Climate Agricultural Conservation Practices Act
The Climate Agricultural Conservation Practices Act would require the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to review the national conservation practice standards with an explicit focus on climate benefits. It modifies how climate considerations are treated in the standards used for conservation programs, adding climate benefits to the factors NRCS must evaluate and extending the review timeline. Specifically, the bill defines “climate benefit” as reductions in agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, increases in carbon sequestration, or improvements in resilience to weather volatility. The aim is to ensure that conservation practices not only protect soil and water but also contribute to climate goals. Under the bill, NRCS would evaluate the climate benefits of the standards, and the changes would be incorporated into how standards are reviewed at the federal level. The statutory changes would apply to the existing framework found in the Food Security Act of 1985, expanding how climate considerations are integrated into conservation practice standards and related updates.
Key Points
- 1Requires NRCS to review national conservation practice standards with a focus on climate benefits, and to evaluate those benefits as part of the standards’ assessment.
- 2Extends the review timeline from the prior benchmark (1 year after enactment of the 2018 Agriculture Improvement Act) to 5 years after enactment of the Climate Agricultural Conservation Practices Act.
- 3Adds “climate benefits” to the list of factors considered in conservation standards, alongside other elements like conservation innovations.
- 4Provides a formal definition of “climate benefit” as (A) reductions in agricultural greenhouse gas emissions, (B) increases in carbon sequestration, or (C) mitigation of or adaptation to increased weather volatility.
- 5Amends Section 1242(h) of the Food Security Act of 1985 to implement these changes.