HR7330-119

What This Bill Does

The DALCI Act amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to establish the Driftless Area Landscape Conservation Initiative. USDA must use $5 million per year from fiscal years 2027 through 2031 to reduce erosion and restore cold-water stream corridors in the Driftless Area of the Midwestern United States, focusing on climate-smart agriculture, carbon sequestration, soil health, and ecological restoration. Assistance to producers can support year-round ground cover, soil rebuilding, carbon sequestration, water quality, soil water-holding capacity, erosion reduction, flood mitigation, woodland biodiversity, prairie restoration, grassland, oak savanna, and barren management, and cold-water stream restoration that reduces streambank erosion and flooding threats while improving trout habitat. USDA must also help grassroots partnerships educate landowners and operators on climate-smart agriculture, soil health, and holistic grazing. Assistance may be financial assistance, technical assistance, or payments for easements conveyed to the Secretary.

Who Benefits and How

Producers in the Driftless Area benefit from USDA financial and technical assistance for ground cover, soil health, grazing, erosion control, woodland management, prairie restoration, and stream restoration. Landowners and operators benefit from grassroots education on climate-smart agriculture and holistic grazing. Trout habitat, cold-water stream corridors, and downstream communities benefit if projects reduce streambank erosion, flooding threats, and water-quality problems. Grassroots partnerships benefit from support to educate farmers and landowners. Conservation contractors and technical service providers may benefit from project work.

Who Bears the Burden and How

USDA must establish and administer the initiative, allocate $5 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031, define assistance terms, oversee easement payments, and coordinate with producers and grassroots partnerships. Producers receiving assistance must implement conservation practices, manage land for year-round cover, restore habitats, or comply with easement terms. Grassroots partnerships must educate landowners and operators. Federal taxpayers fund the initiative. Some landowners may face long-term obligations if they convey easements to the Secretary.

Key Provisions

• Creates the Driftless Area Landscape Conservation Initiative in the Food Security Act.
• Funds the initiative with $5 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031.
• Provides financial assistance, technical assistance, and easement payments to producers.
• Supports year-round ground cover, soil health, carbon sequestration, water quality, woodland biodiversity, prairie restoration, and cold-water stream restoration.
• Supports grassroots partnerships educating landowners and operators on climate-smart agriculture, soil health, and holistic grazing.