,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #b;d ,session  ,h4
 ,r4 #fahb  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(          
,,repres5tatives  ,m>* #aj1 #bjbj,ms4   
,fudge 7= h]self1 ,mr4 ,?ompson (       
,p5nsylvania1 ,ms4 ,p+ree1 ,mr4         
,delgado1 & ,ms4 ,s*ri]7 introduc$ !    
foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to !          
,committee on ,agriculture  ,a ,,bill   
,to am5d ! ,soil & ,wat] ,res\rces      
,cons]vation ,act ( #aigg ) respect to  
assessm5ts ( cons]vation programs1 & =  
o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act
 may be cit$ z ! ,f>m]-,driv5           
,cons]vation ,outcomes ,act ( #bjbj4    
#b4 ,am5dm5ts to ! ,soil & ,wat]        
,res\rces ,cons]vation ,act ( #aigg ,!  
,soil & ,wat] ,res\rces ,cons]vation    
,act ( #aigg 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #bjja et    
seq47 is am5d$ by r$esignat+ sections #h
 ?r\gh #aj z sections #aj ?\gh #ab1     
respectively1 & ins]t+ aft] section #g !
 foll[+3  #h4 ,cons]vation programs     
assessm5t  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,9 coord9ation )
 ! appraisal ( soil1 wat]1 & relat$     
res\rces & ) ! national soil & wat]     

cons]vation program e/abli%$ "u ?is     
,act1 ! ,secret>y may c>ry out a        
cons]vation effects assessm5t project to
 quantify ! environm5tal & economic     
effects ( cons]vation practices1 develop
 ! sci5ce base = manag+ ! agricultural  
l&scape = environm5tal quality &        
su/a9able productive capacity1 & improve
 ! efficacy ( cons]vation practices &   
programs by evaluat+ cons]vation        
effects4  7b7 ,scope ,! project "u ?is  
subsection may be c>ri$ out at national1
 regional1 & wat]%$ scales1 & may       
include cropl&1 graz+ l&s1 wetl&s1 =e/s1
 & su* o!r l&s z ! ,secret>y may det]m9e
 appropriate4  7c7 ,activities ,!       
project "u ?is subsection may include   
rese>*1 lit]ature reviews &             
bibliographies1 model+1 assessm5t1      
monitor+ & data collection1 outrea*1    
ext5sion education1 & su* o!r activities
 z ! ,secret>y may det]m9e appropriate4 
#i4 ,goals & assessm5t process =        
cons]vation programs  7a7 ,natural      
res\rce & environm5tal objectives &     

outcomes  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,9 coord9ation )
 ! appraisal ( soil1 wat]1 & relat$     
res\rces1 ! soil & wat] cons]vation     
program1 & ! cons]vation effects        
assessm5t project e/abli%$ by ?is ,act1 
! ,secret>y %all id5tify1 & p]iodically 
revise1 specific natural res\rce &      
environm5tal objectives & anticipat$    
cons]vation outcomes & results1 by      
res\rce conc]n1 = ! cons]vation programs
 e/abli%$ "u subtitles ,d & ,h ( title  
,,xii ( ! ,food ,security ,act ( #aihe &
 ! l&scape cons]vation initiatives      
develop$ by ! ,secret>y4  7#b7          
,assessm5ts ,to help measure outcomes & 
results1 ! ,secret>y %all1 to ! maximum 
ext5t practicable1 make assessm5ts (    
*anges 9 ! /atus & conditions ( natural 
res\rces & ! environm5t t result f !    
application ( cons]vation activities    
support$ directly by su* cons]vation    
programs & initiatives4  7#c7 ,monitor+ 
& program evaluation ,! ,secret>y %all  
e/abli% a coord9at$ monitor+ &          
evaluation process = programs &         

initiatives to assess progress t[>d !   
id5tifi$ objectives1 to ga!r in=mation  
to improve program & initiative         
implem5tation 9 accordance ) desir$     
program & initiative outcomes & results1
 & to assess ! ne$ = modifications to   
program or initiative rules or /atutes4 
7b7 ,monitor+ & program evaluation  7#a7
 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y %all use n m ?an 
"o p]c5t ( ! total annual fund+ f !     
funds ( ! ,commodity ,cr$it ,corporation
 made available = new annual enrollm5ts 
= ! cons]vation programs e/abli%$ "u    
subtitles ,d & ,h ( title ,,xii ( !     
,food ,security ,act ( #aihe to e/abli% 
a compreh5sive monitor+ & program       
evaluation process to assess progress 9 
rea*+ natural res\rce & environm5tal    
objectives id5tifi$ 9 accordance )      
subsection 7a7 & ! contribution (       
individual programs & initiatives1 z    
well z ! programs & initiatives         
collectively1 to t progress4  7#b7      
,implem5tation ,9 implem5t+ ! monitor+ &
 program evaluation process "u p>agraph 

