119-hr5902

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 5902 Introduced in House

    (IH) ]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
 1st Session
 H. R. 5902

 To promote innovative practices for soil health through USDA 
 conservation programs, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

 November 4, 2025

 Mr. Beyer (for himself, Mr. Lawler, and Ms. Pingree) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

 A BILL

 To promote innovative practices for soil health through USDA 
 conservation programs, 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 ``Innovative Practices for Soil Health 
Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM.

    (a) 

=== Definitions. ===
-

Section 1240A of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa-1) is amended--

    (1) in paragraph

    (6)
        (B) --
        (A) in clause
            (v) , by striking ``and'' at the end;
        (B) by redesignating clause
            (vi) as clause
            (vii) ; 
 and
            (C) by inserting after clause
            (v) the following:
 ``
            (vi) greenhouse gas emissions reduction 
 planning; and'';

    (2) in paragraph

    (7) , in the matter preceding subparagraph
        (A) , by striking ``natural resource concern or problem'' and 
 inserting ``resource concern'';

    (3) by redesignating paragraphs

    (9) and

    (10) as paragraphs

    (10) and

    (11) , respectively; and

    (4) by inserting after paragraph

    (8) the following:
 ``

    (9) Resource concern.--The term `resource concern' means 
 a natural resource condition of the soil, water, air, plant, 
 animal, or energy resource base that impairs the sustainability 
 or intended uses of the resource.''.

    (b) On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials.--

Section 1240H
            (c) (1)
        (B)
            (i) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-
8
            (c) (1)
        (B)
            (i) ) is amended--

    (1) in subclause
            (II) , by inserting ``on-farm nutrient 
 recycling,'' after ``plans,'';

    (2) in subclause
            (VI) , by striking ``and'' at the end; and

    (3) by adding at the end the following:
 ``
            (VIII) perennial production 
 systems, including agroforestry and 
 perennial forages and grain crops; 
 and''.

SEC. 3. CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM.

    (a) 

=== Definitions. ===
-

Section 1240I of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa-21) is amended--

    (1) in paragraph

    (2) --
        (A) in subparagraph
        (A) , by inserting 
 ``enhancements,'' after ``practices,''; and
        (B) in subparagraph
        (B)
            (v) , by inserting ``and 
 climate change'' before the period at the end;

    (2) in paragraph

    (3)
            (C) , by inserting ``maintained, 
 actively'' after ``implemented,'';

    (3) in paragraph

    (5) , in the matter preceding subparagraph
        (A) , by striking ``natural resource concern or problem'' and 
 inserting ``resource concern'';

    (4) by redesignating paragraph

    (7) as paragraph

    (8) ; and

    (5) by inserting after paragraph

    (6) the following:
 ``

    (7) Resource concern.--The term `resource concern' means 
 a natural resource condition of the soil, water, air, plant, 
 animal, or energy resource base that impairs the sustainability 
 or intended uses of the resource.''.

    (b) Conservation Stewardship Program.--

Section 1240J

    (a) of the Food 
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-22

    (a) ) is amended by striking 
paragraphs

    (1) and

    (2) and inserting the following:
 ``

    (1) by maintaining, actively managing, and, where 
 practicable, improving existing conservation activities; and
 ``

    (2) by undertaking additional conservation activities.''.
            (c) Stewardship Contracts.--

    (1) Submission of contract offers.--

Section 1240K

    (a)

    (2)
        (B) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-23

    (a)

    (2)
        (B) ) 
 is amended by striking ``improving, maintaining, and managing'' 
 and inserting ``maintaining, actively managing, and, where 
 practicable, improving''.

    (2) Evaluation of contract offers.--

Section 1240K

    (b) of the 
 Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-23

    (b) ) is amended--
        (A) in paragraph

    (1)
        (A) , by striking clause
            (iii) and inserting the following:
 ``
            (iii) other criteria consistent with an 
 equal weighting of the factors described in 
 clauses
            (i) and
            (ii) , as determined by the 
 Secretary, including criteria the Secretary 
 determines are necessary to ensure that--
 ``
            (I) the program effectively 
 targets improvements to soil health, 
 increases in carbon sequestration, and 
 reductions in greenhouse gas emissions; 
 and
 ``
            (II) other national, State, and 
 local priority resource concerns are 
 effectively addressed.''; and
        (B) by striking paragraph

    (3) .

