Title 7

SECTION 1470.21

1470.21 Contract requirements.

§ 1470.21 Contract requirements.

(a) After NRCS approves the application and develops the conservation stewardship plan in accordance with § 1470.22, NRCS will enter into a conservation stewardship contract with the participant to enroll the participant's agricultural operation in the program.

(b) The conservation stewardship contract will -

(1) Be for a period of 5 years;

(2) Incorporate by reference the conservation stewardship plan;

(3) State the payment amount NRCS agrees to make to the participant annually, subject to the availability of funds;

(4) Incorporate all provisions as required by law or statute, including requirements that the participant will -

(i) Implement the conservation stewardship plan as described in § 1470.22;

(ii) Operate and maintain conservation activities on the agricultural operation consistent with § 1470.23;

(iii) Comply with the terms of the contract or documents incorporated by reference into the contract;

(iv) Refund as determined by NRCS, any program payments received with interest, and forfeit any future payments under the program, upon the violation of a term or condition of the contract, consistent with § 1470.27;

(v) Refund as determined by NRCS, all program payments received with interest, upon the transfer of the right and interest of the participant, in land subject to the contract, unless the transferee of the right and interest agrees to assume all obligations of the contract, consistent with § 1470.25;

(vi) Maintain and supply information as requested by NRCS, to determine compliance with the conservation stewardship plan and any other requirements of the program; and

(vii) Not conduct any activities on the agricultural operation that would tend to defeat the purposes of the program, as determined by NRCS;

(5) Permit all economic uses of the eligible land that -

(i) Maintain the agricultural or forestry nature of the land; and

(ii) Are consistent with the conservation purposes of the contract;

(6) Include a provision to ensure that NRCS will not consider a participant in violation of the contract for failure to comply with the contract due to circumstances beyond the control of the participant, including a disaster or related condition, as determined by NRCS; and

(7) Include such other provisions as NRCS determines necessary to ensure the purposes of the program are achieved.

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