text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``Conservation Security Act of 1999''.
  
  SEC. 2. CONSERVATION SECURITY PROGRAM.
  
      Subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 
  3830 et seq.) is amended by adding at the end the following:
  
                 ``CHAPTER 6--CONSERVATION SECURITY PROGRAM
  
  ``SEC. 1240P. CONSERVATION SECURITY PROGRAM.
  
      ``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall establish a conservation 
  security program through the use of contracts to assist owners and 
  operators of farms and ranches to promote--
              ``(1) conservation of soil, water, and related resources;
              ``(2) water quality protection and improvement;
              ``(3) air quality protection and improvement;
              ``(4) wetland restoration, protection, and creation;
              ``(5) wildlife habitat development and protection; and
              ``(6) any similar conservation purpose.
      ``(b) Eligibility.--
              ``(1) In general.--To be eligible to participate in the 
          conservation security program, an owner or operator shall--
                      ``(A) submit a resource security plan or a 
                  livestock nutrient management plan to the Secretary, 
                  and obtain the approval of the Secretary for the plan, 
                  in accordance with subsection (c); and
                      ``(B) enter into a contract with the Secretary that 
                  requires compliance with the plan in accordance with 
                  subsection (e).
              ``(2) Limitation.--An owner or operator shall not be 
          eligible to enter into a contract specifying compliance with a 
          livestock nutrient management plan if the total number of 
          animals raised by the owner or operator exceeds 1,000 animal 
          units, as defined by the Secretary.
      ``(c) Plans.--
              ``(1) Resource security plans.--A resource security plan 
          shall--
                      ``(A) identify the resources to be secured by the 
                  plan;
                      ``(B) describe the class of conservation practices 
                  under subsection (d) to be implemented and maintained 
                  on the land subject to the contract during the contract 
                  period;
                      ``(C) contain a schedule for the implementation and 
                  maintenance of the class of conservation practices 
                  described in the plan;
                      ``(D) comply with the highly erodible land and 
                  wetland conservation requirements of subtitles B and C; 
                  and
                      ``(E) contain such other terms as the Secretary may 
                  require.
              ``(2) Livestock nutrient management plans.--A livestock 
          nutrient management plan shall--
                      ``(A) contain a plan for managing the manure and 
                  other organic byproducts produced on the farming or 
                  ranching operation of an owner or operator in a manner 
                  that protects air, water, and soil quality; and
                      ``(B) contain such other terms as the Secretary may 
                  require.
              ``(3) State and local conservation priorities.--To the 
          maximum extent practicable and in a manner that is consistent 
          with the conservation security program, resource security plans 
          and livestock nutrient management plans shall address the 
          conservation priorities established by the State and locality 
          in which the farming or ranching operation is located.
      ``(d) Conservation Practices Under Resource Security Plans.--
              ``(1) In general.--The Secretary shall establish 3 classes 
          of conservation practices that are eligible for payment under a 
          contract entered into under this section to carry out a 
          resource security plan.
              ``(2) Inclusion of certain practices.--The Secretary shall 
          include in 1 of the classes of conservation practices--
                      ``(A) each environmental or conservation practice 
                  that is included in the National Handbook of 
                  Conservation Practices of the Natural Resources 
                  Conservation Service; and
                      ``(B) any other conservation practice the Secretary 
                  determines is appropriate.
              ``(3) Classes.--To carry out this subsection, the Secretary 
          shall establish the following 3 classes of conservation 
          practices (as appropriate for the farm or ranch operation of an 
          owner or operator):
                      ``(A) Class i.--Class I conservation practices 
                  shall include--
                              ``(i) residue management;
                              ``(ii) nutrient management; and
                              ``(iii) environmentally sound grazing.
                      ``(B) Class ii.--Class II conservation practices 
                  shall include--
                              ``(i) Class I conservation practices;
                              ``(ii) comprehensive nutrient management;
                              ``(iii) pesticide management;
                              ``(iv) partial field conservation practices 
                          (including windbreaks, grass waterways, shelter 
                          belts, filter strips and riparian buffers); and
                              ``(v) intensive grazing and wildlife 
                          habitat measures.
                      ``(C) Class iii.--Class III conservation practices 
                  shall include--
                              ``(i) Class I and Class II conservation 
                          practices; and
                              ``(ii) such additional conservation 
                          practices as are necessary to implement and 
                          maintain a total resource management plan that 
                          addresses the long-term sustainability of the 
                          natural resource base of a farm or ranch 
                          operation.
      ``(e) Contracts.--
              ``(1) In general.--On approval of a resource security plan 
          or a livestock nutrient management plan of an owner or 
          operator, the Secretary shall enter into a contract with the 
          owner or operator that specifies--
                      ``(A) the land subject to the contract;
                      ``(B) in the case of a resource security plan, the 
                  class of conservation practices under subsection (d) 
                  that will be carried out on the land; and
                      ``(C) in the case of a livestock nutrient 
                  management plan, the livestock facilities that are 
                  covered by the contract.
              ``(2) Duration.--Subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), the 
          contract shall be for a term of not less than 3 years nor more 
          than 5 years.
              ``(3) Revision.--The Secretary may require an owner or 
