Congress·In Committee·H.R. 6969
Rural Investment for Producers and the Environment (RIPE) Act of 2026
Congress Proposes USDA Payments for Farm Conservation in Up to 30 Watersheds
Part of: House GOP Unveils 2026 Farm Bill Focused on Security and Rural Investment
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Stalled
No legislative action in over 90 days.
Legislative Progress
House
Key Points
- Congress would create a USDA pilot program that pays farmers and ranchers to use conservation practices in up to 30 selected watersheds.
- USDA would sign 3- to 5-year contracts and pay producers based on acres and livestock units, covering costs, lost income, and environmental benefits.
- Payments could be higher for limited-resource or socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers (15% above the regular rate), with 10% of funds set aside for them.
- Producers could still earn money from private environmental services markets while in the program, and USDA would offer technical help to carry out conservation plans.
- The bill sets aside funding for USDA to run the program and requires yearly reports to Congress on participation and environmental results.
Impact Analysis
Personal Impact
How this policy affects specific groups of people
Positive Impacts(3)
Milestones
2 milestones2 actions
Jan 7, 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Jan 7, 2026
Introduced in House
The bill was officially filed and given a number. It now enters the legislative queue.
Votes
No votes have been recorded for this legislation yet.
News
news_articleCenter
House Agriculture panel releases Farm Bill text and sets markup
Source Information
Document Type
Congressional Bill
Official Title
Rural Investment for Producers and the Environment (RIPE) Act of 2026
Bill NumberHR 6969
Congress119th Congress
ChamberHouse of Representatives
Latest ActionReferred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
Data Sources
Sponsor
Cosponsors
(1)R: 1
Analysis generated by AI. Always verify with official sources.