Bill · H.R. 6969· House(119-HR-6969)
Rural Investment for Producers and the Environment (RIPE) Act of 2026
- Introduced
- 1/7/2026
- Last activity
- 5/20/2026 — Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.
- Sponsored by
- Josh Riley
- Cosponsors
- - 0 - 1
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The Rural Investment for Producers and the Environment (RIPE) Act of 2026 seeks to amend the Food Security Act of 1985. It establishes a demonstration program where the Secretary enters into contracts with producers to implement selected conservation practices within eligible watersheds. These practices are intended to provide environmental benefits such as improved water quality, soil health, and increased agricultural yields. The Secretary will select a limited number of watersheds to participate in this program. Producers will receive direct payments to cover the costs of adopting and managing these practices.
Yes· 3 of 10
Would farmers be better off under this?+6
The bill creates a new funding stream via direct payments to compensate for conservation costs and foregone income.
Does this better protect air, water and wildlife?+6
The bill establishes payments for practices that improve water quality, soil health, air quality, and biodiversity.
Would business owners be better off under this?+5
The bill provides direct financial compensation and technical assistance to agricultural producers.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Financial support for conservation: Producers receive direct payments for adopting and implementing selected practices on eligible watersheds (Section 2, subsection b, paragraph 1 and subsection c, paragraph 1).
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Protection against economic risks: Payment amounts are designed to account for income foregone, including increased economic risk, loss in revenue due to reduced yields, and economic losses during the transition to new practices (Section 2, subsection d, paragraph 1, clause B).
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Support for disadvantaged producers: The Secretary is required to increase payment amounts by 15 percent for producers who are limited resource or socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers (Section 2, subsection d, paragraph 3).
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Dedicated funding for disadvantaged groups: The program ensures that 10 percent of funds are reserved for contracts with limited resource or socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers through targeted outreach and education (Section 2, subsection e, paragraph 2).
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Environmental and yield benefits: Selected practices can result in improved water quality and quantity, soil health, air quality, climate resiliency, biodiversity, and increased agricultural yields (Section 2, subsection a, paragraph 3).
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Technical and operational assistance: The Secretary provides technical assistance for developing comprehensive conservation plans and authorizes technical assistance from state, local, third-party, commercial, and nonprofit entities (Section 2, subsection e, paragraph 4 and 5).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
-
Limited scope of program: The Secretary is limited to selecting no more than 2 eligible watersheds per State or territory and no more than 30 total eligible watersheds (Section 2, subsection b, paragraph 2, clause A, clause i and ii).
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Economic uncertainty for producers: While payments are intended to cover costs, the Secretary is authorized to review and adjust payment amounts annually based on various factors (Section 2, subsection d, paragraph 2).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Good For Farmers+6Good For Business Owners+5Good For Rural Residents+4Good For Low Income Households+3Good For Native Americans+3
- Environment Energy And Infrastructure
- Improves Environmental Protections+6Improves Rural Development+4Reduces Carbon Emissions+4
- Social Issues And Justice
- Improves Racial Equity+5
- Economy And Finance
- Improves Small Business Support+3
- 5/20/2026
- Referred to the Subcommittee on Conservation, Research, and Biotechnology.
- 1/7/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
- 1 Cosponsor added.
- Introduced in House
Michael LawlerRepublican · New York