‘‘(iii) improve manure distribution and 
nutrient cycling; 
‘‘(iv) increase the sequestration of car-
bon dioxide; 
‘‘(v) improve the quality and quantity 
of cover for wildlife and pollinators; 
‘‘(vi) provide permanent cover to pro-
tect the soil from erosion; and 
‘‘(vii) improve water quality and infil-
tration. 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS.—As a condi-
tion for receiving payments under this subsection, a 
producer shall agree to implement at least 3 prac-
tices and either— 
‘‘(A) develops and carries out a grazing 
management plan that includes intensive man-
agement rotational grazing; or 
‘‘(B) develops and implements conservation 
practices that are consistent with intensive rota-
tional grazing practices for pasture-based sys-
tems. 
‘‘(3) PAYMENT
PRIORITIES.—In determining 
the amount and rate of payments under paragraph 
(2)(B), the Secretary may accord great significance 
to practices that— 
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‘‘(A) improve the quality of soil fertility 
and tilth; 
‘‘(B) protect water quality; 
‘‘(C) increase the sequestration of carbon 
dioxide; 
‘‘(D) accelerate water infiltration; 
‘‘(E) expand pollinator habitat and protec-
tion; and 
‘‘(F) reduce greenhouse gas emissions.’’. 
SEC. 214. EVALUATION OF APPLICATIONS. 
(a) EVALUATION CRITERIA.—Section 1240C(a) of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–3(a)) 
is amended by striking ‘‘national, State, and local con-
servation priorities’’ and inserting ‘‘priority resource con-
cerns identified under subsection (d)’’. 
(b) PRIORITIZATION
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 ‘‘achieving the 
anticipated conservation benefits of the project’’ and 
inserting ‘‘addressing priority resource concerns 
identified under subsection (d)’’; and 
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘designated 
resource concern or resource concerns’’ and inserting 
‘‘priority resource concerns identified under sub-
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section (d), including, in the case of applications 
from nutrient-impacted watersheds, the degree to 
which nutrient loadings would be reduced as a result 
of the proposed project’’. 
(c) GROUPING OF APPLICATIONS.—Section 1240C(c) 
of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–3(c)) 
is amended by striking ‘‘for evaluation purposes or other-
wise evaluate applications relative to other applications for 
similar farming operations’’ and inserting ‘‘proposing to 
address the same priority resource concerns for evaluation 
purposes’’. 
(d) 
PRIORITY
RESOURCE
CONCERNS.—Section 
1240C of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3839aa–3) is amended by adding at the end the following 
new subsection: 
‘‘(d) PRIORITY RESOURCE CONCERNS.—For the pur-
poses of this section, the Secretary shall identify priority 
resource concerns in a particular watershed or other ap-
propriate region or area within a State.’’. 
SEC. 215. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PRO-
GRAM PLAN. 
Section 1240E(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa–5(a)) is amended to read as follows: 
‘‘(a) PLAN OF OPERATIONS.—To be eligible to re-
ceive payments under the program, a producer shall sub-
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mit to the Secretary for approval a plan of operations 
that— 
‘‘(1) specifies the priority resource concerns to 
be addressed; 
‘‘(2) specifies the type, number, and sequencing 
of conservation systems, practices, or activities to be 
implemented to address the priority resource con-
cerns; 
‘‘(3) includes such terms and conditions as the 
Secretary considers necessary to carry out the pro-
gram, including a description of the purposes to be 
met by the implementation of the plan and a state-
ment of how the plan will achieve or take significant 
steps toward achieving the relevant resource man-
agement system quality criteria, as determined by 
the Secretary; 
‘‘(4) in the case of a confined livestock feeding 
operation, provides for development and implementa-
tion of a comprehensive nutrient management plan, 
if applicable; 
‘‘(5) in the case of a producer located within a 
nutrient-impacted watershed, identifies methods by 
which the producer will limit nutrient loss; and 
‘‘(6) in the case of forest land, is consistent 
with the provisions of a forest management plan 
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that is approved by the Secretary, which may in-
clude— 
‘‘(A) a forest stewardship plan described in 
section 5 of the Cooperative Forestry Assist-
ance Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2103a); 
‘‘(B) another practice plan approved by the 
State forester; or 
‘‘(C) another plan determined appropriate 
by the Secretary.’’. 