7#a71 ! ,secret>y may consid] &         
incorporate res\rce conc]n inv5tories1  
quality crit]ia1 cons]vation practices &
 enhancem5ts1 & su* o!r in=mation z !   
,secret>y det]m9es relevant = apply+ !  
monitor+ & program evaluation process   
across ea* ( ! major l& uses id5tifi$ by
 ! ,secret>y4  7#c7 ,monitor+ &         
evaluation process  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,n    
lat] ?an two ye>s aft] ! date ( enactm5t
 ( ?is section1 ! ,secret>y %all issue a
 design = ! compreh5sive monitor+ &     
evaluation process1 a s*$ule = implem5t+
 ! process1 & a plan = coord9at+ !      
process ) ! national soil & wat]        
cons]vation program & cons]vation       
effects assessm5t project e/abli%$ "u   
?is ,act4  7,b7 ,me?odology ,! design = 
! compreh5sive monitor+ & evaluation    
process issu$ "u subp>agraph 7,a7 %all--
 7i7 ensure t data made available to    
coop]ators & rese>*]s "u ?is subsection 
is trans=m$ into /ati/ical aggregate at 
! c\nty level1 9 a =m t protects        
p]sonally id5tifiable in=mation2 &  7ii7

 take into acc\nt ! cumulative nature ( 
cons]vation ov] "t1 ! int]actions &     
sequ5c+ effects betwe5 cons]vation      
activities1 ! diff]+ times = cons]vation
 effects to be realiz$1 & o!r relat$    
measurem5t *all5ges4  7,c7 ,public      
rese>* ,n)/&+ any o!r provision ( law1 9
 ord] to facilitate implem5tation ( !   
monitor+ & evaluation process1 !        
,secret>y %all make available           
cons]vation activity & program data to  
coop]ators & rese>*]s engag$ 9 public   
rese>* & evaluation activities to       
improve cons]vation outcomes "u ?is     
subsection1 provid$ t-- 7i7 adequate    
assurances are provid$ to ! ,secret>y t 
any result+ rese>* or in=mation w be    
made publicly available & 9 a =m t      
protects p]sonally id5tifiable          
in=mation2 &  7ii7 ! ,national ,te*nical
 ,committee f9ds t any su* rese>* is    
likely to g5]ate in=mation t fur!rs !   
purpose ( ?is section4  7#d7 ,coop]ative
 agreem5ts ,! ,secret>y may implem5t !  
monitor+ evaluation process 9 "p ?r\gh  

coop]ative or contribution agreem5ts )  
,f$]al1 ,/ate1 & local ag5cies1         
univ]sities & colleges1 nongov]nm5tal   
organizations ) requisite exp]tise1 z   
det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y 9 consultation ) 
! ,national ,te*nical ,committee4  7#e7 
,national te*nical committee  7,a7      
,composition ,! monitor+ & evaluation   
process %all be adm9i/]$ by ! ,natural  
,res\rces ,cons]vation ,s]vice )        
assi/ance f a national te*nical         
committee appo9t$ by ! ,secret>y &      
compos$ ( individuals ) relevant        
te*nical & sci5tific exp]tise           
repres5t+-- 7i7 ! ,agricultural ,rese>* 
,s]vice ( ! ,dep>tm5t ( ,agriculture2   
7ii7 ! ,economic ,rese>* ,s]vice ( !    
,dep>tm5t ( ,agriculture2  7iii7 ! ,f>m 
,s]vice ,ag5cy ( ! ,dep>tm5t (          
,agriculture2  7iv7 ! ,unit$ ,/ates ,fi%
 & ,wildlife ,s]vice2  7v7 ! ,=e/       
,s]vice2  7vi7 ! ,national ,in/itute =  
,food & ,agriculture2  7vii7 ! ,unit$   
,/ates ,geological ,survey2  7viii7 !   
,environm5tal ,protection ,ag5cy2  7ix7 

