What This Bill Does
This bill creates financial incentives to encourage farmers and ranchers to use precision agriculture equipment and technology. The bill modifies several federal farm programs to make loans, loan guarantees and payments available to producers who adopt these practices.
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Who It Affects
- Farmers and ranchers adopting precision agriculture practices
- Beginning farmers or ranchers
- Socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers
- Rural entities and businesses
- The Farm Service Agency
- The Natural Resources Conservation Service
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Key Provisions
- Farmers can receive loans or loan guarantees up to 90 percent of the cost to purchase precision agriculture technology through the Conservation Loan and Loan Guarantee Program (Sec. 2)
- The Environmental Quality Incentives Program can provide payments of up to 90 percent of costs for adopting precision agriculture practices and acquiring precision agriculture technology (Sec. 5)
- Farmers participating in conservation programs can receive both program payments and loans for the same practices on the same land (Sec. 5)
- Rural development programs can finance the acquisition of precision agriculture technology to promote best practices, reduce costs and improve the environment (Sec. 3)
- The Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service must coordinate when making or guaranteeing loans under conservation programs (Sec. 2)
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What Changes
The bill adds precision agriculture to existing federal farm loan and payment programs. Farmers can now apply for up to 90 percent loan coverage or payment assistance when buying precision agriculture equipment or adopting these practices. Farmers can receive both loans and program payments for the same conservation work on their land. Rural development assistance programs now explicitly include financing for precision agriculture technology.
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Important Definitions
**Precision Agriculture:** Managing, tracking or reducing crop or livestock production inputs like seed, feed, fertilizer, chemicals, water and time at a detailed level to improve efficiency, reduce waste and maintain environmental quality (Sec. 4)
**Precision Agriculture Technology:** Any technology or equipment that reduces or improves efficiency of crop or livestock production inputs. Examples include GPS-based mapping, satellite or aerial imagery, soil sensors, data management software, automatic steering systems and variable rate technology for applying inputs (Sec. 4)
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Effective Date
Not specified in bill text
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 720
To leverage incentives for the adoption of precision agriculture equipment
and technology, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 8, 2023
Mrs. FISCHER (for herself and Ms. KLOBUCHAR) introduced the following bill;
which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nu-
trition, and Forestry
A BILL
To leverage incentives for the adoption of precision agri-
culture equipment and technology, and for other pur-
poses.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
3
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Producing Responsible
4
Energy and Conservation Incentives and Solutions for the
5
Environment Act of 2023’’ or the ‘‘PRECISE Act of
6
2023’’.
7
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SEC. 2. CONSERVATION LOAN AND LOAN GUARANTEE PRO-
1
GRAM.
2
Section 304 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural De-
3
velopment Act (7 U.S.C. 1924) is amended—
4
(1) in subsection (b)—
5
(A) by redesignating paragraphs (1), (2),
6
and (3) as paragraphs (3), (4), and (1), respec-
7
tively, and moving the paragraphs so as to ap-
8
pear in numerical order;
9
(B) in paragraph (1) (as so redesig-
10
nated)—
11
(i) by redesignating subparagraphs
12
(F) and (G) as subparagraphs (G) and
13
(H), respectively; and
14
(ii) by inserting after subparagraph
15
(E) the following:
16
‘‘(F) the adoption of precision agriculture
17
practices and the acquisition of precision agri-
18
culture technology;’’; and
19
(C) by inserting after paragraph (1) (as so
20
redesignated) the following:
21
‘‘(2) PRECISION AGRICULTURE; PRECISION AG-
22
RICULTURE TECHNOLOGY.—The terms ‘precision ag-
23
riculture’ and ‘precision agriculture technology’ have
24
the meanings given those terms in section 1201(a)
25
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•S 720 IS
of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C.
1
3801(a)).’’;
2
(2) in subsection (d)—
3
(A) in paragraph (2), by striking ‘‘and’’ at
4
the end;
5
(B) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘1985.’’