SEC. 216. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY. 
Section 1240F(2) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa–6(2)) is amended by striking ‘‘infor-
mation’’ and inserting ‘‘technical assistance, informa-
tion,’’. 
SEC. 217. 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) LIMITATION ON TOTAL PAYMENTS.—Subject to 
subsection (b), a person or legal entity may not receive, 
directly or indirectly, cost-share or incentive payments 
under this chapter, in the aggregate, for all contracts en-
tered into under this chapter by the person or entity (ex-
cluding funding arrangements with Indian tribes under 
this chapter), regardless of the number of contracts en-
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tered into under this chapter by the person or entity, 
that— 
‘‘(1) during any fiscal year exceed $30,000; and 
‘‘(2) 
during 
any 
five-year 
period 
exceed 
$150,000. 
‘‘(b) WAIVER AUTHORITY.—In the case of contracts 
under this chapter for projects of special environmental 
significance, as determined by the Secretary, the Secretary 
may waive the limitation otherwise applicable under sub-
section (a)(1). 
‘‘(c) PREVENTION OF DUPLICATION.—The Secretary 
shall not approve a contract or provide payments to any 
individual for a practice that has already been paid for 
as part of a previously approved and completed contract 
for any particular parcel of land.’’. 
Subtitle C—Reforming the Con-
servation Stewardship Program 
SEC. 221. DEFINITIONS. 
Section 1240I of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3839aa–21) is amended— 
(1) in paragraph (2)(B), by striking clause (i) 
and inserting the following: 
‘‘(i) vegetative measures and land 
management measures, including inte-
grated pest, nutrient, crop residue, crop 
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rotation, and managed rotational grazing 
management measures, as determined by 
the Secretary;’’; 
(2) in paragraph (3)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by inserting 
‘‘designated’’ before ‘‘priority’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking ‘‘new 
and existing conservation activities’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘conservation activities needed to com-
prehensively address the designated priority re-
source concerns’’; 
(3) in paragraph (5)— 
(A) in subparagraph (B) by striking 
‘‘and’’; 
(B) in subparagraph (C) by striking the 
period at the end and adding ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end a new subpara-
graph (D): 
‘‘(D) otherwise threatens— 
‘‘(i) public health or quality of life 
through degradation of air or water qual-
ity; or 
‘‘(ii) natural resources, including soil, 
fish, and wildlife.’’; 
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(4) by redesignating paragraphs (6) and (7) as 
paragraphs (7) and (8), respectively; 
(5) by inserting after paragraph (5) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(6) DESIGNATED
PRIORITY
RESOURCE
CON-
CERN.—The term ‘designated priority resource con-
cern’ means 1 to 5 priority resource concerns identi-
fied by the Secretary that must be addressed by the 
program within a local watershed or specific natural 
resource boundary.’’; and 
(6) by amending paragraph (8), as redesignated 
by paragraph (4), to read as follows: 
‘‘(8) STEWARDSHIP
THRESHOLD.—The term 
‘stewardship threshold’ means the conservation ac-
tivities, as determined by the Secretary, to com-
prehensively address a priority resource concern 
using— 
‘‘(A) conservation measurement tools; 
‘‘(B) the resource management system 
quality criteria for the particular priority re-
source concerns; 
‘‘(C) data from past and current program 
enrollments; and 
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‘‘(D) other similar means to measure im-
provement and conservation of the priority re-
source concern.’’. 
SEC. 222. CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM. 
Section 1240J of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3839aa–22) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘fiscal years 2019 through 
2023’’ and inserting ‘‘fiscal years 2024 through 
2028’’; 
(B) by striking ‘‘to address priority’’ and 
inserting ‘‘to comprehensively address des-
ignated priority’’; and 
(C) by striking ‘‘comprehensive manner— 
’’ and all that follows through ‘‘managing exist-
ing conservation activities’’ and inserting ‘‘com-
prehensive manner’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b)(2), in the matter pre-
ceding subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘December 20, 
2018’’ and inserting ‘‘December 20, 2023’’. 
