Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service

Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service agricultural conservation program (reap) For necessary expenses to carry into effect the program authorized in sections 7 to 15, 16(a), and 17 of the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act, approved February 29, 1936, as amended (16 U.S.C. 590g–590o, 590p(a), and 590q), including not to exceed $15,000 for the preparation and display of exhibits, including such displays at State, interstate, and international fairs within the United States, $15,000,000, to remain available until December 31 of the next succeeding fiscal year for compliance with the programs of soil-building and soil- and water-conserving practices authorized under this head in the Acts making appropriations for Agriculture-Environmental and Consumer Protection Programs, 1972 and 1973, carried out during the period July 1, 1971, to December 31, 1973, inclusive: Provided, That none of the funds herein appropriated shall be used to pay the salaries or expenses of any regional information employees or any State information employees, but this shall not preclude the answering of inquiries or supplying of information at the county level to individual farmers: Provided further, That no portion of the funds for the current year’s program may be utilized to provide financial or technical assistance for drainage on wetlands now designated as Wetland Types 3(III), 4(IV), and 5(V) in United States Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Circular 39, Wetlands of the United States, 1956: Provided further, That necessary amounts shall lie available for administrative expenses in connection with the formulation and administration of the 1974 program of soil-building and soil- and water-conserving practices, including related wildlife conserving practices and pollution abatement practices, under the Act of February 29, 1936, as amended (amounting to $160,000,000, excluding administration, except that no participant shall receive more than $2,500, except where the participants from two or more farms or ranches join to carry out approved practices designed to conserve or improve the agricultural resources of the community): Provided further, That not to exceed 5 per centum of the allocation for the current year’s program for any county may, on the recommendation of such county committee and approval of the State committee, be withheld and allotted to the Soil Conservation Service for services of its technicians in formulating and carrying out the Agricultural Conservation Program (REAP) in the participating counties, and shall not be utilized by the Soil Conservation Service for any purpose other than technical and other assistance in such counties, and in addition, on the recommendation of such county committee and approval of the State committee, not to exceed 1 per centum may be made available to any other Federal, State, or local public agency for the same purpose and under the same conditions: Provided further, That for the current year’s program $2,500,000 shall be available for technical assistance in formulating and carrying out rural environmental practices: Provided further, That such amounts shall be available for the purchase of seeds, fertilizers, lime, trees, or any other farming material, or any soil-terracing services, and making grants thereof to agricultural producers to aid them in carrying out farming practices approved by the Secretary under programs provided for herein: Provided further, That no part of any funds available to the Department, or any bureau, office, corporation, or other agency constituting a part87 Stat. 487 of such Department, shall be used in the current fiscal year for the payment of salary or travel expenses of any person who has been convicted of violating the Act entitled “An Act to prevent pernicious political activities”, approved August 2, 1939, as amended, or who has been found in accordance with the provisions of Title 18 U.S.C, 1913, to have violated or attempted to violate such section which prohibits the use of Federal appropriations for the payment of personal services or other expenses designed to influence in any manner a Member of Congress to favor or oppose any legislation or appropriation by Congress except upon request of any Member or through the proper official channels. water bank program For necessary expenses to carry into effect the provisions of the Water Bank Act (16 U.S.C. 1301–1311), $10,000,000, to remain available until expended. emergency conservation measures For emergency conservation measures, to be used for the same purposes and subject to the same conditions as funds appropriated under this head in the Third Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1957, to remain available until expended, $10,000,000, with which shall be merged the unexpended balances of funds heretofore appropriated for emergency conservation measures.