payment requirements under sub-
section (d)(4); and 
‘‘(IV) other relevant information, 
as determined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(B) AMOUNT.—The Secretary shall pro-
vide payments under this subsection to a pro-
ducer that is eligible for the payments under 
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subparagraph (A) in such amount as the Sec-
retary determines— 
‘‘(i) achieves the purposes described in 
subparagraphs (A) and (B) of paragraph 
(1); 
‘‘(ii) addresses natural resource con-
cerns relating to production on small-scale 
agricultural operations; and 
‘‘(iii) is in accordance with any appli-
cable 
increased 
payment 
requirements 
under subsection (d)(4). 
‘‘(C) SIZE REQUIREMENTS.— 
‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to 
receive a payment under subparagraph (A) 
(other than a payment described in clause 
(ii)), the farm size of an agricultural pro-
ducer may not exceed the median farm size 
of the State in which the producer is lo-
cated, based on aggregate data published 
by the National Agricultural Statistics 
Service. 
‘‘(ii) LIVESTOCK AND PASTURE MAN-
AGEMENT
PAYMENTS.—To be eligible to 
receive a livestock or pasture management 
payment under subparagraph (A), the herd 
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size of an agricultural producer may not 
exceed the median herd size of the State in 
which the producer is located, based on ag-
gregate data published by the National Ag-
ricultural Statistics Service. 
‘‘(3) APPLICATIONS.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—To be eligible to re-
ceive financial and technical assistance under 
this subsection, a producer that is eligible for 
the assistance under paragraph (2)(A) shall 
submit to the Secretary an application at such 
time, in such manner, and containing such in-
formation as the Secretary may require. 
‘‘(B) ADMINISTRATION.—To the maximum 
extent practicable, the Secretary shall limit the 
administrative burdens, and the regulatory bar-
riers that contribute to administrative burdens, 
on producers applying for payments under this 
subsection. 
‘‘(C) RAPID AND STREAMLINED APPLICA-
TION
AND
CONTRACT
APPROVAL.—The Sec-
retary shall provide payments under this para-
graph on a continuous enrollment basis, using 
a rapid and streamlined application and con-
tract approval process. 
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‘‘(4) SUBPROGRAM COORDINATORS.— 
‘‘(A) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to subpara-
graph (B), the Secretary shall designate— 
‘‘(i) a national subprogram coordi-
nator; and 
‘‘(ii) a subprogram coordinator in 
each State. 
‘‘(B) REQUIREMENTS.—At the time of des-
ignation under subparagraph (A), a national or 
State subprogram coordinator shall be— 
‘‘(i) an employee of the Natural Re-
sources Conservation Service; and 
‘‘(ii) responsible for, on a national or 
statewide basis, respectively— 
‘‘(I) public outreach relating to 
the subprogram; 
‘‘(II) assisting producers in the 
submission of applications under the 
subprogram; 
‘‘(III) distributing financial and 
technical assistance under this sub-
section; and 
‘‘(IV) submitting to the Secretary 
annual recommendations with respect 
to additional conservation practice 
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standards and activities required to 
better serve small-scale agricultural 
producers. 
‘‘(5) LANGUAGE
REQUIREMENTS.—The Sec-
retary shall publish any outreach materials for 
small-scale agricultural producers relating to the 
subprogram under this subsection simultaneously 
in— 
‘‘(A) English; and 
‘‘(B) such additional languages as the Sec-
retary determines to be appropriate for each ap-
plicable State. 
‘‘(6) REPORT.—Not later than May 1, 2027, 
the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Ag-
riculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and 
the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Rep-
resentatives a report describing the results of the 
subprogram under this subsection, including— 
‘‘(A) activities carried out under paragraph 
(3)(B) to limit administrative burdens and reg-
ulatory barriers; and 
‘‘(B) to the maximum extent practicable, 
demographic information relating to each small- 
scale agricultural producer participating in the 
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subprogram, as the Secretary determines to be 
appropriate.’’. 
Æ 
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