H.R. 5184House115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

Accelerating Innovative Conservation Technologies and Practices Act

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Updated April 15, 2026 at 8:37 PM UTC

The Accelerating Innovative Conservation Technologies and Practices Act would change the 1985 Food Security Act to speed up how the USDA develops and updates conservation practice standards. It requires the Secretary of Agriculture to set up a fast‑track administrative process for creating or revising standards and to consider new conservation technologies. The bill also mandates regular reports to Congress and asks state technical committees to review and recommend innovative practices for inclusion in those standards. The changes affect the USDA, state committees, and landowners who use federal conservation programs.

Key Provisions

Directs the Secretary of Agriculture to create an administrative process, within 180 days, that expedites the establishment and revision of conservation practice standards and includes consideration of innovative conservation technologies.
Requires the Secretary to report to Congress within one year and every two years thereafter on the new process, the standards developed through it, and the innovations considered.
Mandates that each State technical committee regularly review new and innovative conservation technologies and practices, including water‑conserving methods, and recommend them to the Secretary for possible inclusion in future standards.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

HouseCommittee Latest Action

Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry.

Forestry and Horticulture Subcommittee

March 28, 2018

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

March 6, 2018

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Agriculture Committee

March 6, 2018

HouseCommittee

Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation and Forestry.

Forestry and Horticulture Subcommittee

March 28, 2018

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued March 6, 2018

115th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 5184

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

March 6, 2018

Ms. Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

A BILL

To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to improve conservation practice standards, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Accelerating Innovative Conservation Technologies and Practices Act.

Conservation practice standards

The Food Security Act of 1985 is amended—

(1)

in section 1242(h) (16 U.S.C. 3842(h))—

(A)

by amending paragraph (3) to read as follows:

(3)

Expedited revision of standards

Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, the Secretary shall develop an administrative process for—

(A)

expediting the establishment and revision of conservation practice standards; and

(B)

considering conservation innovations with respect to any establishment or revision under subparagraph (A).

; and

(B)

by adding at the end the following:

(4)

Report

Not later than 1 year after the date of the enactment of this paragraph, and every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report on—

(A)

the administrative process developed under paragraph (3);

(B)

conservation practice standards that were established or expedited under such process; and

(C)

conservation innovations that were considered under such process.

; and

(2)

in section 1262(c) (16 U.S.C. 3862(c)), by adding at the end the following:

(3)

Recommendations to Secretary

Each State technical committee shall regularly review new and innovative technologies and practices, including processes to conserve water, and make recommendations to the Secretary for further consideration of, and possible development of, conservation practice standards that incorporate such technologies and practices.