Sponsors (18)
The bill directs multi-year federal funding to conserve working forests and protect water and habitat—benefiting rural landowners and downstream communities—while increasing federal spending, limiting some land-use flexibility, potentially diverting other USDA resources, and favoring landowners with capacity to participate.
Rural landowners and communities receive predictable federal payments (about $100M/year) to enroll forest land in a new Forest Conservation Easement Program, providing direct income to owners and financial support for keeping lands as working forests.
Downstream communities and local environments benefit from increased forest conservation that can improve water quality, reduce erosion, and protect habitat and recreation opportunities.
Holders of pre-enactment Healthy Forests Reserve Program contracts keep their existing payments and terms, and the bill authorizes use of Commodity Credit Corporation funds to continue those payments, avoiding sudden income loss for current participants.
All taxpayers collectively fund approximately $500 million over five years for the program, increasing federal spending obligations.
Landowners who enroll face easement restrictions that can limit future land-use options and reduce potential development or resale value for them and their heirs.
The bill repeals Title V and ends the Healthy Forests Reserve Program going forward, reducing future enrollment options and conservation incentives that some landowners previously relied on.
Based on analysis of 5 sections of legislative text.
Establishes a new federal forest conservation easement program and authorizes $100M/year for FY2026–2030; repeals but protects contracts under the prior Healthy Forests Reserve Program.
Introduced May 17, 2025 by Trent Kelly · Last progress May 17, 2025
Creates a new federal forest conservation easement program within the Food Security Act and provides a five‑year authorization of $100 million per year for the program for fiscal years 2026–2030. It transfers and folds elements of the existing Healthy Forests Reserve Program into the new program by repealing that law’s Title V while protecting and funding any pre‑existing contracts and easements. The bill lets the Secretary of Agriculture use newly authorized program funds and previously available Commodity Credit Corporation funds to continue performance of pre‑enactment contracts, prohibits raising payment amounts for those legacy contracts, and includes a nonbinding statement that Congress expects implementation costs to be offset.