Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act of 2023

The Healthy Soils Healthy Climate Act of 2023 (HR 5043) creates federal incentive payments for farmers to adopt soil health practices - such as cover cropping, crop rotation, and improved soil management - that increase soil organic carbon levels. It prioritizes payments for small producers, rural farmers, and socially disadvantaged farmers, requiring the Department of Agriculture to establish region-specific protocols for measuring soil health improvements and carbon sequestration. The bill allocates $100 million annually for these payments and mandates biennial studies to evaluate the impact of these practices on soil carbon, crop resilience, and data collection challenges across different regions. Additionally, it funds research at land-grant universities to study soil health science, including how practices affect crop yields and carbon storage permanence.