Farmers Freedom Act of 2025

Agricultural Flexibility: By excluding prior converted cropland from the definition of "navigable waters" (Section 2(a)), land that was used for agricultural production before December 23, 1985, may no longer be subject to the same water regulations.

Protection of Land Use: The bill defines "agricultural purpose" broadly to include activities like grazing, haying, habitat management, and soil recovery (Section 2(a)(iii)(ii)). This could provide clarity for those using land for these specific purposes.

Policy Limitation: The bill prevents the EPA Administrator and the Secretary of the Army from carrying out the change in use policy described in the "Revised Definition of 'Waters of the United States'" rule (Section 2(b)).

Loss of Wetland Protection: The definition of "prior converted cropland" explicitly excludes areas that are "abandoned and has reverted to wetlands" (Section 2(a)(iii)(I)). This means if land is no longer used for agriculture for at least 5 years, it may lose its status and be treated differently (Section 2(a)(iii)(i)).

Regulatory Changes for Wetlands: While "wetlands" are defined as areas supporting specific vegetation (Section 2(a)(iii)(iv)), the exclusion of prior converted cropland from "navigable waters" changes how these areas are treated under the Federal Water Pollution Control Act (Section 2(a)).