,i #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #fcda ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,december #a1 #bjbe,ms4 ,schrier 7for herself and ,ms4 ,strickland7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,agriculture ,a ,,bill ,to direct the ,secretary of ,agriculture to provide grants to covered entities to develop1 modify1 or implement climate adaptation and climate mitigation proposals on agricultural land1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,partnerships for ,agricultural ,climate ,action ,act4 #b4 ,assistance for climate mitigation and adaptation ,section #abdj;,h of the ,food ,security ,act of #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chci;aa-#h7 is amended-- 7#a7 in subsection 7a77#b7-- 7,a7 in subparagraph 7,b71 by inserting 1 ,tribal1 after provided by ,state2 and 7,b7 in subparagraph 7,c71 by striking for pollution reduction and inserting for pollution and emissions reductions2 7#b7 by redesignating subsection 7d7 as subsection 7e72 and 7#c7 by inserting after subsection 7c7 the following3 7d7 ,grants for climate mitigation and climate adaptation 7#a7 ,definitions ,in this subsection3 7,a7 ,climate adaptation ,the term climate adaptation means1 with respect to an agricultural management system1 management changes to such agricultural management system to reduce vulnerability to and recover from climate and other related disturbances1 such that the system thrives in the face of severe weather impacts and other associated challenges1 including management changes that builds agricultural resilience through actions such as improved nutrient management and enhancing soil health4 7,b7 ,climate mitigation ,the term climate mitigation means1 with respect to an agricultural management system1 management changes to such agricultural management system to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and sequester carbon in soil and plant biomass on agricultural land4 7,c7 ,covered entity ,the term covered entity means-- 7i7 the department of agriculture of a ,state2 7ii7 an applicable ,tribal ,government authority2 7iii7 an agricultural or silvicultural producer association or other group of producers2 7iv7 a farmer cooperative2 7v7 an institution of higher education2 7vi7 a conservation commission or district2 or 7vii7 an organization or entity with an established history of working cooperatively with producers on agricultural land1 as determined by the ,secretary1 to address local conservation priorities related to agricultural production or nonindustrial private forestland management in connection to climate mitigation or adaptation4 7,d7 ,eligible proposal ,the term eligible proposal means a proposal for climate mitigation and climate adaptation activities on agricultural land1 which-- 7i7 is broadly consistent with part ,,iii of the ,action ,plan for ,climate ,adaptation and ,resilience1 titled ,,usda's ,adaptation ,actions1 published by the ,department of ,agriculture 7,august #bjba72 7ii7 is broadly consistent with conservation practices identified by the ,natural ,resources ,conservation ,service to reduce greenhouse gas emissions or to sequester carbon2 7iii7 is broadly consistent with the latest available scientific research on regionally-relevant climate mitigation and adaptation strategies for agricultural land2 and 7iv7 identifies effective strategies1 including strategies developed from traditional ecological knowledge such as indigenous agricultural knowledge practices1 for increasing adoption of regionally appropriate management practices and systems implemented on privately owned agricultural land under the jurisdiction of the applicable ,state government or ,tribal ,government that achieve at least two of the following outcomes3 7,i7 ,increase in carbon sequestration4 7,,ii7 ,reduction of greenhouse gas emissions4 7,,iii7 ,increased resilience against extreme weather4 7,e7 ,indigenous agricultural knowledge ,the term indigenous agricultural knowledge means the applied knowledge for raising or producing food and other agricultural products grounded in indigenous belief systems and practices that have been time-tested over millennia4 7,f7 ,traditional ecological knowledge ,the term traditional ecological knowledge means a cumulative body of knowledge1 practice1 and belief1 developed by ,native ,american1 ,alaska ,native1 ,native ,hawaiian1 and other ,indigenous communities1 evolving by adaptive processes and handed down through generations by cultural transmissions1 about the relationship of living beings 7including humans7 with one another and their environments1 including indigenous agricultural knowledge4 7,g7 ,tribal ,government ,the term ,tribal ,government means-- 7i7 the governing body of an ,indian tribe2 7ii7 the governing body of a ,state-recognized ,tribal organization2 and 7iii7 the governing body of a ,native ,hawaiian community or organization4 7#b7 ,in general ,the ,secretary shall provide grants to covered entities to-- 7,a7 develop or modify