What This Bill Does
This bill creates national goals to reduce greenhouse gas (pollution that traps heat in the atmosphere) emissions from agriculture and help farms adapt to climate change. The bill funds research, conservation programs, and support for farmers to meet these goals by 2030 and 2040.
##
Who It Affects
- Farmers and ranchers
- Agricultural researchers and universities
- Natural Resources Conservation Service and other federal agencies
- Rural communities
- Food producers and processors
- People receiving crop insurance
- Tribal communities and indigenous populations
##
Key Provisions
- The agriculture sector must reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 50 percent by December 31, 2030, and reach net zero emissions by December 31, 2040, compared to 2010 levels (Sec. 101(b))
- Federal investment in food and agriculture research and extension must triple by 2030 and quadruple by 2040 compared to 2023 levels (Sec. 101(c)(1))
- The Secretary of Agriculture must develop an action plan within 18 months showing how to achieve these goals, make it available for public comment for at least 90 days, and update it every 2 years (Sec. 102)
- A national network of regional hubs must provide farmers, ranchers, and forest owners with science-based information and support to adapt to climate change (Sec. 202)
- At least $75 million per fiscal year must fund competitive research grants for developing publicly-funded plant varieties and animal breeds that help farmers adapt to climate change (Sec. 205(l))
##
What Changes
If this bill becomes law, the federal government will establish specific targets for reducing farm-related pollution emissions and increasing soil carbon storage (carbon kept in soil rather than released into the air). Federal agencies must work together to help farmers adopt conservation practices (ways of farming that protect natural resources). Farmers who use conservation practices may receive payments and crop insurance discounts. Universities and research institutions will receive significantly more federal funding to develop new farming methods, crop varieties, and animal breeds that work better in changing climates.
##
Important Definitions
- **Greenhouse gas emissions:** Pollution that traps heat in the atmosphere and contributes to climate change
- **Carbon sequestration:** Removing carbon dioxide from the air and storing it in soil or plants
- **Resilience:** The ability of a farming system to absorb and recover from climate disturbances
- **Conservation practices:** Methods of farming that protect soil, water, and other natural resources
- **Cover crops:** Plants grown primarily to protect and improve soil between cash crops
- **Agroforestry:** Growing trees together with crops or livestock on the same land
- **Conventional breeding:** Developing new plant or animal varieties through controlled mating and selection without genetic engineering
##
Effective Date
Not specified in bill text for most provisions. One section specifies the crop insurance discount applies beginning with the 2024 reinsurance year (Sec. 301(b)(4)(A)). The crop production on native sod requirement takes effect on the first day of the first reinsurance year that begins one year after this bill becomes law (Sec. 301(c)(2)).
II
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
S. 1016
To address the impact of climate change on agriculture, and for other
purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
MARCH 28, 2023
Mr. HEINRICH (for himself, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. WELCH, Ms. SMITH, Mr.
BLUMENTHAL, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. MURPHY, Ms. BALDWIN, Mr. MARKEY,
and Mr. SANDERS) introduced the following bill; which was read twice
and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
A BILL
To address the impact of climate change on agriculture,
and for other purposes.
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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
3
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
4
‘‘Agriculture Resilience Act of 2023’’.
5
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for
6
this Act is as follows:
7
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
Sec. 2. Definition of Secretary.
TITLE I—NATIONAL GOALS
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Sec. 101. National goals.
Sec. 102. Action plan.
TITLE II—RESEARCH
Sec. 201. Research, extension, and education purpose.
Sec. 202. Regional hubs for risk adaptation and mitigation to climate change.
Sec. 203. Sustainable agriculture research and education resilience initiative.
Sec. 204. Long-Term Agroecosystem Research Network.
Sec. 205. Public breed and cultivar research.
Sec. 206. ARS Climate Scientist Career Development Program.
Sec. 207. Agricultural Climate Adaptation and Mitigation through AFRI.
Sec. 208. Specialty crop research initiative.
