In this subpart:

The term “conservation planning assessment” means a report, as determined by the Secretary, that—

(A) is developed by— (i) a State or unit of local government (including a conservation district); (ii) a Federal agency; or (iii) a third-party provider certified under section 3842(e) of this title (including a certified rangeland professional);

(B) assesses rangeland or cropland function and describes conservation activities to enhance the economic and ecological management of that land; and

(C) can be incorporated into a comprehensive planning document required by the Secretary for enrollment in a conservation program of the Department of Agriculture.

The term “eligible land” includes the following:

(A) In general The term “eligible land” means land on which agricultural commodities, livestock, or forest-related products are produced.

(B) InclusionsThe term “eligible land” includes the following: (i) Cropland. (ii) Grassland. (iii) Rangeland. (iv) Pasture land. (v) Nonindustrial private forest land. (vi) Other agricultural land (including cropped woodland, marshes, environmentally sensitive areas, and agricultural land used for the production of livestock) on which identified or expected resource concerns related to agricultural production could be addressed through a contract under the program, as determined by the Secretary.

(3) Incentive practice The term “incentive practice” means a practice or set of practices approved by the Secretary that, when implemented and maintained on eligible land, address 1 or more priority resource concerns.

(4) Organic system plan The term “organic system plan” means an organic plan approved under the national organic program established under the Organic Foods Production Act of 1990 (7 U.S.C. 6501 et seq.).

The term “payment” means financial assistance provided to a producer for performing practices under this subpart, including compensation for—

(A) incurred costs associated with planning, design, materials, equipment, installation, labor, management, maintenance, or training; and

(B) income forgone by the producer.

The term “practice” means 1 or more improvements and conservation activities that are consistent with the purposes of the program under this subpart, as determined by the Secretary, including—

(A) improvements to eligible land of the producer, including— (i) structural practices; (ii) land management practices; (iii) vegetative practices; (iv) forest management; (v) soil testing; (vi) soil remediation to be carried out by the producer; and (vii) other practices that the Secretary determines would further the purposes of the program; and

(B) conservation activities involving the development of plans appropriate for the eligible land of the producer, including— (i) comprehensive nutrient management planning; (ii) planning for resource-conserving crop rotations (as defined in section 3839aa–24(d)(1) of this title); (iii) soil health planning, including increasing soil organic matter and the use of cover crops; (iv) a conservation planning assessment; (v) precision conservation management planning; and (vi) other plans that the Secretary determines would further the purposes of the program under this subpart.

The term “priority resource concern” means a natural resource concern or problem, as determined by the Secretary, that—

(A) is identified at the national, State, or local level as a priority for a particular area of a State; and

(B) represents a significant concern in a State or region.

(8) Program The term “program” means the environmental quality incentives program established by this subpart.

The term “soil remediation” means scientifically based practices that—

(A) ensure the safety of producers from contaminants in soil;

(B) limit contaminants in soil from entering agricultural products for human or animal consumption; and

(C) regenerate and sustain the soil.

The term “soil testing” means the evaluation of soil health, including testing for—

(A) the optimal level of constituents in the soil, such as organic matter, nutrients, and the potential presence of soil contaminants, including heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or other contaminants; and

(B) the biological and physical characteristics indicative of proper soil functioning.

(Pub. L. 99–198, title XII, § 1240A, as added Pub. L. 107–171, title II, § 2301, May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 253; amended Pub. L. 110–234, title II, § 2502, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1058; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title II, § 2502, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1786; Pub. L. 113–79, title II, § 2202, Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 729; Pub. L. 115–334, title II, §§ 2301(d)(1)(E), 2303, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4554, 4555.)