§ 3839aa–21. Definitions

In this subpart:

• (1) The term “agricultural operation” means all eligible land, whether or not contiguous, that is—
  • (A) under the effective control of a producer at the time the producer enters into a contract under the program; and
  • (B) operated with equipment, labor, management, and production or cultivation practices that are substantially separate from other agricultural operations, as determined by the Secretary.
• (2)
  • (A) The term “conservation activities” means conservation systems, practices, or management measures.
  • (B) The term “conservation activities” includes—
    • (i) structural measures, vegetative measures, and land management measures, including agriculture drainage management systems, as determined by the Secretary;
    • (ii) planning needed to address a priority resource concern;
    • (iii) development of a comprehensive conservation plan, as defined in section 3839aa–24(e)(1) of this title ;
    • (iv) soil health planning, including planning to increase soil organic matter; and
    • (v) activities that will assist a producer to adapt to, or mitigate against, increasing weather volatility.
• (3) The term “conservation stewardship plan” means a plan that—
  • (A) identifies and inventories priority resource concerns;
  • (B) establishes benchmark data and conservation objectives;
  • (C) describes conservation activities to be implemented, managed, or improved; and
  • (D) includes a schedule and evaluation plan for the planning, installation, and management of the new and existing conservation activities.
• (4)
  • (A) The term “eligible land” means—
    • (i) private or tribal land on which agricultural commodities, livestock, or forest-related products are produced; and
    • (ii) lands associated with the land described in clause (i) on which priority resource concerns could be addressed through a contract under the program.
  • (B) The term “eligible land” includes—
    • (i) cropland;
    • (ii) grassland;
    • (iii) rangeland;
    • (iv) pasture land;
    • (v) nonindustrial private forest land; and
    • (vi) other land in agricultural areas (including cropped woodland, marshes, and agricultural land used or capable of being used for the production of livestock), as determined by the Secretary.
• (5) 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;
  • (B) represents a significant concern in a State or region; and
  • (C) is likely to be addressed successfully through the implementation of conservation activities under this program.
• (6) The term “program” means the conservation stewardship program established by this subpart.
• (7) The term “stewardship threshold” means the level of management required, as determined by the Secretary, to conserve and improve the quality and condition of a natural resource through the use of—
  • (A) quality criteria under a resource management system;
  • (B) predictive analytics tools or models developed or approved by the Natural Resources Conservation Service;
  • (C) data from past and current enrollment in the program; and
  • (D) other methods that measure conservation and improvement in priority resource concerns, as determined by the Secretary.