,,ii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #behb ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,july #ca1 #bjbe ,ms4 ,smith 7for herself and ,mr4 ,young7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to require the ,secretary of ,agriculture to conduct research relating to measurement1 monitoring1 reporting1 and verification of soil carbon sequestration1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,advancing ,research on ,agricultural ,soil ,health ,act of #bjbe4 #b4 ,definition of ,secretary ,in this ,act1 the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,agriculture4 #c4 ,standard soil carbon measurement methodology 7a7 ,methodology 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #bgj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,secretary shall develop a standardized methodology to directly measure soil carbon for research and conservation purposes4 7#b7 ,review ,in developing the methodology under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall conduct a review of widely used existing methodologies for direct soil carbon measurement4 7#c7 ,consultation ,in developing the methodology under paragraph 7#a7 and conducting the review under paragraph 7#b71 the ,secretary shall consult with-- 7,a7 agricultural producers1 including socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers 7as defined in section #cee7;e7 of the ,consolidated ,farm and ,rural ,development ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjjc7;e7772 7,b7 soil carbon experts2 7,c7 nonprofit organizations2 7,d7 academic researchers2 and 7,e7 other stakeholders who reflect the operational1 geographic1 and socioeconomic diversity of ,united ,states agricultural operations4 7#d7 ,requirements ,the methodology developed under paragraph 7#a7 shall1 to the maximum extent practicable-- 7,a7 be usable at any location at which soil carbon can be directly measured2 7,b7 require measurement to a standard soil depth appropriate for the sample site1 determined using the best available science2 7,c7 measure the soil organic carbon concentration and any other soil health variables1 as determined by the ,secretary in consultation with stakeholders described in paragraph 7#c71 to produce a standard set of reporting metrics2 7,d7 produce data that is interoperable with other data collected by the ,department of ,agriculture2 7,e7 account for calibration differences in soil analysis between testing facilities2 7,f7 account for differences in uncertainty between different measurement tools2 and 7,g7 be usable for voluntary reporting of soil carbon data under subsection 7b74 7b7 ,voluntary soil carbon reporting 7#a7 ,technical assistance 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary1 acting through the ,chief of the ,natural ,resources ,conservation ,service1 shall provide to producers described in paragraph 7#b7 technical assistance1 including guidance1 for voluntarily measuring1 monitoring1 and reporting to the ,secretary soil carbon data using the methodology developed under subsection 7a74 7,b7 ,guidance ,guidance provided under subparagraph 7,a7 shall be1 at a minimum-- 7i7 available in multiple languages2 and 7ii7 available to producers described in paragraph 7#b7 in both digital and analog formats4 7#b7 ,applicability ,the guidance developed under paragraph 7#a7 shall be applicable to-- 7,a7 producers that are recipients of grants under programs described in paragraph 7#c7 to voluntarily measure1 monitor1 and report to the ,secretary soil carbon outcomes under those programs2 and 7,b7 any other producer that elects to voluntarily report to the ,secretary direct measurements of soil carbon4 7#c7 ,programs described ,the programs referred to in paragraph 7#b77;,a7 include-- 7,a7 conservation innovation grants under section #abdj;,h of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chci;aa-#h72 7,b7 the sustainable agriculture research and education program under subtitle ,b of title ,,xvi of the ,food1 ,agriculture1 ,conservation1 and ,trade ,act of #aiij 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #ehja et seq472 7,c7 the organic agriculture research and extension initiative established under section #afgb;,b of that ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #eibe;b72 7,d7 grants under the ,agriculture and ,food ,research ,initiative under section #b7;b7 of the ,competitive1 ,special1 and ,facilities ,research ,grant ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #caeg7;b772 and 7,e7 such other programs as the ,secretary determines to be appropriate4 7c7 ,updates 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall update the methodology developed under subsection 7a77#a7 and the guidance issued under subsection 7b77#a77;,b7 as needed to reflect the best-available science4 7#b7 ,interoperability ,in making any updates under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall ensure that information collected with the updated methodology remains interoperable with previously collected measurements4 7d7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #b1jjj1jjj for each fiscal year4 #d4 ,development of new measurement tools under ,,afri ,section #b7;b77#b77;,d7 of the ,competitive1 ,special1 and ,facilities ,research ,grant ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #caeg7;b77#b77;,d77 is amended-- 7#a7 in clause 7vii71 by striking and at the end2 7#b7 in clause 7viii71 by striking the period at the end and inserting 2 