The purposes of the environmental quality incentives program established by this subpart are to promote agricultural production, forest management, and environmental quality as compatible goals, and to optimize environmental benefits, by—

assisting producers in complying with local, State, and national regulatory requirements concerning—

(A) soil, water, and air quality;

(B) wildlife habitat; and

(C) surface and ground water conservation;

(2) avoiding, to the maximum extent practicable, the need for resource and regulatory programs by assisting producers in protecting soil, water, air, and related natural resources and meeting environmental quality criteria established by Federal, State, tribal, and local agencies;

providing flexible assistance to producers to install and maintain conservation practices that sustain food and fiber production while—

(A) enhancing soil, water, and related natural resources, including grazing land, forestland, wetland, and wildlife;

(B) developing and improving wildlife habitat; and

(C) conserving energy; and

(4) assisting producers to make beneficial, cost-effective changes to production systems, including addressing identified, new, or expected resource concerns related to organic production, grazing management, fuels management, forest management, nutrient management associated with crops and livestock, pest management, irrigation management, adapting to, and mitigating against, increasing weather volatility, drought resiliency measures, or other practices on agricultural and forested land.

(Pub. L. 99–198, title XII, § 1240, as added Pub. L. 107–171, title II, § 2301, May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 253; amended Pub. L. 110–234, title II, § 2501(a), May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1057; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title II, § 2501(a), June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1785; Pub. L. 113–79, title II, § 2201, Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 728; Pub. L. 115–334, title II, §§ 2301(d)(1)(D), 2302, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4554, 4555.)