,i #aahth ,,congress #b;d ,session ,h4 ,r4 #hbgj ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,may #g1 #bjbd ,mr4 ,finstad introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe to modernize the conservation reserve program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,conservation ,reserve ,program ,modernization ,act4 #b4 ,definitions ,subchapter ,b of chapter #a of title ,,xii of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chca et seq47 is amended by inserting before section #abca the following3 #abcj4 ,definitions ,in this subchapter3 7#a7 ,conservation buffer ,the term conservation buffer means a practice that1 once established1 provides a benefit to water quality or another resource concern1 including-- 7,a7 a grass sod waterway2 7,b7 a contour grass sod strip2 7,c7 a prairie strip2 7,d7 a filterstrip2 7,e7 a field border2 7,f7 a living snow fence2 7,g7 a riparian buffer2 7,h7 a shelterbelt or windbreak2 7,i7 a wetland or a wetland buffer 7including a buffer for prairie potholes1 a playa1 or a pocosin72 7,j7 a saturated buffer2 7,k7 a bioreactor2 7,l7 a wellhead protection area2 and 7,m7 other similar practices1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7#b7 ,eligible land ,the term eligible land means land that is authorized to be included in the conservation reserve program under section #abca7;b74 7#c7 ,eligible partner ,the term eligible partner means-- 7,a7 a ,state2 7,b7 a political subdivision of a ,state2 7,c7 an ,indian ,tribe2 or 7,d7 a nongovernmental organization4 7#d7 ,land capability class ,the term land capability class means a soil classification assigned using the land capability classification system in effect on ,december #bc1 #aihe4 4 #c4 ,eligible land ,section #abca7;b7 of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chca7;b77 is amended to read as follows3 7b7 ,eligible land ,the ,secretary may include in the conservation reserve program the following3 7#a7 ,cropland that-- 7,a7 7i7 on a field level1 consists of not less than #he percent soils with a dryland cropland land capability class of ,,iii through ,,vii2 or 7ii7 cannot be farmed in accordance with a plan that complies with the requirements of subtitle ,b2 and 7,b7 the ,secretary determines had a cropping history or was considered to be planted for not fewer than #d of the #f years preceding the date of enactment of the ,conservation ,reserve ,program ,modernization ,act4 7#b7 ,cropland 7including prairie potholes1 playas1 and pocosins within cropland71 grasslands1 and marginal pasture land 7including marginal pastureland converted to wetland or established as wildlife habitat7 to be-- 7,a7 devoted to conservation buffers2 7,b7 established to ecologically appropriate vegetation1 including trees1 in or near riparian areas1 intermittent1 seasonal1 or perennial streams1 wetlands 7including prairie potholes1 playas1 and pocosins71 or saline-impaired soils2 or 7,c7 devoted to similar water quality or wildlife habitat practices4 7#c7 ,grasslands that-- 7,a7 contain forbs or shrubland 7including improved rangeland and pastureland7 for which grazing is the predominant use2 7,b7 are located in an area historically dominated by grasslands2 and 7,c7 could provide habitat for animal and plant populations of significant ecological value if the land is retained in its current use or restored to a natural condition4 7#d7 ,land described in paragraph 7#a71 7#b71 or 7#c7 that will address significant water quality1 water conservation1 and wildlife habitat concerns1 as proposed by an eligible partner and agreed to by the ,secretary for purposes of section #abca;,a4 7#e7 ,the portion of land in a field not enrolled in the conservation reserve in a case in which-- 7,a7 more than #ej percent of the land in the field is enrolled as a buffer or filterstrip1 or more than #ge percent of the land in the field is enrolled as a conservation practice other than as a buffer or filterstrip2 and 7,b7 the ,secretary determines that the remainder of the field is infeasible to farm4 4 #d4 ,multiple enrollments ,section #abcd7;d77#b77;,b7 of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chcd7;d77#b77;,b77 is amended to read as follows3 7,b7 ,multiple enrollments 7i7 ,in general ,notwithstanding subparagraph 7,a71 if land subject to a contract entered into under this subchapter is reenrolled pursuant to section #abca7;g71 the annual rental payment shall be in an amount that is not more than the applicable percentage of the relevant county average soil rental rate for the year in which the reenrollment occurs 7as determined under paragraph 7#d77;,e774 7ii7 ,applicable percentage ,for purposes of clause 7i71 the applicable percentage shall be-- 7,i7 for the first reenrollment that occurs after the date of enactment1 #he percent2 and 7,,ii7 for each subsequent re#a;enrollment1 the percentage that is #aj percentage points less than the percentage that was applicable to the preceding reenrollment4 4 #e4 ,rental rates ,section #abcd7;d77#d77;,e7 of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chcd7;d77#d77;,e77 is amended to read as follows3 7,e7 ,rental rate limitation ,the county average soil rental rate 7before any adjustments relating to specific practices1 wellhead protection1 or soil productivity7 shall not exceed-- 7i7 for eligible land consisting of soils with a dryland cropland land capability class of ,i or ,,ii that is enrolled under the general enrollment option or the conservation reserve enhancement program1 #he percent of the estimated rental rate determined under this paragraph2 7ii7 for eligible land consisting of soils with a dryland cropland land capability class of ,,iii that is enrolled under the general enrollment option or the conservation reserve enhancement program1 #ajj percent of the estimated rental rate determined under this paragraph2 7iii7 for eligible land consisting of soils with a dryland cropland land capability class of ,,iv through ,,vii that is enrolled under the general enrollment option or the conservation reserve enhancement program1 #aae percent of the estimated rental rate determined under this paragraph2 and 7iv7 for eligible land enrolled under the continuous enrollment option1 #ajj percent of the estimated rental rate determined under this paragraph1 without regard to the land capability class of the soil4 4 #f4 ,cost-sharing payments ,section #abcd7;b77#a7 of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chcd7;b77#a77 is amended to read as follows3 7#a7 ,in general ,in making cost-sharing payments to an owner or operator under a contract entered into under this subchapter1 the ,secretary shall pay #ej percent of the cost of1 as the ,secretary determines appropriate and in the public interest-- 7,a7 establishing permanent vegetation1 including site preparation1 cover1 fertilizer1 seeding1 and planting2 7,b7 carrying out erosion control practices necessary to stabilize the site for vegetation established under subparagraph 7,a72 7,c7 installing fencing to protect riparian areas and buffers2 7,d7 carrying out water development practices associated with excluding livestock from protected riparian areas2 7,e7 installing fencing and carrying out water development practices to facilitate transition to livestock grazing on lands enrolled under the grasslands enrollment option2 7,f7 conducting the necessary and appropriate mid-contract management activities to maintain the permanent cover and associated benefits2 and 7,g7 carrying out other water quality conservation measures and practices4 4