and2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7ix7 measuring1 monitoring1 reporting1 and verifying soil carbon sequestration and emissions4 4 #e4 ,soil health and carbon demonstration trials 7a7 ,on-,farm conservation innovation trials ,section #abdj;,h7c7 of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chci;aa-#h7;c77 is amended-- 7#a7 in paragraph 7#a77;,b77i71 by striking subclause 7,,iii7 and inserting the following3 7,,iii7 soil health management systems1 including-- 7aa7 systems to maintain or increase soil carbon levels2 and 7bb7 cost-effective tools to measure1 monitor1 report1 and verify greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration2 2 and 7#b7 in paragraph 7#c77;,d71 by striking #c years each place it appears and inserting #e years4 7b7 ,sustainable agriculture research and education program ,section #afba7;e7 of the ,food1 ,agriculture1 ,conservation1 and ,trade ,act of #aiij 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #ehaa7;e77 is amended-- 7#a7 by striking ,the ,secretary and inserting the following3 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary 2 and 7#b7 by adding at the end the following3 7#b7 ,soil carbon sequestration demonstration projects ,in carrying out this section1 the ,secretary shall conduct on-farm demonstration projects for soil carbon sequestration4 4 #f4 ,soil ,carbon ,inventory and ,analysis ,network ,chapter #e of subtitle ,d of title ,,xii of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe is amended by inserting after section #abdj,m 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chci;bb7 the following3 #abdj,n4 ,soil ,carbon ,inventory and ,analysis ,network 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,conservation activities ,the term conservation activities has the meaning given the term in section #abdj;,i4 7#b7 ,eligible land ,the term eligible land means public and private cropland1 rangeland1 pastureland1 and wetlands in the ,united ,states4 7#c7 ,program ,the term program means the program established under subsection 7b77#a74 7#d7 ,regional resource area ,the term regional resource area means a contiguous area of eligible land that has similar resource characteristics4 7#e7 ,resource characteristics ,the term resource characteristics means-- 7,a7 geographic1 long-term weather pattern1 natural resource1 and soil type characteristics2 and 7,b7 any other characteristics that the ,secretary determines to be appropriate for the purpose of carrying out the program4 7#f7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary1 acting jointly through the ,chief of the ,natural ,resources ,conservation ,service and the ,administrator of the ,agricultural ,research ,service4 7b7 ,establishment 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall establish a program to inventory1 monitor1 and analyze soil carbon changes on eligible land in the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,purposes ,the purposes of the program are-- 7,a7 to analyze soil properties1 including soil organic carbon1 across space1 time1 and depth2 7,b7 to analyze the impacts of land management strategies1 including conservation activities1 on soil carbon sequestration2 and 7,c7 to inform any tools of the ,secretary designed to predict the impacts of different land management practices1 including implementing conservation activities1 on soil carbon and associated environmental outcomes1 such as resilience to extreme weather1 reduced farm inputs1 or other environment impacts1 as determined by the ,secretary1 across the ,united ,states4 7#c7 ,consultation ,in carrying out the program1 the ,secretary shall consult with the ,director of the ,national ,institute of ,food and ,agriculture1 the ,chief of the ,forest ,service1 the ,chief ,data ,officer1 the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency1 the ,secretary of ,energy1 and the head of any other department or agency that the ,secretary determines to be appropriate4 7c7 ,sampling 7#a7 ,sample sites ,the ,secretary shall select sample sites under the program by taking into consideration-- 7,a7 the accessibility of sites2 7,b7 the ease of collecting repeated measurements over time2 and 7,c7 such other factors as the ,secretary determines to be appropriate4 7#b7 ,preference ,in selecting sample sites under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall give preference to sites that have been used for soil testing previously4 7#c7 ,number of sample sites ,the ,secretary shall select sufficient sample sites under paragraph 7#a7 to analyze changes in soil carbon across regional resource areas1 as determined by the ,secretary1 over time1 taking into account the geographical size and heterogeneity of each regional resource area4 7d7 ,soil carbon inventory 7#a7 ,in general ,every #e years1 the ,secretary shall prepare an inventory of soil carbon stocks on eligible land1 under which the ,secretary shall collect measurements at each sample site selected under subsection 7c74 7#b7 ,methodology ,the ,secretary shall ensure that the methodology developed under section #c7;a7 of the ,advancing ,research on ,agricultural ,soil ,health ,act of #bjbe is used for purposes of conducting measurements at each sample site under the program4 7#c7 ,minimum number of samples ,the ,secretary shall measure a sufficient number of samples to analyze changes in soil carbon at each sample site selected under subsection 7c7 for each inventory under paragraph 7#a74 7#d7 ,characteristics ,in preparing the inventory