H.R. 4865

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4865 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>

119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 4865

To require the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct research relating to 
measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification of soil carbon 
sequestration, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

August 1, 2025

Mr. Sorensen (for himself and Mr. Lawler) introduced the following 
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To require the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct research relating to 
measurement, monitoring, reporting, and verification of soil carbon 
sequestration, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Advancing Research on Agricultural 
Soil Health Act of 2025''.

SEC. 2. STANDARD SOIL CARBON MEASUREMENT METHODOLOGY.

(a) Methodology.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 270 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Agriculture (in this 
Act referred to as the ``Secretary'') shall develop a 
standardized methodology to directly measure soil carbon for 
research and conservation purposes.
(2) Review.--In developing the methodology under paragraph 
(1), the Secretary shall conduct a review of widely used 
existing methodologies for direct soil carbon measurement.
(3) Consultation.--In developing the methodology under 
paragraph (1) and conducting the review under paragraph (2), 
the Secretary shall consult with--
(A) agricultural producers, including socially 
disadvantaged farmers and ranchers (as defined in 
section 355(e) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural 
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 2003(e)));
(B) soil carbon experts;
(C) nonprofit organizations;
(D) academic researchers; and
(E) other stakeholders who reflect the operational, 
geographic, and socioeconomic diversity of United 
States agricultural operations.
(4) Requirements.--The methodology developed under 
paragraph (1) shall, to the maximum extent practicable--
(A) be usable at any location at which soil carbon 
can be directly measured;
(B) require measurement to a standard soil depth 
appropriate for the sample site, determined using the 
best available science;
(C) measure the soil organic carbon concentration 
and any other soil health variables, as determined by 
the Secretary in consultation with stakeholders 
described in paragraph (3), to produce a standard set 
of reporting metrics;
(D) produce data that is interoperable with other 
data collected by the Department of Agriculture;
(E) account for calibration differences in soil 
analysis between testing facilities;
(F) account for differences in uncertainty between 
different measurement tools; and
(G) be usable for voluntary reporting of soil 
carbon data under subsection (b).
(b) Voluntary Soil Carbon Reporting.--
(1) Technical assistance.--
(A) In general.--The Secretary, acting through the 
Chief of the Natural Resources Conservation Service, 
shall provide to producers described in paragraph (2) 
technical assistance, including guidance, for 
voluntarily measuring, monitoring, and reporting to the 
Secretary soil carbon data using the methodology 
developed under subsection (a).
(B) Guidance.--Guidance provided under subparagraph 
(A) shall be, at a minimum--
(i) available in multiple languages; and
(ii) available to producers described in 
paragraph (2) in both digital and analog 
formats.
(2) Applicability.--The guidance developed under paragraph 
(1) shall be applicable to--
(A) producers that are recipients of grants under 
programs described in paragraph (3) to voluntarily 
measure, monitor, and report to the Secretary soil 
carbon outcomes under those programs; and
(B) any other producer that elects to voluntarily 
report to the Secretary direct measurements of soil 
carbon.
(3) Programs described.--The programs referred to in 
paragraph (2)(A) include--
(A) conservation innovation grants under section 
1240H of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3839aa-8);
(B) the sustainable agriculture research and 
education program under subtitle B of title XVI of the 
Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990 
(7 U.S.C. 5801 et seq.);
(C) the organic agriculture research and extension 
initiative established under section 1672B of that Act 
(7 U.S.C. 5925b);
(D) grants under the Agriculture and Food Research 
Initiative under section 2(b) of the Competitive, 
Special, and Facilities Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C. 
3157(b)); and
(E) such other programs as the Secretary determines 
to be appropriate.
(c) Updates.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall update the methodology 
developed under subsection (a)(1) and the guidance issued under 
subsection (b)(1)(B) as needed to reflect the best-available 
science.
(2) Interoperability.--In making any updates under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall ensure that information 
collected with the updated methodology remains interoperable 
with previously collected measurements.
(d) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $2,000,000 for each fiscal year.

SEC. 3. DEVELOPMENT OF NEW MEASUREMENT TOOLS UNDER AFRI.

Subsection (b)(2)(D) of the Competitive, Special, and Facilities 
Research Grant Act (7 U.S.C. 3157(b)(2)(D)) is amended--
(1) in clause (vii), by striking ``and'' at the end;
(2) in clause (viii), by striking the period at the end and 
inserting ``; and''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(ix) measuring, monitoring, reporting, 
and verifying soil carbon sequestration and 
emissions.''.