,/ate & tribal ag5cies2  7x7 l& grant   
univ]sity natural res\rce rese>*        
programs2  7xi7 nongov]nm5tal           
organizations ) exp]tise 9 ! full array 
( cons]vation issues & measurem5t &     
evaluation ( cons]vation outcomes2      
7xii7 f>m]s across a v>iety ( geographic
 regions & production types2 &  7xiii7  
su* o!r ag5cies1 in/itutions1 or        
organizations z ! ,secret>y may det]m9e 
appropriate4  7,b7 ,,faca exemption ,!  
national te*nical committee %all be     
exempt f ! ,f$]al ,advisory ,committee  
,act 7#e ,u4,s4,c4 ,app474  7,c7        
,transp>5cy ,! ,secret>y %all ensure !  
proce$+s & recomm5dations ( ! national  
te*nical committee are available to !   
public4  7#f7 ,volunt>y p>ticipation ,9 
c>ry+ out ?is subsection1 ! ,secret>y   
%all ensure t any on-f>m monitor+       
activities t may be includ$ z "p ( !    
monitor+ & program evaluation process   
are volunt>y on ! "p ( ! produc]1 & may 
include appropriate comp5sation1 z      
det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y4  7c7 ,report+   

7#a7 ,report on objectives & me?ods     
,beg9n+ 9 ! fiscal ye> t is #c ye>s aft]
 ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is subsection1 &  
p]iodically !reaft]1 z det]m9$ by !     
,secret>y1 ! ,secret>y %all submit to   
,congress1 & make publicly available1 a 
report t includes-- 7,a7 a description (
 cons]vation outcome objectives t are1  
to ! maximum ext5t practicable1         
quantitative1 measurable1 & "t-b\nd =   
ea* program e/abli%$ "u subtitle ,d or  
,h ( ! ,food ,security ,act ( #aihe & ! 
l&scape cons]vation initiatives develop$
 by ! ,secret>y2  7,b7 a description ( !
 approa*es1 tools1 & me?ods us$ to      
measure or model ! cons]vation outcomes 
& results & to e/imate !                
co/-effectiv5ess ( ea* su* program2 &   
7,c7 guidance to ! cons]vation project  
p>tn]s work+ to implem5t cons]vation    
programs )9 a l&scape-level project t   
provides a description ( ! approa*es1   
tools1 & me?ods ! p>tn]s might consid]  
us+ to measure & model ! cons]vation    
outcomes & results ( _! projects4  7#b7 

,report on outcomes ,9 conjunction ) ea*
 ( ! reports to ,congress pursuant to   
section #g1 ! ,secret>y %all submit to  
,congress1 & make publicly available1 a 
report t includes-- 7,a7 an assessm5t ( 
progress made t[>ds a*iev+ cons]vation  
program objectives & anticipat$ outcomes
 & results = ea* cons]vation program    
e/abli%$ "u subtitle ,d or ,h ( title   
,,xii ( ! ,food ,security ,act ( #aihe1 
z well z = su* programs collectively1 & 
! l&scape cons]vation initiatives       
develop$ by ! ,secret>y2  7,b7 an       
evaluation ( ! co/-effectiv5ess ( ea*   
su* cons]vation program & initiative2 & 
7,c7 recomm5dations1 9 light ( !        
assessm5t & evaluation1 to improve      
program implem5tation & improve !       
sci5tific & economic tools 7includ+ any 
new or revis$ cons]vation practices1    
cons]vation enhancem5ts1 or cons]vation 
plann+ tools7 us$ to a*ieve /at$ natural
 res\rce cons]vation & environm5tal     
objectives4  7#c7 ,coord9ation ,!       
,secret>y may coord9ate ! reports       

requir$ "u p>agraphs 7#a7 & 7#b7 ) any  
reports develop$ z "p ( ! cons]vation   
effects assessm5t project au?oriz$ by   
section #h1 :5ev] su* coord9ation is    
feasible & w>rant$1 z det]m9$ by !      
,secret>y4  4