Sec. 505. Alternative Manure Management Program
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Chapter 5 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3839bb et seq.) is further amended by adding at the end the following: In this section: The term pasture-based management means a dairy or livestock production system in which the animals spend all or a substantial portion of their time grazing on fields in which some or all of the manure is deposited and left in the field and decomposes aerobically. The term non-digester dairy or livestock methane management method means a method that may be used by operators of dairy or livestock operations to transition from wet manure handling and storage, where anaerobic conditions are present, to dry manure handling and storage, including open solar drying or composting of manure onsite, conversion of dairy and livestock operations to pasture-based management, solid separation technologies, scrape conversion, and other strategies to mitigate methane emissions from manure management, as determined by the Secretary.
The term onsite open solar drying or composting of manure means the collection, storage, and drying of dairy or livestock manure in a nonliquid environment on a farm or ranch. The term scrape conversion means the conversion of flush water lagoon systems to solid-scrape or dry manure management practices, including vacuum technologies for manure management. The term solid separation technologies means technologies designed to separate liquid components of manure from mineral and organic solid components, for the purposes of reducing methane emissions.
The term eligible producer means a dairy or livestock producer whose baseline manure management practices prior to enrollment in the program include the anaerobic decomposition of volatile solids stored in a lagoon or other predominantly liquid anaerobic environment. The Secretary shall establish an alternative manure management program to support non-digester dairy and livestock methane management strategies to effectively reduce greenhouse gas emissions and to maximize environmental benefits.
During the 2021 through 2030 fiscal years, the Secretary shall provide payments to eligible producers that enter into contracts with the Secretary under the program. Each eligible producer requesting funding for a project under the program shall include at least one of the following project components that reduce baseline methane emissions on the operation of the producer: Conversion of dairy and livestock operations to pasture-based management that eliminates or reduces the quantity of manure stored in anaerobic conditions, including— conversion of a non-pasture dairy or livestock operation to pasture-based management; increasing the amount of time livestock spend at pasture at an existing pasture operation; or improving pasture-based management, including transitioning to managed rotational grazing.
Alternative manure treatment and storage practices, including— installation of a compost bedded pack barn that composts manure; installation of slatted floor pit storage manure collection that must be cleaned out at least monthly; or other similar practices, as determined by the Secretary. Conversion to a solid separation system in which manure solids are separated prior to entry into a wet, anaerobic environment at a dairy or livestock operation, or installation of a new solid separation system with significantly higher separation efficiency than the existing solid separation system, in conjunction with one or more of the following practices:
Open solar drying or composting of manure onsite. Solar drying in an enclosed environment. Forced evaporation with natural-gas fueled dryers. Storage of manure in unconfined piles or stacks. Composting in an enclosed vessel, with forced aeration and continuous mixing. Composting in piles with forced aeration but no mixing. Composting in intensive windrows with regular turning for mixing and aeration. Composting in passive windrows with infrequent turning for mixing and aeration.
Scrape conversion in conjunction with one of the practices listed in paragraph (3). A contract under the program shall have a term that does not exceed 3 years. Payments provided to an eligible producer under this section may be used to implement one or more practices described in subsection (d). The Secretary may provide a payment to an eligible producer under the program for an amount that is up to 100 percent of the costs associated with planning, design, materials, equipment, installation, labor, management, maintenance, and training related to implementing a practice described in subsection (d).
A person or legal entity (including a joint venture and a general partnership) may not receive, directly or indirectly, payments under the program that exceed $750,000 during any 5-year period. The Secretary shall provide at least 50 percent of the amount of total payments to an eligible producer in advance for all costs related to purchasing materials and equipment or contracting. The Secretary may modify or terminate a contract entered into with an eligible producer under the program if— the producer agrees to the modification or termination; and the Secretary determines that the modification or termination is in the public interest.
The Secretary may terminate a contract under the program if the Secretary determines that the eligible producer violated the contract. The Secretary shall establish procedures under which— groups of eligible producers may submit a joint application in order to facilitate centralized composting facilities; and the Secretary will apportion payments to each eligible producer associated with such a joint application. The Secretary shall develop criteria for evaluating applications that will ensure that the purposes of the program are fulfilled in a cost effective manner and in a manner that will maximize greenhouse gas emissions reductions and overall environmental benefits.
The Secretary may group and evaluate applications relative to other applications for similar farming operations. To receive payments under the program, an eligible producer shall agree— to implement an alternative manure management program plan that describes the greenhouse gas emissions reductions and other environmental benefits to be achieved through 1 or more practices that are approved by the Secretary; to supply information as required by the Secretary to determine compliance with the program plan and requirements of the program; and to comply with such additional provisions as the Secretary determines are necessary to carry out the program plan.
The Secretary shall— determine and publish factors for estimating the emissions reductions for each program practice to aid eligible producers in development of applications and program plans; and assist an eligible producer in achieving the greenhouse gas emissions reduction and other environmental goals of the program plan by— providing payments for developing and implementing 1 or more practices, as appropriate; and providing the producer with information, technical assistance, and training to aid in implementation of the plan.
The Secretary shall use the funds, facilities, and authorities of the Commodity Credit Corporation to carry out the program (including the provision of technical assistance) using, to the maximum extent practicable, $1,500,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2021 through 2030. .
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Sec. 505
Alternative Manure Management Program
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