,,ii #aaeth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #iji ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #g1 #bjag ,mr4 ,thune introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe to extend and improve conservation programs1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,conservation ,program ,improvement ,act of #bjag4 #b4 ,improvements to conservation reserve program 7a7 ,extension ,section #abca7;a7 of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chca7;a77 is amended by striking #bjah and inserting #bjbc4 7b7 ,enrollment ,section #abca7;d7 of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chca7;d77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking during-- in the matter preceding subparagraph 7,a7 and all that follows through the period at the end and inserting during each of fiscal years #bjai through #bjbc not more than #cj1jjj1jjj acres1 not including any land that is transferred under section #abce7;f742 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#c7 ,state target acreage enrollment 7,a7 ,in general ,during each of fiscal years #bjai through #bjbc1 to the maximum extent practicable1 the ,secretary shall carry out this subchapter in such a manner as to enroll and maintain acreage in the conservation reserve in accordance with the target acreage for each ,state1 as determined under subparagraph 7,b74 7,b7 ,target acreage ,the target acreage referred to in subparagraph 7,a7 for a ,state shall be equal to the product obtained by multiplying-- 7i7 the quotient 7rounded to the eighth decimal point7 obtained by dividing-- 7,i7 the average number of acres of land in the ,state enrolled in the conservation reserve during each of fiscal years #bjjg through #bjaf2 by 7,,ii7 the average number of acres of land enrolled in the conservation reserve nationally during each of fiscal years #bjjg through #bjaf2 and 7ii7 #cj1jjj1jjj4 4 7c7 ,restrictions on land planted to trees ,section #abca of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chca7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7j7 ,restrictions on land planted to trees 7#a7 ,reduction of base acres ,in a case in which1 as result of a contract under this subchapter1 the base acres 7as defined in section #aaaa of the ,agricultural ,act of #bjad 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #ijaa77 on a farm that are enrolled in the conservation reserve is greater than the acres of available cropland on the farm1 the ,secretary shall permanently reduce the number of base acres of the farm by the number of acres that are planted to trees under the conservation plan described in section #abcb7;a77#a74 7#b7 ,renewal ,no contract under this subchapter may be renewed with respect to any acreage that is planted to trees under the conservation plan described in section #abcb7;a77#a74 4 7d7 ,haying and grazing ,section #abcc7;b7 of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chcc7;b77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#b7-- 7,a7 by redesignating subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b7 as clauses 7i7 and 7ii71 respectively1 and indenting appropriately2 7,b7 in the matter preceding clause 7i7 7as so designated71 by striking in permitting those activities and inserting the following3 8in permitting-- 7,a7 those activities 2 7,c7 in subparagraph 7,a77ii7 7as so designated71 by adding and at the end2 and 7,d7 by adding at the end the following3 7,b7 those activities and the activities described in paragraph 7#d71 not more than #a_/c of the acres covered by the contract may be harvested during any year2 2 7#b7 in paragraph 7#c77;,b71 in the matter preceding clause 7i71 by striking grazing1 the first place it appears and inserting grazing outside the normal grazing period described in paragraph 7#e712 7#c7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#d7 and 7#e7 as paragraphs 7#f7 and 7#g71 respectively2 and 7#d7 by inserting after paragraph 7#c7 the following3 7#d7 mechanical harvesting of vegetative cover1 without any restriction on the use of the vegetative cover harvested 7except harvesting the vegetative cover for seed71 subject to the conditions that-- 7,a7 the harvesting may not occur more frequently than once every #c years2 and 7,b7 the annual rental rate for the acres harvested during a year shall be reduced by #be percent2 7#e7 grazing during the applicable normal grazing period determined under subclause 7,i7 of section #aeja7;c77#c77;,d77i7 of the ,agricultural ,act of #bjad 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #ijha7;c77#c77;,d77i771 without any restriction on grazing during the primary nesting period1 subject to the conditions that-- 7,a7 the grazing shall be at #be percent of the normal carrying capacity determined under that subclause2 and 7,b7 the annual rental rate for the acres harvested during a year shall be reduced by #be percent2 4 7e7 ,wellhead protection ,section #abcd7;g7 of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chcd7;g77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a71 by striking ,the total and inserting ,except as provided in paragraphs 7#b7 and 7#c71 the total2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#c7 ,wellhead protection ,paragraph 7#a7 shall not apply to rental payments received by a rural water district or association for land that is enrolled under this subchapter for the purpose of protecting a wellhead4 4 7f7 ,transition option for certain farmers or ranchers ,section #abce of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chce7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7c77#a77;,b77iii71 by striking a retired or retiring owner or operator to a beginning farmer or rancher or socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher and inserting an eligible owner or operator to a covered farmer or rancher 7as those terms are defined in subsection 7f77#a772 and 7#b7 in subsection 7f7-- 7,a7 by redesignating paragraphs 7#a7 and 7#b7 as paragraphs 