SEC. 4. SOIL HEALTH AND CARBON DEMONSTRATION TRIALS.

(a) On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials.--Section 1240H(c) of 
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-8(c)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)(B)(i), by striking subclause (III) and 
inserting the following:
``(III) soil health management 
systems, including--
``(aa) systems to maintain 
or increase soil carbon levels; 
and
``(bb) cost-effective tools 
to measure, monitor, report, 
and verify greenhouse gas 
emissions and carbon 
sequestration;''; and
(2) in paragraph (3)(D), by striking ``3 years'' each place 
it appears and inserting ``5 years''.
(b) Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Program.--
Section 1621(e) of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act 
of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 5811(e)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``The Secretary'' and inserting the 
following:
``(1) In general.--The Secretary''; and
(2) by adding at the end the following:
``(2) Soil carbon sequestration demonstration projects.--In 
carrying out this section, the Secretary shall conduct on-farm 
demonstration projects for soil carbon sequestration.''.

SEC. 5. SOIL CARBON INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS NETWORK.

Chapter 5 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 
1985 is amended by inserting after section 1240M (16 U.S.C. 3839bb) the 
following:

``SEC. 1240N. SOIL CARBON INVENTORY AND ANALYSIS NETWORK.

``(a) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Conservation activities.--The term `conservation 
activities' has the meaning given the term in section 1240I.
``(2) Eligible land.--The term `eligible land' means public 
and private cropland, rangeland, pastureland, and wetlands in 
the United States.
``(3) Program.--The term `program' means the program 
established under subsection (b)(1).
``(4) Regional resource area.--The term `regional resource 
area' means a contiguous area of eligible land that has similar 
resource characteristics.
``(5) Resource characteristics.--The term `resource 
characteristics' means--
``(A) geographic, long-term weather pattern, 
natural resource, and soil type characteristics; and
``(B) any other characteristics that the Secretary 
determines to be appropriate for the purpose of 
carrying out the program.
``(6) Secretary.--The term `Secretary' means the Secretary, 
acting jointly through the Chief of the Natural Resources 
Conservation Service and the Administrator of the Agricultural 
Research Service.
``(b) Establishment.--
``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish a program 
to inventory, monitor, and analyze soil carbon changes on 
eligible land in the United States.
``(2) Purposes.--The purposes of the program are--
``(A) to analyze soil properties, including soil 
organic carbon, across space, time, and depth;
``(B) to analyze the impacts of land management 
strategies, including conservation activities, on soil 
carbon sequestration; and
``(C) to inform any tools of the Secretary designed 
to predict the impacts of different land management 
practices, including implementing conservation 
activities, on soil carbon and associated environmental 
outcomes, such as resilience to extreme weather, 
reduced farm inputs, or other environment impacts, as 
determined by the Secretary, across the United States.
``(3) Consultation.--In carrying out the program, the 
Secretary shall consult with the Director of the National 
Institute of Food and Agriculture, the Chief of the Forest 
Service, the Chief Data Officer, the Administrator of the 
Environmental Protection Agency, the Secretary of Energy, and 
the head of any other department or agency that the Secretary 
determines to be appropriate.
``(c) Sampling.--
``(1) Sample sites.--The Secretary shall select sample 
sites under the program by taking into consideration--
``(A) the accessibility of sites;
``(B) the ease of collecting repeated measurements 
over time; and
``(C) such other factors as the Secretary 
determines to be appropriate.
``(2) Preference.--In selecting sample sites under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall give preference to sites 
that have been used for soil testing previously.
``(3) Number of sample sites.--The Secretary shall select 
sufficient sample sites under paragraph (1) to analyze changes 
in soil carbon across regional resource areas, as determined by 
the Secretary, over time, taking into account the geographical 
size and heterogeneity of each regional resource area.
``(d) Soil Carbon Inventory.--
``(1) In general.--Every 5 years, the Secretary shall 
prepare an inventory of soil carbon stocks on eligible land, 
under which the Secretary shall collect measurements at each 
sample site selected under subsection (c).
``(2) Methodology.--The Secretary shall ensure that the 
methodology developed under section 3(a) of the Advancing 
Research on Agricultural Soil Health Act of 2025 is used for 
purposes of conducting measurements at each sample site under 
the program.
``(3) 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 (c) 
for each inventory under paragraph (1).
``(4) Characteristics.--In preparing the inventory under 
paragraph (1), the Secretary shall document the following 
characteristics for each sample site selected under subsection 
(c):
``(A) Soil type and texture.