under paragraph 7#a71 the ,secretary shall document the following characteristics for each sample site selected under subsection 7c73 7,a7 ,soil type and texture4 7,b7 ,land use history1 including conservation activities4 7,c7 ,environmental characteristics1 such as temperature and precipitation4 7,d7 ,other characteristics1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7e7 ,individual protections 7#a7 ,protection of private property rights ,before selecting a sample site under subsection 7c7 or conducting any measurement under subsection 7d77#a71 the ,secretary shall obtain authorization from the owner of the eligible land4 7#b7 ,voluntariness requirement ,the ,secretary may not require authorization under paragraph 7#a7 or any other participation in any activity under this section as a condition on receipt of any benefit under a program administered by the ,secretary4 7#c7 ,data privacy protection ,in carrying out the program1 the ,secretary shall ensure that data is collected and analyzed while respecting relevant privacy safeguards and does not include any identifiable1 proprietary1 or personal information of individual land owners or operators4 7f7 ,soil characteristics inventory 7#a7 ,in general ,survey and analysis information collected under the program shall be maintained in a soil characteristics inventory operated by the ,secretary4 7#b7 ,partnerships ,the inventory described in paragraph 7#a7 may be operated in partnership with #a or more of the following entities1 if the entity complies with paragraph 7#d73 7,a7 ,an #ahfb ,institution 7as defined in section #b of the ,agricultural ,research1 ,extension1 and ,education ,reform ,act of #aiih 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #gfja774 7,b7 ,an #ahij ,institution 7as defined in that section74 7,c7 ,a #aiid ,institution 7as defined in section #ecb of the ,equity in ,educational ,land-,grant ,status ,act of #aiid 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #cja note2 ,public ,law #ajc-chb774 7,d7 ,institutions of higher education with expertise in predictive modeling1 large-scale data collection1 soil carbon research1 or agricultural conservation management practices4 7,e7 ,federal research centers4 7#c7 ,applications ,an entity described in any of subparagraphs 7,a7 through 7,e7 of paragraph 7#b7 seeking to enter into a partnership to manage the inventory described in paragraph 7#a7 shall submit to the ,secretary an application at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require4 7#d7 ,requirements ,the inventory described in paragraph 7#a7 shall-- 7,a7 use the industry standard protocols to protect identifiable1 proprietary1 or personal information of individual land owners or operators2 7,b7 ensure that individual producer information is not sold through the inventory2 and 7,c7 comply with all applicable privacy requirements1 including-- 7i7 section #aggj of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bbgf72 7ii7 section #afai of the ,food1 ,conservation1 and ,energy ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #hgia72 7iii7 section #ejb7;c7 of the ,federal ,crop ,insurance ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #aejb7;c772 and 7iv7 section #eeb of title #e1 ,united ,states ,code4 7#e7 ,limited release of information ,the ,secretary may release or disclose information maintained in the inventory described in paragraph 7#a7 pursuant to section #afai7;b77#c77;,a77i7 of the ,food1 ,conservation1 and ,energy ,act of #bjjh 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #hgia7;b77#c77;,a77i77 to researchers for the purposes of statistically analyzing the information4 7g7 ,public availability ,on completion of each inventory under subsection 7d77#a71 the ,secretary shall make publicly available-- 7#a7 the statistical or aggregated form of data collected from measurements under that subsection2 7#b7 information regarding the methodology used to collect that data2 and 7#c7 any analysis made of the measurements described in paragraph 7#a74 7h7 ,reports ,on completion of each inventory under subsection 7d77#a71 the ,secretary shall prepare1 publish1 and make available to the public a report that-- 7#a7 contains a description of soil carbon trends1 including by incorporating measurements conducted under subsection 7d7 during the #e years covered by the report2 7#b7 contains an analysis of the impact of different land management practices1 including implementing #a or more conservation activities1 on soil carbon levels2 7#c7 contains an analysis of the effect of short- and long-term weather variability on the observed trends2 7#d7 contains an analysis of how land management practices1 including conservation activities1 that influence soil carbon sequestration may affect the rate of increase in atmospheric carbon and other gases in the agricultural sector1 including methane and nitrous oxide2 and 7#e7 establishes a benchmark for the baseline soil carbon absent additional conservation activities4 7i7 ,strategic plan ,not later than #a year after the date of enactment of the ,advancing ,research on ,agricultural ,soil ,health ,act of #bjbe1 the ,secretary shall prepare and submit to ,congress a strategic plan to implement and carry out this section1 which shall describe in detail-- 7#a7 the organization and procedures necessary to implement and carry out this section2 and 7#b7 the plan for measurements in each regional resource area under subsection 7d77#a7 for the first #e-year interval1 including