SEC. 223. STEWARDSHIP CONTRACTS. 
Section 1240K of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
U.S.C. 3839aa–2) is amended— 
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(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking ‘‘2 priority 
resource concerns’’ and inserting ‘‘2 designated pri-
ority resource concerns’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)(A)— 
(i) in clause (ii), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(ii) in clause (iii), by striking the pe-
riod and inserting a semicolon; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(iv) the level of conservation treat-
ment on all applicable designated priority 
resource concerns at the time of applica-
tion; 
‘‘(v) the number of designated priority 
resource concerns that meet or exceed the 
stewardship threshold at the end of the 
contract period; 
‘‘(vi) the degree to which the proposed 
conservation 
activities 
effectively, 
effi-
ciently, and comprehensively address the 
designated priority resource concerns and 
reduces greenhouse gas emissions; 
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‘‘(vii) the extent to which the contract 
offer will meet or exceed the stewardship 
threshold for one or more designated pri-
ority resource concerns at a lower cost rel-
ative to other similarly beneficial contract 
offers; 
‘‘(viii) the extent to which priority re-
source concerns will be addressed when 
transitioning from the conservation reserve 
program to agricultural production; and 
‘‘(ix) the extent to which the contract 
will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.’’; 
(B) by striking paragraphs (2) and (3) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(2) PROHIBITION.—The Secretary may not as-
sign a higher priority to any application because the 
applicant is willing to accept a lower payment than 
the applicant would otherwise be eligible to receive. 
‘‘(3) ADDITIONAL
CRITERIA.—The Secretary 
may develop and use such additional criteria that 
the Secretary determines are necessary to ensure 
that designated priority resource concerns are effec-
tively and efficiently treated to meet or exceed the 
stewardship threshold.’’; 
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(3) by amending subsection (c) to read as fol-
lows: 
‘‘(c) ENTERING INTO CONTRACTS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—After a determination that 
a producer is eligible for the program under sub-
section (a), and a determination that the contract 
offer ranks sufficiently high under the evaluation 
criteria under subsection (b), the Secretary shall 
enter into a conservation stewardship contract with 
the producer to enroll the eligible land to be covered 
by the contract. 
‘‘(2) FINANCIAL OBLIGATION.—Consistent with 
section 1240K(c), a contract entered into under 
paragraph (1) shall not create an obligation for fi-
nancial assistance until the first October 1 after the 
contract is entered into.’’; 
(4) in subsection (d)— 
(A) in paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘5 
years’’ and inserting ‘‘10 years’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2)(B)(i), by inserting 
‘‘that comprehensively address a designated pri-
ority resource concern’’ after ‘‘conservation ac-
tivities’’; and 
(5) in subsection (e)— 
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(A) in the matter preceding paragraph (1), 
by striking ‘‘fifth year’’ and inserting ‘‘tenth 
year’’; and 
(B) by amending paragraph (3)(A) to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(A) has met or exceeded, or agrees to 
meet or exceed, the stewardship threshold of all 
designated priority resource concerns identified 
for the region or area in which the land that is 
subject to the contract is located; or’’. 
SEC. 224. DUTIES OF THE SECRETARY. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1240L of the Food Secu-
rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–24) is amended— 
(1) by striking subsections (a) through (c) and 
inserting the following: 
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—To achieve the conservation 
goals of a contract under the conservation stewardship 
program, the Secretary shall— 
‘‘(1) make the program available to eligible pro-
ducers on a continuous enrollment basis with one or 
more ranking periods, of which shall occur in the 
first quarter of each fiscal year; 
‘‘(2) identify not more than 5 designated pri-
ority resource concerns in a particular watershed or 
other appropriate region or area within a State; 
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‘‘(3) for any region or area that includes any 
part of a nutrient-impacted watershed (as deter-
mined by the Secretary), ensure that one of the pri-
ority resource concerns identified under paragraph 
(2) is greenhouse gas emission reductions; 
‘‘(4) develop reliable conservation measurement 
tools for purposes of carrying out the program; and 
‘‘(5) ensure that conservation measurement 
tools are transparent and available to producers 
by— 
‘‘(A) making interactive, user-friendly con-
servation measurement tools publically available 
online; 
‘‘(B) making conservation activity natural 
resource and environmental benefit scores avail-
able in an easy to understand format for study 
both before and during application; and 
‘‘(C) taking other steps, as determined by 
the Secretary. 
