| Quick Overview | Other Resources |

Here's a draft of a new proposal for including the program in the farm bill:
| Proposed Language - Option 1| Proposed Language - Option 2 |

OVERVIEW 

The Farmland Stewardship Program was included as Section 256 of the House-passed Farm Bill, "The Farm Security Act of 2001," H.R. 2646.  It also was included as Sec. 256 of S. 1673, one of the alternate farm bills offered in the U.S. Senate. 

Expanded language, based on Sec. 256, S. 1673, was proposed in February 2002 for inclusion in the conference bill during reconciliation of the House and Senate versions of the Farm Bill.  It was not acceptable to Senate negotiators; hence, a new proposal has been developed for consideration as final details about the farm bill are decided.    

The new proposal will greatly reduce the language needed to implement the Farmland Stewardship Program, and will move some concepts that appeared to cause resistance from the Senate into a report from the Secretary of Agriculture for recommendations on how to proceed.  A draft of this proposal can be viewed at: 

| Proposed Language - Option 1| Proposed Language - Option 2 |

RESOURCES

• For information on the current status of the FSP and links to several fact sheets explaining its importance, go to: Why the Farmland Stewardship Program in Important.
• To view the original proposal for conference committee language, based on Sec. 256 of the Lincoln-Hutchinson bill, S. 1673, go to February 2002 Conference Committee Language proposal, or, for a coded version, showing the changes that were made to Sec. 256 of H.R. 2646, go to Modifications to Sec. 256, HR 2646. 
• For an easy-to-read text description of the original language proposed for conference committee, click Text Description
• For a detailed explanation of the legislative language, please refer to the Section-by-Section Analysis