Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 91.djvu/1057

 PUBLIC LAW 95-113—SEPT. 29, 1977

91 STAT. 1023

Plains area as described in section 16(b) of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act (49 Stat. 1151, as amended; 16 U.S.C. 590p(b)) to reduce runoff, soil and water erosion, and otherwise to promote the conservation of soil and water resources in such area through the conversion of cropland from soil depleting uses to conserving uses including the production of soil conserving cover crops. (b) To effectuate the purposes of the program, the Secretary may ' Agreement, enter into an agreement for a two-year period with an owner or operator as described in subsection (a) Avhereby the owner or operator shall agree to devote to a soil conserving cover crop a specifically designated acreage of cropland on the farm up to 50 per centum of the acreage which had been planted to any soil depleting crop or crops in any of the two years preceding the date of the agreement. The agreement shall be renewable for annual periods thereafter subject to the mutual agreement of the owner or operator and the Secretary. In such agreement, the owner or operator shall agree (1) to plant a legume, or if not adapted to such area, an annual, biennial, or a perennial cover crop, as specified in the agreement; (2) to divert from production such portion of one or more crops designated by the Secretary as the Secretary determines necessary to effectuate the purpose of the program; (3) not to harvest any crop from or graze the designated acreage during the agreement period, unless the Secretary determines that it is necessary to permit grazing or harvesting in order to alleviate damage, hardship, or suffering caused by severe drought, flood, or other natural disaster, and consents to such grazing or harvesting subject to an appropriate reduction in the rate of payment; (4) to give adequate assurance, as specified by the Secretary, that the land was not acquired for the purpose of placing it in the program: Provided, That the foregoing provision shall not prohibit the continuation of an agreement by a new owner if an agreement has once been entered into under this section nor prevent an owner or operator from placing a farm in the program if the farm was acquired by the owner to replace an eligible farm from which he was displaced because of its acquisition by any Federal, State, or other agency having the right of eminent domain; (5) to forfeit all rights to further payments under the agreement and refund to the United States all payments received thereunder upon his violation of the agreement at any stage during the time he has control of the land if the Secretary determines that such violation is of such a nature as to warrant termination of the agreement, or to make refunds or accept such payment adjustments as the Secretary may deem appropriate if the Secretary determines that the violation by the owner or operator does not warrant termination of the agreement; (6) upon transfer of his right and interest in the farm, during the agreement period, to forfeit all rights to further payments under the a^eement and refund to the United States all payments received thereunder unless the transferee of any such land agrees with the Secretary to assume all obligations of the agreement; (7) not to adopt any practice specified by the Secretary in the agreement as a practice which would tend to defeat the purposes of the agreement; and (8) to such additional provisions as the Secretary determines are desirable to effectuate the purposes of the program or to facilitate the practical administration of the program, including such measures as the Secretary may deem appropriate to keep the designated acreage from eroding and free from weeds and rodents in accordance with good conservation systems. (c) In consideration for such agreement, the Secretary shall make Annual annual adjustment payments to the owner or operator for the period of adjustment payments.

29-194 0

