Section 1 Short title
This Act may be cited as the “Investing in Our Crops Act”.
Investing in Our Crops Act
A BILL
To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to provide additional payments under the environmental quality incentives program for implementation of a nutrient management practice, and for other purposes.
Sec. 2 Additional nutrient management assistance
Payments— During the period beginning on the date of enactment of this section and ending on September 30, 2025, the Secretary of Agriculture shall provide payments under this section to producers that have entered into contracts with the Secretary under the environmental quality incentives program to implement the nutrient management practice.
Amount— A payment to a producer under this section shall be in an amount that, in combination with the applicable payment under section 1240B(d) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(d)), does not exceed 100 percent of the costs of implementing the nutrient management practice.
Funding—
Authorization of appropriations— There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $750,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2024 and 2025.
Technical assistance— The Secretary may use up to 5 percent of funds made available pursuant to paragraph (1) to provide technical assistance under this section.
Definitions— In this section:
Environmental quality incentives program— The term environmental quality incentives program means the environmental quality incentives program established under subchapter A of chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa et seq.).
Nutrient management practice— The term nutrient management practice means the practice described in the conservation practice standard for nutrient management established by the Natural Resources Conservation Service, Code 590, dated May, 2019, or any successor conservation practice standard for nutrient management established by the Natural Resources Conservation Service pursuant to title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3801 et seq.).