the schedule and the number of samples collected from each sample site selected under subsection 7c74 7j7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #ag1ejj1jjj for each fiscal year4 4 #g4 ,predictive models 7a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall develop and maintain a modeling tool 7or combination of tools7 that shall predict the impacts of different land management practices1 including implementing conservation activities1 on atmospheric carbon1 methane1 and nitrous oxide and soil carbon sequestration across the ,united ,states4 7b7 ,consultation ,in developing the modeling tool or tools under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary shall consult with-- 7#a7 the ,secretary of ,energy2 7#b7 the ,administrator of the ,environmental ,protection ,agency2 7#c7 agricultural producers1 including socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers 7as defined in section #cee7;e7 of the ,consolidated ,farm and ,rural ,development ,act 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bjjc7;e7772 7#d7 soil carbon experts2 7#e7 nonprofit organizations2 7#f7 academic researchers2 7#g7 private companies with expertise in soil carbon sequestration or in atmospheric carbon1 methane1 and nitrous oxide monitoring for agricultural operations2 and 7#h7 other stakeholders1 including the heads of other appropriate ,federal agencies or non-,federal entities1 who reflect the operational1 geographic1 and socioeconomic diversity of ,united ,states agricultural operations4 7c7 ,requirements ,the modeling tool or tools described in subsection 7a7 shall-- 7#a7 be anchored in direct measurements of land1 including soil sampling1 such as under the program established under section #abdj,n of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe and the programs described in section #c7;b77#c72 7#b7 account for differences that could impact land management outcomes1 including-- 7,a7 soil type2 7,b7 type of land use2 7,c7 type of crop2 7,d7 geography and local long-term weather patterns2 7,e7 geographic size of the land-use operation2 7,f7 ongoing or existing conservation activities2 and 7,g7 such other items as the ,secretary determines to be appropriate2 7#c7 allow a user of the tool to estimate the changes in atmospheric carbon1 methane1 and nitrous oxide or soil carbon sequestration1 and the uncertainty of those estimated changes1 that occur as a result of implementing #a or more conservation activities2 and 7#d7 be user-friendly and accessible-- 7,a7 to producers and researchers2 and 7,b7 in multiple languages4 7d7 ,reviews and updates 7#a7 ,reviews ,not less frequently than annually1 the modeling tool or tools described in subsection 7a7 shall be reviewed to determine if an update is required to reflect the best available data and science4 7#b7 ,updates ,if it is determined that an update is required under paragraph 7#a71 the update shall be made not later than #a year after the date of that determination4 7e7 ,partners 7#a7 ,in general ,in analyzing data1 conducting research1 and developing and maintaining the modeling tool or tools under subsection 7a71 the ,secretary may partner with-- 7,a7 an ,institution described in paragraph 7#b72 7,b7 an institution of higher education with expertise in predictive modeling1 large-scale data collection1 soil carbon research1 or agricultural conservation management2 or 7,c7 a ,federal research center4 7#b7 ,institutions described ,an ,institution referred to in paragraph 7#a77;,a7 is any of the following3 7,a7 ,an #ahfb ,institution 7as defined in section #b of the ,agricultural ,research1 ,extension1 and ,education ,reform ,act of #aiih 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #gfja774 7,b7 ,an #ahij ,institution 7as defined in that section74 7,c7 ,a #aiid ,institution 7as defined in section #ecb of the ,equity in ,educational ,land-,grant ,status ,act of #aiid 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #cja note2 ,public ,law #ajc-chb774 7f7 ,reporting ,not later than #b years after the date of enactment of this ,act1 and annually thereafter1 the ,secretary shall submit to ,congress a report that-- 7#a7 describes the progress of the ,secretary in developing the modeling tool or tools under subsection 7a72 7#b7 contains an assessment of the accuracy with which a user will be able to use the tool to determine the permanence and additionality of atmospheric carbon1 methane1 and nitrous oxide reduced or carbon sequestered2 7#c7 describes the models and survey and analysis information that the ,secretary has developed or collected1 or intends to develop or collect1 as applicable1 for purposes of developing or maintaining the tool2 7#d7 describes-- 7,a7 whether it was determined that an update was required under subsection 7d77#a72 and 7,b7 if an update was required1 the specifics of the update2 and 7#e7 includes any other information that1 as determined by the ,secretary1 is relevant to-- 7,a7 the efficacy of the tool2 7,b7 the intended applications of the tool2 or 7,c7 the determination of-- 7i7 changes in atmospheric carbon1 methane1 and nitrous oxide or soil carbon sequestration associated with producer land-use practices2 or 7ii7 7,i7 estimates of the impacts of land use practices1 including conservation activities1 on atmospheric carbon1 methane1 and nitrous oxide and soil carbon sequestration2 and 7,,ii7 the measurement error of the tool4 7g7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section #ejj1jjj for each fiscal year4