This bill updates the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) to give farmers and ranchers more flexibility in emergencies, support grazing infrastructure, and strengthen wildlife habitat rules. It also lowers the cap on CRP rental payments. Together, these changes aim to help producers respond to droughts and disasters while protecting habitat and grass cover for wildlife.

Key points

• Who is affected: Farmers and landowners with CRP contracts; ranchers who graze on CRP land; communities facing drought, floods, or wildfires; wildlife that depend on nesting cover.
• Emergency haying and grazing: Allows emergency haying during the last two weeks of the primary nesting season and outside that season, on up to 50% of the enrolled acres, when certain triggers are met (for example, D2 or worse drought, a 40% forage loss, or a disaster call by USDA and the state technical committee). Haying or grazing is not allowed if it would cause long‑term damage to wildlife cover.
• Wildlife habitat enrollment: Expands continuous enrollment for State Acres for Wildlife Enhancement (SAFE) practices to support habitat projects.
• Help paying for grazing infrastructure: Offers cost‑share payments for fencing and water systems (like water lines, wells, and tanks) when grazing is part of the CRP conservation plan and addresses a resource concern. Land with this cost‑shared infrastructure can be counted as “planted” and is eligible to re‑enroll when the contract ends.
• Mid‑contract management: Provides cost‑share for management activities during the contract, except those related to haying or grazing.
• Payment cap: Lowers the annual limit on CRP rental payments from $50,000 to $25,000. This mainly affects larger participants.