Conservation Opportunity and Voluntary Environment Resilience Program Act

Bill: 117-hr-8527
Sponsor: full_name: Rep. Casten, Sean [D-IL-6]
Introduced: 2022-07-27
Policy area: Agriculture and Food
Subjects: Agricultural conservation and pollution

Agricultural insurance

Agricultural practices and innovations

Agricultural prices, subsidies, credit

Congressional oversight

Farmland

Government information and archives

Soil pollution
Latest action: action_date: 2022-10-04
text: Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities and Risk Management.

Summaries:
action_date: 2022-07-27
action_desc: Introduced in House
text: <p><b>Conservation Opportunity and Voluntary Environment Resilience Program Act or the</b> <b>COVER Act</b></p> <p>This bill directs the Department of Agriculture to establish a Good Steward Cover Crop Program to provide producers additional premium subsidies when they plant cover crops.</p> <p>Additionally, the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation must carry out a pilot program under which a producer who uses innovative soil health practices may receive additional premium subsidies on multi-peril crop insurance.</p>

tv_txt: I 117th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 8527 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES July 27, 2022 Mr. Casten (for himself and Mrs. Axne ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture A BILL To establish a Good Steward Cover Crop Program, and for other purposes.

1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Conservation Opportunity and Voluntary Environment Resilience Program Act or the COVER Act . 2. Good Steward Cover Crop Program Subtitle A of the Federal Crop Insurance Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1501 et seq. ) is amended by adding at the end the following: 525. Good Steward Cover Crop Program (a) In general Beginning with crop year 2023, the Secretary shall carry out a program (to be known as the Good Steward Cover Crop Program ) to provide additional premium subsidies to producers for each acre— (1) on which qualifying cover crops are planted during a crop year; and (2) for which the producers— (A) during such crop year— (i) plant crops other than the qualifying cover crops; and (ii) purchase insurance under a covered insurance program with respect to such planted crops; and (B) file a report of acreage form to the Secretary with respect to such crop year. (b) Premium subsidy amount (1) In general Except as provided paragraph (2), an additional premium subsidy to a producer under subsection (a) shall be— (A) calculated on a common land unit or equivalent or more precise basis; and (B) be in an amount equal to— (i) $5, multiplied by (ii) the number of acres of the producer described in such subsection. (2) Limitation An additional premium subsidy under paragraph (1) shall not exceed the amount of the premium owed by the producer with respect to the acres described in subsection (a). (3) Rule with respect to a producer-share For purposes of the limitation under paragraph (2), an additional premium subsidy shall be modified to reflect the individual producer share of such acres. (c) Outreach with respect to program (1) Coordination with FSA and NRCS The Secretary shall, in coordination with the Administrator of the Farm Service Agency and the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, carry out outreach to producers, including underserved producers, to provide information with respect to— (A) the program under this section, including eligibility for the program and the additional premium subsidies under the program; and (B) qualifying cover crops. (2) Cooperative agreements for outreach The Secretary shall enter into one or more cooperative agreements with organizations capable of assisting with outreach with respect to the program under this section to— (A) carry out such outreach; and (B) coordinate with soil and water conservation districts to encourage the adoption of qualifying cover crop practices. (d) Report Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this section, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall, in coordination with the Administrator of the Risk Management Agency, the Administrator of the Farm Service Agency, and the Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, submit to Congress a report that includes— (1) a summary of the activities carried out under this section, including— (A) the number and amount of premium subsidies provided to producers under this section; (B) the number of acres of cover crops planted for which a premium subsidy was received; and (C) the outreach carried out under subsection (c); and (2) recommendations to increase the number of producers that qualify for the additional premium subsidies under the program under this section. (e) Funding (1) Mandatory funding Of the funds of the Corporation, the Secretary shall use such sums as are necessary to carry out this section. (2) Reservation for technical assistance, outreach, and program support Of the amounts made available under paragraph (1) for a fiscal year, the Secretary shall reserve $5,000,000 to carry out technical assistance, outreach, and program support with respect to the program under this section. (f) Definitions In this section: (1) Covered insurance program The term covered insurance program means a plan of insurance offered by the Corporation, as determined by the Secretary. (2) Qualifying cover crop The term qualifying cover crop means cereals or other grasses, legumes, brassicas, non-legume broadleaves, or any combination thereof that are planted for conservation purposes in accordance with— (A) Natural Resources Conservation Service guidance; and (B) additional expert guidance, as determined by the Secretary. (3) Underserved producer The term underserved producer has the meaning given the term in section 508(a)(7)(A)(ii). . 3. Soil health pilot program Section 523 of the Federal Crop Insurance Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1523 ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (j) Soil health pilot program (1) In general In addition to any other authority of the Corporation, the Corporation shall establish and carry out a pilot program under which a producer who uses innovative soil health practices may receive additional premium subsidies on multiperil crop insurance, as determined by the Corporation. (2) Terms and conditions The additional premium subsidies offered under the soil health pilot program under this subsection shall— (A) be offered through reinsurance arrangements with private insurance companies; (B) be actuarially sound; and (C) require the payment of premiums and administrative fees by a producer obtaining the insurance. (3) Location The Corporation shall conduct the soil health pilot program under this subsection in a number of counties that is determined by the Corporation to be adequate to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the feasibility, effectiveness, and demand among producers for the risk management tools evaluated in the pilot program. (4) Duration The Corporation shall commence the soil health pilot program under this subsection as soon as practicable after the date of the enactment of this subsection. .