an eligible proposal2 or 7,b7 implement an eligible proposal4 7#c7 ,application 7,a7 ,in general ,a covered entity applying for a grant under this subsection shall prepare and submit an application at such time1 in such a manner1 and containing such information as the ,secretary shall require1 including an assurance that grant funds received under this subsection shall supplement1 not supplant1 the expenditure of funds of such covered entity in developing1 modifying1 or implementing eligible proposals4 7,b7 ,option for ,tribal ,governments ,at the sole discretion of a ,tribal ,government1 such ,tribal ,government may1 in lieu of submitting an applications under subparagraph 7,a71 opt to join an application submitted by any other covered entity for an eligible proposal relating to agricultural lands under the jurisdiction of such ,tribal ,government and that are located within1 at least in part1 the geographic boundary of such covered entity4 7,c7 ,solicitation of applications 7i7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of the ,partnerships for ,agricultural ,climate ,action ,act1 the ,secretary shall solicit applications for grants under this subsection4 7ii7 ,additional solicitations ,the ,secretary shall solicit applications for funding for eligible proposals on a recurring basis after the first round of applications until all amounts appropriated to carry out this subsection are expended4 7,d7 ,performance measures ,each application submitted under this paragraph shall include performance measures to be used to evaluate an eligible proposal that was developed1 modified1 or implemented using a grant received under this subsection4 7#d7 ,selection 7,a7 ,in general ,not later than two years after the date of enactment of the ,partnerships for ,agricultural ,climate ,action ,act1 the ,secretary shall select applications submitted under paragraph 7#c7 to receive a grant under this subsection in accordance with this paragraph4 7,b7 ,criteria ,in selecting applications to receive a grant under this subsection-- 7i7 in the case of an application for developing or modifying an eligible proposal1 the ,secretary shall select applications for eligible proposals that will1 if implemented-- 7,i7 have a high potential for carbon sequestration and greenhouse gas emissions reductions2 and 7,,ii7 increase the resilience of agricultural management systems to extreme weather and climate conditions2 7ii7 in the case of an application for implementing an eligible proposal1 the ,secretary shall select applications for eligible proposals that-- 7,i7 have a high potential for carbon sequestration or greenhouse gas emissions reductions2 7,,ii7 increase the resilience of agricultural management systems to extreme weather and climate conditions2 and 7iii7 the ,secretary shall select applications for eligible proposals that are based on any other criteria that the ,secretary determines necessary or appropriate to carry out this subsection4 7,c7 ,geographical diversity ,in providing grants under this subsection1 the ,secretary shall1 to the maximum extent practicable1 ensure geographic diversity4 7,d7 ,priority ,in providing grants under this subsection1 the ,secretary shall give priority to-- 7i7 a covered entity for an eligible proposal that-- 7,i7 includes dedicated resources to historically underserved producers or farming operations1 including-- 7aa7 beginning farmers or ranchers2 7bb7 socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers2 7cc7 veteran farmers and ranchers1 as defined in section #beja7;a7 of the ,food1 ,agriculture1 ,conservation1 and ,trade ,act of #aiij 7#g ,u4,s4,c4 #bbgi7;a772 and 7dd7 small or mid-sized farms that are structured as family farms1 as defined in section #gfa4b of title #g1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations2 7,,ii7 includes plans to transition whole farm systems to ecologically sound production systems that-- 7aa7 increase carbon sequestration2 7bb7 reduce greenhouse gas emissions2 or 7cc7 build resilience to extreme weather2 or 7,,iii7 supports additional conservation goals1 including-- 7aa7 improving soil health2 7bb7 erosion control2 7cc7 improving nutrient management2 7dd7 improving water quality2 7ee7 enhancing pollinator forage2 and 7ff7 habitat restoration2 and 7ii7 the applicable ,tribal ,government authority for an eligible proposal that includes use of traditional ecological knowledge or indigenous agricultural knowledge practices4 7#e7 ,partnerships option ,a covered entity may enter into partnership agreements for the development1 modification1 or implementation of an eligible proposal with one or more other covered entities4 7#f7 ,use of implementation grants ,a covered entity may use a grant provided under paragraph 7#b77;,b7 for activities to implement an eligible proposal1 including-- 7,a7 provision of technical assistance to producers2 7,b7 provision of financial assistance to producers2 7,c7 on-farm research and demonstration2 7,d7 extension1 education1 outreach1 