1. (a) Establishment and purpose During each of fiscal years 2014 through 2018, 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. (1) by undertaking additional conservation activities; and
   2. (2) by improving, maintaining, and managing existing conservation activities.

2. (b) Exclusions

   1. (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:

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

         1. (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
         2. (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.
      2. (B) Land enrolled in a wetland reserve easement through the agricultural conservation easement program.
      3. (C) Land enrolled in the conservation security program.

   2. (2) Conversion to cropland Eligible land used for crop production after February 7, 2014, 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—

      1. (A) the land had previously been enrolled in the conservation reserve program;
      2. (B) the land has been maintained using long-term crop rotation practices, as determined by the Secretary; or
      3. (C) the land is incidental land needed for efficient operation of the farm or ranch, as determined by the Secretary.

(Pub. L. 99–198, title XII, § 1238E, as added Pub. L. 110–234, title II, § 2301(a)(2), May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1041, and Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title II, § 2301(a)(2), June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1769; amended Pub. L. 112–55, div. A, title VII, § 716(b), Nov. 18, 2011, 125 Stat. 582; Pub. L. 113–79, title II, § 2101(a), Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 722.)

Codification

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 L. 110–234 was repealed by section 4(a) of Pub.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.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 3838e, Pub. L. 99–198, title XII, § 1238E, as added Pub. L. 101–624, title XIV, § 1439, Nov. 28, 1990, 104 Stat. 3596, related to demonstration and pilot programs, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 104–127, title III, § 336(h), Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1007.

Amendments

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”.