Producing Responsible Energy and Conservation Incentives and Solutions for the Environment Act or the PRECISE Act
This bill incorporates support for precision agriculture into various programs of the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Precision agriculture refers to managing, tracking, or reducing crop or livestock production inputs, including seed, feed, fertilizer, chemicals, water, and time, at a heightened level of spatial and temporal granularity to improve efficiencies, reduce waste, and maintain environmental quality. Precision agriculture technology includes any technology and equipment that directly contributes to a reduction in, or improved efficiency of, inputs used in crop or livestock production.
Specifically, the bill makes changes to eligibility criteria, administrative procedures, and other aspects of the Conservation Loan Program, the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, and the Conservation Stewardship Program. These changes include allowing the programs to support the adoption of precision agriculture practices and acquisition of precision agriculture technologies.
In addition, the bill expands a program through which USDA makes and insures loans to for-profit and nonprofit organizations that invest in rural areas by allowing the loans to be used for precision agriculture practices.
Also, USDA must emphasize the use of third-party providers when providing technical assistance on matters related to soil health for participants in certain USDA conservation programs.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 1459 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1459
To leverage incentives for the adoption of precision agriculture
technology, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 8, 2023
Mrs. Hinson (for herself, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Finstad, and Ms. Craig)
introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
Agriculture
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To leverage incentives for the adoption of precision agriculture
technology, and for other purposes.
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 ``Producing Responsible Energy and
Conservation Incentives and Solutions for the Environment Act'' or the
``PRECISE Act''.
SEC. 2. CONSERVATION LOAN AND LOAN GUARANTEE PROGRAM.
Section 304 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act (7
U.S.C. 1924) is amended--
(1) in subsection (b)--
(A) in paragraph (3), by redesignating
subparagraphs (F) and (G) as subparagraphs (G) and (H),
respectively, and inserting after subparagraph (E) the
following:
``(F) the adoption of precision agriculture
practices, and the acquisition of precision agriculture
technology;''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) Precision agriculture; precision agriculture
technology.--The terms `precision agriculture' and `precision
agriculture technology' have the meanings given those terms in
section 1201 of the Food Security Act of 1985.'';
(2) in subsection (d)--
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ``and'';
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking the period and
inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(4) producers who use the loans to adopt precision
agriculture practices or acquire precision agriculture
technology, including adoption or acquisition for the purpose
of participating in the environmental quality incentives
program under subchapter A of chapter 4 of subtitle D of title
XII of the Food Security Act of 1985.'';
(3) in subsection (e), by striking paragraph (2) and
inserting the following:
``(2) 90 percent of the principal amount of the loan in the
case of--
``(A) a producer that is a qualified socially
disadvantaged farmer or rancher or a beginning farmer
or rancher; or
``(B) loans that are used for the purchase of
precision agriculture technology.''; and
(4) in subsection (f)--
(A) by striking ``(f) Administrative Provisions.--
The Secretary'' and inserting the following:
``(f) Administrative Provisions.--
``(1) Geographic diversity.--The Secretary''; and
(B) by adding after and below the end the
following:
``(2) Coordination with nrcs.--In making or guaranteeing
loans under this section, the Secretary shall ensure that there
is coordination between the Farm Service Agency and the Natural
Resources Conservation Service.''.
SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE TO RURAL ENTITIES.
Section 310B(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act
(7 U.S.C. 1932(a)) is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by adding at the end the following:
``(C) Precision agriculture; precision agriculture
technology.--The terms `precision agriculture' and
`precision agriculture technology' have the meanings
given those terms in section 1201 of the Food Security
Act of 1985.''; and
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) by striking ``and'' at the end of subparagraph
(C);
(B) by striking the period at the end of
subparagraph (D) and inserting ``; and''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(E) expanding the adoption of precision
agriculture practices, including by financing the
acquisition of precision agriculture technology, in
order to promote best practices, reduce costs, and
improve the environment.''.
SEC. 4. FOOD SECURITY ACT OF 1985 DEFINITIONS.
Section 1201(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C.
3801(a)) is amended--
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (20) through (27) as
paragraphs (22) through (29), respectively; and
(2) by inserting after paragraph (19) the following:
``(20) Precision agriculture.--The term `precision
agriculture' means managing, tracking, or reducing crop or
livestock production inputs, including seed, feed, fertilizer,
chemicals, water, and time, at a heightened level of spatial
and temporal granularity to improve efficiencies, reduce waste,
and maintain environmental quality.
