16 U.S.C. § 3839aa–1

In this subpart:

(1)

Conservation planning assessment

The term “conservation planning assessment” means a report, as determined by the Secretary, that—

(A)

is developed by—

(i)

a State or unit of local government (including a conservation district);

(ii)

a Federal agency; or

(iii)

section 3842(e) of this title a third-party provider certified under (including a certified rangeland professional);

(B)

assesses rangeland or cropland function and describes conservation activities to enhance the economic and ecological management of that land; and

(C)

can be incorporated into a comprehensive planning document required by the Secretary for enrollment in a conservation program of the Department of Agriculture.

(2)

Eligible land

(A)

In general

The term “eligible land” means land on which agricultural commodities, livestock, or forest-related products are produced.

(B)

Inclusions

The term “eligible land” includes the following:

(i)

Cropland.

(ii)

Grassland.

(iii)

Rangeland.

(iv)

Pasture land.

(v)

Nonindustrial private forest land.

(vi)

Other agricultural land (including cropped woodland, marshes, environmentally sensitive areas, and agricultural land used for the production of livestock) on which identified or expected resource concerns related to agricultural production could be addressed through a contract under the program, as determined by the Secretary.

(3)

Incentive practice

The term “incentive practice” means a practice or set of practices approved by the Secretary that, when implemented and maintained on eligible land, address 1 or more priority resource concerns.

(4)

Organic system plan

7 U.S.C. 6501The term “organic system plan” means an organic plan approved under the national organic program established under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 ( et seq.).

(5)

Payment

The term “payment” means financial assistance provided to a producer for performing practices under this subpart, including compensation for—

(A)

incurred costs associated with planning, design, materials, equipment, installation, labor, management, maintenance, or training; and

(B)

income forgone by the producer.

(6)

Practice

The term “practice” means 1 or more improvements and conservation activities that are consistent with the purposes of the program under this subpart, as determined by the Secretary, including—

(A)

improvements to eligible land of the producer, including—

(i)

structural practices;

(ii)

land management practices;

(iii)

vegetative practices;

(iv)

forest management;

(v)

soil testing;

(vi)

soil remediation to be carried out by the producer; and

(vii)

other practices that the Secretary determines would further the purposes of the program; and

(B)

conservation activities involving the development of plans appropriate for the eligible land of the producer, including—

(i)

comprehensive nutrient management planning;

(ii)

section 3839aa–24(d)(1) of this title planning for resource-conserving crop rotations (as defined in );

(iii)

soil health planning, including increasing soil organic matter and the use of cover crops;

(iv)

a conservation planning assessment;

(v)

precision conservation management planning; and

(vi)

other plans that the Secretary determines would further the purposes of the program under this subpart.

(7)

Priority resource concern

The term “priority resource concern” means a natural resource concern or problem, as determined by the Secretary, that—

(A)

is identified at the national, State, or local level as a priority for a particular area of a State; and

(B)

represents a significant concern in a State or region.

(8)

Program

The term “program” means the environmental quality incentives program established by this subpart.

(9)

Soil remediation

The term “soil remediation” means scientifically based practices that—

(A)

ensure the safety of producers from contaminants in soil;

(B)

limit contaminants in soil from entering agricultural products for human or animal consumption; and

(C)

regenerate and sustain the soil.

(10)

Soil testing

The term “soil testing” means the evaluation of soil health, including testing for—

(A)

the optimal level of constituents in the soil, such as organic matter, nutrients, and the potential presence of soil contaminants, including heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or other contaminants; and

(B)

the biological and physical characteristics indicative of proper soil functioning.

Pub. L. 99–198, title XII, § 1240A Pub. L. 107–171, title II, § 2301May 13, 2002116 Stat. 253 Pub. L. 110–234, title II, § 2502May 22, 2008122 Stat. 1058 Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a)June 18, 2008122 Stat. 1664 Pub. L. 113–79, title II, § 2202Feb. 7, 2014128 Stat. 729 Pub. L. 115–334, title IIDec. 20, 2018132 Stat. 4554(, as added , , ; amended , , ; , title II, § 2502, , , 1786; , , ; , §§ 2301(d)(1)(E), 2303, , , 4555.)

Editorial Notes

References in Text

Pub. L. 101–624Nov. 28, 1990104 Stat. 3935 section 6501 of Title 7The Organic Foods Production Act of 1990, referred to in par. (4), is title XXI of , , , which is classified generally to chapter 94 (§ 6501 et seq.) of Title 7, Agriculture. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under and Tables.

Codification

Pub. L. 110–234 Pub. L. 110–246 Pub. L. 110–234 section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246 and made identical amendments to this section. The amendments by were repealed by .

Prior Provisions

Pub. L. 99–198, title XII, § 1240A Pub. L. 104–127, title III, § 334Apr. 4, 1996110 Stat. 997 Pub. L. 107–171A prior section 3839aa–1, , as added , , , related to definitions of terms, prior to the general amendment of this part by .

Amendments

Pub. L. 115–334, § 2301(d)(1)(E)2018—, substituted “this subpart” for “this part” wherever appearing.

Pub. L. 115–334, § 2303(2)Par. (1). , added par. (1). Former par. (1) redesignated (2).

Pub. L. 115–334, § 2303(1)Par. (2). , (3), redesignated par. (1) as (2) and, in subpar. (B)(vi), inserted “environmentally sensitive areas,” after “marshes,” and “identified or expected” before “resource concerns”. Former par. (2) redesignated (4).

Pub. L. 115–334, § 2303(4)Par. (3). , added par. (3). Former par. (3) redesignated (5).

Pub. L. 115–334, § 2303(1)Pars. (4), (5). , redesignated pars. (2) and (3) as (4) and (5), respectively. Former pars. (4) and (5) redesignated (6) and (8), respectively.

Pub. L. 115–334, § 2303(1)Par. (6). , (5), redesignated par. (4) as (6); in subpar. (A), added cls. (v) and (vi) and redesignated former cl. (v) as (vii); and, in subpar. (B), added cls. (ii) to (v) and redesignated former cl. (ii) as (vi).

Pub. L. 115–334, § 2303(6)Par. (7). , added par. (7).

Pub. L. 115–334, § 2303(1)Par. (8). , redesignated par. (5) as (8).

Pub. L. 115–334, § 2303(7)Pars. (9), (10). , added pars. (9) and (10).

Pub. L. 113–79 7 U.S.C. 6501 7 U.S.C. 65012014—Pars. (2) to (6). redesignated pars. (3) to (6) as (2) to (5), respectively, inserted “established under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 ( et seq.)” after “national organic program” in par. (2), and struck out former par. (2). Text of former par. (2) read as follows: “The term ‘national organic program’ means the national organic program established under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 ( et. seq.).”

Pub. L. 110–246, § 25022008—, amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section defined “beginning farmer or rancher”, “eligible land”, “land management practice”, “livestock”, “practice”, and “structural practice”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date of 2008 Amendment

Pub. L. 110–234 Pub. L. 110–246May 22, 2008Pub. L. 110–234 section 4 of Pub. L. 110–246 section 8701 of Title 7Amendment of this section and repeal of by effective , the date of enactment of , see , set out as an Effective Date note under , Agriculture.