The bill amends the Kansas conservation reserve enhancement program (CREP) to increase the acreage cap from 40,000 to 60,000 acres and clarifies the county acreage cap, allowing the last eligible offer for enrollment that exceeds the cap to be approved. It removes the limitation on acres eligible for CREP enrollment based on expired federal contracts and introduces a general ineligibility criterion based on federal ineligibility. Additionally, the bill permits CREP contracts for dryland farming or limited irrigation aimed at achieving water quantity goals and removes the prohibition on government-owned water rights participating in CREP. The reporting requirements are modified to cover the preceding five years, and exceptions to eligibility criteria are allowed based on specific circumstances.

Furthermore, the bill establishes new criteria for enrolling land in CREP, including that no more than 1,600 acres may be enrolled in one county in a calendar year unless certified by the secretary of agriculture. It also allows for the establishment of native grasses, routine grazing, dryland farming, or limited irrigation practices for water quantity goals, provided they are approved by the United States Department of Agriculture. The Kansas Department of Agriculture is tasked with submitting annual reports on CREP activities and a five-year economic impact report on each specific CREP to relevant legislative committees. The existing section of K.S.A. 2-1933 is repealed, and the act will take effect upon publication in the statute book.

Statutes affected:
As introduced: 2-1933
As Amended by House Committee: 2-1933