Sec. 209. Integrated pest management.
Sec. 210. Appropriate technology transfer for rural areas program.
TITLE III—SOIL HEALTH
Sec. 301. Crop insurance.
Sec. 302. Environmental quality incentives program.
Sec. 303. Conservation stewardship program.
Sec. 304. State assistance for soil health.
Sec. 305. Funding and administration.
Sec. 306. Conservation compliance.
Sec. 307. National and regional agroforestry centers.
TITLE IV—FARMLAND PRESERVATION AND FARM VIABILITY
Sec. 401. Local Agriculture Market Program.
Sec. 402. National organic certification cost-share program.
Sec. 403. Farmland Protection Policy Act.
Sec. 404. Agricultural conservation easement program.
TITLE V—PASTURE-BASED LIVESTOCK
Sec. 501. Animal raising claims.
Sec. 502. Processing resilience grant program.
Sec. 503. Conservation of private grazing land.
Sec. 504. Conservation reserve program.
Sec. 505. Alternative manure management program.
TITLE VI—ON-FARM RENEWABLE ENERGY
Sec. 601. Rural Energy For America Program.
Sec. 602. Agrivoltaic systems.
Sec. 603. AgSTAR program.
TITLE VII—FOOD LOSS AND WASTE
Subtitle A—Food Date Labeling
Sec. 701. Definitions.
Sec. 702. Quality dates and discard dates.
Sec. 703. Misbranding.
Sec. 704. Regulations.
Sec. 705. Delayed applicability.
Subtitle B—Other Provisions
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Sec. 711. Composting as conservation practice.
Sec. 712. Amendments to Federal Food Donation Act.
Sec. 713. Grants for composting and anaerobic digestion food waste-to-energy
projects.
Sec. 714. School food waste reduction grant program.
Sec. 715. Support for national media campaigns to decrease incidence of food
waste.
Sec. 716. Food waste research program.
SEC. 2. DEFINITION OF SECRETARY.
1
In this Act, the term ‘‘Secretary’’ means the Sec-
2
retary of Agriculture.
3
TITLE I—NATIONAL GOALS
4
SEC. 101. NATIONAL GOALS.
5
(a) PURPOSE.—The purpose of the goals established
6
under this title is to prevent climate change from exceed-
7
ing 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming above preindustrial lev-
8
els through a national greenhouse gas emission reduction
9
effort.
10
(b) NATIONAL GOALS.—The national goals for the
11
agricultural sector shall be to achieve—
12
(1) not less than a 50-percent reduction in net
13
greenhouse gas emissions, as compared to those lev-
14
els during calendar year 2010, by not later than De-
15
cember 31, 2030; and
16
(2) net zero emissions by not later than Decem-
17
ber 31, 2040.
18
(c) SUBGOALS.—To achieve the national goals de-
19
scribed in subsection (b), there are established the fol-
20
lowing subgoals:
21
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(1) RESEARCH.—The total Federal investment
1
in public food and agriculture research and exten-
2
sion should—
3
(A) at a minimum, as compared to that
4
total Federal investment for fiscal year 2023—
5
(i) triple by not later than December
6
31, 2030; and
7
(ii) quadruple by not later than De-
8
cember 31, 2040; and
9
(B) strongly focus on climate change adap-
10
tation and mitigation, soil health and carbon se-
11
questration, nutrient and manure management
12
to curb nitrous oxide and methane emissions,
13
agroforestry, advanced grazing management
14
and crop-livestock integration, perennial pro-
15
duction systems, on-farm and food system en-
16
ergy efficiency and renewable energy produc-
17
tion, farmland preservation and viability, food
18
waste reduction, and any other related areas, as
19
determined by the Secretary.
