16 U.S.C. § 3839aa–22: Conservation stewardship…

§3839aa–22 Conservation Stewardship Program

Title 16 › CHAPTER 58 — ERODIBLE LAND AND WETLAND CONSERVATION AND RESERVE PROGRAM › SUBCHAPTER IV — AGRICULTURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION PROGRAM › Part IV — Environmental Quality Incentives Program and Conservation Stewardship Program › subpart b — conservation stewardship program › § 3839aa–22

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Secretary must run a conservation stewardship program each fiscal year from 2019 through 2031. The program helps producers fix priority natural resource problems and protect or improve soil, water, and other resources. It pays for new conservation actions and for improving, keeping up, and managing conservation practices already in place. Land already in some other conservation programs cannot be enrolled. That includes land in the conservation reserve program unless the CRP contract ends at the end of that fiscal year and CRP payments stop before the first payment from this program, and land under a wetland reserve easement through the agricultural conservation easement program. Also, land used for crops after December 20, 2018 that had not been planted or used for crops for at least 4 of the 6 years before that date cannot be paid under the program, unless the land was previously in CRP, was kept with long‑term crop rotation (as the Secretary decides), or is incidental land needed to run the farm or ranch (as the Secretary decides).

Title 16, §3839aa–22

Conservation, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Establishment and purpose

During each of fiscal years 2019 through 2031, the Secretary shall carry out a conservation stewardship program to encourage producers to address priority resource concerns and improve and conserve the quality and condition of natural resources in a comprehensive manner—

(1)by undertaking additional conservation activities; and

(2)by improving, maintaining, and managing existing conservation activities.

(b)Exclusions

(1)Land enrolled in other conservation programs

Subject to paragraph (2), the following land (even if covered by the definition of eligible land) is not eligible for enrollment in the program:

(A)Land enrolled in the conservation reserve program, unless—

(i)the conservation reserve contract will expire at the end of the fiscal year in which the land is to be enrolled in the program; and

(ii)conservation reserve program payments for land enrolled in the program cease before the first program payment is made to the applicant under this subpart.

(B)Land enrolled in a wetland reserve easement through the agricultural conservation easement program.

(2)Conversion to cropland

Eligible land used for crop production after December 20, 2018, that had not been planted, considered to be planted, or devoted to crop production for at least 4 of the 6 years preceding that date shall not be the basis for any payment under the program, unless the land does not meet such requirement because—

(A)the land had previously been enrolled in the conservation reserve program;

(B)the land has been maintained using long-term crop rotation practices, as determined by the Secretary; or

(C)the land is incidental land needed for efficient operation of the farm or ranch, as determined by the Secretary.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Codification Section was formerly classified to section 3838e of this title prior to renumbering by Pub. L. 115–334. Pub. L. 110–234 and Pub. L. 110–246 enacted identical sections. Pub. L. 110–234 was repealed by section 4(a) of Pub. L. 110–246.

Amendments

2022—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 117–169 substituted “2031” for “2023” in introductory provisions. 2018—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 115–334, § 2308(b)(1), substituted “2019 through 2023” for “2014 through 2018” in introductory provisions. Subsec. (b)(1)(C). Pub. L. 115–334, § 2301(d)(1)(C), struck out subpar. (C) which read as follows: “Land enrolled in the conservation security program.” Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 115–334, § 2308(b)(2), substituted “

December 20, 2018” for “

February 7, 2014”. 2014—Pub. L. 113–79 amended section generally. Prior to amendment, section related to conservation stewardship program. 2011—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 112–55 substituted “2014” for “2012”.