Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 110 Part 1.djvu/1026

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110 STAT. 1002 PUBLIC LAW 104-127—APR. 4, 1996 16 USC "SEC. 1240H. TEMPORARY ADMINISTRATION OF ENVIRONMENTAL 3839aa-8. QUALITY INCENTIVES PROGRAM. "(a) INTERIM ADMINISTRATION. — "(1) IN GENERAL.—During the period beginning on the date of enactment of this section and ending on the termination date provided under paragraph (2), to ensure that technical assistance, cost-share payments, and incentive payments continue to be administered in an orderly manner until such time as assistance can be provided through final regulations issued to implement the environmental quality incentives program established under this chapter, the Secretary shall continue to— "(A) provide technical assistance, cost-share payments, and incentive payments under the terms and conditions of the agricultural conservation program, the Great Plains conservation program, the water quality incentives program, and the Colorado River Basin salinity control program, to the extent the terms and conditions of the program are consistent with the environmental quality incentives program; and "(B) use for those purposes— "(i) any funds remaining available for the agricultural conservation program, the Great Plains conservation program, the water quality incentives program, and the Colorado River Basin salinity control program; and "(ii) as the Secretary determines to be necessary, any funds authorized to be used to carry out the environmental quality incentives program. "(2) TERMINATION OF AUTHORITY.—The authority of the Secretary to carry out paragraph (1) shall terminate on the date that is 180 days after the date of enactment of this section. Effective date. " (b) PERMANENT ADMINISTRATION.— Effective beginning on the termination date provided under subsection (a)(2), the Secretary shall provide technical assistance, cost-share payments, and incentive payments for structural practices and land management practices related to crop and livestock production in accordance with final regulations issued to carry out the environmental quality incentives program.". SEC. 335. CONSERVATION FARM OPTION. Subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3830 et seq.) (as amended by section 334) is amended by adding at the end the following: "CHAPTER 5—CONSERVATION FARM OPTION 16 USC 3839bb. "SEC. 1240M. CONSERVATION FARM OPTION. "(a) IN GENERAL.— The Secretary shall establish conservation farm option pilot programs for producers of wheat, feed grains, cotton, and rice. "(b) ELIGIBLE OWNERS AND PRODUCERS.— An owner or producer with a farm that has contract acreage enrolled in the agricultural market transition program established under the Agricultural Market Transition Act shall be eligible to participate in the conservation farm option offered under a pilot program under subsection (a)