‘‘(b) ALLOCATION TO STATES.—The Secretary shall 
allocate acres to States for enrollment, based on each 
State’s proportion of eligible land to the total acreage of 
eligible land in all States as follows: 
‘‘(1) SOURCE
WATER
PROTECTION.—At least 
20 percent of the funds made available for financial 
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and technical assistance under the program shall be 
for contracts addressing designated priority resource 
concerns related to enhancing the quality and quan-
tity of source water (as that term is used in the Safe 
Drinking Water Act). 
‘‘(2) PEST MANAGEMENT.—At least 20 percent 
of the funds made available for financial and tech-
nical assistance under the program shall be for con-
tracts addressing designated priority resource con-
cerns related to reducing the need for pesticides in 
agricultural production including organic farming 
systems and intensive integrated pest management. 
‘‘(3) SOIL CONSERVATION.—At least 20 percent 
of the funds made available for financial and tech-
nical assistance under the program shall be for con-
tracts addressing designated priority resource con-
cerns related to reducing soil erosion and improving 
soil fertility and tilth. 
‘‘(4) GREENHOUSE GAS REDUCTION.—At least 
20 percent of the funds made available for financial 
and technical assistance under the program shall be 
for contracts addressing greenhouse gas emissions. 
‘‘(c) CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PAYMENTS.— 
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‘‘(1) AVAILABILITY OF PAYMENTS.—The Sec-
retary shall provide annual payments under the pro-
gram to compensate the producer for— 
‘‘(A) installing and adopting additional 
conservation activities that will meet or exceed 
the stewardship threshold for a designated pri-
ority resource concern; and 
‘‘(B) improving, maintaining, and man-
aging conservation activities in place on the ag-
ricultural operation of the producer at the time 
the contract offer is accepted by the Secretary. 
‘‘(2) PAYMENT AMOUNT.—The amount of the 
annual payment shall be determined by the Sec-
retary and based, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, on the following factors: 
‘‘(A) Costs incurred by the producer asso-
ciated with planning, design, materials, installa-
tion, labor, management, maintenance, or train-
ing. 
‘‘(B) Income forgone by the producer. 
‘‘(C) Expected conservation benefits, based 
to the maximum extent possible on conservation 
measurement tools. 
‘‘(D) The extent to which designated pri-
ority resource concerns will be addressed 
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through the installation and adoption of con-
servation activities on the agricultural oper-
ation. 
‘‘(E) The level of stewardship in place at 
the time of application and maintained over the 
term of the contract. 
‘‘(F) The degree to which the conservation 
activities will be integrated across the entire ag-
ricultural operation for all designated priority 
resource concerns over the term of the contract. 
‘‘(G) Such other factors as are determined 
appropriate by the Secretary. 
‘‘(3) EXCLUSIONS.—A payment to a producer 
under this subsection shall not be provided for— 
‘‘(A) the design, construction, or mainte-
nance of animal waste storage or treatment fa-
cilities or associated waste transport or transfer 
devices for animal feeding operations; or 
‘‘(B) conservation activities for which there 
is no cost incurred or income forgone to the 
producer. 
‘‘(4) DELIVERY
OF
PAYMENTS.—In making 
payments under this subsection, the Secretary shall, 
to the extent practicable— 
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‘‘(A) prorate conservation performance 
over the term of the contract so as to accommo-
date, to the extent practicable, producers earn-
ing equal annual payments in each fiscal year; 
and 
‘‘(B) make such payments as soon as prac-
ticable after October 1 of each fiscal year for 
activities carried out in the previous fiscal year. 
