---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 3839aa–25"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "3839aa–25"
heading: "Grassland conservation initiative"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/3839aa-25"
units:
  - "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–25. Grassland conservation initiative

- (a) **Definitions—** In this section:
  - (1) **Eligible land—** Notwithstanding sections [3839aa–21(4)](/usc/16/3839aa–21.md?p=4) and [3839aa–22(b)(2)](/usc/16/3839aa–22.md?p=b-2) of this title, the term “[eligible land](/usc/16/3839aa–21.md?p=4-A)” means cropland on a farm for which base acres have been maintained by the [Secretary](/usc/16/3801.md?p=a-21) under [section 9012(d)(3) of title 7](/usc/7/9012.md?p=d-3).
  - (2) **Initiative—** The term “initiative” means the grassland conservation initiative established under [subsection (b)](#b).
- (b) **Establishment and purpose—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/3801.md?p=a-21) shall establish within the [program](/usc/16/3839aa–21.md?p=6) a grassland conservation initiative for the purpose of assisting producers in protecting grazing uses, conserving and improving soil, water, and wildlife resources, and achieving related conservation values by conserving [eligible land](/usc/16/3839aa–21.md?p=4-A) through grassland conservation contracts under [subsection (e)](#e).
- (c) **Election—** Beginning in fiscal year 2019, the [Secretary](/usc/16/3801.md?p=a-21) shall provide a 1-time election to enroll [eligible land](/usc/16/3839aa–21.md?p=4-A) in the initiative under a contract described in [subsection (e)](#e).
- (d) **Method of enrollment—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/3801.md?p=a-21) shall—
  - (1) notwithstanding subsection (b) of [section 3839aa–23 of this title](/usc/16/3839aa–23.md), determine under [subsection (c)](/usc/16/3839aa–23.md?p=c) of that section that [eligible land](/usc/16/3839aa–21.md?p=4-A) ranks sufficiently high under the evaluation criteria described in [subsection (b)](/usc/16/3839aa–23.md?p=b) of that section; and
  - (2) enroll the [eligible land](/usc/16/3839aa–21.md?p=4-A) in the initiative under a contract described in [subsection (e)](#e).
- (e) **Grassland conservation contract—**
  - (1) **In general—** Notwithstanding [section 3839aa–23(a)(1) of this title](/usc/16/3839aa–23.md?p=a-1), to enroll [eligible land](/usc/16/3839aa–21.md?p=4-A) in the initiative under a grassland conservation contract, a producer shall agree—
    - (A) to meet or exceed the [stewardship threshold](/usc/16/3839aa–21.md?p=7) for not less than 1 [priority resource concern](/usc/16/3839aa–21.md?p=5) by the date on which the contract expires; and
    - (B) to comply with the terms and conditions of the contract.
  - (2) **Terms—** A grassland conservation contract entered into under this section shall—
    - (A)
      - (i) be for a single 5-year term; and
      - (ii) not be subject to renewal or reenrollment under [section 3839aa–23(e) of this title](/usc/16/3839aa–23.md?p=e); and
    - (B) be subject to [section 3839aa–23(d) of this title](/usc/16/3839aa–23.md?p=d).
  - (3) **Early termination—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/3801.md?p=a-21) shall allow a producer that enters into a grassland conservation contract under this section—
    - (A) to terminate the contract at any time; and
    - (B) to retain payments already received under the contract.
- (f) **Grassland conservation plan—** The grassland [conservation plan](/usc/16/3801.md?p=a-3) developed for [eligible land](/usc/16/3839aa–21.md?p=4-A) shall be limited to—
  - (1) [eligible land](/usc/16/3839aa–21.md?p=4-A); and
  - (2) resource concerns and activities relating to grassland.
- (g) **Payments—**
  - (1) **In general—** Beginning in fiscal year 2019, of the funds made available for this subpart under [section 3841(a)(3)(B) of this title](/usc/16/3841.md?p=a-3-B), and notwithstanding any payment under title I of the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, an amendment made by that title, or [section 3839aa–24(c) of this title](/usc/16/3839aa–24.md?p=c), the [Secretary](/usc/16/3801.md?p=a-21) shall make annual grassland conservation contract payments to the producer of any [eligible land](/usc/16/3839aa–21.md?p=4-A) that is the subject of a grassland conservation contract under this section.
  - (2) **Payment noneligibility—** A grassland conservation contract under this section shall not be—
    - (A) eligible for payments under [section 3839aa–24(d) of this title](/usc/16/3839aa–24.md?p=d); or
    - (B) subject to the payment limitations under this subpart.
  - (3) **Limitation—** The amount of an annual payment under this subsection shall be $18 per acre, not to exceed the number of base acres on a farm.
- (h) **Considered planted—** The [Secretary](/usc/16/3801.md?p=a-21) shall consider land enrolled under a grassland conservation contract under this section during a crop year to be planted or considered planted to a covered commodity (as defined in [section 9011 of title 7](/usc/7/9011.md)) during that crop year.
- (i) **Other contracts—** A producer with an [agricultural operation](/usc/16/3839aa–21.md?p=1) that contains land eligible under this section and land eligible under [section 3839aa–23 of this title](/usc/16/3839aa–23.md)—
  - (1) may enroll the land eligible under this section through a contract under this section or under [section 3839aa–23 of this title](/usc/16/3839aa–23.md); and
  - (2) shall not be prohibited from enrolling the land eligible under [section 3839aa–23 of this title](/usc/16/3839aa–23.md) through a contract under [section 3839aa–23 of this title](/usc/16/3839aa–23.md).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 99–198, title XII, § 1240L–1, as added Pub. L. 115–334, title II, § 2309, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4569.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, referred to in subsec. (g)(1), is Pub. L. 115–334, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4490. Title I of the Act enacted section 9071 of Title 7, Agriculture, amended sections 608c, 1308, 1308–3a, 1359bb, 1359ll, 4504, 4553, 7272, 7333, 8737, 8772, 9011 to 9017, 9031, 9032, 9034 to 9039, 9051 to 9060, 9081, 9091, 9092, and 9097 of Title 7, repealed section 9019 and former section 9071 of Title 7, and enacted provisions set out as notes under sections 608c, 1308, 1308–3a, 6932, 9051, 9052, and 9081 of Title 7 and section 6101 of Title 31, Money and Finance. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title of 2018 Amendment note set out under section 9001 of Title 7 and Tables.