          operator to modify a resource security plan or livestock 
          nutrient management plan before the expiration of the plan if 
          the Secretary determines that a change made to the size, 
          management, or any other aspect of the farming or ranching 
          operation of the owner or operator would, without the 
          modification, interfere with the conservation security program.
              ``(4) Renewal.--The contract of the owner or operator may 
          be renewed for successive 5-year periods, at the option of the 
          owner or operator, if--
                      ``(A) the owner or operator agrees to any 
                  modification of the applicable resource security plan 
                  or the livestock nutrient management plan that the 
                  Secretary determines is necessary to carry out the 
                  conservation security program; and
                      ``(B) the Secretary determines that the owner or 
                  operator has complied with--
                              ``(i) the terms and conditions of the 
                          applicable resource security plan or a 
                          livestock nutrient management plan of the owner 
                          or operator; and
                              ``(ii) the terms and conditions of the 
                          contract.
      ``(f) Duties of Owners and Operators.--Under a contract entered 
  into under subsection (e), during the term of the contract, an owner or 
  operator of a farm or ranch shall agree--
              ``(1) to implement the applicable resource security plan or 
          livestock nutrient management plan approved by the Secretary;
              ``(2) to keep such records as the Secretary may require for 
          purposes of evaluation of the implementation of the plan;
              ``(3) not to engage in any activity that would defeat the 
          purposes of the conservation security program; and
              ``(4) to forgo incentive payments, rental payments, or 
          easement payments under any other conservation program 
          administered by the Secretary for land subject to the contract, 
          except that the owner or operator shall not otherwise become 
          ineligible for participation in and receipt of cost-share 
          payments under any other conservation program as a result of 
          payments received under this section.
      ``(g) Duties of Secretary.--
              ``(1) Resource security plans.--
                      ``(A) In general.--Under a contract entered into by 
                  an owner or operator under this section to carry out a 
                  resource security plan, subject to subparagraph (B), 
                  the Secretary shall, for a period of years not in 
                  excess of the term of the contract, make an annual 
                  rental payment to the owner or operator in an amount 
                  equal to--
                              ``(i) 10 percent of the average county 
                          rental rate for the same type of land enrolled 
                          under the contract that will be maintained 
                          using Class I conservation practices described 
                          in subsection (d)(3)(A);
                              ``(ii) 20 percent of the average county 
                          rental rate for the same type of land enrolled 
                          under the contract that will be maintained 
                          using Class II conservation practices described 
                          in subsection (d)(3)(B); and
                              ``(iii) 40 percent of the average county 
                          rental rate for the same type of land enrolled 
                          under the contract that will be maintained 
                          using Class III conservation practices 
                          described in subsection (d)(3)(C).
              ``(2) Livestock nutrient management plans.--Under a 
          contract entered into by an owner or operator under this 
          section to carry out a livestock nutrient management plan, the 
          Secretary shall, for a period of years not in excess of the 
          term of the contract, make an annual rental payment to the 
          owner or operator in an amount equal to the product obtained by 
          multiplying--
                      ``(A) 10 percent of the simple average price 
                  received by owners and operators for each type of 
                  livestock covered by the plan during the 5 marketing 
                  years immediately preceding the year covered by the 
                  annual payment; by
                      ``(B) the number of that type of livestock raised 
                  by the owner or operator during the year covered by the 
                  annual payment.
                      ``(3) Limitation on payments.--The total amount of 
                  payments paid to an owner or operator under paragraphs 
                  (1) and (2) shall not exceed $50,000 for any fiscal 
                  year.
              ``(4) Technical assistance.--The Secretary shall use not 
          less than 15 percent, nor more than 20 percent, of the funds 
          that are made available to carry out this section for a fiscal 
          year to provide technical assistance to owners and operators 
          entering into contracts under this section.
              ``(5) Other payments.--Except as otherwise provided in this 
          section, payments received by an owner or operator under this 
          subsection shall be in addition to, and not affect, the total 
          amount of payments that the owner or operator is otherwise 
          eligible to receive under--
                      ``(A) this Act;
                      ``(B) the Federal Agriculture Improvement and 
                  Reform Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-127), including the 
                  Agricultural Market Transition Act (7 U.S.C. 7201 et 
                  seq.);
                      ``(C) the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and 
                  Trade Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-624); or
                      ``(D) the Agricultural Act of 1949 (7 U.S.C. 1421 
                  et seq.).''.
  
  SEC. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
  
      (a) In General.--This Act and the amendment made by this Act take 
  effect on October 1, 1999.
      (b) Regulations.--Not later than 180 days after the date of 
  enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall promulgate such regulations 
  as are necessary to carry out this Act and the amendment made by this 
  Act.
target: Requires a participant to submit a resource security plan or a livestock nutrient management plan. (Limits the size of eligible livestock operations.) Sets forth three classes of resource security plan conservation practices, and bases rental payments upon classes implemented by the participant. Bases livestock nutrient management plan payments on the price and number of livestock covered by the contract.
feat_title: Conservation Security Act of 1999