16 U.S.C. § 3839aa: Conservation innovation grants and payments

Out of the funds made available to carry out this subpart, the Secretary may pay the cost of competitive grants that are intended to stimulate innovative approaches to leveraging the Federal investment in environmental enhancement and protection, in conjunction with agricultural production or forest resource management, through the program. involve producers who are eligible for payments or technical assistance under the program or community colleges (as defined in section 3319e(a) of title 7 ) carrying out demonstration projects on land of the community college; leverage Federal funds made available to carry out the program under this subpart with matching funds provided by State and local governments and private organizations to promote environmental enhancement and protection in conjunction with agricultural production; ensure efficient and effective transfer of innovative technologies and approaches demonstrated through projects that receive funding under this section, such as market systems for pollution reduction and practices for the storage of carbon in soil; provide environmental and resource conservation benefits through increased participation by producers of specialty crops; partner with farmers to develop innovative practices for urban, indoor, or other emerging agricultural operations; to quantify the impacts of practices implemented under the program; and to assist producers in making the best conservation investments for the operations of the producers; facilitate on-farm conservation research and demonstration activities; and facilitate pilot testing of new technologies or innovative conservation practices. The Secretary shall provide payments under this subsection to producers to implement practices to address air quality concerns from agricultural operations and to meet Federal, State, and local regulatory requirements. The funds shall be made available on the basis of air quality concerns in a State and shall be used to provide payments to producers that are cost effective and reflect innovative technologies. Of the funds made available to carry out this subpart, the Secretary shall carry out this subsection using $37,500,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2031. a third-party private entity the primary business of which is related to agriculture; a nongovernmental organization with experience working with agricultural producers; or a governmental organization. precision agriculture technologies; enhanced nutrient management plans, nutrient recovery systems, and fertilization systems; soil health management systems, including systems to increase soil carbon levels; water management systems; resource-conserving crop rotations (as defined in section 3839aa–24(d)(1) of this title ); cover crops; and irrigation systems; and any other conservation approach approved by the Secretary as new or innovative. directly with producers; or through eligible entities. In carrying out paragraph (2), the Secretary shall enter into agreements with producers (either directly or through eligible entities) on whose land an on-farm conservation innovation trial is being carried out to provide payments (including payments to compensate for foregone income, as appropriate to address the increased economic risk potentially associated with new or innovative conservation approaches) to the producers to assist with adopting and evaluating new or innovative conservation approaches to achieve conservation benefits. apply to producers receiving payments under this subsection; and be enforced by the Secretary. An eligible entity participating in an on-farm conservation innovation trial under this subsection shall report annually to the Secretary on the amount of payments made to individual farm operations under this subsection. None of the funds made available to carry out this subsection may be used to pay for the administrative expenses of an eligible entity. not less than 3 years; and adaptive management over multiple crop years; and adequate data collection and analysis by a producer or eligible entity to report the natural resource and agricultural production benefits of the new or innovative conservation approaches to the Secretary. The scale of adoption of a new or innovative conservation approach under an on-farm conservation innovation trial under an agreement under paragraph (2) may include multiple scales on an operation, including whole farm, field-level, or sub-field scales. to each producer or eligible entity participating in an on-farm conservation innovation trial under paragraph (2) with respect to the design, installation, and management of the new or innovative conservation approaches; and to each eligible entity participating in an on-farm conservation innovation trial under paragraph (2) with respect to data analyses of the on-farm conservation innovation trial. The Secretary shall identify a diversity of geographic regions of the United States in which to establish on-farm conservation innovation trials under paragraph (2), taking into account factors such as soil type, cropping history, and water availability. improve soil health; increase carbon levels in the soil; or meet the goals described in clauses (i) and (ii); to establish protocols for measuring carbon levels in the soil and testing carbon levels on land where conservation practices described in subparagraph (A) were applied to evaluate gains in soil health as a result of the practices implemented by the producers in the soil health demonstration trial; and not later than September 30, 2020 , to initiate a study regarding changes in soil health and, if feasible, economic outcomes, generated as a result of the conservation practices described in subparagraph (A) that were applied by producers through the soil health demonstration trial; and to submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate annual reports on the progress and results of the study under clause (i). funding awarded; results of the activities, including, if feasible, economic outcomes; incorporation of findings from the activities, such as new technology and innovative approaches, into the conservation efforts implemented by the Secretary; and on completion of the study required under subsection (c)(7)(C), the findings of the study. a compilation and analysis of effective conservation practices for soil health, nutrient management, and source water protection in varying soil compositions, cropping systems, slopes, and landscapes; and a list of recommended new and effective conservation practices. Information provided under subparagraph (A) shall be transformed into a statistical or aggregate form so as to not include any identifiable or personal information of individual producers.