``(21) Precision agriculture technology.--The term
`precision agriculture technology' means any technology
(including equipment that is necessary for the deployment of
such technology) that directly contributes to a reduction in,
or improved efficiency of, inputs used in crop or livestock
production, including--
``(A) Global Positioning System-based or geospatial
mapping technology;
``(B) satellite or aerial imagery technology;
``(C) yield monitors;
``(D) soil mapping technology;
``(E) sensors for gathering data on crop, soil, or
livestock conditions;
``(F) Internet of Things and telematics
technologies;
``(G) data management software and advanced
analytics;
``(H) network connectivity products and solutions;
``(I) Global Positioning System guidance or auto-
steer systems;
``(J) variable rate technology for applying inputs,
such as section control; and
``(K) any other technology, as determined by the
Secretary, that directly contributes to a reduction in,
or improved efficiency of, crop or livestock production
inputs, which may include seed, feed, fertilizer,
chemicals, water, and time.''.
SEC. 5. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM.
(a) Definitions.--Section 1240A(6)(B)(v) of the Food Security Act
of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-1(6)(B)(v)) is amended by inserting
``(including the adoption of precision agriculture practices and the
acquisition of precision agriculture technology)'' after ``planning''.
(b) Payments.--
(1) Other payments.--Section 1240B(d)(6) of the Food
Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-2(d)(6)) is amended--
(A) by striking ``A producer shall'' and inserting
the following:
``(A) Payments under this subtitle.--A producer
shall''; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) Conservation loan and loan guarantee program
payments.--
``(i) In general.--A producer receiving
payments for practices on eligible land under
the program may also receive a loan or loan
guarantee under section 304 of the Consolidated
Farm and Rural Development Act to cover costs
for the same practices on the same land.
``(ii) Notice to producer.--The Secretary
shall inform a producer participating in the
program in writing of the availability of a
loan or loan guarantee under section 304 of the
Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act as
it relates to costs of implementing practices
under this program.''.
(2) Increased payments for high-priority practices.--
Section 1240B(d)(7) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C.
3839aa-2(d)(7)) is amended, in the paragraph heading, by
inserting ``state-determined'' before ``high-priority''.
(3) Increased payments for precision agriculture.--Section
1240B(d) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-
2(d)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(8) Increased payments for precision agriculture.--
Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the Secretary may increase the
amount that would otherwise be provided for a practice under
this subsection to not more than 90 percent of the costs
associated with adopting precision agriculture practices and
acquiring precision agriculture technology.''.
(c) Conservation Incentive Contracts.--Section 1240B(j)(2)(A)(i) of
the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-2(j)(3)(A)(i)) is
amended by inserting ``(which may include the adoption of precision
agriculture practices and the acquisition of precision agriculture
technology)'' after ``incentive practices''.
SEC. 6. CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM.
(a) Conservation Stewardship Payments.--Section 1240L(c)(3) of the
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-24(c)(3)) is amended to
read as follows:
``(3) Exclusion.--A payment to a producer under this
subsection shall not be provided for conservation activities
for which there is no cost incurred or income forgone by the
producer.''.
(b) Supplemental Payments for Resource-Conserving Crop Rotations
and Advanced Grazing Management.--Section 1240L(d) of the Food Security
Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-24(d)) is amended--
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ``and Advanced
Grazing Management'' and inserting ``, Advanced Grazing
Management, and Precision Agriculture'';
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ``; or'' and
inserting a semicolon;
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at
the end and inserting ``; or''; and
(C) by adding at the end the following:
``(C) precision agriculture.''; and
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking ``or advanced grazing
management'' and inserting ``, advanced grazing management, or
precision agriculture''.
SEC. 7. DELIVERY OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
Section 1242(f) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C.
3842(f)) is amended by adding at the end the following:
``(6) Soil health planning.--The Secretary shall emphasize
the use of third-party providers in providing technical
assistance for soil health planning, including planning related
to the use of cover crops, precision conservation management,
comprehensive nutrient management planning, and other
innovative plans.''.
<all>
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.
Referred to the Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management, and Credit.
Llama 3.2 · runs locally in your browser
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line