Southern Border Farmers and Ranchers Protection Act
H.R. 389, the Southern Border Farmers and Ranchers Protection Act, would amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to create a targeted "Southern Border Initiative" within the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP). The Secretary would provide payments to agricultural producers in a defined set of Texas border counties to implement conservation practices aimed at addressing and repairing damage to agricultural land and farming infrastructure that contributes to natural resource concerns. Each payment contract would last one year, and the defined geographic area—“covered land”—covers a specified list of Texas counties along or near the southern border. The bill is introduced and referred to the House Committee on Agriculture; sponsor information in the excerpt is Ms. De La Cruz (and Mr. Tony Gonzales of Texas). In short, the bill creates a one-year, targeted funding pathway under EQIP to help Texas border-area farmers and ranchers repair land and infrastructure and address natural resource issues in designated border counties.
Key Points
- 1Creates "Southern Border Initiative" within EQIP under Section 1240B of the Food Security Act of 1985.
- 2Payments to producers would finance conservation practices that address and repair damage to agricultural land and farming infrastructure on “covered land.”
- 3Each contract under this initiative would have a term of 1 year.
- 4“Covered land” is land in Texas counties located on or near the southern border, with a specific enumerated list of counties (e.g., Brewster, Cameron, El Paso, Hidalgo, Starr, Webb, Zapata, and others along the border).
- 5The bill is introduced in the House by Rep. De La Cruz (for herself and Rep. Gonzales) and referred to the Committee on Agriculture; no funding levels or appropriations are specified in the excerpt.