S. 1729

119 S1729 IS: Streamlining Conservation Practice Standards Act of 2025
 U.S. Senate
 2025-05-13
 text/xml
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 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
  II
  119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
  S. 1729
  IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
  May 13, 2025
  Ms. Ernst  (for herself,  Mr. Heinrich ,  Mr.
  Marshall , and  Mr. Durbin )
  introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
  Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and
  Forestry
  A BILL
To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to streamline conservation practice
  standards, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Streamlining Conservation Practice Standards Act of 2025  .
2.
Conservation innovation grants and payments
Section 1240H of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3939aa–8 ) is amended—
(1)
in subsection (a)(1)—
(A)
by striking  pay the cost of  and inserting  award ;
(B)
by inserting  the development and evaluation of new and  before  innovative approaches ; and
(C)
by inserting  , including for the purpose of incorporating innovation and new technologies into existing conservation practice standards or establishing new conservation practice standards  before the period at the end; and
(2)
in subsection (d)(2)(A)—
(A)
in clause (i)—
(i)
by striking  practices  and inserting  practices, including both management and structural practices, ; and
(ii)
by striking  and  at the end;
(B)
by redesignating clause (ii) as clause (iii);
(C)
by inserting after clause (i) the following:
(ii)
evaluation data for new and emerging technology and recommendations for State and regional applications; and
  ; and
(D)
in clause (iii) (as so redesignated), by striking  practices.  and inserting  practices for consideration through the process established under section 1242(h)(3). .
3.
Conservation standards and requirements
Section 1241(j)(1) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3841(j)(1) ) is amended—
(1)
in subparagraph (B), by striking  and  at the end;
(2)
in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end and inserting  ; and ; and
(3)
by adding at the end the following:
(D)
a schedule for the revision of existing, and establishment of new, conservation practice standards under section 1242(h).
  .
4.
Establishment and review of conservation practice standards
Section 1242(h) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3842(h) ) is amended—
(1)
in the subsection heading, by inserting
Establishment and   before
Review  ;
(2)
in paragraph (1)—
(A)
in subparagraph (A)—
(i)
by striking  not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018  and inserting  not less frequently than once every 5 years ;
(ii)
by inserting  on a rolling basis,  after  standard, ; and
(iii)
by striking  that Act  and inserting  the  Streamlining Conservation Practice Standards Act of 2025  ;
(B)
in subparagraph (C), by striking  and  at the end;
(C)
in subparagraph (D), by striking  ensures equivalent natural resource benefits.  and inserting  integrates new and innovative technologies providing equivalent or improved natural resources benefits compared to the current conservation practice standard; ; and
(D)
by adding at the end the following:
(E)
provide an opportunity for public input on each conservation practice standard under review;
(F)
publicly post a summary of comments received under subparagraph (E) and decisions made or not made due to those comments; and
(G)
publish each revised conservation practice standard.
  ;
(3)
by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:
(3)
Establishment of conservation practice standards
(A)
In general
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the  Streamlining Conservation Practice Standards Act of 2025 , the Secretary shall—
(i)
develop, for the programs under this title, a streamlined, publicly accessible, administrative process for establishing, including proposing, reviewing, and adopting, interim conservation practice standards and conservation practice standards; and
(ii)
publish a detailed description of the process developed under clause (i), including—
(I)
specific thresholds appropriate for expedited review; and
(II)
an associated timeline for the implementation of the review.
(B)
Requirements
Under the process established under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall—
(i)
consider conservation innovations and scientific and technological advancements, including from projects developed under section 1240H;
(ii)
allow State and local flexibility in the creation of—
(I)
interim conservation practice standards and supplements to existing conservation practice standards to address the considerations described in clause (i); and
(II)
partnership-led proposals for new and innovative techniques to facilitate implementing agreements and grants under this title;
(iii)
solicit regular input from State technical committees established under section 1261(a) for recommendations that identify innovations or advancements described in clause (i); and
(iv)
allow for public submission of conservation practices for consideration as interim conservation practice standards.
(C)
Innovative technology priority
The Secretary shall prioritize the review of interim conservation practice standards and new conservation practice standards under the process established under subparagraph (A) for the purpose of integrating innovative technologies, including—
(i)
precision agriculture technologies;
(ii)
biological sources of fertilizer, nutrient use efficiency technologies, and other tools, as determined by the Secretary, that reduce nutrient loss;
(iii)
animal feed additives;
(iv)
perennial production systems, including agroforestry and perennial forages and grain crops; and
(v)
any other innovative technology, as determined by the Secretary.
(D)
Public information
Under the process established under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall make publicly available information describing—
(i)
what constitutes—
(I)
a conservation practice standard; and
(II)
an interim conservation practice standard;
(ii)
the process by which the public can submit to the Secretary conservation practices for consideration as interim conservation practice standards, including a template and written instructions for how to submit a conservation practice for consideration;
(iii)
the data, metrics, third-party or scientific information, and other relevant information that the Secretary needs to consider in the establishment of interim conservation practice standards;
(iv)
the process by which an interim conservation practice standard becomes a conservation practice standard;
(v)
the means by which the public can engage State technical committees established under section 1261(a) to consider interim conservation practice standards already in effect in other States; and
(vi)
such other information as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.
  ; and
(4)
in paragraph (4)—
(A)
in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)—
(i)
by striking  Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018  and inserting   Streamlining Conservation Practice Standards Act of 2025  ; and
(ii)
by striking  Congress a report on—  and inserting  Congress and make publicly available on a website of the Department of Agriculture a report describing— ;
(B)
in subparagraph (A), by inserting  a detailed description of  before  the administrative ;
(C)
in subparagraph (B)—
(i)
by striking  or revised ; and
(ii)
by striking  and  at the end;
(D)
in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end and inserting  ; and ; and
(E)
by adding at the end the following:
(D)
such other information as the Secretary determines to be appropriate with respect to improving the process for reviewing and establishing conservation practice standards.
  .