Producing Responsible Energy and Conservation Incentives and Solutions for the Environment Act of 2025
A BILL
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.
Sec. 2 Assistance to rural entities
“(B) Precision agriculture; precision agriculture technology—The terms precision agriculture and precision agriculture technology have the meanings given those terms in section 1201(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3801(a)).”
“(E) 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.”
Sec. 3 Food Security Act of 1985 definitions
“(20) Precision agriculture—The term precision agriculture means managing, tracking, or reducing any crop or livestock production input, including seed, feed, fertilizer, chemicals, water, and time, at a heightened level of spatial and temporal granularity to improve efficiencies, reduce waste, and maintain environmental quality.
“(21) Precision agriculture technology—The term precision agriculture technology means any technology (including equipment that is necessary for the deployment of such a technology) that directly contributes to a reduction in, or improved efficiency of, an input used in crop or livestock production, including—
“(A) Global Positioning System-based or geospatial mapping;
“(B) satellite or aerial imagery;
“(C) yield monitors;
“(D) soil mapping;
“(E) sensors for gathering data relating to crop, soil, or livestock conditions;
“(F) Internet of Things and telematics technologies;
“(G) data management software and advanced analytics;
“(H) network connectivity products and solutions;
“(I) Global Positioning System guidance or auto-steer systems;
“(J) variable rate technology for applying inputs, such as section control; and
“(K) any other technology, as determined by the Secretary, that leads to a reduction in, or improves efficiency of, a crop or livestock production input, which may include seed, feed, fertilizer, chemicals, water, and time.”
Sec. 4 Environmental Quality Incentives Program
“(A) Payments under this subtitle—A producer shall”
“(B) Conservation loan and loan guarantee program payments
“(i) In general—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 (7 U.S.C. 1924) to cover costs for the same practices on the same land.
“(ii) Notice to producers—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 (7 U.S.C. 1924) with respect to the costs of implementing practices under the program.”
“(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.”
Sec. 5 Conservation Stewardship Program supplemental payments
“(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.”
“(C) precision agriculture.”
Sec. 6 Delivery of technical assistance
“(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.”