16 USC 3839 - Conservation of private grazing land

View all text of Part V [§ 3839bb - § 3839bb-6]

§ 3839bb. Conservation of private grazing land

(a) PurposeIt is the purpose of this section to authorize the Secretary to provide a coordinated technical, educational, and related assistance program to conserve and enhance private grazing land resources and provide related benefits to all citizens of the United States by—

(1) establishing a coordinated and cooperative Federal, State, and local grazing conservation program for management of private grazing land;

(2) strengthening technical, educational, and related assistance programs that provide assistance to owners and managers of private grazing land;

(3) conserving and improving wildlife habitat on private grazing land;

(4) conserving and improving fish habitat and aquatic systems through grazing land conservation treatment;

(5) protecting and improving water quality;

(6) improving the dependability and consistency of water supplies;

(7) identifying and managing weed, noxious weed, and brush encroachment problems on private grazing land; and

(8) integrating conservation planning and management decisions by owners and managers of private grazing land, on a voluntary basis.

(b) DefinitionsIn this section:

(1) Department

(2) Private grazing land

(3) Secretary

(1) Assistance to grazing landowners and othersSubject to the availability of appropriations for this section, the Secretary shall establish a voluntary program to provide technical, educational, and related assistance to owners and managers of private grazing land and public agencies, through local conservation districts, to enable the landowners, managers, and public agencies to voluntarily carry out activities that are consistent with this section, including—

(A) maintaining and improving private grazing land and the multiple values and uses that depend on private grazing land;

(B) implementing grazing land management technologies;

(i) planning, managing, and treating private grazing land resources;

(ii) ensuring the long-term sustainability of private grazing land resources;

(iii) harvesting, processing, and marketing private grazing land resources; and

(iv) identifying and managing weed, noxious weed, and brush encroachment problems;

(D) protecting and improving the quality and quantity of water yields from private grazing land;

(E) maintaining and improving wildlife and fish habitat on private grazing land;

(F) enhancing recreational opportunities on private grazing land;

(G) maintaining and improving the aesthetic character of private grazing land;

(H) identifying the opportunities and encouraging the diversification of private grazing land enterprises; and

(I) encouraging the use of sustainable grazing systems, such as year-round, rotational, or managed grazing.

(2) Program elements

(A) Funding

(B) Technical assistance and education

(C) PartnershipsIn carrying out the program under this section, the Secretary shall provide education and outreach activities through partnerships with—

(i) land-grant colleges and universities (as defined in section 3103 of title 7); and

(ii) nongovernmental organizations.

(d) Grazing technical assistance self-help

(1) FindingsCongress finds that—

(A) there is a severe lack of technical assistance for farmers and ranchers that graze livestock;

(B) Federal budgetary constraints preclude any significant expansion, and may force a reduction of, current levels of technical support; and

(C) farmers and ranchers have a history of cooperatively working together to address common needs in the promotion of their products and in the drainage of wet areas through drainage districts.

(2) Establishment of grazing demonstration

(3) Procedure

(A) Proposal

(B) Funding

(i) is reasonable;

(ii) will promote sound grazing practices; and

(iii) contains provisions similar to the provisions contained in the beef promotion and research order issued under section 2903 of title 7 in effect on April 4, 1996.

(D) Area included

(E) Authorization

(F) Activities

(e) Authorization of appropriations

(Pub. L. 99–198, title XII, § 1240M, as added Pub. L. 104–127, title III, § 335, Apr. 4, 1996, 110 Stat. 1002; amended Pub. L. 107–171, title II, § 2502(a), May 13, 2002, 116 Stat. 264; Pub. L. 110–234, title II, § 2601, May 22, 2008, 122 Stat. 1068; Pub. L. 110–246, § 4(a), title II, § 2601, June 18, 2008, 122 Stat. 1664, 1796; Pub. L. 113–79, title II, § 2501, Feb. 7, 2014, 128 Stat. 751; Pub. L. 115–334, title II, § 2404, Dec. 20, 2018, 132 Stat. 4572.)