    (3) Contract renewal.--

Section 1240K

    (e) of the Food 
 Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-23

    (e) ) is amended to 
 read as follows:
 ``

    (e) Contract Renewal.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--The Secretary may provide the producer 
 an opportunity to renew an existing contract in the first half 
 of the fifth year of the contract period if the producer--
 ``
        (A) demonstrates compliance with the terms of the 
 existing contract;
 ``
        (B) agrees to adopt and continue to integrate new 
 or improved conservation activities across the entire 
 agricultural operation, demonstrating continued 
 improvement during the additional 5-year period, as 
 determined by the Secretary; and
 ``
            (C) agrees, by the end of the contract period, to 
 meet the stewardship threshold of at least 2 additional 
 priority resource concerns on the agricultural 
 operation, if applicable.
 ``

    (2) Ranking and payments.--In determining whether to 
 accept an application for contract renewal under this 
 subsection, and when calculating payments for those renewed 
 contracts, the Secretary shall consider the full conservation 
 benefits across the entire applicable agricultural operation, 
 including--
 ``
        (A) the number of priority resource concerns with 
 respect to which the producer is expected to meet or 
 exceed the stewardship threshold by the end of the 
 contract period; and
 ``
        (B) the active management and maintenance of 
 ongoing conservation activities, including--
 ``
            (i) the conservation activities adopted 
 during a prior contract period; and
 ``
            (ii) the new or improved conservation 
 activities to be adopted if a contract is 
 renewed.''.
            (d) Duties of the Secretary.--

    (1) Conservation stewardship payments.--

Section 1240L
            (c) of 
 the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-24
            (c) ) is 
 amended--
        (A) in paragraph

    (1) --
            (i) in subparagraph
        (A) , by inserting ``on 
 1 or more types of eligible land covered by the 
 contract'' after ``activities''; and
            (ii) in subparagraph
        (B) , by striking 
 ``improving, maintaining, and managing'' and 
 inserting ``maintaining, actively managing, and 
 improving''; and
        (B) in paragraph

    (2) --
            (i) by striking subparagraph
        (B) and 
 inserting the following:
 ``
        (B) Income forgone by the producer, including 
 amounts that reflect--
 ``
            (i) increased economic risk; and
 ``
            (ii) loss in revenue due to--
 ``
            (I) production changes;
 ``
            (II) anticipated reductions in 
 yield;
 ``
            (III) transitioning to an 
 organic, resource-conserving cropping 
 or grazing, or perennial production 
 system; or
 ``
            (IV) acreage converted to 
 conservation uses.''; and
            (ii) in subparagraph
        (E) , by inserting ``, 
 actively managed, and, where applicable, 
 improved'' after ``maintained''.

    (2) Supplemental payments.--

Section 1240L
            (d) of the Food 
 Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-24
            (d) ) is amended--
        (A) in the subsection heading, by inserting ``, 
 Perennial Production Systems,'' after ``Rotations'';
        (B) in paragraph

    (1) --
            (i) by redesignating subparagraph
            (C) as 
 subparagraph
            (D) ; and
            (ii) by inserting after subparagraph
        (B) the following:
 ``
            (C) Perennial production system.--The term 
 `perennial production system' means--
 ``
            (i) the use of cropland for agroforestry, 
 including alley cropping, silvopasture, and 
 related production practices, as determined by 
 the Secretary;
 ``
            (ii) the use of woodland for 
 agroforestry, including forest farming, 
 multistory cropping, and related production 
 practices, as determined by the Secretary; and
 ``
            (iii) the use of cropland for perennial 
 forages or perennial grain crops.'';
            (C) in paragraph

    (2) --
            (i) in subparagraph
        (A) , by striking ``or'' 
 at the end;
            (ii) in subparagraph
        (B) , by striking the 
 period at the end and inserting ``; or''; and
            (iii) by adding at the end the following:
 ``
            (C) a perennial production system.''; and
            (D) in paragraph

    (3) , by striking ``or advanced 
 grazing management'' and inserting ``, advanced grazing 
 management, or a perennial production system''.

    (3) Soil health.--

Section 1240L

    (k) of the Food Security Act 
 of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-24

    (k) ) is amended by striking the 
 period at the end and inserting the following: ``, including 
 by--
 ``

    (1) conducting outreach to encourage the use of contracts 
 to improve soil health and sequester carbon in the soil; and
 ``

    (2) offering payments for soil testing to provide 
 producers and the Secretary with information on the soil health 
 and carbon sequestration impacts of conservation activities.''.

SEC. 4. FUNDING AND ADMINISTRATION.

 

Section 1242 of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3842) is 
amended--

    (1) in subsection

    (a)

    (2) --
        (A) by inserting ``an individual,'' before ``a 
 commercial entity'';
        (B) by striking ``State or local'' and inserting 
 ``State, local, or Tribal''; and
            (C) by striking ``nutrient management planning,'' 
 and inserting ``soil health planning, greenhouse gas 
 emissions reduction planning, nutrient management 
 planning, integrated pest management planning, 
 agroforestry planning, organic transition planning,'';

    (2) in subsection

    (e) --
        (A) in paragraph

    (3)
        (A) --
            (i) by inserting ``individuals,'' before 
 ``commercial entities,''; and
            (ii) by striking ``State or local'' and 
 inserting ``State, local, or Tribal''; and
        (B) in paragraph

    (5) , by inserting ``or organic'' 
 after ``sustainability''; and

    (3) in subsection
            (i) --
        (A) in the subsection heading, by inserting 
 ``Perennial Agriculture System,'' after ``Organic,''; 
 and
        (B) in paragraph

    (2) , by inserting ``a perennial 
 agriculture system,'' after ``production,'' each place 
 it appears.

