CONVERSION OF LAND SUBJECT TO CONTRACT.

SEC. 1435. CONVERSION OF LAND SUBJECT TO CONTRACT. Subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 is amended by inserting after section 1235 (16 U.S.C. 3835) the following new section: “SEC. 1235A. CONVERSION OF LAND SUBJECT TO CONTRACT TO OTHER CONSERVING USES. “(a) Conversion to Trees.— “(1) In general.— The Secretary shall permit an owner or operator who has entered into a contract under this subchapter that is in effect on the date of enactment of this section to convert areas of highly erodible cropland that are subject to such contract, and that are devoted to vegetative cover, from such use to hardwood trees, windbreaks, shelterbelts, or wildlife corridors. “(2) Terms.— “(A) Extension of contract.— With respect to any contract on land to be devoted to hardwood trees, windbreaks, shelterbelts, or wildlife corridors under this section, if the original term of such contract was less than 15 years, the owner or operator may extend such contract to a term of not to exceed 15 years. “(B) Easements.— If such areas are converted to windbreaks, shelterbelts, or wildlife corridors under this section, the owner of such land shall enter into an agreement to provide a conservation easement to the Secretary for the useful life of such plantings. 104 STAT. 3583 “(C) Cost share assistance.— The Secretary shall pay 50 percent of the cost of establishing conservation measures and practices authorized under this subsection for which the Secretary determines the cost sharing is appropriate and in the public interest. “(b) Conversion to Wetlands.— The Secretary shall permit an owner or operator who has entered into a contract under this subchapter that is in effect on the date of enactment of this section to restore areas of highly erodible cropland that are devoted to vegetative cover under such contract to wetlands if— “(1) such areas are prior converted wetlands; “(2) the owner or operator of such areas enters into an agreement to provide the Secretary with a long-term or permanent easement under subchapter C covering such areas; “(3) there is a high probability that the prior converted area can be successfully restored to wetland status; and “(4) the restoration of such areas otherwise meets the requirements of subchapter C. “(c) Limitation.— The Secretary shall not incur, through a conversion under this section, any additional expense on such acres, including the expense involved in the original establishment of the vegetative cover, that would result in cost share for costs in excess of the costs that would have been subject to cost share for the new practice had that practice been the original practice. “(d) Condition of Contract.— An owner or operator shall as a condition of entering into a contract under subsection (a) participate in the Forest Stewardship Program established under section 5 of the Cooperative Forestry Assistance Act of 1978 (as amended by section 1215 of the Food, Agriculture, Conservation, and Trade Act of 1990).”.