PRECISE Act
Bill: H.R.2518 | Sponsor: Rep. Hinson, Ashley (R-IA)
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
Producing Responsible Energy and Conservation Incentives and Solutions for the Environment Act or the PRECISE Act
This bill incorporates support for precision agriculture into various programs of the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Precision agriculture refers to an information- and technology-based management system used to identify, analyze, and manage variability in agricultural production for optimum profitability, sustainability, and environmental protection.
Specifically, the bill makes changes to eligibility criteria, administrative procedures, and other aspects of the Conservation Loan Program, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, and the Conservation Stewardship Program. These changes include allowing the programs to support the adoption of precision agriculture practices and acquisition of precision agriculture technologies.
In addition, the bill expands a program through which USDA makes and insures loans to for-profit and nonprofit organizations that invest in rural areas by allowing the loans to be used for precision agriculture practices.
The bill also requires USDA to emphasize the use of third-party providers with respect to technical assistance on matters related to soil health for participants in certain USDA conservation programs.

To leverage incentives for the adoption of costly precision agriculture 
                  technology, and for other purposes.


 


    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Producing Responsible Energy and 
Conservation Incentives and Solutions for the Environment Act'' or the 
``PRECISE Act''.

SEC. 2. CONSERVATION LOAN AND LOAN GUARANTEE PROGRAM.

    Section 304 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 
U.S.C. 1924) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(3), by redesignating subparagraphs 
        (F) and (G) as subparagraphs (G) and (H), respectively, and 
        inserting after subparagraph (E) the following:
                    ``(F) the adoption of precision agriculture 
                practices, and the acquisition of precision agriculture 
                technology;'';
            (2) in subsection (d)--
                    (A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``and'';
                    (B) in paragraph (3), by striking the period and 
                inserting ``; and''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
            ``(4) producers who use the loans to adopt precision 
        agriculture practices or acquire precision agriculture 
        technology, including adoption or acquisition for the purpose 
        of participating in the environmental quality incentives 
        program under subchapter A of chapter 4 of subtitle D of title 
        XII of the Food Security Act of 1985.'';
            (3) in subsection (e), by striking paragraph (2) and 
        inserting the following:
            ``(2) 90 percent of the principal amount of the loan in the 
        case of--
                    ``(A) a producer that is a qualified socially 
                disadvantaged farmer or rancher or a beginning farmer 
                or rancher; or
                    ``(B) loans that are used for the purchase of 
                precision agriculture technology.''; and
            (4) in subsection (f)--
                    (A) by striking ``(f) Administrative Provisions.--
                The Secretary'' and inserting the following:
    ``(f) Administrative Provisions.--
            ``(1) Geographic diversity.--The Secretary''; and
                    (B) by adding after and below the end the 
                following:
            ``(2) Coordination with nrcs.--In making or guaranteeing 
        loans under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that there 
        is coordination between the Farm Service Agency and the Natural 
        Resources Conservation Service.''.

SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE TO RURAL ENTITIES.

    Section 310B(a)(2) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development 
Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(a)(2)) is amended--
            (1) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph (C);
            (2) by striking the period at the end of subparagraph (D) 
        and inserting ``; and''; and
            (3) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(E) expanding precision agriculture practices, 
                including by financing equipment and farm-wide 
                broadband connectivity, in order to promote best-
                practices, reduce costs, and improve the 
                environment.''.

SEC. 4. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 1240A(6)(B)(v) of the Food Security Act 
of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-1(6)(B)(v)) is amended by inserting 
``(including the adoption of precision agriculture practices and the 
acquisition of precision agriculture technology)'' after ``planning''.
    (b) Payments.--
            (1) Other payments.--Section 1240B(d)(6) of the Food 
        Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-2(d)(6)) is amended--
                    (A) by striking ``A producer shall'' and inserting 
                the following:
                    ``(A) Payments under this subtitle.--A producer 
                shall''; and
                    (B) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(B) Conservation loan and loan guarantee program 
                payments.--
                            ``(i) In general.--A producer receiving 
                        payments for practices on eligible land under 
                        the program may also receive a loan or loan 
                        guarantee under section 304 of the Consolidated 
                        Farm and Rural Development Act to cover costs 
                        for same practices on the same land.
                            ``(ii) Notice to producer.--The Secretary 
                        shall inform a producer participating in the 
                        program in writing of the availability of a 
                        loan or loan guarantee under section 304 of the 
                        Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act as 
                        it relates to costs of implementing practices 
                        under this program.''.
            (2) Increased payments for high-priority practices.--
        Section 1240B(d)(7) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
        3839aa-2(d)(7)) is amended, in the subsection heading, by 
        inserting ``State-determined'' before ``high-priority''.
            (3) Increased payments for precision agriculture.--Section 
        1240B(d) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-
        2(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(8) Increased payments for precision agriculture.--
        Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the Secretary may increase the 
        amount that would otherwise be provided for a practice under 
        this subsection to not more than 90 percent of the costs 
        associated with adopting precision agriculture practices and 
        acquiring precision agriculture technology.''.
    (c) Conservation Incentive Contracts.--Section 1240B(j)(2)(A)(i) of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-2(j)(3)(A)(i)) is 
amended by inserting ``(which may include the adoption of precision 
agriculture practices and the acquisition of precision agriculture 
technology)'' after ``incentive practices''.

SEC. 5. CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM.

    (a) Conservation Stewardship Payments.--Section 1240L(c)(3) of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-24(c)(3)) is amended to 
read as follows:
            ``(3) Exclusions.--A payment to a producer under this 
        subsection shall not be provided for conservation activities 
        for which there is no cost incurred or income forgone by the 
        producer.''.
    (b) Supplemental Payments for Resource-Conserving Crop Rotations 
and Advanced Grazing Management.--Section 1240L(d) of the Food Security 
Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-24(d)) is amended--
            (1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``and Advanced 
        Grazing Management'' and inserting ``, Advanced Grazing 
        Management, and Precision Agriculture'';
            (2) in paragraph (2)--
                    (A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``; or'' and 
                inserting a semicolon;
                    (B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at 
                the end and inserting ``; or''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(C) precision agriculture.''; and
            (3) in paragraph (3), by striking ``or advanced grazing 
        management'' and inserting ``, advanced grazing management, or 
        precision agriculture''.

SEC. 6. DELIVERY OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.

    Section 1242(f) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3842(f)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
            ``(6) Soil health planning.--The Secretary shall emphasize 
        the use of third-party providers in providing technical 
        assistance for soil health planning, including planning related 
        to the use of cover crops, precision conservation management, 
        comprehensive nutrient management planning, and other 
        innovative plans.''.
                                                 Union Calendar No. 258

117th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 2518

                          [Report No. 117-344]

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