‘‘(5) MINIMUM
PAYMENT.—If a contract re-
quires a comprehensive conservation plan the imple-
mentation of which will, by the end of the contract 
term, meet or exceed the stewardship threshold for 
all designated priority resource concerns, the min-
imum payment shall be not less than $3,000.’’; 
(2) in subsection (d)— 
(A) in paragraph (1)(C)— 
(i) in clause (v), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(ii) in clause (vi), by striking the pe-
riod and inserting ‘‘; and’’; 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(vii) prevents pollution of surface 
water or groundwater;’’; and 
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(iv) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(D) TRANSITION TO ORGANIC CROP OR 
LIVESTOCK SYSTEMS.—In this subsection, the 
term ‘transition to organic crop or livestock sys-
tems’ means adoption of conservation activities 
for certified organic production on land or for 
herds not previously certified organic that meet 
all the requirements of the program and that 
are consistent with the regulations promulgated 
under the Organic Foods Production Act of 
1990 (7 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.).’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘or’’ at the end; 
(ii) in subparagraph (B), by striking 
the period and inserting a semicolon; and 
(iii) by adding at the end the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(C) improve, maintain, and manage or 
adopt and maintain— 
‘‘(i) resource-conserving crop rotations 
to achieve beneficial crop rotations as ap-
propriate for the eligible land of the pro-
ducers; or 
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‘‘(ii) managed intensive rotational 
grazing; or 
‘‘(D) transition to organic crop or livestock 
systems.’’; and 
(3) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(m) DATA.—The Secretary shall maintain detailed 
and segmented data on contracts and payments under the 
program to allow, at a minimum, with respect to each con-
tract— 
‘‘(1) quantification of the type and extent of 
conservation activities for which payments were 
made; 
‘‘(2) quantification of the amount of payments 
made for— 
‘‘(A) the installation and adoption of addi-
tional conservation activities and improvements 
to conservation activities in place on the oper-
ation of a producer at the time the conservation 
stewardship offer is accepted by the Secretary; 
and 
‘‘(B) the maintenance of existing conserva-
tion activities; and 
‘‘(3) identification of the watershed and county 
in which the agricultural operation receiving pay-
ments is located.’’. 
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Subtitle A—Building on the 
Regional Conservation Partnership 
SEC. 231. IMPROVEMENTS TO THE REGIONAL CONSERVA-
TION PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM. 
(a) PROGRAM PURPOSES.—Section 1271(b) of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3871(b)) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in paragraph (3)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the 
period and inserting a semicolon; and 
(C) by adding the following subparagraphs 
at the end: 
‘‘(C) enhancing and protecting the quality 
and quantity of source water (as that term is 
used in the Safe Drinking Water Act (42 
U.S.C. 300f et seq.)); 
‘‘(D) reducing the use of antibiotics and 
pesticides in crop and livestock production; 
‘‘(E) enhancing opportunities for natural- 
resource-based recreation by improving water 
quality and fish and wildlife habitat; 
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‘‘(F) addressing other opportunities to im-
prove public health and quality of life, as deter-
mined by the Secretary; and 
‘‘(G) reducing greenhouse gas emissions.’’; 
and 
(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(6) To avoid, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, the need for statutory and regulatory pro-
grams related to the conservation of natural re-
sources by assisting producers in protecting soil, 
water, air, and related natural resources and in 
meeting environmental quality criteria established by 
Federal, State, tribal, and local governmental agen-
cies.’’. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—Section 1271A of the Food Secu-
rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3871a) is amended by striking 
paragraph (2) and inserting the following: 
‘‘(2) ELIGIBLE
ACTIVITY.—The term ‘eligible 
activity’ means water quality restoration or enhance-
ment projects relating to the quality of surface water 
and groundwater used to supply drinking water by 
community water systems and domestic wells, in-
cluding projects that— 
‘‘(A) improve the management of crops 
and livestock production systems to avoid or 
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control runoff and leaching of farm chemicals 
and manure; 
‘‘(B) change (including through diversi-
fying) the agricultural practices, including crop 
rotations; and 
‘‘(C) trap or capture pollutants before the 
pollutants enter surface water or ground 
water.’’; and 
(c) PROGRAM AGREEMENTS.—Section 1271B of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3871b) is amend-
ed— 
(1) in subsection (b)(1)(A), by striking ‘‘5’’ and 
inserting ‘‘15’’; 
(2) in subsection (b)(1)(B), by striking ‘‘5’’ and 
inserting ‘‘10’’; and 
(3) in subsection (c)(1)— 
(A) by redesignating subparagraphs (A) 
through (F) as subparagraphs (B) through (G); 
(B) by inserting before subparagraph (B) 
(as so redesignated) the following new subpara-
graph: 
‘‘(A) complete natural resource and water-
shed assessments to effectively support plan-
ning and implementation of the proposed 
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project that is the subject of the agreement;’’; 
and 
(C) in subparagraph (F) (as redesignated 
by subparagraph (A)), by inserting ‘‘monitor re-
sults and’’ before ‘‘conduct’’. 