20
(2)
SOIL
HEALTH.—The
United
States
21
should—
22
(A) immediately become a member of the
23
Partners Forum and the Consortium of the 4
24
per 1000 Initiative, hosted by the Consultative
25
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Group for International Agricultural Research,
1
with the aim of increasing total soil carbon
2
stocks by 0.4 percent annually to reduce carbon
3
in the atmosphere, restore soil health and pro-
4
ductivity, and thereby improve food security;
5
(B) sufficiently expand adoption of soil
6
health systems and practices (including diverse
7
crop rotations, cover cropping, and conservation
8
tillage), perennial crop and grass-based live-
9
stock
production
systems,
agroforestry,
10
composting, advanced nutrient budgeting and
11
biologically based nutrient management, ad-
12
vanced
grazing
management
(including
13
silvopasture and management-intensive rota-
14
tional grazing), and integrated crop-livestock
15
systems—
16
(i) to reduce nitrous oxide emissions
17
from agricultural soils, as compared to
18
those levels during calendar year 2023—
19
(I) by 25 percent by not later
20
than December 31, 2030; and
21
(II) by 75 percent by not later
22
than December 31, 2040;
23
(ii) to increase soil carbon stocks by
24
0.4 percent annually on at least 50 percent
25
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•S 1016 IS
of agricultural land by not later than De-
1
cember 31, 2030; and
2
(iii) to meet or exceed the threshold
3
described in clause (ii) on all agricultural
4
land by not later than December 31, 2040;
5
(C) expand implementation of regionally
6
appropriate cover crops and other continual liv-
7
ing cover so that—
8
(i) at least 50 percent of cropland
9
acres include 1 or more cover crops or
10
other continual living cover in the rotations
11
of the cropland acres by not later than De-
12
cember 31, 2030;
13
(ii) at least 75 percent of cropland
14
acres include 1 or more cover crops or
15
other continual living cover in the rotations
16
of the cropland acres by not later than De-
17
cember 31, 2040;
18
(iii) cropland acres are covered by
19
crops (including forages and hay crops),
20
cover crops, or residue for an average of
21
75 percent of each calendar year by not
22
later than December 31, 2030; and
23
(iv) cropland acres are covered by
24
crops (including forages and hay crops),
25
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cover crops, or residue for an average of
1
85 percent of each calendar year by not
2
later than December 31, 2040; and
3
(D) encourage conversion of at least—
4
(i) 15 percent of annual grain crop
5
acres, as in use on the date of enactment
6
of this Act, to agroforestry, perennial graz-
7
ing, perennial grain crops, or other peren-
8
nial production systems by not later than
9
December 31, 2030; and
10
(ii) 30 percent of annual grain crop
11
acres, as in use on the date of enactment
12
of this Act, to agroforestry, perennial graz-
13
ing, perennial grain crops, or other peren-
14
nial production systems by not later than
15
December 31, 2040.
16
(3) FARMLAND PRESERVATION.—
17
(A) 2030 GOAL.—The rate of conversion of
18
agricultural land to development, and the rate
19
of conversion of grassland to cropping, should
20
be reduced by at least 80 percent, as compared
21
to those rates for calendar year 2023 by not
22
later than December 31, 2030.
23
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•S 1016 IS
(B) 2040 GOAL.—There should be no con-
1
version of agricultural land to development, or
2
grassland to cropping, by December 31, 2040.
