Farms for the Future Act Amendments of 1995 - Amends the Farms for the Future Act of 1990 to authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to provide States with matching grants for farmland protection easements to retain qualifying farmland in agricultural use. Authorizes appropriations.
[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2429 Introduced in House (IH)]
104th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 2429
To amend the Farms for the Future Act of 1990 to provide agricultural
producers, in cooperation with States and local governments,
financially competitive options for maintaining farmland in
agricultural production.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
September 29, 1995
Mr. Farr (for himself, Mr. Gilchrest, Mr. Olver, Mr. Holden, Mrs.
Morella, Mr. Gejdenson, Mr. Rose, Mr. Fazio of California, Mr. Condit,
Mr. Dooley, Mr. Saxton, and Mr. LoBiondo) introduced the following
bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To amend the Farms for the Future Act of 1990 to provide agricultural
producers, in cooperation with States and local governments,
financially competitive options for maintaining farmland in
agricultural production.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Farms for the Future Act Amendments
of 1995''.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE AND FINDINGS.
(a) Purpose.--It is the purpose of this Act to provide agricultural
producers in the United States, in cooperation with States and local
governments, financially competitive options for maintaining prime,
unique, and other strategic farmland in agricultural production.
(b) Findings.--Congress finds the following:
(1) Prime, unique, and other farmland that has strategic
importance because of its exceptional agricultural, economic,
or environmental contribution to society is being converted to
nonagricultural uses because agricultural producers and other
owners of such lands lack financially competitive options for
retaining it in agricultural production.
(2) States and local governments have been unable to
provide sufficient incentives to landowners to maintain prime,
unique, and other strategic farmland in agricultural
production.
(3) Federal assistance is needed to achieve the national
interest in protecting prime, unique, and other strategic
farmlands.
SEC. 3. FEDERAL COST SHARING FOR ACQUISITION OF FARMLAND PROTECTION
EASEMENTS.
The Farms for the Future Act of 1990 (chapter 2 of subtitle E of
title XIV of Public Law 101-624; 7 U.S.C. 4201 note) is amended by
adding at the end the following new section:
``SEC. 1470C. FEDERAL COST SHARING FOR ACQUISITION OF FARMLAND
PROTECTION EASEMENTS.
``(a) Definitions.--For purposes of this section:
``(1) Qualifying farmland.--The term `qualifying farmland'
means land used for agricultural production that is determined
by a eligible State or a local governmental agency of an
eligible State to be--
``(A) of particular importance to the State or
locality because of its agricultural, economic, or
environmental characteristics; and
``(B) at risk of conversion to uses incompatible
with agricultural production.
``(2) Farmland protection easement.--The term `farmland
protection easement' means an easement that, with respect to a
parcel of land--
``(A) prohibits or severely limits the uses of the
land that are incompatible with continued agricultural
production; and
``(B) runs with the land and binds all future
landowners.
``(3) Eligible state.--The term `eligible State' means a
State that has a program, approved by the Secretary, to acquire
farmland protection easements.
``(b) Farmland Protection Easement Cost-Sharing.--In lieu of the
authorities provided elsewhere in this chapter to assist eligible
States to retain qualifying farmland in agricultural use, the Secretary
may carry out a matching grant program under this section.
``(c) Farms for the Future Matching Grants.--The Secretary may make
matching grants to an eligible State (and local governments approved by
the State) to be used for the purpose of acquiring farmland protection
easements to protect qualifying farmland from uses inconsistent with
continued agricultural production or for the development or improvement
of similar programs with this purpose.
``(d) Matching Requirements.--Matching grants under subsection (c)
shall be made on a 50-50 matching basis, except that the Secretary may
make matching grants for up to 90 percent of the cost of acquiring
farmland protection easements by an eligible State (and local
governments approved by the State) that is actively developing or
carrying out programs to protect farmland from uses inconsistent with
continued agricultural production.
``(e) Limitation on Total Amount of Grants.--An eligible State may
not receive more than 10 percent of the total amount made available for
matching grants under subsection (c) for a fiscal year. However, if
fewer than 10 eligible States participate, the share provided to a
State may be equal to its pro rata share of the total matching funds
all States make available.
``(f) Conditions on Assistance.--In providing assistance under this
section, the Secretary shall ensure that--
``(1) funds provided under this section are used by an
eligible State to protect qualifying farmland, with priority
given to those lands of greatest importance to the State's
agriculture industry; and
``(2) on average the purchase price of farmland protection
easements acquired using such funds do not exceed fair market
value.
``(g) Authorization of Appropriations.-- There is authorized to be
appropriated such sums as may be necessary to carry out this section
for each fiscal year.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR E1887)
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Resource Conservation, Research and Forestry.
Executive Comment Requested from USDA.
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