(d) ASSISTANCE TO PRODUCERS.—Section 1271C of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3871c) is 
amended— 
(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘assistance 
to’’ and all that follows through ‘‘with the Sec-
retary.’’ and inserting the following: ‘‘assistance, 
under the programs under this subtitle, to producers 
proposing to implement conservation activities that 
meet the objectives of the partnership agreement en-
tered into under section 1271B.’’; 
(2) in subsection (c)(2), by striking ‘‘5 years’’ 
and inserting ‘‘at least 10 years, but that does not 
exceed 15 years’’; and 
(3) in subsection (d)(2)(B), by striking ‘‘15’’ 
and inserting ‘‘20’’. 
(e) FUNDING.—Section 1271D(a) of the Food Secu-
rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3871d(a)) is amended by 
striking ‘‘$300,000,000 of the funds of the Commodity 
Credit Corporation for each of fiscal years 2019 through 
2031’’ and inserting ‘‘$300,000,000 of the funds of the 
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Commodity Credit Corporation for fiscal year 2024 and 
$500,000,000 for each of the fiscal years 2025 to 2031’’. 
(f) CRITICAL CONSERVATION AREAS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Section 1271F of the Food 
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3871f) is amended 
in subsection (a)(2)(A), by striking ‘‘sediment con-
trol’’ and all that follows through the period at the 
end and inserting ‘‘sediment control, and enhancing 
the quality of surface water and groundwater used 
to supply drinking water by community water sys-
tems (as defined in the Safe Drinking Water Act) 
and domestic wells;’’. 
(2) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made 
by this section shall apply with respect to partner-
ship agreements entered into on or after October 1, 
2023. 
Subtitle 
B—Establishing 
Innova-
tive Grants for Conservation 
and Loans for Structural Im-
provements 
SEC. 241. REPEAL AND REESTABLISHMENT OF EQIP CON-
SERVATION INNOVATION GRANT PROGRAM. 
(a) REPEAL.—Section 1240H of the Food Security 
Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–8) is repealed. 
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(b) 
CONSERVATION
INNOVATION
GRANT
PRO-
GRAM.—Chapter 5 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food 
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839bb et seq.) is amend-
ed in subsection (a)(2) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(I) provide payments to producers to im-
plement cost-effective and innovative tech-
nologies to address priority resource concerns 
related to air quality from agricultural oper-
ations; and 
‘‘(J) provide environmental and resource 
conservation benefits through increased partici-
pation by beginning farmers and ranchers and 
socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.’’. 
SEC. 242. CONSERVATION LOAN AND LOAN GUARANTEE 
PROGRAM. 
Section 304 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural De-
velopment Act is amended— 
(1) in subsection (b)(3)— 
(A) in subparagraph (F), by striking 
‘‘and’’ at the end; 
(B) in subparagraph (G), by striking the 
period and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(H) how and to what extent the conserva-
tion project will support the implementation of 
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a comprehensive conservation plan and improve 
the conditions of identified priority resource 
concerns.’’; 
(2) in subsection (c), by adding at the end the 
following: 
‘‘(3) CONSERVATION LOAN PLAN.—In order to 
be eligible to receive a loan or loan guarantee under 
this section, an entity described in paragraph (1) 
shall have a conservation loan plan.’’; 
(3) in subsection (d)— 
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘and’’ at 
the end; 
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking the pe-
riod and inserting a semicolon; and 
(C) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(4) projects that will do the most to address 
priority resource concerns, as specified in a con-
servation loan plan; and 
‘‘(5) projects that are designed to help pro-
ducers comply with, or avoid the need for, local, 
State, or Federal regulation.’’; and 
(4) by striking subsection (f) and inserting the 
following: 
‘‘(f) ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.— 
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‘‘(1) GEOGRAPHIC
DISTRIBUTION.—The Sec-
retary shall ensure, to the maximum extent prac-
ticable, that qualified conservation loans made or 
guaranteed under this section are distributed across 
diverse geographic regions, while still prioritizing 
qualified conservation projects with the greatest con-
servation or environmental benefit. 