7#b7 and 7#c71 respectively2 7,b7 by inserting before paragraph 7#b7 7as so designated7 the following3 7#a7 ,definitions ,in this subsection3 7,a7 ,covered farmer or rancher ,the term covered farmer or rancher means-- 7i7 a beginning farmer or rancher2 7ii7 a veteran farmer or rancher 7as defined in section #beja7;e7 of the ,food1 ,agriculture1 ,conservation1 and ,trade ,act of #aiij 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bbgi7;e7772 or 7iii7 a socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher4 7,b7 ,eligible owner or operator ,the term eligible owner or operator means a farmer or rancher who is-- 7i7 an owner or operator who is retired or retiring2 or 7ii7 an owner who is not less than #fe years of age4 2 7,c7 in paragraph 7#b7 7as designated by subparagraph 7,a77-- 7i7 in the matter preceding subparagraph 7,a71 by striking a retired farmer or rancher and all that follows through covered farmer or rancher7 and inserting an eligible owner or operator to a covered farmer or rancher2 7ii7 by redesignating subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,e7 as subparagraphs 7,b7 through 7,f71 respectively2 7iii7 by inserting before subparagraph 7,b7 7as so designated7 the following3 7,a7 allow1 without any penalty1 the eligible owner or operator to terminate the contract entered into under this subchapter during the #c-year period ending on the date on which the contract would expire2 2 7iv7 by striking retired or retiring owner or operator each place it appears and inserting eligible owner or operator2 7v7 by striking subparagraph 7,d7 7as designated by clause 7ii77 and inserting the following3 7,d7 require the covered farmer or rancher to develop and implement1 and provide to the covered farmer or rancher technical and financial assistance in the development of1 a comprehensive conservation plan that addresses any resource concerns and meets such sustainability criteria as the ,secretary may establish2 2 and 7vi7 in subparagraph 7,e7 7as designated by clause 7ii771 by striking by not later than and all that follows through ownership or lease and inserting at any time during the period beginning on the date that is #a year before the date of termination of the contract2 and 7,d7 by adding at the end the following3 7#d7 ,eligibility ,an eligible owner or operator who may qualify for the option under paragraph 7#b7 shall include an eligible owner or operator who entered into a contract under this subchapter not later than #b years before the date of enactment of this paragraph4 4 #c4 ,modifications to conservation easement programs ,title ,,xii of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chja et seq47 is amended by inserting after subtitle ,e the following3 ,f ,other ,conservation ,provisions #abea4 ,modifications to conservation easement programs 7a7 ,definition of covered program ,in this section1 the term covered program means-- 7#a7 the conservation reserve program established under subchapter ,b of chapter #a of subtitle ,d2 7#b7 the farmable wetland program carried out under section #abca;,b2 7#c7 the special conservation reserve enhancement program described in section #abcd7;g77#b72 7#d7 the agricultural conservation easement program established under subtitle ,h2 7#e7 the healthy forests reserve program established under section #eja of the ,healthy ,forests ,restoration ,act of #bjjc 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #fega72 or 7#f7 any similar program1 as determined by the ,secretary1 that is established on or after the date of enactment of the ,conservation ,program ,improvement ,act of #bjag4 7b7 ,modifications ,notwithstanding any other provision of law applicable to a covered program1 subject to subsection 7c71 the ,secretary shall-- 7#a7 allow land enrolled in a covered program to be-- 7,a7 modified for water management1 general maintenance1 vegetative cover control1 wildlife habitat management1 or any other purpose1 subject to the condition that the modification shall be approved jointly by-- 7i7 the ,state department of natural resources 7or equivalent ,state agency72 and 7ii7 the technical committee established under section #abfa7;a7 of the ,state2 or 7,b7 exchanged for land that has equal or greater conservation1 wildlife1 ecological1 and economic values1 as determined by the ,secretary2 and 7#b7 provide for the modification of an agreement1 a contract1 or an easement under a covered program if the ,secretary determines that the modification-- 7,a7 would facilitate the practical administration and management of the land covered by the agreement1 contract1 or easement2 and 7,b7 would not adversely affect the functions and values for which the agreement1 contract1 or easement was established4 7c7 ,requirements 7#a7 ,enrolled acreage ,any modification or exchange under subsection 7b7 shall not result in a net loss of acreage enrolled in the covered program4 7#b7 ,exchanged acres ,any land for which an exchange is made under subsection 7b7 shall satisfy all requirements for enrollment in the covered program4 7d7 ,costs ,a party to an agreement1 a contract1 or an easement under a covered program that requests a modification or exchange under subsection 7b7 shall be responsible for all costs of the modification or exchange1 including-- 7#a7 an appraisal to determine whether the economic value of the land for which an exchange is made under subsection 7b7 is equal to or greater than the value of the land removed from the covered program2 7#b7 the repayment of the costs paid by the ,secretary for any restoration of land removed from the covered program2 7#c7 if applicable1 a survey of property boundaries1 including review and approval by the applicable agency2 7#d7 preparation and recording in accordance with standard real estate practices of any exchange1 including requirements for title approval by the ,secretary1 subordination of liens1 and amended warranty easement deed recording2 and 7#e7 any applicable recording and legal fees4 4