“To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to reestablish the Driftless Area Landscape Conservation Initiative, and for other purposes.”
No CRS summary available for this bill.
This section establishes the Driftless Area Landscape Conservation Initiative within the Conservation Stewardship Program to reduce erosion and restore cold water stream corridors in the Driftless Area of the Midwestern United States, with a focus on climate-smart agriculture, carbon sequestration, soil health, and ecological restoration. The initiative requires the Secretary of Agriculture to provide (1) assistance to producers for practices that manage working lands for year-round ground cover, woodlands for biodiversity and habitat, prairies and grasslands for habitat expansion, and cold water streams for erosion reduction and trout habitat; and (2) assistance to grassroots partnerships to educate landowners on climate-smart agriculture, soil health, and holistic grazing. Assistance may include financial assistance, technical assistance, and payments for easements to the Secretary. The section allocates $5 million annually for FY2027 through FY2031 from funds available to carry out the Conservation Stewardship Program.