BUFFER Act

Summary

Building Up Farmland Frontiers for Ecological Resilience Act or the BUFFER Act This bill provides that certain land (that is under state regulations) is eligible to participate under the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Under CRP, the Department of Agriculture provides annual payments to agricultural producers to take highly erodible and environmentally sensitive land out of production and install resource-conserving practices. Specifically, land otherwise eligible under the program remains eligible for enrollment even if a tribal, state, or other local law, ordinance, or other regulation requires any resource-conserving or environmental protection measure or practice. The bill includes an exception that makes the land ineligible under the program if the implementation requirement has been imposed by an administrative order or a court order. Current regulations exclude from enrollment eligibility (with exceptions) land that is subject to tribal, state, or other local laws, ordinances, or other regulations that require any resource-conserving or environmental protection measures or practices.

Summary from the Congressional Research Service. How we handle summaries

Where it stands

Assigned to a committee for review.

House Committee on Agriculture · U.S. House of Representatives

Your position on this bill

Choose the position closest to yours. You'll sign in or create an account to save it.

Related bills

• S. 4912BUFFER ActIdentical bill

As identified by Congress.gov.

Full history

1. Jul 2, 2026

   Introduced

   Introduced in House

   U.S. House of Representatives

2. Jul 2, 2026

   Introduced

   Introduced in U.S. House

   U.S. House

3. Jul 2, 2026

   Referred to committee

   Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

   U.S. House of Representatives

Read the record

• Read on Congress.gov (opens in a new tab) The official record on Congress.gov.