Soil CARE Act of 2026
Introduced Feb 10, 2026 by Sen. Jeff Merkley
It's waiting on a committee vote to reach the full chamber. Most bills never leave this stage.
This bill directs the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to establish a training program for soil health management in Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) programs.
Under the bill, soil health management means land management methods used to increase and balance soil health, such as microbial biomass and macrofauna, for the purpose of improving biological functions, including forming and stabilizing soil structure, cycling nutrients, controlling pests and disease, and degrading or detoxifying contaminants.
The training program must (1) provide education, resources, and technical support to NRCS personnel and third-party providers on the rapidly evolving methodologies, science, and practices for improving soil health; and (2) assist NRCS personnel and third-party providers in supporting agricultural producers in understanding and implementing soil health management systems that regenerate farmland.
The training program must be available twice every two years in each NRCS region and include both an online curriculum and in-person training workshops.
Read the full summary on Congress.govSummary by the Congressional Research Service.
No floor votes yet — it hasn't reached the floor of either chamber.