§2. Composting as conservation practice
This section designates composting—defined as producing compost from on-farm or nearby community organic waste (with "nearby" determined by regulations ensuring net greenhouse gas reductions) and applying it to improve soil health and water retention—as a conservation practice and activity under the conservation title of the Food Security Act of 1985. Specifically, the section (1) requires the Secretary of Agriculture to recognize composting as such by regulation; (2) adds composting practices to allowable enhancements under the Conservation Stewardship Program; (3) includes composting practices among structural practices eligible for priority under the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), which provides financial and technical assistance to agricultural producers for conservation on working lands; and (4) directs the Natural Resources Conservation Service to establish a composting practice standard.