‘‘(2) AGENCY
COOPERATION.—The Secretary 
shall ensure proper cooperation between the Natural 
Resources Conservation Service, which shall review 
and approve comprehensive loan plans and provide 
technical 
assistance 
for 
qualified 
conservation 
projects, and the Farm Service Agency, which will 
approve and issue loans and loan guarantees under 
this section. 
‘‘(3) INTEREST
RATES.—The Secretary shall 
ensure that a loan made under this section is made 
at or below market rate.’’. 
Subtitle C—Ensuring Greenhouse 
Gas Reporting for Agriculture 
SEC. 251. GREENHOUSE GAS REPORTING. 
(a) REPORTING PROGRAM.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not later than January 1, 
2026, the Secretary, in consultation with the Admin-
istrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and 
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the Secretary of the Interior, shall establish and im-
plement a program to identify all major source cat-
egories of associated emissions and collect data on 
associated emissions from the production of agricul-
tural commodities and their food products in the 
United States, including— 
(A) emissions of greenhouse gases from the 
livestock industry, including from concentrated 
animal feeding operations, as defined by the 
Secretary; and 
(B) emissions of greenhouse gases from 
the production of commodity and specialty 
crops, including the tilling of soil, and the use 
of synthetic fertilizer. 
(2) ANNUAL
REPORT.—Not later than 12 
months after the date that the Secretary implements 
the program described in paragraph (1), and annu-
ally thereafter, the Secretary shall issue a report, to 
be made available to the public and the appropriate 
committees of Congress, on associated emissions, in-
cluding— 
(A) identification of all major source cat-
egories of associated emissions; 
(B) the total amount, expressed in tons of 
carbon dioxide equivalent, of— 
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(i) carbon dioxide, methane, and other 
greenhouse gases emitted through trans-
portation of agriculture products to market 
within the United States during the pre-
ceding calendar year; 
(ii) carbon dioxide, methane, and 
other greenhouse gases emitted through 
the rearing, raising, slaughter, and proc-
essing of poultry and livestock products in 
the United States, including those carbon 
dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse 
gases emitted by manure management sys-
tems; 
(iii) carbon dioxide, methane, and 
other greenhouse gases emitted by the use 
of fertilizer in the production of commodity 
and specialty crops; and 
(iv) carbon dioxide, methane, and 
other greenhouse gases emitted by the till-
age of soil in the production of commodity 
and specialty crops; and 
(C) identification of all major agricultural 
practices that can reduce the emission of car-
bon dioxide, methane, and other greenhouse 
gases, including— 
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(i) the use of cover crops; 
(ii) the reduction and elimination of 
soil tillage, the successive planting of dif-
ferent crops on the same land, and other 
soil management practices; 
(iii) the use of rotational grazing on 
pasture for livestock; 
(iv) the use of anaerobic digesters to 
process organic material; 
(v) the use of buffer crops to reduce 
soil erosion; and 
(vi) other practices that can yield sig-
nificant reductions in the emission of car-
bon dioxide, methane, and other green-
house gases by producers of agricultural 
commodities and their food products. 
(b) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section: 
(1) GREENHOUSE GAS.—The term ‘‘greenhouse 
gas’’ has the meaning given such term under section 
211(o)(1)(G) of the Clean Air Act, as in effect on 
the date of the enactment of the Food and Farm 
Act. 
(2) 
UNITED
STATES.—The 
term 
‘‘United 
States’’ has the meaning given such term under sec-
tion 5911(a)(4) of title 5, United States Code, as in 
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effect on the date of the enactment of the Food and 
Farm Act. 
SEC. 252. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out 
this subtitle such sums as may be necessary for each of 
fiscal years 2024 through 2028. 
