,,ii #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #bahj ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,june #bb1 #bjbc,mr4 ,bennet 7for himself1 ,mr4 ,lujn1 ,mr4 ,brown1 ,mr4 ,heinrich1 ,mrs4 ,gillibrand1 ,mr4 ,welch1 ,mr4 ,wyden1 ,mr4 ,king1 ,mr4 ,sanders1 ,mr4 ,reed1 and ,mr4 ,fetterman7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry ,a ,,bill ,to amend the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe to require the ,secretary of ,agriculture to establish a small farm ,,eqip subprogram under the environmental quality incentives program1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,small ,farm ,conservation ,act4 #b4 ,small farm ,,eqip subprogram ,section #abdj;,b of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chci;aa-#b7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7d7-- 7,a7 by striking paragraph 7#a7 and inserting the following3 7#a7 ,availability2 minimum amount 7,a7 ,availability ,a payment provided to a producer under the program shall be used to implement #a or more practices under the program4 7,b7 ,minimum amount ,the amount of a payment provided to a producer under the program shall be not less than #b1ejj4 2 7,b7 in paragraph 7#b71 in the matter preceding subparagraph 7,a71 by striking ,a payment and inserting ,subject to paragraph 7#a77;,b71 a payment2 and 7,c7 by adding at the end the following3 7#h7 ,soil health management system payments 7,a7 ,in general ,notwithstanding paragraph 7#b71 the ,secretary shall increase the amount that would otherwise be provided for practices comprising a soil health management system on a farm by #ej percent for any application for a soil health management system on an operation of not more than #ej acres4 7,b7 ,rapid and streamlined application and contract approval ,the ,secretary shall provide payments under this paragraph on a continuous enrollment basis1 using a rapid and streamlined application and contract approval process4 2 7#b7 in subsection 7f71 by adding at the end the following3 7#c7 ,small farm ,,eqip subprogram 7,a7 ,total funding ,for each of fiscal years #bjbd through #bjbh1 not less than #ajj1jjj1jjj of the funds made available for payments under the program shall be used to carry out the subprogram established under subsection 7k74 7,b7 ,technical and financial assistance ,of the amounts made available under subparagraph 7,a7-- 7i7 #ce percent shall be used to ensure the provision of tailored technical assistance for small-scale agricultural producers by-- 7,i7 hiring new ,natural ,resources ,conservation ,service staff who are familiar with the unique conservation challenges faced by small-scale agricultural producers2 7,,ii7 training current ,natural ,resources ,conservation ,service field staff regarding the challenges described in subclause 7,i72 and 7,,iii7 ensuring sufficient ,natural ,resources ,conservation ,service staffing levels to deliver a streamlined and expedited application and contracting experience to small-scale agricultural producers2 and 7ii7 #fe percent shall be used to provide financial assistance directly to small-scale agricultural producers4 2 and 7#c7 by adding at the end the following3 7k7 ,small farm ,,eqip subprogram 7#a7 ,in general ,in each ,state1 the ,secretary shall establish under the program a subprogram1 under which the ,secretary shall-- 7,a7 provide financial and technical assistance to small-scale agricultural producers that enter into contracts with the ,secretary under the subprogram2 7,b7 conduct outreach to small-scale agricultural producers to increase participation in the subprogram2 and 7,c7 provide to field staff of the ,natural ,resources ,conservation ,service training and education regarding the specific conservation needs of small-scale agricultural producers4 7#b7 ,payments 7,a7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall determine whether a small-scale agricultural producer is eligible to receive payments under this subsection-- 7i7 on a ,state-by-,state basis1 subject to subparagraph 7,c72 7ii7 in consultation with the technical committee established under section #abfa7;a7 of the ,state in which the small-scale agricultural producer is located2 and 7iii7 based on-- 7,i7 the operations of a small-scale agricultural producer1 including with respect to farm size and gross sales2 7,,ii7 demographic data compiled by the ,national ,agricultural ,statistics ,service relating to small-scale agricultural producers1 including-- 7aa7 historically underserved farmers1 ranchers1 and forest owners1 including-- 7,,aa7 veteran farmers and ranchers2 7,,bb7 limited-resource farmers1 ranchers1 and forest owners2 7,,cc7 beginning farmers and ranchers2 and 7,,dd7 socially disadvantaged farmers2 and 7bb7 farmers1 ranchers1 and forest owners operating in high-poverty areas2 7,,iii7 the applicable advanced payment requirements under subsection 7d77#d72 and 7,,iv7 other relevant information1 as determined by the ,secretary4 7,b7 ,amount ,the ,secretary shall provide payments under this subsection to a producer that is eligible for the payments under subparagraph 7,a7 in such amount as the ,secretary determines-- 7i7 achieves the purposes described in subparagraphs 7,a7 and 7,b7 of paragraph 7#a72 7ii7 addresses natural resource concerns relating to production on small-scale agricultural operations2 and 7iii7 is in accordance with any applicable increased payment requirements under subsection 7d77#d74 7,c7 ,size requirements 7i7 ,in general ,to be eligible to receive a payment under subparagraph 7,a7 7other than a payment described in clause 7ii771 the farm size of an agricultural producer may not exceed the median farm size of the ,state in which the producer is located1 based on aggregate data published by the ,national ,agricultural ,statistics ,service4 7ii7 ,livestock and pasture management payments ,to be eligible to receive a livestock or pasture management payment under subparagraph 7,a71 the herd size of an agricultural producer may not exceed the median herd size of the ,state in which the producer is located1 based on aggregate data published by the ,national ,agricultural ,statistics ,service4 7#c7 ,applications 7,a7 ,in general ,to be eligible to receive financial and technical assistance under this subsection1 a producer that is eligible for the assistance under paragraph 7#b77;,a7 shall submit to the ,secretary an application at such time1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary may require4 7,b7 ,administration ,to the maximum extent practicable1 the ,secretary shall limit the administrative burdens1 and the regulatory barriers that contribute to administrative burdens1 on producers applying for payments under this subsection4 7,c7 ,rapid and streamlined application and contract approval ,the ,secretary shall provide payments under this paragraph on a continuous enrollment basis1 using a rapid and streamlined application and contract approval process4 7#d7 ,subprogram coordinators 7,a7 ,in general ,subject to subparagraph 7,b71 the ,secretary shall designate-- 7i7 a national subprogram coordinator2 and 7ii7 a subprogram coordinator in each ,state4 7,b7 ,requirements ,at the time of designation under subparagraph 7,a71 a national or ,state subprogram coordinator shall be-- 7i7 an employee of the ,natural ,resources ,conservation ,service2 and 7ii7 responsible for1 on a national or statewide basis1 respectively-- 7,i7 public outreach relating to the subprogram2 7,,ii7 assisting producers in the submission of applications under the subprogram2 7,,iii7 distributing financial and technical assistance under this subsection2 and 7,,iv7 submitting to the ,secretary annual recommendations with respect to additional conservation practice standards and activities required to better serve small-scale agricultural producers4 7#e7 ,language requirements ,the ,secretary shall publish any outreach materials for small-scale agricultural producers relating to the subprogram under this subsection simultaneously in-- 7,a7 ,english2 and 7,b7 such additional languages as the ,secretary determines to be appropriate for each applicable ,state4 7#f7 ,report ,not later than ,may #a1 #bjbg1 the ,secretary shall submit to the ,committee on ,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 and ,forestry of the ,senate and the ,committee on ,agriculture of the ,house of ,representatives a report describing the results of the subprogram under this subsection1 including-- 7,a7 activities carried out under paragraph 7#c77;,b7 to limit administrative burdens and regulatory barriers2 and 7,b7 to the maximum extent practicable1 demographic information relating to each small-scale agricultural producer participating in the subprogram1 as the ,secretary determines to be appropriate4 4