SEC. 5. NATIONAL AND REGIONAL AGROFORESTRY CENTERS.

 

Section 1243 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act 
of 1990 (16 U.S.C. 1642 note; Public Law 101-624) is amended--

    (1) by striking the section heading and inserting 
 ``national and regional agroforestry centers'';

    (2) by redesignating subsections

    (b) ,
            (c) , and
            (d) as 
 subsections
            (c) ,
            (d) , and

    (e) , respectively;

    (3) by striking subsection

    (a) and inserting the following:
 ``

    (a) Definition of Agroforestry.--In this section, the term 
`agroforestry' means a management system that intentionally integrates 
trees and shrubs into crop and animal farming systems to build more 
profitable and weather-resilient farms, ranches, and communities, 
address natural resource concerns and conservation needs, and establish 
productive and sustainable land use practices, including--
 ``

    (1) riparian forest buffers;
 ``

    (2) alley cropping;
 ``

    (3) silvopasture;
 ``

    (4) forest farming and multistory cropping; and
 ``

    (5) windbreaks, shelterbelts, hedgerows, field borders, 
 and living snow fences.
 ``

    (b) National and Regional Agroforestry Centers.--
 ``

    (1) In general.--The Secretary of Agriculture (referred 
 to in this section as the `Secretary')--
 ``
        (A) shall establish at the Forestry Sciences 
 Laboratory of the Forest Service, in Lincoln, Nebraska, 
 a National Agroforestry Research, Development, and 
 Demonstration Center; and
 ``
        (B) acting through the Chief of the Forest 
 Service and in cooperation with the Natural Resources 
 Conservation Service, shall establish not fewer than 3 
 additional regional agroforestry centers at other 
 locations, as determined by the Secretary.
 ``

    (2) National and regional directors.--The Secretary, 
 acting through the Chief of the Forest Service, in coordination 
 with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, shall appoint 
 a National Director and Regional Directors to manage and 
 coordinate the program established under subsection
            (c) .'';

    (4) in subsection
            (c) (as so redesignated)--
        (A) in the matter preceding paragraph

    (1) --
            (i) by striking ``Center'' and inserting 
 ``Centers established under subparagraphs
        (A) and
        (B) of subsection

    (b)

    (1) (referred to in 
 this section as the `Centers')''; and
            (ii) by inserting ``and organizations'' 
 after ``nonprofit foundations'';
        (B) in paragraph

    (1) --
            (i) by striking ``on semiarid lands that'' 
 and inserting ``that build soil health and''; 
 and
            (ii) by inserting ``, including 
 agroforestry systems on semiarid land and other 
 fragile agroecosystems where woody perennial 
 plant communities can enhance carbon 
 sequestration and reduce greenhouse gas 
 emissions'' before the semicolon;
            (C) in paragraph

    (3) , by striking ``forestry 
 products for commercial sale from semiarid land'' and 
 inserting ``agroforestry products for commercial 
 sale'';
            (D) in paragraph

    (4) --
            (i) by striking ``in semiarid regions''; 
 and
            (ii) by striking ``the Great Plains 
 region'' and inserting ``particular regions'';
        (E) in paragraph

    (5) , by inserting ``technical 
 assistance and'' before ``technology'';
        (F) by striking paragraph

    (6) and inserting the 
 following:
 ``

    (6) develop improved silvopasture, alley cropping, forest 
 farming, multistory cropping, riparian buffer, windbreak and 
 shelterbelt, and other perennial production and conservation 
 systems and technologies to improve soil health, carbon 
 sequestration, drought preparedness, soil and water 
 conservation, environmental quality, and biological 
 diversity;'';
        (G) in paragraph

    (7) , by striking ``on semiarid 
 lands'';
        (H) in paragraph

    (8) , by striking ``on semiarid 
 lands worldwide'' and inserting ``worldwide, including 
 on semiarid land''; and
            (I) in paragraph

    (9) --
            (i) by striking ``on semiarid lands''; and
            (ii) by inserting ``and climate change'' 
 after ``pollution'';

    (5) in subsection
            (d) (as so redesignated)--
        (A) in the matter preceding paragraph

    (1) , by 
 striking ``Center'' and inserting ``Centers'';
        (B) in paragraph

    (1) , by striking ``and'' at the 
 end;
            (C) in paragraph

    (2) , by striking the period at the 
 end and inserting ``; and''; and
            (D) by adding at the end the following:
 ``

    (3) facilitate agroforestry adoption by disseminating 
 comprehensive information on Federal, State, local, and Tribal 
 programs that provide support for agroforestry.''; and

    (6) by amending subsection

    (e) (as so redesignated) to read 
 as follows:
 ``

    (e) Grants.--The Secretary may establish regional grant programs 
at each of the Centers to support agroforestry projects, including 
demonstration farms.''.
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