Subtitle D—Administration and 
Funding 
SEC. 261. COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 1241(a) of the Food Se-
curity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3841(a)) is amended to 
read as follows: 
‘‘(a) ANNUAL FUNDING.—For each of fiscal years 
2024 through 2028, 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— 
‘‘(A) $20,000,000 for the period of fiscal 
years 2024 through 2028 to provide payments 
under section 1234(c); and 
‘‘(B) $66,000,000 for the period of fiscal 
years 2024 through 2028 to carry out section 
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1235(f) to facilitate the transfer of land subject 
to contracts from retired or retiring owners and 
operators to beginning farmers or ranchers and 
socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers. 
‘‘(2) The agricultural conservation easement 
program under subtitle H, using, to the maximum 
extent practicable, $810,000,000 for each of fiscal 
years 2024 through 2028. 
‘‘(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, $3,200,000,000 for 
each of fiscal years 20124 through 2028. 
‘‘(6) The conservation innovation grant pro-
gram under section 1240S, using, to the maximum 
extent practicable, $100,000,000 for each fiscal 
year. 
‘‘(7) The conservation loan and loan guarantee 
program under section 1246, using, to the maximum 
extent practicable, for each fiscal year— 
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‘‘(A) $200,000,000 for direct loans; and 
‘‘(B) $150,000,000 for loan guarantees.’’. 
(b) GUARANTEED AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.—Sec-
tion 1241 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3841) is amended— 
(1) by redesignating subsections (b) through (i) 
as subsections (c) through (j), respectively; and 
(2) by inserting after subsection (a) the fol-
lowing: 
‘‘(b) AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS.— 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), amounts made available by subsection (a) 
shall be used by the Secretary to carry out the pro-
grams specified in such subsection for fiscal years 
2024 through 2028 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 related administrative actions and not ob-
ligated in that fiscal year shall remain available for 
obligation during subsequent fiscal years, but shall 
reduce the amount of additional funds made avail-
able in the subsequent fiscal year by an amount 
equal to the amount remaining unobligated. 
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‘‘(2) CONSERVATION INNOVATION GRANT PRO-
GRAM.—Amounts made available by subsection 
(a)(6) for a fiscal year and not obligated in that fis-
cal year shall be made available for the environ-
mental quality incentives program under chapter 4 
of subtitle D, and shall remain available until ex-
pended.’’. 
(c) ASSISTANCE TO CERTAIN FARMERS OR RANCH-
ERS FOR CONSERVATION ACCESS.—Section 1241(h) of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (as redesignated by sub-
section (b)) is amended, in paragraph (1), in the matter 
preceding subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘2018’’ and in-
serting ‘‘2027’’. 
TITLE III—FOOD ASSISTANCE 
SEC. 301. ELIMINATION OF DOMESTIC PROCUREMENT RE-
STRICTION FOR EMERGENCY AND PRIVATE 
ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS UNDER THE FOOD 
FOR PEACE ACT. 
Title II of the Food for Peace Act (7 U.S.C. 1721) 
is amended— 
(1) in section 201 (7 U.S.C. 1721), in the mat-
ter preceding paragraph (1), by striking ‘‘agricul-
tural commodities’’ and inserting ‘‘assistance, in-
cluding agricultural commodities,’’; and 
(2) in section 202 (7 U.S.C. 1722)— 
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(A) in the section heading, by striking 
‘‘AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES’’ and insert-
ing ‘‘ASSISTANCE’’; 
(B) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘agricul-
tural commodities’’ and inserting ‘‘assistance, 
including agricultural commodities,’’; 
(C) in subsection (b)(1)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘agricultural commod-
ities’’ and inserting ‘‘assistance, including 
agricultural commodities,’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘the commodities’’ and 
inserting ‘‘the assistance’’; 
(D) in subsection (c), by striking ‘‘Agricul-
tural commodities’’ and inserting ‘‘Assistance, 
including agricultural commodities,’’; and 
(E) in subsection (f)— 
(i) in the subsection heading, by strik-
ing ‘‘COMMODITIES’’ and inserting ‘‘AS-
SISTANCE’’; 
(ii) in the matter preceding paragraph 
(1), by striking ‘‘agricultural commodities’’ 
and inserting ‘‘assistance, including agri-
cultural commodities,’’; 
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