The American Prairie Conservation Act requires producers who till native sod for crop production to certify and report that acreage to the Secretary of Agriculture, with annual reports submitted to Congress detailing tilled acreage by county and state.
John Thune
Senator
SD
The American Prairie Conservation Act aims to protect native sod by requiring producers who till it for crop production to certify and report the acreage to the Secretary of Agriculture. This certification includes submitting acreage reports and maps, with corrections required for any changes in tilled acreage. The Secretary of Agriculture must provide annual reports to the Senate and House Agriculture Committees detailing the certified tilled native sod acreage in each county and state from 2026 to 2030.
New Bill Mandates Farmers Report Tilling Native Prairie Starting 2026
This part of the American Prairie Conservation Act introduces a new layer of paperwork for farmers breaking new ground. Specifically, if you're a producer who tills native sod – essentially, land that hasn't been farmed before – to plant crops, you'll now need to officially report that acreage to the Secretary of Agriculture. The bill amends both the Federal Crop Insurance Act and the Federal Agriculture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 to put this requirement in place.
Mapping the Change
So, what does 'certify' actually mean here? According to Section 2, producers will need to submit specific documentation: an acreage report form from the Farm Service Agency (FSA) and one or more maps detailing the tilled native sod areas. If you discover any changes or errors in the acreage you reported, you're also required to submit corrections. Think of it as updating the official record on land use changes, specifically focusing on the conversion of native grasslands to cropland.
Data for D.C.
This isn't just about adding forms to farmers' desks. The bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture to compile this information and report it annually to the House and Senate Agriculture Committees. These reports, covering the period from January 1, 2026, through January 1, 2030, will break down the certified tilled native sod acreage county by county and state by state. While the bill itself focuses purely on reporting, collecting this kind of detailed data often lays the groundwork for future policy decisions related to conservation or agricultural programs, particularly those tied to crop insurance eligibility on newly broken ground.