,,ii #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #afij ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,may #ah1 #bjbc,mr4 ,brown introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,federal ,crop ,insurance ,act to establish a ,good ,steward ,cover ,crop program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,conservation ,opportunity and ,voluntary ,environment ,resilience ,program ,act of #bjbc or the ,,cover ,act of #bjbc4 #b4 ,good ,steward ,cover ,crop program ,the ,federal ,crop ,insurance ,act is amended by inserting after section #ejh;,d 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #aejh;d7 the following3 #ejh;,e4 ,good ,steward ,cover ,crop program 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,covered insurance program ,the term covered insurance program means a plan of insurance offered by the ,corporation4 7#b7 ,program ,the term program means the ,good ,steward ,cover ,crop program established under subsection 7b77#a74 7#c7 ,qualifying cover crop ,the term qualifying cover crop means cereal or other grass1 legume1 brassica1 nonlegume broadleaf1 or any combination thereof that is planted for conservation purposes in accordance with-- 7,a7 guidance of the ,natural ,resources ,conservation ,service2 and 7,b7 any other expert guidance1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7#d7 ,underserved producer ,the term underserved producer has the meaning given the term in section #ejh7;a77#g77;,a74 7b7 ,establishment 7#a7 ,in general ,beginning with crop year #bjbc1 the ,secretary shall carry out a program1 to be known as the ,good ,steward ,cover ,crop program1 to provide additional premium subsidies to producers for each acre-- 7,a7 on which qualifying cover crops are planted during a crop year2 and 7,b7 for which the producers1 during such crop year-- 7i7 plant crops other than the qualifying cover crops2 and 7ii7 purchase insurance under a covered insurance program with respect to such planted crops4 7#b7 ,report ,for each acre described in paragraph 7#a71 for each crop year1 a producer shall be required to submit to the ,secretary a report of acreage form4 7c7 ,premium subsidy amount 7#a7 ,in general ,subject to paragraphs 7#b7 and 7#c71 an additional premium subsidy provided to a producer under the program shall-- 7,a7 be calculated on a common land unit basis or an equivalent or more precise basis2 and 7,b7 be in an amount equal to the product obtained by multiplying-- 7i7 #e2 and 7ii7 the number of acres of the producer for which the additional premium subsidy is provided4 7#b7 ,limitation ,an additional premium subsidy under paragraph 7#a7 for an acre described in subsection 7b77#a7 shall not exceed the amount of the premium owed by the producer with respect to that acre4 7#c7 ,rule with respect to a producer-share ,an additional premium subsidy under paragraph 7#a7 shall be modified to reflect the individual producer share of such acres4 7#d7 ,inclusion ,participation by a producer in a ,state program that provides premium subsidies for conservation practices1 including cover crops1 shall not disqualify a producer from receiving assistance under this section4 7d7 ,outreach 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall1 in coordination with the ,administrator of the ,farm ,service ,agency and the ,chief of the ,natural ,resources ,conservation ,service1 conduct outreach to producers1 including underserved producers1 to provide information on-- 7,a7 the program1 including eligibility for the program2 and 7,b7 qualifying cover crops under the program4 7#b7 ,cooperative agreements ,the ,secretary shall enter into #a or more cooperative agreements with organizations capable of assisting with the outreach described in paragraph 7#a7-- 7,a7 to carry out such outreach2 and 7,b7 to coordinate with soil and water conservation districts to encourage the adoption of qualifying cover crop practices4 7e7 ,reports 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of this section1 and annually thereafter1 the ,secretary shall1 in coordination with the ,administrator of the ,risk ,management ,agency1 the ,administrator of the ,farm ,service ,agency1 and the ,chief of the ,natural ,resources ,conservation ,service1 submit to ,congress a report that includes-- 7,a7 a summary of the activities carried out under the program1 including-- 7i7 the number and amount of premium subsidies provided to producers under the program2 7ii7 the number of acres of cover crops planted for which a premium subsidy was received2 and 7iii7 the outreach carried out under subsection 7d72 and 7,b7 recommendations to increase the number of producers that qualify for additional premium subsidies under the program4 7#b7 ,study2 report ,not later than #d years after the date of enactment of this section1 the ,secretary shall1 in coordination with the ,administrator of the ,risk ,management ,agency1 the ,administrator of the ,farm ,service ,agency1 and the ,chief of the ,natural ,resources ,conservation ,service1 carry out1 and submit to ,congress a report on the results of1 a study that examines whether planting qualifying cover crops in accordance with this section results in decreased crop insurance payments and stabilized yields compared to crop insurance payments and yields for acres not utilizing cover crops4 7f7 ,funding 7#a7 ,mandatory funding ,of the funds of the ,corporation1 the ,secretary shall use the following amounts to carry out this section3 7,a7 #fj1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbd4 7,b7 #ff1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbe4 7,c7 #gb1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbf4 7,d7 #gh1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbg4 7,e7 #hd1jjj1jjj for fiscal year #bjbh4 7#b7 ,unobligated funds ,funds made available under paragraph 7#a7 that are not expended by the end of the applicable fiscal year may be made available for use to carry out this section in the following fiscal year4 7#c7 ,reservation for technical assistance1 outreach1 and program support ,of the amounts made available under paragraph 7#a7 for a fiscal year1 the ,secretary shall use not more than #e1jjj1jjj to carry out technical assistance1 outreach1 and program support with respect to the program4 4 #c4 ,soil health pilot program ,section #ebc of the ,federal ,crop ,insurance ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #aebc7 is amended by adding at the end the following3 7j7 ,soil health pilot program 7#a7 ,in general ,in addition to any other authority of the ,corporation1 as soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this subsection1 the ,corporation shall establish and carry out a pilot program 7referred to in this subsection as the pilot program7 under which a producer that uses innovative soil health practices1 as determined by the ,secretary1 including conservation crop rotations1 may receive additional premium subsidies on crop insurance4 7#b7 ,terms and conditions ,the additional premium subsidies offered under the pilot program shall-- 7,a7 be offered through reinsurance arrangements with private insurance companies2 7,b7 be actuarially sound2 and 7,c7 require the payment of premiums and administrative fees by the producer obtaining the insurance4 7#c7 ,location ,the ,corporation shall conduct the pilot program in a number of counties that is determined by the ,corporation to be adequate to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the feasibility1 effectiveness1 and demand among producers for the risk management tools evaluated in the pilot program4 4