6
and inserting ‘‘1985 (16 U.S.C. 3812); and’’;
7
and
8
(C) by adding at the end the following:
9
‘‘(4) producers who use the loans to adopt pre-
10
cision agriculture practices or acquire precision agri-
11
culture technology, including adoption or acquisition
12
for the purpose of participating in the environmental
13
quality incentives program under subchapter A of
14
chapter 4 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Se-
15
curity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa et seq.).’’;
16
(3) in subsection (e), by striking paragraph (2)
17
and inserting the following:
18
‘‘(2) 90 percent of the principal amount of the
19
loan in the case of—
20
‘‘(A) a producer that is a qualified socially
21
disadvantaged farmer or rancher or a beginning
22
farmer or rancher; or
23
‘‘(B) a loan that is used for the purchase
24
of precision agriculture technology.’’; and
25
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•S 720 IS
(4) in subsection (f)—
1
(A) by striking ‘‘(f) ADMINISTRATIVE PRO-
2
VISIONS.—The Secretary’’ and inserting the fol-
3
lowing:
4
‘‘(f) ADMINISTRATIVE PROVISIONS.—
5
‘‘(1)
GEOGRAPHIC
DIVERSITY.—The
Sec-
6
retary’’; and
7
(B) by adding at the end the following:
8
‘‘(2) COORDINATION WITH NRCS.—In making
9
or guaranteeing loans under this section, the Sec-
10
retary shall ensure that there is coordination be-
11
tween the Farm Service Agency and the Natural Re-
12
sources Conservation Service.’’.
13
SEC. 3. ASSISTANCE TO RURAL ENTITIES.
14
Section 310B(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural
15
Development Act (7 U.S.C. 1932(a)) is amended—
16
(1) in paragraph (1)—
17
(A) by redesignating subparagraph (B) as
18
subparagraph (C); and
19
(B) by inserting after subparagraph (A)
20
the following:
21
‘‘(B) PRECISION AGRICULTURE; PRECISION
22
AGRICULTURE TECHNOLOGY.—The terms ‘pre-
23
cision agriculture’ and ‘precision agriculture
24
technology’ have the meanings given those
25
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•S 720 IS
terms in section 1201(a) of the Food Security
1
Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3801(a)).’’; and
2
(2) in paragraph (2)—
3
(A) in subparagraph (C), by striking
4
‘‘and’’ at the end;
5
(B) in subparagraph (D), by striking the
6
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; and’’; and
7
(C) by adding at the end the following:
8
‘‘(E) expanding the adoption of precision
9
agriculture practices, including by financing the
10
acquisition of precision agriculture technology,
11
in order to promote best practices, reduce costs,
12
and improve the environment.’’.
13
SEC. 4. FOOD SECURITY ACT OF 1985 DEFINITIONS.
14
Section 1201(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985
15
(16 U.S.C. 3801(a)) is amended—
16
(1) by redesignating paragraphs (20) through
17
(27) as paragraphs (22) through (29), respectively;
18
and
19
(2) by inserting after paragraph (19) the fol-
20
lowing:
21
‘‘(20) PRECISION
AGRICULTURE.—The term
22
‘precision agriculture’ means managing, tracking, or
23
reducing crop or livestock production inputs, includ-
24
ing seed, feed, fertilizer, chemicals, water, and time,
25
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at a heightened level of spatial and temporal granu-
1
larity to improve efficiencies, reduce waste, and
2
maintain environmental quality.
3
‘‘(21)
PRECISION
AGRICULTURE
TECH-
4
NOLOGY.—The term ‘precision agriculture tech-
5
nology’ means any technology (including equipment
6
that is necessary for the deployment of such tech-
7
nology) that directly contributes to a reduction in, or
8
improved efficiency of, inputs used in crop or live-
9
stock production, including—
10
‘‘(A) Global Positioning System-based or
11
geospatial mapping;
12
‘‘(B) satellite or aerial imagery;
13
‘‘(C) yield monitors;
14
‘‘(D) soil mapping;
15
‘‘(E) sensors for gathering data on crop,
16
soil, or livestock conditions;
17
‘‘(F) Internet of Things and telematics
18
technologies;
19
‘‘(G) data management software and ad-
20
vanced analytics;
21
‘‘(H) network connectivity products and
22
solutions;
23
‘‘(I) Global Positioning System guidance or
24
auto-steer systems;
25
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‘‘(J) variable rate technology for applying
1
inputs, such as section control; and
2
‘‘(K) any other technology, as determined
3
by the Secretary, that leads to a reduction in,
4
or improves efficiency of, crop and livestock
5
production inputs, which may include seed,
6
feed, fertilizer, chemicals, water, and time.’’.
7
SEC. 5. ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM.
8
(a) DEFINITIONS.—Section 1240A(6)(B)(v) of the
9
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–
10
1(6)(B)(v)) is amended by inserting ‘‘(including the adop-
11
tion of precision agriculture practices and the acquisition
12
of precision agriculture technology)’’ after ‘‘planning’’.
