S.Amdt. 3354

SA 3354. Mr. SANDERS submitted an amendment intended to be proposed
to amendment SA 3224 proposed by Mr. Roberts (for himself and Ms.
Stabenow) to the bill H.R. 2, to provide for the reform and
continuation of agricultural and other programs of the Department of
Agriculture through fiscal year 2023, and for other purposes; which was
ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

Beginning on page 141, strike line 3 and all that follows
through page 142, line 5, and insert the following:
``(a) In General.--The Secretary shall carry out a pilot
project that provides financial incentives, as determined by
the Secretary, to producers to adopt practices designed to
improve soil health, including by increasing carbon levels in
soil (or `soil carbon levels') or growing new top soil.
``(b) Requirements.--In establishing the pilot project
under subsection (a), the Secretary shall--
``(1) identify geographic regions of the United States in
which to establish the pilot project, including--
``(A) not less than 1 drought prone region, based on
factors such as soil type, cropping history, and water
availability; and
``(B) not less than 1 region with a high percentage of
spodosols, as identified by the Secretary;
``(2) establish payments to provide an incentive for the
use of practices, such as cover crops, no-till farming,
nutrient management, resource-conserving crop rotations, and
other similar practices approved under the program that--
``(A) improve soil health;
``(B) increase carbon levels in the soil; or
``(C) meet the goals described in subparagraphs (A) and
(B); and
``(3) establish protocols for measuring carbon levels in
soil to measure gains in soil health as a result of the
practices used in the pilot project.
``(c) Study; Report to Congress.--
``(1) Study.--Not later than September 30, 2022, the
Secretary shall conduct a study regarding the baseline of
soil carbon levels and nutrients, changes in soil health,
reduction in nutrient runoff and top soil erosion, and, if
feasible, economic outcomes, as a result of the practices
used in the pilot project established under subsection (a).
______