and training2 7,e7 monitoring and evaluating soil carbon sequestration1 greenhouse gas emissions reductions1 and other conservation outcomes2 7,f7 local producer-to-producer networking and mentoring activities2 and 7,g7 other activities as the ,secretary determines appropriate4 7#g7 ,grant term 7,a7 ,development and modification grants ,with respect to a grant under paragraph 7#b77;,a71 the ,secretary-- 7i7 shall provide such grant for a term of not less than one year and not more than two years2 and 7ii7 may renew such grant once at the end of a term under clause 7i71 under which renewal the ,secretary may provide additional grant funds after the initial grant funds have been expended4 7,b7 ,implementation grants ,with respect to a grant under paragraph 7#b77;,b71 the ,secretary-- 7i7 shall provide such grant for a term of not less than one year and not more than five years2 and 7ii7 may renew such grant at the end of a term under clause 7i71 under which renewal the ,secretary may provide additional grant funds after the initial grant funds have been expended4 7#h7 ,grant amount 7,a7 ,maximum amount ,the ,secretary may provide a grant to a covered entity-- 7i7 in the case of a grant under paragraph 7#b77;,a71 in an amount not to exceed #g1ejj1jjj per fiscal year2 and 7ii7 in the case of a grant under paragraph 7#b77;,b71 in an amount not to exceed #ae1jjj1jjj per fiscal year4 7,b7 ,federal share 7i7 ,grants to certain covered entities ,the ,secretary shall not provide a grant under this subsection to a covered entity that is not an applicable ,tribal ,government authority in an amount that exceeds-- 7,i7 #ge percent of the cost of developing or modifying an eligible proposal under paragraph 7#b77;,a72 or 7,,ii7 #ej percent of the cost of implementing an eligible proposal under paragraph 7#b77;,b74 7ii7 ,grants to ,tribal ,governments ,the ,secretary shall not provide a grant under this subsection to an applicable ,tribal ,government authority in an amount that exceeds-- 7,i7 #ajj percent of the cost of developing or modifying an eligible proposal under paragraph 7#b77;,a72 or 7,,ii7 #he percent of the cost of implementing an eligible proposal under paragraph 7#b77;,b74 7iii7 ,restriction ,clause 7ii7 does not apply to ,tribal ,governments that opt to join an application submitted by another covered entity under paragraph 7#c77;,b74 7,c7 ,non-federal funds ,the ,secretary shall provide a grant under this subsection on the condition that any non-,federal share of expenditures be provided from non-,federal sources4 7#i7 ,performance measures review and evaluation ,each covered entity that receives a grant under this subsection shall submit to the ,secretary a review and evaluation of the progress of such covered entity1 using the performance measures included in the application under paragraph 7#c77;,d71 at such intervals as the ,secretary shall establish4 7#aj7 ,effect of noncompliance ,if the ,secretary1 after reasonable notice to a covered entity1 determines that there has been a failure by such covered entity to comply with the terms of a grant made under this subsection1 the ,secretary may disqualify1 for one or more years1 such covered entity from receipt of future grants under this subsection4 7#aa7 ,audit requirement ,for each year that a covered entity receives funds from a grant provided under this subsection1 such covered entity shall-- 7,a7 conduct an audit of any expenditures by such covered entity that were paid for using such funds2 and 7,b7 not later than #cj days after the completion of the audit under subparagraph 7,a71 submit to the ,secretary a copy of such audit4 7#ab7 ,administrative expenses 7,a7 ,secretary ,the ,secretary may not use more than #c percent of the funds made available to carry out this subsection for a fiscal year for administrative expenses4 7,b7 ,certain covered entities ,a covered entity1 that is not an applicable ,tribal ,government authority1 receiving a grant under this section may not use more than #aj percent of the granted funds for administrative expenses4 7,c7 ,tribal ,governments ,an applicable ,tribal ,government authority receiving a grant under this section may not use more than #ae percent of the granted funds for administrative expenses4 7#ac7 ,funding 7,a7 ,in general ,of the funds made available to carry out this subchapter1 the ,secretary shall carry out this subsection using #aej1jjj1jjj for each of fiscal years #bjbf through #bjcd4 7,b7 ,allocation of funds ,the ,secretary shall distribute funds made available to carry out this subsection as follows3 7i7 ,at least #cc percent of funds to support the development and modification of eligible proposals under paragraph 7#b77;,a74 7ii7 ,at least #cc percent of funds to support the implementation of eligible proposals under paragraph 7#b77;,b74 7,c7 ,reservation of funds ,of the funds made available for grants under this subsection1 #cc percent shall be reserved for grants provided to the applicable ,tribal ,government authorities4 4