Upland Game Conservation Act - Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to formulate and carry out a program with farm owners and operators for the purpose of turning their land to nonagricultural uses while promoting the development and conservation of upland game wildlife resources.
Provides that farm owners and operators shall agree: (1) to carry out on a specifically designated acreage of land on the farm, not to exceed ten acres, and maintain for the agreement period practices or uses which will establish or protect or conserve open spaces, natural beauty, wildlife or upland game resources in such manner as the Secretary may prescribe; (2) to maintain in conserving crops or uses or to allow to remain idle throughout the agreement period such acreage; (3) not to harvest any crop from or graze the designated acreage during the agreement period; and (4) to such additional terms and conditions as the Secretary determines are desirable to effectuate the purposes of the program, including such measures as the Secretary may deem appropriate to keep the designated acreage free from erosion, insects, weeds and pests.
Provides that under such agreements the Secretary shall: (1) bear such part of the average cost (including labor) for the county or area in which the farm is situated of establishing and maintaining authorized practices or uses on the designated acreage as the Secretary determines to be necessary to effectuate the purposes of the program, but not to exceed the average rate for comparable practices or uses under the agricultural conservation program, and (2) make an annual rental payment to the farmowner or operator for the period of the agreement at such rate or rates as the Secretary determines to be fair and reasonable.
Provides that annual rental payment shall not exceed 40 percent of the estimated value, as determined by the Secretary, on the basis of prices in effect at the time the agreement is entered into, of the crops or types of crops which otherwise might be grown.
Authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to provide by appropriate regulations for the preservation of cropland, crop acreage, and allotment history applicable to acreage diverted from the production of crops in order to establish or maintain approved practices for the purpose of any Federal program under which such history is used as a basis for an allotment or other limitation or for participation in such program.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to House Committee on Agriculture.
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