§3833 — Title 16 Conservation | U.S. Code

§3833 Duties of the Secretary

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 58— - ERODIBLE LAND AND WETLAND CONSERVATION AND RESERVE PROGRAM › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER IV— - AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION PROGRAM › Part Part I— - Comprehensive Conservation Enhancement Program › Subpart subpart b— - conservation reserve › § 3833

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must help pay for conservation work when a landowner signs a contract under the Conservation Reserve Program. The help can pay part of the cost for things like fencing and water systems. The Secretary also must pay an annual rental payment, for up to the length of the contract, when land is changed from intensive crop or pasture use to less intensive uses or when grasslands are developed and managed for soil, water, air, and wildlife benefits. The Secretary, working with the State technical committee, can allow certain uses of land that has been planted for conservation if those uses protect soil, water, and wildlife, follow nesting-season limits, improve the planted cover, and match a site plan. Allowed uses include emergency haying or grazing in droughts or disasters (for example when a county is D2 or worse, or there is at least a 40% forage loss), some emergency uses during nesting season when disaster payments apply (at 50% of normal carrying capacity), emergency haying on up to 50% of acres when disaster payments apply, mid-contract grazing, limited use of buffers, and grazing by beginning farmers. Some permitted uses do not cut rental payments; others reduce the annual rental payment by 25%. With a 25% cut, allowed activities include grazing no more often than every other year (with a 50% lower stocking rate during nesting season), grazing during nesting season at a 50% lower stocking rate, haying or commercial harvest only once every 3 years outside nesting season while leaving 25% of acres unharvested, annual grazing for invasive species control, and installing wind turbines where the Secretary decides number and siting based on the land, nearby threatened wildlife, and program goals. Haying or grazing can be barred if it would cause long-term damage, and some special program enrollments are excluded unless their agreements allow these uses. In the last year before a contract ends, an owner may make economic improvements that keep the land protected after the contract if they follow a conservation plan. Land improved that way cannot be re-enrolled for 5 years, and payments are reduced by the value of the improvements. If a disaster already creates the same benefit as a required management action, the Secretary will not require that action.

Title 16, §3833

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)In return for a contract entered into by an owner or operator under the conservation reserve program, the Secretary shall—

(1)share the cost of carrying out the conservation measures and practices set forth in the contract for which the Secretary determines that cost sharing is appropriate and in the public interest, including the cost of fencing and other water distribution practices, if applicable; and

(2)for a period of years not in excess of the term of the contract, pay an annual rental payment, in accordance with section 3834(d) of this title, for—

(A)the conversion of highly erodible cropland, marginal pastureland, or other eligible lands normally devoted to the production of an agricultural commodity on a farm or ranch to a less intensive use; or

(B)the development and management of grasslands for multiple natural resource conservation benefits, including to soil, water, air, and wildlife.

(b)(1)The Secretary, in coordination with the applicable State technical committee established under section 3861(a) of this title, shall permit certain activities or commercial uses of established cover on land that is subject to a contract under the conservation reserve program if—

(A)those activities or uses—

(i)are consistent with the conservation of soil, water quality, and wildlife habitat;

(ii)are subject to appropriate restrictions during the primary nesting season for birds in the local area that are economically significant, in significant decline, or conserved in accordance with Federal or State law;

(iii)contribute to the health and vigor of the established cover; and

(iv)are consistent with a site-specific plan, including vegetative management requirements, stocking rates, and frequency and duration of activity, taking into consideration regional differences, such as climate, soil type, and natural resources; and

(B)the Secretary, in coordination with the State technical committee, includes contract modifications—

(i)without any reduction in the rental rate for—

(I)emergency haying, emergency grazing, or other emergency use of the forage in response to a localized or regional drought, flooding, wildfire, or other emergency, on all practices, outside the primary nesting season, when—

(aa)the county is designated as D2 (severe drought) or greater according to the United States Drought Monitor;

(bb)there is at least a 40 percent loss in forage production in the county; or

(cc)the Secretary, in coordination with the State technical committee, determines that the program can assist in the response to a natural disaster event without permanent damage to the established cover;

(II)emergency grazing on all practices during the primary nesting season if payments are authorized for a county under the livestock forage disaster program under clause (ii) of section 9081(c)(3)(D) of title 7, at 50 percent of the normal carrying capacity determined under clause (i) of that section, adjusted to the site-specific plan;

(III)emergency haying on certain practices, outside the primary nesting season, if payments are authorized for a county under the livestock forage disaster program under clause (ii) of section 9081(c)(3)(D) of title 7, on not more than 50 percent of contract acres, as identified in the site-specific plan;

(IV)grazing of all practices, outside the primary nesting season, if included as a mid-contract management practice under section 3832(a)(5) of this title;

(V)the intermittent and seasonal use of vegetative buffer established under paragraphs (4) and (5) of section 3831(b) of this title that are incidental to agricultural production on land adjacent to the buffer such that the permitted use—

(aa)does not destroy the permanent vegetative cover; and

(bb)retains suitable vegetative structure for wildlife cover and shelter outside the primary nesting season; or

