[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6388 Introduced in House (IH)]
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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6388
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to modernize the conservation
reserve program, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 3, 2025
Mr. Finstad introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to modernize the conservation
reserve program, 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 ``Conservation Reserve Program
Modernization Act''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
Subchapter B of chapter 1 of title XII of the Food Security Act of
1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831 et seq.) is amended by inserting before section
1231 the following:
``SEC. 1230. DEFINITIONS.
``In this subchapter:
``(1) Conservation buffer.--The term `conservation buffer'
means a practice that, once established, provides a benefit to
water quality or another resource concern, including--
``(A) a grass sod waterway;
``(B) a contour grass sod strip;
``(C) a prairie strip;
``(D) a filterstrip;
``(E) a field border;
``(F) a living snow fence;
``(G) a riparian buffer;
``(H) a shelterbelt or windbreak;
``(I) a wetland or a wetland buffer (including a
buffer for prairie potholes, a playa, or a pocosin);
``(J) a saturated buffer;
``(K) a bioreactor;
``(L) a wellhead protection area; and
``(M) other similar practices, as determined by the
Secretary.
``(2) Eligible land.--The term `eligible land' means land
that is authorized to be included in the conservation reserve
program under section 1231(b).
``(3) Eligible partner.--The term `eligible partner'
means--
``(A) a State;
``(B) a political subdivision of a State;
``(C) an Indian Tribe; or
``(D) a nongovernmental organization.
``(4) Land capability class.--The term `land capability
class' means a soil classification assigned using the land
capability classification system in effect on December 23,
1985.''.
SEC. 3. ELIGIBLE LAND.
Section 1231(b) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C.
3831(b)) is amended to read as follows:
``(b) Eligible Land.--The Secretary may include in the conservation
reserve program the following:
``(1) Cropland that--
``(A)(i) on a field level, consists of not less
than 85 percent soils with a dryland cropland land
capability class of III through VII; or
``(ii) cannot be farmed in accordance with a plan
that complies with the requirements of subtitle B; and
``(B) the Secretary determines had a cropping
history or was considered to be planted for not fewer
than 4 of the 6 years preceding the date of enactment
of the Conservation Reserve Program Modernization Act.
``(2) Cropland (including prairie potholes, playas, and
pocosins within cropland), grasslands, and marginal pasture
land (including marginal pastureland converted to wetland or
established as wildlife habitat) to be--
``(A) devoted to conservation buffers;
``(B) established to ecologically appropriate
vegetation, including trees, in or near riparian areas,
intermittent, seasonal, or perennial streams, wetlands
(including prairie potholes, playas, and pocosins), or
saline-impaired soils; or
``(C) devoted to similar water quality or wildlife
habitat practices.
``(3) Grasslands that--
``(A) contain forbs or shrubland (including
improved rangeland and pastureland) for which grazing
is the predominant use;
``(B) are located in an area historically dominated
by grasslands; and
``(C) could provide habitat for animal and plant
populations of significant ecological value if the land
is retained in its current use or restored to a natural
condition.
``(4) Land described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) that
will address significant water quality, water conservation, and
wildlife habitat concerns, as proposed by an eligible partner
and agreed to by the Secretary for purposes of section 1231A.
``(5) The portion of land in a field not enrolled in the
conservation reserve in a case in which--
``(A) more than 50 percent of the land in the field
is enrolled as a buffer or filterstrip, or more than 75
percent of the land in the field is enrolled as a
conservation practice other than as a buffer or
filterstrip; and
``(B) the Secretary determines that the remainder
of the field is infeasible to farm.''.
SEC. 4. PAYMENTS.
(a) Cost Sharing Payments.--Section 1234(b)(1) of the Food Security
Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3834(b)(1)) is amended to read as follows:
``(1) In general.--In making cost-sharing payments to an
owner or operator under a contract entered into under this
subchapter, the Secretary shall pay 50 percent of the cost of,
as the Secretary determines appropriate and in the public
interest--
``(A) establishing permanent vegetation, including
site preparation, cover, fertilizer, seeding, and
planting;
``(B) carrying out erosion control practices
necessary to stabilize the site for vegetation
established under subparagraph (A);
``(C) installing fencing to protect riparian areas
and buffers;
``(D) carrying out water development practices
associated with excluding livestock from protected
riparian areas;
``(E) installing fencing and carrying out water
development practices to facilitate transition to
livestock grazing on lands enrolled under the
grasslands enrollment option;
``(F) conducting the necessary and appropriate mid-
contract management activities to maintain the
permanent cover and associated benefits; and
``(G) carrying out other water quality conservation
measures and practices.''.
(b) Annual Rental Payments.--
(1) Multiple enrollments.--Section 1234(d)(2)(B) of the
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3834(d)(2)(B)) is amended
to read as follows:
``(B) Multiple enrollments.--
``(i) In general.--Notwithstanding
subparagraph (A), if land subject to a contract
entered into under this subchapter is
reenrolled pursuant to section 1231(h), the
annual rental payment shall be in an amount
that is not more than the applicable percentage
of the relevant county average soil rental rate
for the year in which the reenrollment occurs
(as determined under paragraph (4)(E)).
``(ii) Applicable percentage.--For purposes
of clause (i), the applicable percentage shall
be--
``(I) for the first reenrollment
that occurs after the date of enactment
the Conservation Reserve Program
Modernization Act, 85 percent; and
``(II) for each subsequent
reenrollment, the percentage that is 10
percentage points less than the
percentage that was applicable to the
preceding reenrollment.''.
(2) Rental rate limitation.--Section 1234(d)(4)(E) of the
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3834(d)(4)(E)) is amended
to read as follows:
``(E) Rental rate limitation.--The county average
soil rental rate (before any adjustments relating to
specific practices, wellhead protection, or soil
productivity) shall not exceed--
``(i) for eligible land consisting of soils
with a dryland cropland land capability class
of I or II that is enrolled under the general
enrollment option or the conservation reserve
enhancement program, 85 percent of the
estimated rental rate determined under this
paragraph;
``(ii) for eligible land consisting of
soils with a dryland cropland land capability
class of III that is enrolled under the general
enrollment option or the conservation reserve
enhancement program, 100 percent of the
estimated rental rate determined under this
paragraph;
``(iii) for eligible land consisting of
soils with a dryland cropland land capability
class of IV through VII that is enrolled under
the general enrollment option or the
conservation reserve enhancement program, 115
percent of the estimated rental rate determined
under this paragraph; and
``(iv) for eligible land enrolled under the
continuous enrollment option, 100 percent of
the estimated rental rate determined under this
paragraph, without regard to the land
capability class of the soil.''.
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