3
(4) PASTURE-BASED
LIVESTOCK.—The live-
4
stock sector should—
5
(A) establish advanced grazing manage-
6
ment, including management-intensive rota-
7
tional grazing, on at least—
8
(i) 50 percent of all grazing land by
9
not later than December 31, 2030; and
10
(ii) 100 percent of all grazing land by
11
not later than December 31, 2040;
12
(B)(i) reduce greenhouse gas emissions re-
13
lated to feeding of ruminants by at least—
14
(I) 1⁄3 by not later than December 31,
15
2030; and
16
(II) 1⁄2 by not later than December
17
31, 2040; and
18
(ii) accomplish the reductions described in
19
clause (i) by—
20
(I) reducing nongrazing feeding of
21
ruminants;
22
(II) growing feed grains and forages
23
with soil health and nutrient management
24
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•S 1016 IS
practices that minimize net greenhouse gas
1
emissions from cropland; and
2
(III) designing livestock feed mixtures
3
and supplements to mitigate enteric meth-
4
ane emissions;
5
(C) re-integrate livestock and crop produc-
6
tion systems at farm, local, and regional levels
7
to facilitate environmentally sound management
8
and field application of manure and reduce the
9
need for long-term manure storage by increas-
10
ing acreage on individual farms under crop-live-
11
stock integrated management by at least—
12
(i) 100 percent as compared to cal-
13
endar year 2017 levels by not later than
14
December 31, 2030; and
15
(ii) 300 percent as compared to cal-
16
endar year 2017 levels by not later than
17
December 31, 2040; and
18
(D) reduce greenhouse gas emissions re-
19
sulting from manure management by—
20
(i) immediately ceasing building any
21
new or expanded waste lagoons for con-
22
fined animal feeding operations; and
23
(ii) converting—
24
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•S 1016 IS
(I) by not later than December
1
31, 2030, at least 1⁄3 of wet manure
2
handling and storage to non-digester
3
dairy or livestock methane manage-
4
ment methods (as defined in section
5
1240T(a) of the Food Security Act of
6
1985); and
7
(II) by not later than December
8
31, 2040, at least 2⁄3 of wet manure
9
handling and storage to non-digester
10
dairy or livestock methane manage-
11
ment methods (as so defined).
12
(5) ON-FARM RENEWABLE ENERGY.—The agri-
13
cultural sector should—
14
(A) implement energy audits and energy
15
efficiency improvements on at least—
16
(i) 50 percent of farms by not later
17
than December 31, 2030; and
18
(ii) 100 percent of farms by not later
19
than December 31, 2040;
20
(B) expand on-farm clean renewable en-
21
ergy production to a level that is at least—
22
(i) double the 2017 level by not later
23
than December 31, 2030; and
24
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•S 1016 IS
(ii) triple the 2017 level by not later
1
than December 31, 2040; and
2
(C) install and manage on-farm renewable
3
energy infrastructure in a manner that does
4
not—
5
(i) compromise the climate resilience
6
and greenhouse gas mitigation goals of this
7
Act; or
8
(ii) adversely impact farmland, soil,
9
and water resources, or food production.
10
(6) FOOD LOSS AND WASTE.—Consistent with
11
the Food Waste Challenge launched by the Depart-
12
ment of Agriculture and the Environmental Protec-
13
tion Agency in June 2013, and the national food
14
loss and waste goal announced in September 2015,
15
the food and agricultural sector should commit to—
16
(A) at least a 50-percent reduction in food
17
loss and waste by not later than December 31,
18
2030;
19
(B) at least a 75-percent reduction in food
20
loss and waste by not later than December 31,
21
2040; and
22
(C) in a manner consistent with the Food
23
Recovery Hierarchy established by the Environ-
24
mental Protection Agency, diverting from land-
25
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•S 1016 IS
fills through composting and other means at
1
least—
2
(i) 50 percent of unavoidable food
3
waste and food processing byproducts by
4
not later than December 31, 2030; and
5
(ii) 90 percent of unavoidable food
6
waste and food processing byproducts by
7
not later than December 31, 2040.
8
SEC. 102. ACTION PLAN.
9
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall—
10
(1) develop a plan (referred to in this section as
11
the ‘‘plan’’), which may involve actions to be taken
12
by other Federal agencies, to make significant and
13
rapid progress to achieve the national goals de-
14
scribed in section 101; and
15
(2) make the plan available for public comment
16
for a period of not less than 90 days.
17
(b) ACTIONS.—Actions under the plan shall—
18
(1) include issuing regulations, providing incen-
19
tives, carrying out research and development pro-
20
grams, and any other actions the Secretary deter-
21
mines are necessary to achieve the national goals de-
22
scribed in section 101; and
23
(2) be designed—
24
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[Text truncated for display. Full text available on Congress.gov.]