(VI)grazing on all practices, outside the primary nesting season, if conducted by a beginning farmer or rancher; or

(ii)with a 25 percent reduction in the annual rental rate for the acres covered by the authorized activity, including—

(I)grazing not more frequently than every other year on the same land, except that during the primary nesting season, grazing shall be subject to a 50 percent reduction in the stocking rate specified in the site-specific plan;

(II)grazing of all practices during the primary nesting season, with a 50 percent reduction in the stocking rate specified in the site-specific plan;

(III)haying and other commercial use (including the managed harvesting of biomass and excluding the harvesting of vegetative cover), on the condition that the activity—

(aa)is completed outside the primary nesting season;

(bb)occurs not more than once every 3 years; and

(cc)maintains 25 percent of the total contract acres unharvested, in accordance with a site-specific plan that provides for wildlife cover and shelter;

(IV)annual grazing outside the primary nesting season if consistent with a site-specific plan that is authorized for the control of invasive species; and

(V)the installation of wind turbines and associated access, except that in permitting the installation of wind turbines, the Secretary shall determine the number and location of wind turbines that may be installed, taking into account—

(aa)the location, size, and other physical characteristics of the land;

(bb)the extent to which the land contains threatened or endangered wildlife and wildlife habitat; and

(cc)the purposes of the conservation reserve program under this subpart.

(2)(A)The Secretary may permit haying or grazing in accordance with paragraph (1) on any land or practice subject to a contract under the conservation reserve program.

(B)(i)Haying or grazing described in paragraph (1) shall not be permitted on land subject to a contract under the conservation reserve program, or under a particular practice, if haying or grazing for that year under that practice, as applicable, would cause long-term damage to vegetative cover on that land.

(ii)(I)Except as provided in subclause (II), haying or grazing described in paragraph (1) shall not be permitted on—

(aa)land covered by a contract enrolled under the State acres for wildlife enhancement program established by the Secretary; or

(bb)land covered by a contract enrolled under a conservation reserve enhancement program established under section 3831a of this title or the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program established by the Secretary under this subpart.

(II)Subclause (I) shall not apply to land on which haying or grazing is specifically permitted under the applicable conservation reserve enhancement program agreement or other partnership agreement entered into under this subpart.

(c)For eligible land described in section 3831(b)(3) of this title, the Secretary shall permit the following activities:

(1)Common grazing practices, including maintenance and necessary cultural practices, on the land in a manner that is consistent with maintaining the viability of grassland, forb, and shrub species appropriate to that locality.

(2)Haying, mowing, or harvesting for seed production, subject to appropriate restrictions during the nesting season for birds in the local area that are economically significant, in significant decline, or conserved in accordance with Federal or State law, as determined by the Secretary in consultation with the State technical committee.

(3)Fire presuppression, fire-related rehabilitation, and construction of fire breaks.

(4)Grazing-related activities, such as fencing and livestock watering.

(d)(1)Beginning on the date that is 1 year before the date of termination of a contract under the program, the Secretary shall allow an owner or operator to make conservation and land improvements for economic use that facilitate maintaining protection of enrolled land after expiration of the contract.

(2)The Secretary shall require an owner or operator carrying out the activities described in paragraph (1) to develop and implement a conservation plan.

(3)Land improved under paragraph (1) may not be re-enrolled in the conservation reserve program for 5 years after the date of termination of the contract.

(4)In the case of an activity carried out under paragraph (1), the Secretary shall reduce the payment otherwise payable under the contract by an amount commensurate with the economic value of the activity.

(e)In the case of a natural disaster or adverse weather event that has the effect of a management practice consistent with the conservation plan, the Secretary shall not require further management practices pursuant to section 3832(a)(5) of this title that are intended to achieve the same effect.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Prior Provisions

A prior section 3833, Pub. L. 99–198, title XII, § 1233, Dec. 23, 1985, 99 Stat. 1511, related to duties of Secretary, prior to the general amendment of this subpart by Pub. L. 107–171.

Amendments

2018—Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 115–334, § 2206(a)(1), inserted “, including the cost of fencing and other water distribution practices, if applicable” after “in the public interest”. Subsec. (a)(2). Pub. L. 115–334, § 2206(a)(2)(A), substituted “, in accordance with section 3834(d) of this title,” for “in an amount necessary to compensate” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (a)(2)(A). Pub. L. 115–334, § 2206(a)(2)(B) inserted “, marginal pastureland,” after “cropland” and “or” at end. Subsec. (a)(2)(B), (C). Pub. L. 115–334, § 2206(a)(2)(C), (D), redesignated subpar. (C) as (B) and struck out former subpar. (B) which read as follows: “the retirement of any base history that the owner or operator agrees to retire permanently; and”. Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 115–334, § 2206(b), added subsec. (b) and struck out former subsec. (b) which described certain activities or commercial uses that would be permitted on land subject to a contract under the conservation reserve program. Subsec. (e). Pub. L. 115–334, § 2206(c), added subsec. (e). 2014—Pub. L. 113–79 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section also related to duties of the Secretary.