This bill pushes more “precision agriculture” on farms and ranches by making it easier and cheaper to adopt tools like GPS-guided equipment and data-driven planting. It lets USDA cover up to 90% of the cost when these tools are used to carry out conservation practices, like reducing fertilizer runoff or improving soil health . Farmers can also get existing conservation payments and still qualify for USDA loans or loan guarantees to help pay for the same on-farm practices, and USDA must tell them about this option in writing .

The bill adds precision agriculture activities to programs that reward good conservation, and it makes clear that payments won’t be given when a farmer has no real cost or lost income from the activity . It also directs USDA to lean on certified third-party experts to help producers plan for soil health, including cover crops, nutrient management, and precision ag practices . Rural development programs are updated to finance precision ag technology to cut costs, spread best practices, and protect the environment .

• Who is affected: Farmers, ranchers, and rural communities seeking conservation support or financing for precision ag tools .
• What changes: Higher cost-share (up to 90%) for precision ag tied to conservation; ability to stack conservation payments with USDA loans; added support and expert help for soil health and precision ag planning; limits on payments when there’s no cost or lost income fileciteturn0file1turn0file4.
• Timeline: Not specified in the text provided.