13
(b) PAYMENTS.—
14
(1) OTHER
PAYMENTS.—Section 1240B(d)(6)
15
of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C.
16
3839aa–2(d)(6)) is amended—
17
(A) by striking ‘‘A producer shall’’ and in-
18
serting the following:
19
‘‘(A) PAYMENTS UNDER THIS SUBTITLE.—
20
A producer shall’’; and
21
(B) by adding at the end the following:
22
‘‘(B) CONSERVATION
LOAN
AND
LOAN
23
GUARANTEE PROGRAM PAYMENTS.—
24
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‘‘(i) IN GENERAL.—A producer receiv-
1
ing payments for practices on eligible land
2
under the program may also receive a loan
3
or loan guarantee under section 304 of the
4
Consolidated Farm and Rural Develop-
5
ment Act (7 U.S.C. 1924) to cover costs
6
for the same practices on the same land.
7
‘‘(ii) NOTICE
TO
PRODUCERS.—The
8
Secretary shall inform a producer partici-
9
pating in the program in writing of the
10
availability of a loan or loan guarantee
11
under section 304 of the Consolidated
12
Farm and Rural Development Act (7
13
U.S.C. 1924) as it relates to costs of im-
14
plementing practices under the program.’’.
15
(2) INCREASED PAYMENTS FOR HIGH-PRIORITY
16
PRACTICES.—Section 1240B(d)(7) of the Food Se-
17
curity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(d)(7)) is
18
amended, in the paragraph heading, by inserting
19
‘‘STATE-DETERMINED’’ before ‘‘HIGH-PRIORITY’’.
20
(3) INCREASED PAYMENTS FOR PRECISION AG-
21
RICULTURE.—Section 1240B(d) of the Food Secu-
22
rity Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(d)) is amend-
23
ed by adding at the end the following:
24
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‘‘(8) INCREASED PAYMENTS FOR PRECISION AG-
1
RICULTURE.—Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the
2
Secretary may increase the amount that would oth-
3
erwise be provided for a practice under this sub-
4
section to not more than 90 percent of the costs as-
5
sociated with adopting precision agriculture practices
6
and acquiring precision agriculture technology.’’.
7
(c) CONSERVATION INCENTIVE CONTRACTS.—Sec-
8
tion 1240B(j)(2)(A)(i) of the Food Security Act of 1985
9
(16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(j)(2)(A)(i)) is amended by inserting
10
‘‘(which may include the adoption of precision agriculture
11
practices and the acquisition of precision agriculture tech-
12
nology)’’ after ‘‘incentive practices’’.
13
SEC. 6. CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM.
14
(a) CONSERVATION STEWARDSHIP PAYMENTS.—Sec-
15
tion 1240L(c) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16
16
U.S.C. 3839aa–24(c)) is amended by striking paragraph
17
(3) and inserting the following:
18
‘‘(3) EXCLUSION.—A payment to a producer
19
under this subsection shall not be provided for con-
20
servation activities for which there is no cost in-
21
curred or income forgone by the producer.’’.
22
(b) SUPPLEMENTAL PAYMENTS
FOR RESOURCE-
23
CONSERVING CROP ROTATIONS AND ADVANCED GRAZING
24
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MANAGEMENT.—Section 1240L(d) of the Food Security
1
Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa–24(d)) is amended—
2
(1) in the subsection heading, by striking ‘‘AND
3
ADVANCED GRAZING MANAGEMENT’’ and inserting
4
‘‘, ADVANCED GRAZING MANAGEMENT, AND PRECI-
5
SION AGRICULTURE’’;
6
(2) in paragraph (2)—
7
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking ‘‘or’’
8
at the end;
9
(B) in subparagraph (B), by striking the
10
period at the end and inserting ‘‘; or’’; and
11
(C) by adding at the end the following:
12
‘‘(C) precision agriculture.’’; and
13
(3) in paragraph (3), by striking ‘‘or advanced
14
grazing management’’ and inserting ‘‘, advanced
15
grazing management, or precision agriculture’’.
16
SEC. 7. DELIVERY OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
17
Section 1242(f) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16
18
U.S.C. 3842(f)) is amended by adding at the end the fol-
19
lowing:
20
‘‘(6) SOIL HEALTH PLANNING.—The Secretary
21
shall emphasize the use of third-party providers in
22
providing technical assistance for soil health plan-
23
ning, including planning relating to the use of cover
24
crops, precision conservation management, com-
25
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prehensive nutrient management planning, and other
1
innovative plans.’’.
2
Æ
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