S. 1616

119 S1616 IS: Producing Responsible Energy and Conservation Incentives and Solutions for the Environment Act of 2025
 U.S. Senate
 2025-05-06
 text/xml
 EN
 Pursuant to Title 17 Section 105 of the United States Code, this file is not subject to copyright protection and is in the public domain.
  II
  119th CONGRESS
  1st Session
  S. 1616
  IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
  May 6, 2025
  Mrs. Fischer  (for herself and  Ms. Klobuchar ) introduced the following bill; which
  was read twice and referred to the  Committee
  on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
  A BILL
To amend the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act and the Food
  Security Act of 1985 to leverage incentives for the adoption of precision agriculture
  practices and technology, and for other purposes.
1.
Short title
This Act may be cited as the   Producing Responsible Energy and Conservation Incentives and Solutions for the Environment Act of 2025   or the   PRECISE Act of 2025  .
2.
Assistance to rural entities
Section 310B(a) of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1932(a) ) is amended—
(1)
in paragraph (1)—
(A)
by redesignating subparagraph (B) as subparagraph (C); and
(B)
by inserting after subparagraph (A) the following:
(B)
Precision agriculture; precision agriculture technology
The terms  precision agriculture  and  precision agriculture technology  have the meanings given those terms in section 1201(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3801(a) ).
  ; and
(2)
in paragraph (2)—
(A)
in subparagraph (C), by striking  and  at the end;
(B)
in subparagraph (D)—
(i)
by striking  to facilitate  and inserting  facilitating ; and
(ii)
by striking the period at the end and inserting  ; and ; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following:
(E)
expanding the adoption of precision agriculture practices, including by financing the acquisition of precision agriculture technology, in order to promote best practices, reduce costs, and improve the environment.
  .
3.
Food Security Act of 1985 definitions
Section 1201(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3801(a) ) is amended—
(1)
in each of paragraphs (1), (5), (6), (7), (10), (11), (12), (13), (15), (20), (21), (22), (24), (26), and (27), by inserting a paragraph heading, the text of which comprises the term defined in that paragraph;
(2)
by redesignating paragraphs (20) through (27) as paragraphs (22) through (29), respectively; and
(3)
by inserting after paragraph (19) the following:
(20)
Precision agriculture
The term  precision agriculture  means managing, tracking, or reducing any crop or livestock production input, including seed, feed, fertilizer, chemicals, water, and time, at a heightened level of spatial and temporal granularity to improve efficiencies, reduce waste, and maintain environmental quality.
(21)
Precision agriculture technology
The term  precision agriculture technology  means any technology (including equipment that is necessary for the deployment of such a technology) that directly contributes to a reduction in, or improved efficiency of, an input used in crop or livestock production, including—
(A)
Global Positioning System-based or geospatial mapping;
(B)
satellite or aerial imagery;
(C)
yield monitors;
(D)
soil mapping;
(E)
sensors for gathering data relating to crop, soil, or livestock conditions;
(F)
Internet of Things and telematics technologies;
(G)
data management software and advanced analytics;
(H)
network connectivity products and solutions;
(I)
Global Positioning System guidance or auto-steer systems;
(J)
variable rate technology for applying inputs, such as section control; and
(K)
any other technology, as determined by the Secretary, that leads to a reduction in, or improves efficiency of, a crop or livestock production input, which may include seed, feed, fertilizer, chemicals, water, and time.
  .
4.
Environmental Quality Incentives Program
(a)
Definitions
Section 1240A(6)(B)(v) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3839aa–1(6)(B)(v) ) is amended by inserting  (including the adoption of precision agriculture practices and the acquisition of precision agriculture technology)  after  planning .
(b)
Payments
(1)
Other payments
Section 1240B(d)(6) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(d)(6) ) is amended—
(A)
by striking  A producer shall  and inserting the following:
(A)
Payments under this subtitle
A producer shall
  ; and
(B)
by adding at the end the following:
(B)
Conservation loan and loan guarantee program
  payments
(i)
In general
A producer receiving payments for practices on eligible land under the program may also receive a loan or loan guarantee under section 304 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1924 ) to cover costs for the same practices on the same land.
(ii)
Notice to producers
The Secretary shall inform a producer participating in the program, in writing, that the producer may apply to receive a loan or loan guarantee under section 304 of the Consolidated Farm and Rural Development Act ( 7 U.S.C. 1924 ) with respect to the costs of implementing practices under the program.
  .
(2)
Increased payments for State-determined high-priority practices
Section 1240B(d)(7) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(d)(7) ) is amended, in the paragraph heading, by inserting
State-determined   before
high-priority  .
(3)
Increased payments for precision agriculture
Section 1240B(d) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(d) ) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(8)
Increased payments for precision agriculture
Notwithstanding paragraph (2), the Secretary may increase the amount that would otherwise be provided for a practice under this subsection to not more than 90 percent of the costs associated with adopting precision agriculture practices and acquiring precision agriculture technology for the purpose of implementing a conservation practice.
  .
(c)
Conservation incentive contracts
Section 1240B(j)(2)(A)(i) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3839aa–2(j)(2)(A)(i) ) is amended by inserting  (which may include the adoption of precision agriculture practices and the acquisition of precision agriculture technology)  after  incentive practices .
5.
Conservation Stewardship Program supplemental payments
(a)
Conservation stewardship payments
Section 1240L(c) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3839aa–24(c) ) is amended by striking paragraph (3) and inserting the following:
(3)
Exclusion
A payment to a producer under this subsection shall not be provided for any conservation activities for which there is no cost incurred or income forgone by the producer.
  .
(b)
Supplemental payments for resource-Conserving crop rotations and advanced
  grazing management
Section 1240L(d) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3839aa–24(d) ) is amended—
(1)
in the subsection heading, by striking
and advanced grazing management   and inserting
, advanced grazing management, and precision agriculture  ;
(2)
in paragraph (2)—
(A)
in subparagraph (A), by striking  or  at the end;
(B)
in subparagraph (B), by striking the period at the end and inserting  ; or ; and
(C)
by adding at the end the following:
(C)
precision agriculture.
  ; and
(3)
in paragraph (3), by striking  or advanced grazing management  and inserting  , advanced grazing management, or precision agriculture conservation activities .
6.
Delivery of technical assistance
Section 1242(f) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3842(f) ) is amended by adding at the end the following:
(6)
Soil health planning
The Secretary shall emphasize the use of third-party providers in providing technical assistance for soil health planning, including planning relating to the use of cover crops, precision agriculture practices, comprehensive nutrient management planning, and other innovative plans.
  .