To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to provide additional payments under the environmental quality incentives program for implementation of a nutrient management practice, and for other purposes.
Bill: H.R.7764 | Sponsor: Rep. Harder, Josh (D-CA)
Policy area: Agriculture and Food

Summary:
This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide additional payments to producers under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program for implementation of a nutrient management practice.
USDA must provide the payments through FY2023 and may use up to 5% of the funding to provide technical assistance.

To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to provide additional payments 
 under the environmental quality incentives program for implementation 
       of a nutrient management practice, 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. ADDITIONAL NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE.

    (a) Payments.--During the period beginning on the date of enactment 
of this section and ending on September 30, 2023, the Secretary of 
Agriculture shall provide payments under this section to producers that 
have entered into contracts with the Secretary under the environmental 
quality incentives program to implement the nutrient management 
practice.
    (b) Amount.--A payment to a producer under this section shall be in 
an amount that, in combination with the applicable payment under 
section 1240B(d) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-
2(d)), does not exceed 100 percent of the costs of implementing the 
nutrient management practice.
    (c) Funding.--
            (1) Authorization of appropriations.--There is authorized 
        to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section 
        $750,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2022 and 2023.
            (2) Technical assistance.--The Secretary may use up to 5 
        percent of funds made available pursuant to paragraph (1) to 
        provide technical assistance under this section.
    (d) Definitions.--In this section:
            (1) Environmental quality incentives program.--The term 
        ``environmental quality incentives program'' means the 
        environmental quality incentives program established under 
        subchapter A of chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of the 
        Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa et seq.).
            (2) Nutrient management practice.--The term ``nutrient 
        management practice'' means the practice described in the 
        conservation practice standard for nutrient management 
        established by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, code 
        590, dated May, 2019, or any successor conservation practice 
        standard for nutrient management established by the Natural 
        Resources Conservation Service pursuant to title XII of the 
        Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3801 et seq.).
                                                 Union Calendar No. 257

117th CONGRESS

  2d Session

                               H. R. 7764

                          [Report No. 117-343]

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