``(B) Land use history, including conservation 
activities.
``(C) Environmental characteristics, such as 
temperature and precipitation.
``(D) Other characteristics, as determined by the 
Secretary.
``(e) Individual Protections.--
``(1) Protection of private property rights.--Before 
selecting a sample site under subsection (c) or conducting any 
measurement under subsection (d)(1), the Secretary shall obtain 
authorization from the owner of the eligible land.
``(2) Voluntariness requirement.--The Secretary may not 
require authorization under paragraph (1) or any other 
participation in any activity under this section as a condition 
on receipt of any benefit under a program administered by the 
Secretary.
``(3) Data privacy protection.--In carrying out the 
program, the Secretary shall ensure that data is collected and 
analyzed while respecting relevant privacy safeguards and does 
not include any identifiable, proprietary, or personal 
information of individual land owners or operators.
``(f) Soil Characteristics Inventory.--
``(1) In general.--Survey and analysis information 
collected under the program shall be maintained in a soil 
characteristics inventory operated by the Secretary.
``(2) Partnerships.--The inventory described in paragraph 
(1) may be operated in partnership with 1 or more of the 
following entities, if the entity complies with paragraph (4):
``(A) An 1862 Institution (as defined in section 2 
of the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education 
Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7601)).
``(B) An 1890 Institution (as defined in that 
section).
``(C) A 1994 Institution (as defined in section 532 
of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 
1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note; Public Law 103-382)).
``(D) Institutions of higher education with 
expertise in predictive modeling, large-scale data 
collection, soil carbon research, or agricultural 
conservation management practices.
``(E) Federal research centers.
``(3) Applications.--An entity described in any of 
subparagraphs (A) through (E) of paragraph (2) seeking to enter 
into a partnership to manage the inventory described in 
paragraph (1) shall submit to the Secretary an application at 
such time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
the Secretary may require.
``(4) Requirements.--The inventory described in paragraph 
(1) shall--
``(A) use the industry standard protocols to 
protect identifiable, proprietary, or personal 
information of individual land owners or operators;
``(B) ensure that individual producer information 
is not sold through the inventory; and
``(C) comply with all applicable privacy 
requirements, including--
``(i) section 1770 of the Food Security Act 
of 1985 (7 U.S.C. 2276);
``(ii) section 1619 of the Food, 
Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 
8791);
``(iii) section 502(c) of the Federal Crop 
Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1502(c)); and
``(iv) section 552 of title 5, United 
States Code.
``(5) Limited release of information.--The Secretary may 
release or disclose information maintained in the inventory 
described in paragraph (1) pursuant to section 1619(b)(3)(A)(i) 
of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 
8791(b)(3)(A)(i)) to researchers for the purposes of 
statistically analyzing the information.
``(g) Public Availability.--On completion of each inventory under 
subsection (d)(1), the Secretary shall make publicly available--
``(1) the statistical or aggregated form of data collected 
from measurements under that subsection;
``(2) information regarding the methodology used to collect 
that data; and
``(3) any analysis made of the measurements described in 
paragraph (1).
``(h) Reports.--On completion of each inventory under subsection 
(d)(1), the Secretary shall prepare, publish, and make available to the 
public a report that--
``(1) contains a description of soil carbon trends, 
including by incorporating measurements conducted under 
subsection (d) during the 5 years covered by the report;
``(2) contains an analysis of the impact of different land 
management practices, including implementing 1 or more 
conservation activities, on soil carbon levels;
``(3) contains an analysis of the effect of short- and 
long-term weather variability on the observed trends;
``(4) contains an analysis of how land management 
practices, including conservation activities, that influence 
soil carbon sequestration may affect the rate of increase in 
atmospheric carbon and other gases in the agricultural sector, 
including methane and nitrous oxide; and
``(5) establishes a benchmark for the baseline soil carbon 
absent additional conservation activities.
``(i) Strategic Plan.--Not later than 1 year after the date of 
enactment of the Advancing Research on Agricultural Soil Health Act of 
2025, the Secretary shall prepare and submit to Congress a strategic 
plan to implement and carry out this section, which shall describe in 
detail--
``(1) the organization and procedures necessary to 
implement and carry out this section; and
``(2) the plan for measurements in each regional resource 
area under subsection (d)(1) for the first 5-year interval, 
including the schedule and the number of samples collected from 
each sample site selected under subsection (c).
``(j) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $17,500,000 for each fiscal 
year.''.

