S. 1616

119th CONGRESS 1st Session

To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act and the Food Security Act of 1985 to leverage incentives for the adoption of precision agriculture practices and technology, and for other purposes.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES · May 6, 2025 · Sponsor: Mrs. Fischer · Committee: Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry

S. 1616

SEC. 1. Short title

This Act may be cited as the or the .

SEC. 2. Assistance to rural entities

Section 310B(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act () is amended— 7 U.S.C. 1932(a)
- in paragraph (1)—
  - by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); and
  - by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:
    - (B) Precision agriculture; precision agriculture technology
      - The terms and have the meanings given those terms in section 1201(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (). precision agriculture,precision agriculture technology 16 U.S.C. 3801(a)
- in paragraph (2)—
  - in subparagraph (C), by striking and at the end;
  - in subparagraph (D)—
    - (i) by striking to facilitateand inserting facilitating; and
    - (ii) by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and
      - expanding the adoption of precision agriculture practices, including by financing the acquisition of precision agriculture technology, in order to promote best practices, reduce costs, and improve the environment.
  - by adding at the end the following:

SEC. 3. Food Security Act of 1985 definitions

Section 1201(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 () is amended— 16 U.S.C. 3801(a)
- in each of paragraphs (1), (5), (6), (7), (10), (11), (12), (13), (15), (20), (21), (22), (24), (26), and (27), by inserting a paragraph heading, the text of which comprises the term defined in that paragraph;
- by redesignating paragraphs (20) through (27) as paragraphs (22) through (29), respectively; and
- by inserting after paragraph (19) the following:

SEC. 4. Environmental Quality Incentives Program

(a) Definitions
- Section 1240A(6)(B)(v) of the Food Security Act of 1985 () is amended by inserting after . 16 U.S.C. 3839aa–1(6)(B)(v)
(b) Payments
- (1) Other payments
  - Section 1240B(d)(6) of the Food Security Act of 1985 () is amended— 16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(d)(6)
    - by striking and inserting the following:
      - (A) Payments under this subtitle
        
        A producer shall
      - (B) Conservation loan and loan guarantee program payments
        
        (i) A producer receiving payments for practices on eligible land under the program may also receive a loan or loan guarantee under section 304 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act () to cover costs for the same practices on the same land. 7 U.S.C. 1924
        
        (ii) The Secretary shall inform a producer participating in the program, in writing, that the producer may apply to receive a loan or loan guarantee under section 304 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act () with respect to the costs of implementing practices under the program. 7 U.S.C. 1924
    - by adding at the end the following:
- (2) Increased payments for State-determined high-priority practices
  - Section 1240B(d)(7) of the Food Security Act of 1985 () is amended, in the paragraph heading, by inserting before . 16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(d)(7)
- (3) Increased payments for precision agriculture
  - Section 1240B(d) of the Food Security Act of 1985 () is amended by adding at the end the following: 16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(d)
    - (8) Increased payments for precision agriculture
      - Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the Secretary may increase the amount that would otherwise be provided for a practice under this subsection to not more than 90 percent of the costs associated with adopting precision agriculture practices and acquiring precision agriculture technology for the purpose of implementing a conservation practice.
(c) Conservation incentive contracts
- Section 1240B(j)(2)(A)(i) of the Food Security Act of 1985 () is amended by inserting after . 16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(j)(2)(A)(i)

SEC. 5. Conservation Stewardship Program supplemental payments

(a) Conservation stewardship payments
- Section 1240L(c) of the Food Security Act of 1985 () is amended by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following: 16 U.S.C. 3839aa–24(c)
  - (3) Exclusion
    - A payment to a producer under this subsection shall not be provided for any conservation activities for which there is no cost incurred or income forgone by the producer.
(b) Supplemental payments for resource-Conserving crop rotations and advanced grazing management
- Section 1240L(d) of the Food Security Act of 1985 () is amended— 16 U.S.C. 3839aa–24(d)
  - in the subsection heading, by striking and inserting ;
  - in paragraph (2)—
    - in subparagraph (A), by striking or at the end;
    - in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and
      - precision agriculture.
    - by adding at the end the following:
  - in paragraph (3), by striking or advanced grazing managementand inserting , advanced grazing management, or precision agriculture conservation activities.

SEC. 6. Delivery of technical assistance

Section 1242(f) of the Food Security Act of 1985 () is amended by adding at the end the following: 16 U.S.C. 3842(f)
- (6) Soil health planning
  - The Secretary shall emphasize the use of third-party providers in providing technical assistance for soil health planning, including planning relating to the use of cover crops, precision agriculture practices, comprehensive nutrient management planning, and other innovative plans.