S. 5526

Agricultural Act of 2026

Sponsor: John Boozman · 0 cosponsors

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I Commodities

A Commodity Policy

B Dairy

C Supplemental Agricultural Disaster Assistance

D Administration

II Conservation

A Conservation Reserve Program

B Environmental Quality Incentives Program

C Conservation Stewardship Program

D Funding and administration

Sec. 2403. Establishment and review of conservation practice standards

Section 1242(h) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3842(h)) is amended—

(1) in the subsection heading, by inserting Establishment and before Review;

(2) in paragraph (1)—

(A) in subparagraph (A)—

(i) by striking not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 and inserting not less frequently than once every 5 years;

(ii) by inserting on a rolling basis, after standard,; and

(iii) by striking that Act and inserting the Agricultural Act of 2026;

(B) in subparagraph (C), by striking and at the end;

(C) in subparagraph (D), by striking ensures equivalent natural resource benefits. and inserting integrates new and innovative technologies that provide equivalent or improved natural resources benefits compared to the current conservation practice standard;; and

(D) by adding at the end the following:

Text this section adds to the law

(E) provide an opportunity for public input on each conservation practice standard under review;

(F) publicly post a summary of comments received under subparagraph (E) and decisions made or not made due to those comments; and

(G) publish each revised conservation practice standard.

(3) by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:

Text this section adds to the law

(3) Establishment of conservation practice standards

(A) In general. Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of the Agricultural Act of 2026, the Secretary shall—

(i) develop, for the programs under this title, a streamlined, publicly accessible, administrative process for establishing, including proposing, reviewing, and adopting, interim conservation practice standards and conservation practice standards; and

(ii) publish a detailed description of the process developed under clause (i), including—

(I) specific thresholds appropriate for expedited review; and

(II) an associated timeline for the implementation of the review.

(B) Requirements. Under the process established under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall—

(i) consider conservation innovations and scientific and technological advancements, including from projects developed under section 1240H;

(ii) allow State and local flexibility in the creation of—

(I) interim conservation practice standards and supplements to existing conservation practice standards to address the considerations described in clause (i); and

(II) partnership-led proposals for new and innovative techniques to facilitate implementing agreements and grants under this title;

(iii) solicit regular input from State technical committees established under section 1261(a) for recommendations that identify innovations or advancements described in clause (i); and

(iv) allow for public submission of conservation practices for consideration as interim conservation practice standards.

(C) Innovative technology priority. The Secretary shall prioritize the review of conservation practice standards and interim conservation practice standards under the process established under subparagraph (A) for the purpose of integrating innovative technologies, including—

(i) precision agriculture technologies;

(ii) biological sources of fertilizer, nutrient use efficiency technologies, and other tools, as determined by the Secretary, that reduce nutrient loss;

(iii) animal feed additives;

(iv) perennial production systems, including agroforestry and perennial forages and grain crops; and

(v) any other innovative technology, as determined by the Secretary.

(D) Public information. Under the process established under subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall make publicly available information describing—

(i) what constitutes—

(I) a conservation practice standard; and

(II) an interim conservation practice standard;

(ii) the process by which the public can submit to the Secretary conservation practices for consideration as interim conservation practice standards, including a template and written instructions for how to submit a conservation practice for consideration;

(iii) the data, metrics, third-party or scientific information, and other relevant information that the Secretary needs to consider in the establishment of interim conservation practice standards;

(iv) the process by which an interim conservation practice standard becomes a conservation practice standard;

(v) the means by which the public can engage State technical committees established under section 1261(a) to consider interim conservation practice standards already in effect in other States; and

(vi) such other information as the Secretary determines to be appropriate.

; and

(4) in paragraph (4)—

(A) in the matter preceding subparagraph (A)—

(i) by striking Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 and inserting Agricultural Act of 2026; and

(ii) by striking Congress a report on— and inserting Congress and make publicly available on a website of the Department of Agriculture a report describing—;

(B) in subparagraph (A), by inserting a detailed description of before the administrative;

(C) in subparagraph (B)—

(i) by striking or revised; and

(ii) by striking and at the end;

(D) in subparagraph (C), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and; and

(E) by adding at the end the following:

Text this section adds to the law

(D) such other information as the Secretary determines to be appropriate with respect to improving the process for reviewing and establishing conservation practice standards.

E Agricultural Conservation Easement Program

F Regional Conservation Partnership Program

G Forest Conservation Easement Program

H Other Conservation programs

III Trade

A Food for Peace Act

B Agricultural Trade Act of 1978

C Other agricultural trade laws

D Reports

IV Nutrition

A Supplemental nutrition assistance program

B Commodity distribution programs

C Miscellaneous

V Credit

A Farm Credit System

B Farm ownership and operating loans

C Administrative provisions

VI Rural Development

A Rural Electrification Act of 1936

I Rural broadband access

II Additional amendments

B Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act

C Miscellaneous

I Rural care economy

II Other miscellaneous provisions

VII Research, Extension, and Related Matters

A National Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching Policy Act of 1977

B Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990

C Agricultural Research, Extension, and Education Reform Act of 1998

D Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008

I Agricultural security

II Miscellaneous provisions

E Other Matters

VIII Forestry

A Forest data modernization

B Forest health and management

I Forest Service management

II State and private partnerships

III Timber innovation

C Forest conservation

D Land designations

E White oak resilience

F Other matters

IX Energy

X Horticulture

A Horticulture marketing and information

B Regulatory reform

XI Crop insurance

XII Miscellaneous

A Livestock

B National security

C Fertilizer

D United States grain standards reauthorization

E Year-Round E15 and RFS reform

F Other miscellaneous provisions