SEC. 6. PREDICTIVE MODELS.

(a) In General.--The Secretary shall develop and maintain a 
modeling tool (or combination of tools) that shall predict the impacts 
of different land management practices, including implementing 
conservation activities, on atmospheric carbon, methane, and nitrous 
oxide and soil carbon sequestration across the United States.
(b) Consultation.--In developing the modeling tool or tools under 
subsection (a), the Secretary shall consult with--
(1) the Secretary of Energy;
(2) the Administrator of the Environmental Protection 
Agency;
(3) agricultural producers, including socially 
disadvantaged farmers and ranchers (as defined in section 
355(e) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7 
U.S.C. 2003(e)));
(4) soil carbon experts;
(5) nonprofit organizations;
(6) academic researchers;
(7) private companies with expertise in soil carbon 
sequestration or in atmospheric carbon, methane, and nitrous 
oxide monitoring for agricultural operations; and
(8) other stakeholders, including the heads of other 
appropriate Federal agencies or non-Federal entities, who 
reflect the operational, geographic, and socioeconomic 
diversity of United States agricultural operations.
(c) Requirements.--The modeling tool or tools described in 
subsection (a) shall--
(1) be anchored in direct measurements of land, including 
soil sampling, such as under the program established under 
section 1240N of the Food Security Act of 1985 and the programs 
described in section 3(b)(3);
(2) account for differences that could impact land 
management outcomes, including--
(A) soil type;
(B) type of land use;
(C) type of crop;
(D) geography and local long-term weather patterns;
(E) geographic size of the land-use operation;
(F) ongoing or existing conservation activities; 
and
(G) such other items as the Secretary determines to 
be appropriate;
(3) allow a user of the tool to estimate the changes in 
atmospheric carbon, methane, and nitrous oxide or soil carbon 
sequestration, and the uncertainty of those estimated changes, 
that occur as a result of implementing 1 or more conservation 
activities; and
(4) be user-friendly and accessible--
(A) to producers and researchers; and
(B) in multiple languages.
(d) Reviews and Updates.--
(1) Reviews.--Not less frequently than annually, the 
modeling tool or tools described in subsection (a) shall be 
reviewed to determine if an update is required to reflect the 
best available data and science.
(2) Updates.--If it is determined that an update is 
required under paragraph (1), the update shall be made not 
later than 1 year after the date of that determination.
(e) Partners.--
(1) In general.--In analyzing data, conducting research, 
and developing and maintaining the modeling tool or tools under 
subsection (a), the Secretary may partner with--
(A) an Institution described in paragraph (2);
(B) an institution of higher education with 
expertise in predictive modeling, large-scale data 
collection, soil carbon research, or agricultural 
conservation management; or
(C) a Federal research center.
(2) Institutions described.--An Institution referred to in 
paragraph (1)(A) is any of the following:
(A) An 1862 Institution (as defined in section 2 of 
the Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education 
Reform Act of 1998 (7 U.S.C. 7601)).
(B) An 1890 Institution (as defined in that 
section).
(C) A 1994 Institution (as defined in section 532 
of the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act of 
1994 (7 U.S.C. 301 note; Public Law 103-382)).
(f) Reporting.--Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment 
of this Act, and annually thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to 
Congress a report that--
(1) describes the progress of the Secretary in developing 
the modeling tool or tools under subsection (a);
(2) 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 carbon, methane, and nitrous 
oxide reduced or carbon sequestered;
(3) describes the models and survey and analysis 
information that the Secretary has developed or collected, or 
intends to develop or collect, as applicable, for purposes of 
developing or maintaining the tool;
(4) describes--
(A) whether it was determined that an update was 
required under subsection (d)(1); and
(B) if an update was required, the specifics of the 
update; and
(5) includes any other information that, as determined by 
the Secretary, is relevant to--
(A) the efficacy of the tool;
(B) the intended applications of the tool; or
(C) the determination of--
(i) changes in atmospheric carbon, methane, 
and nitrous oxide or soil carbon sequestration 
associated with producer land-use practices; or
(ii)(I) estimates of the impacts of land 
use practices, including conservation 
activities, on atmospheric carbon, methane, and 
nitrous oxide and soil carbon sequestration; 
and
(II) the measurement error of the tool.
(g) Authorization of Appropriations.--There is authorized to be 
appropriated to carry out this section $500,000 for each fiscal year.
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