SOIL Act

The SOIL Act increases payments for farmers participating in USDA conservation programs who implement practices that simultaneously improve soil health and wildlife habitat. It raises reimbursement rates to 90% of costs for specific activities like planting cover crops, restoring wetlands, creating riparian buffers, and establishing wildlife habitat plantings - listed in the bill as 26 distinct practices. The bill modifies program rules to prioritize applications and contract offers that address both soil and wildlife resource concerns. These changes directly affect farmers enrolled in the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) who adopt dual-benefit conservation practices. The policy shifts focus toward integrated land management by financially incentivizing practices that deliver multiple ecological outcomes.