H.R. 6388

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6388 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 6388

To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to modernize the conservation 
reserve program, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

December 3, 2025

Mr. Finstad introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Agriculture

_______________________________________________________________________

A BILL

To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to modernize the conservation 
reserve program, 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 ``Conservation Reserve Program 
Modernization Act''.

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

Subchapter B of chapter 1 of title XII of the Food Security Act of 
1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831 et seq.) is amended by inserting before section 
1231 the following:

``SEC. 1230. DEFINITIONS.

``In this subchapter:
``(1) Conservation buffer.--The term `conservation buffer' 
means a practice that, once established, provides a benefit to 
water quality or another resource concern, including--
``(A) a grass sod waterway;
``(B) a contour grass sod strip;
``(C) a prairie strip;
``(D) a filterstrip;
``(E) a field border;
``(F) a living snow fence;
``(G) a riparian buffer;
``(H) a shelterbelt or windbreak;
``(I) a wetland or a wetland buffer (including a 
buffer for prairie potholes, a playa, or a pocosin);
``(J) a saturated buffer;
``(K) a bioreactor;
``(L) a wellhead protection area; and
``(M) other similar practices, as determined by the 
Secretary.
``(2) Eligible land.--The term `eligible land' means land 
that is authorized to be included in the conservation reserve 
program under section 1231(b).
``(3) Eligible partner.--The term `eligible partner' 
means--
``(A) a State;
``(B) a political subdivision of a State;
``(C) an Indian Tribe; or
``(D) a nongovernmental organization.
``(4) Land capability class.--The term `land capability 
class' means a soil classification assigned using the land 
capability classification system in effect on December 23, 
1985.''.

SEC. 3. ELIGIBLE LAND.

Section 1231(b) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
3831(b)) is amended to read as follows:
``(b) Eligible Land.--The Secretary may include in the conservation 
reserve program the following:
``(1) Cropland that--
``(A)(i) on a field level, consists of not less 
than 85 percent soils with a dryland cropland land 
capability class of III through VII; or
``(ii) cannot be farmed in accordance with a plan 
that complies with the requirements of subtitle B; and
``(B) the Secretary determines had a cropping 
history or was considered to be planted for not fewer 
than 4 of the 6 years preceding the date of enactment 
of the Conservation Reserve Program Modernization Act.
``(2) Cropland (including prairie potholes, playas, and 
pocosins within cropland), grasslands, and marginal pasture 
land (including marginal pastureland converted to wetland or 
established as wildlife habitat) to be--
``(A) devoted to conservation buffers;
``(B) established to ecologically appropriate 
vegetation, including trees, in or near riparian areas, 
intermittent, seasonal, or perennial streams, wetlands 
(including prairie potholes, playas, and pocosins), or 
saline-impaired soils; or
``(C) devoted to similar water quality or wildlife 
habitat practices.
``(3) Grasslands that--
``(A) contain forbs or shrubland (including 
improved rangeland and pastureland) for which grazing 
is the predominant use;
``(B) are located in an area historically dominated 
by grasslands; and
``(C) 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 
condition.
``(4) Land described in paragraph (1), (2), or (3) that 
will address significant water quality, water conservation, and 
wildlife habitat concerns, as proposed by an eligible partner 
and agreed to by the Secretary for purposes of section 1231A.
``(5) The portion of land in a field not enrolled in the 
conservation reserve in a case in which--
``(A) more than 50 percent of the land in the field 
is enrolled as a buffer or filterstrip, or more than 75 
percent of the land in the field is enrolled as a 
conservation practice other than as a buffer or 
filterstrip; and
``(B) the Secretary determines that the remainder 
of the field is infeasible to farm.''.

SEC. 4. PAYMENTS.

(a) Cost Sharing Payments.--Section 1234(b)(1) of the Food Security 
Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3834(b)(1)) is amended to read as follows:
``(1) In general.--In making cost-sharing payments to an 
owner or operator under a contract entered into under this 
subchapter, the Secretary shall pay 50 percent of the cost of, 
as the Secretary determines appropriate and in the public 
interest--
``(A) establishing permanent vegetation, including 
site preparation, cover, fertilizer, seeding, and 
planting;
``(B) carrying out erosion control practices 
necessary to stabilize the site for vegetation 
established under subparagraph (A);
``(C) installing fencing to protect riparian areas 
and buffers;
``(D) carrying out water development practices 
associated with excluding livestock from protected 
riparian areas;
``(E) installing fencing and carrying out water 
development practices to facilitate transition to 
livestock grazing on lands enrolled under the 
grasslands enrollment option;
``(F) conducting the necessary and appropriate mid-
contract management activities to maintain the 
permanent cover and associated benefits; and
``(G) carrying out other water quality conservation 
measures and practices.''.
(b) Annual Rental Payments.--
(1) Multiple enrollments.--Section 1234(d)(2)(B) of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3834(d)(2)(B)) is amended 
to read as follows:
``(B) Multiple enrollments.--
``(i) In general.--Notwithstanding 
subparagraph (A), if land subject to a contract 
entered into under this subchapter is 
reenrolled pursuant to section 1231(h), 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 
(as determined under paragraph (4)(E)).
``(ii) Applicable percentage.--For purposes 
of clause (i), the applicable percentage shall 
be--
``(I) for the first reenrollment 
that occurs after the date of enactment 
the Conservation Reserve Program 
Modernization Act, 85 percent; and
``(II) for each subsequent 
reenrollment, the percentage that is 10 
percentage points less than the 
percentage that was applicable to the 
preceding reenrollment.''.
(2) Rental rate limitation.--Section 1234(d)(4)(E) of the 
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3834(d)(4)(E)) is amended 
to read as follows:
``(E) Rental rate limitation.--The county average 
soil rental rate (before any adjustments relating to 
specific practices, wellhead protection, or soil 
productivity) shall not exceed--
``(i) 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 program, 85 percent of the 
estimated rental rate determined under this 
paragraph;
``(ii) 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 program, 100 percent of the 
estimated rental rate determined under this 
paragraph;
``(iii) 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 program, 115 
percent of the estimated rental rate determined 
under this paragraph; and
``(iv) for eligible land enrolled under the 
continuous enrollment option, 100 percent of 
the estimated rental rate determined under this 
paragraph, without regard to the land 
capability class of the soil.''.
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