16 U.S.C. § 3839aa

The purposes of the environmental quality incentives program established by this subpart are to promote agricultural production, forest management, and environmental quality as compatible goals, and to optimize environmental benefits, by—

(1)

assisting producers in complying with local, State, and national regulatory requirements concerning—

(A)

soil, water, and air quality;

(B)

wildlife habitat; and

(C)

surface and ground water conservation;

(2)

avoiding, to the maximum extent practicable, the need for resource and regulatory programs by assisting producers in protecting soil, water, air, and related natural resources and meeting environmental quality criteria established by Federal, State, tribal, and local agencies;

(3)

providing flexible assistance to producers to install and maintain conservation practices that sustain food and fiber production while—

(A)

enhancing soil, water, and related natural resources, including grazing land, forestland, wetland, and wildlife;

(B)

developing and improving wildlife habitat; and

(C)

conserving energy; and

(4)

assisting producers to make beneficial, cost-effective changes to production systems, including addressing identified, new, or expected resource concerns related to organic production, grazing management, fuels management, forest management, nutrient management associated with crops and livestock, pest management, irrigation management, adapting to, and mitigating against, increasing weather volatility, drought resiliency measures, or other practices on agricultural and forested land.

Pub. L. 99–198, title XII, § 1240 Pub. L. 107–171, title II, § 2301May 13, 2002116 Stat. 253 Pub. L. 110–234, title II, § 2501(a)May 22, 2008122 Stat. 1057 Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a)June 18, 2008122 Stat. 1664 Pub. L. 113–79, title II, § 2201Feb. 7, 2014128 Stat. 728 Pub. L. 115–334, title IIDec. 20, 2018132 Stat. 4554 (, as added , , ; amended , , ; , title II, § 2501(a), , , 1785; , , ; , §§ 2301(d)(1)(D), 2302, , , 4555.)

Editorial Notes

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 The amendments by were repealed by .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, § 1240 Pub. L. 104–127, title III, § 334Apr. 4, 1996110 Stat. 996 Pub. L. 107–171A prior section 3839aa, , as added , , , related to purposes, prior to the general amendment of this part by .

Amendments

Pub. L. 115–334, § 2301(d)(1)(D)2018—, substituted “this subpart” for “this part” in introductory provisions.

Pub. L. 115–334, § 2302Par. (4). , added par. (4) and struck out former par. (4) which read as follows: “assisting producers to make beneficial, cost effective changes to production systems (including conservation practices related to organic production), grazing management, fuels management, forest management, nutrient management associated with livestock, pest or irrigation management, or other practices on agricultural and forested land.”

Pub. L. 113–79, § 2201(1)2014—Par. (3). , added subpar. (B) and redesignated former subpar. (B) as (C).

Pub. L. 113–79, § 2201(2)Par. (4). , substituted a period for “; and” at end.

Pub. L. 113–79, § 2201(3)Par. (5). , struck out par. (5) which read as follows: “consolidating and streamlining conservation planning and regulatory compliance processes to reduce administrative burdens on producers and the cost of achieving environmental goals.”

Pub. L. 110–246, § 2501(a)(1)2008—, inserted “, forest management,” after “agricultural production” in introductory provisions.

Pub. L. 110–246, § 2501(a)(2)Pars. (3), (4). , added pars. (3) and (4) and struck out former pars. (3) and (4) which read as follows:

“(3) providing flexible assistance to producers to install and maintain conservation practices that enhance soil, water, related natural resources (including grazing land and wetland), and wildlife while sustaining production of food and fiber;

“(4) assisting producers to make beneficial, cost effective changes to cropping systems, grazing management, nutrient management associated with livestock, pest or irrigation management, or other practices on agricultural land; and”.

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.

Effect on Existing Contracts

Pub. L. 113–79, title II, § 2208Feb. 7, 2014128 Stat. 731

Pub. L. 113–79 16 U.S.C. 3839aaFeb. 7, 2014“The amendments made by this subtitle [subtitle C (§§ 2201–2208) of title II of , amending this section and sections 3839aa–1 to 3839aa–4, 3839aa–7, and 3839aa–8 of this title] shall not affect the validity or terms of any contract entered into by the Secretary of Agriculture under chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( et seq.) before the date of enactment of the Agricultural Act of 2014 [], or any payments required to be made in connection with the contract.”

, , , provided that: