Sec. 2204. Duties of Secretary

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Section 1238G of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3838g ) is amended— in subsection (c)— in the matter preceding paragraph (1)— by striking Agricultural Act of 2014, and ending on September 30, 2022 and inserting ; and Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 , and ending on September 30, 2028 by striking , to the maximum extent practicable ; in paragraph (1)— by inserting to the maximum extent practicable, before enroll ; and by striking 10,000,000 and inserting 8,797,000 ; and in paragraph (2)— by inserting notwithstanding any other provision of this subchapter, before manage ; and by striking all financial and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting the following: all— financial assistance, including payments made under subsections (d)(5), (e), and (f); technical assistance; and any other expenses associated with enrollment or participation in the program. ; in subsection (d), by adding at the end the following:

Subject to the restriction under subsection (c)(2), the amount of a payment under this subsection for cover crop activities shall be not less than 125 percent of the annual payment amount determined by the Secretary under paragraph (2). ; in subsection (e)— in the subsection heading, by inserting after and advanced grazing management ; rotations by striking paragraph (2); by redesignating paragraphs

(1)and

(4)as paragraphs

(2)and (1), respectively, and moving the paragraphs so as to appear in numerical order; in paragraph

(1)(as so redesignated)— by redesignating subparagraphs

(A)through

(D)and

(E)as clauses

(i)through

(iv)and (vi), respectively, and indenting appropriately; by striking the paragraph designation and all that follows through the term in the matter preceding clause

(i)(as so redesignated) and inserting the following: In this subsection: The term advanced grazing management means the use of a combination of grazing practices (as determined by the Secretary), which may include management-intensive rotational grazing, that provide for— improved soil health and carbon sequestration; drought resilience; wildlife habitat; wildfire mitigation; control of invasive plants; and water quality improvement. The term management-intensive rotational grazing means a strategic, adaptively managed multipasture grazing system in which animals are regularly and systematically moved to fresh pasture in a manner that— maximizes the quantity and quality of forage growth; improves manure distribution and nutrient cycling; increases carbon sequestration from greater forage harvest; improves the quality and quantity of cover for wildlife; provides permanent cover to protect the soil from erosion; and improves water quality. The term ; and in subparagraph

(C)(as so designated)— in clause

(iv)(as so redesignated), by striking and at the end; and by inserting after clause

(iv)(as so redesignated) the following: builds soil organic matter; and ; in paragraph

(2)(as so redesignated), by striking improve resource-conserving and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting the following: improve, manage, and maintain— resource-conserving crop rotations; or advanced grazing management. ; in paragraph (3)— by striking paragraph

(1)and inserting paragraph

(2); and by striking and maintain and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting or improve, manage, and maintain resource-conserving crop rotations or advanced grazing management for the term of the contract. ; and by adding at the end the following: Subject to the restriction under subsection (c)(2), an additional payment provided under paragraph

(2)shall be not less than 150 percent of the annual payment amount determined by the Secretary under subsection (d)(2). ; by redesignating subsections

(f)through

(i)as subsections

(g)through (j), respectively; by inserting after subsection

(e)the following: In this subsection, the term comprehensive conservation plan means a conservation plan that meets or exceeds the stewardship threshold for each priority resource concern identified by the Secretary under subsection (a)(2). Subject to the restriction under subsection (c)(2), the Secretary shall provide a 1-time payment to a producer that develops and implements a comprehensive conservation plan. The Secretary shall determine the amount of payment under paragraph

(2)based on— the number of priority resource concerns addressed in the comprehensive conservation plan; and the number of types of land uses included in the comprehensive conservation plan. ; in subsection

(g)(as so redesignated)— by striking 2014 through 2018 and inserting 2019 through 2023 ; and by inserting or acequias after Indian tribes ; and in subsection

(i)(as so redesignated)— by striking the subsection designation and heading and all that follows through The Secretary and inserting the following: The Secretary ; and by adding at the end the following: Using funds made available for the program for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023, the Secretary shall allocate funding to States to support organic production and transition to organic production through paragraph (1). The Secretary shall determine the allocation to a State under subparagraph

(A)based on— the certified and transitioning organic operations of the State; and the organic acreage of the State. ; in subsection

(j)(as so redesignated), by striking subsection

(f)and inserting subsection

(g); and by adding at the end the following: To the maximum extent feasible, the Secretary shall provide for streamlined and coordinated procedures for the program and the environmental quality incentives program under chapter 4, including applications, contracting, conservation planning, conservation practices, and related administrative procedures. To the maximum extent feasible, the Secretary shall manage the program to enhance soil health. Each fiscal year, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report describing— the national average rate of funding per acre for the program for that fiscal year, including a description of whether the program is managed in accordance with the restriction under subsection (c)(2); and the payment rates for conservation activities offered to producers under the program and an analysis of whether payment rates can be reduced for the most expensive conservation activities. .

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16 USC 3838g

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Sec. 2204

Duties of Secretary

Cite16 USC 3838g

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