The American Prairie Conservation Act (S. 1209)
March 31, 2025
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The Frame
Farmers who till must now formally certify that acreage to remain eligible for federal crop insurance and noninsured crop disaster assistance programs.
Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.
Agricultural producers
Farmers who till native sod must complete new certification and reporting requirements to maintain eligibility for federal crop insurance and disaster assistance.
Secretary of Agriculture
The Secretary is required to collect certification data and submit annual reports to Congress through 2030.
Last recorded activity March 31, 2025.
Next step not available in the current record.
Summary
Key Facts
- The bill is titled the 'American Prairie Conservation Act'.
- Producers tilling native sod for insurable crops must certify that acreage to the Secretary of Agriculture as a condition for receiving federal benefits.
- Certification requires the use of Farm Service Agency form FSA-578 (or successor forms) and one or more maps.
- Producers must submit corrections to their certifications as soon as practicable after discovering changes in tilled native sod acreage.
- The Secretary of Agriculture must submit annual reports to Congress on certified tilled native sod acreage by January 1 of each year from 2026 through 2030.
- The reporting requirement applies to both the Federal Crop Insurance Act and the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996.
- Reports must detail certified acreage by county and state.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens if I till native sod?
Do I need to update my certification if my tilled acreage changes?
What is the deadline for the Secretary of Agriculture to report this data?
Why It Matters
Farmers who till must now formally certify that acreage to remain eligible for federal crop insurance and noninsured crop disaster assistance programs.
News Coverage
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Increased Oversight of Native Sod Conversion
The bill shifts from general oversight to a mandatory, recurring annual reporting cycle for native sod conversion, specifically tied to federal benefit eligibility.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance40How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy20Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz10Current news / social attention level
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