; and (4) the Ranking Member of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate. (h) Exclusion for preexisting authorizations This section shall not apply to obligations and expenditures authorized in the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 ( Public Law 115–334 ). . V Conservation 60501. Emergency soil health and income protection pilot program (a) Definition of eligible land In this section, the term eligible land means cropland that— (1) is selected by the owner or operator of the land for proposed enrollment in the pilot program under this section; and (2) as determined by the Secretary, had a cropping history or was considered to be planted during each of the 3 crop years preceding enrollment. (b) Establishment (1) In general The Secretary shall establish a voluntary emergency soil health and income protection pilot program under which eligible land is enrolled through the use of contracts to assist owners and operators of eligible land to conserve and improve the soil, water, and wildlife resources of the eligible land. (2) Deadline for participation Eligible land may be enrolled in the program under this section through December 31, 2021. (c) Contracts (1) Requirements A contract described in subsection (b) shall— (A) be entered into by the Secretary, the owner of the eligible land, and (if applicable) the operator of the eligible land; and (B) provide that, during the term of the contract— (i) the lowest practicable cost perennial conserving use cover crop for the eligible land, as determined by the applicable State conservationist after considering the advice of the applicable State technical committee, shall be planted on the eligible land; (ii) subject to paragraph (4), the eligible land may be harvested for seed, hayed, or grazed outside the primary nesting season established for the applicable county; (iii) the eligible land may be eligible for a walk-in access program of the applicable State, if any