,,ii  #aai? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #aaej  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,m>* #bf1 #bjbe,mr4    
,crapo 7= himself1 ,mr4 ,b5net1 & ,mr4  
,m>%all7 introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 
read twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on  
,agriculture1 ,nutrition1 & ,=e/ry  ,a  
,,bill  ,to am5d ! ,food ,security ,act 
( #aihe to improve deliv]y ( te*nical   
assi/ance1 & = o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort 
title ,?is ,act may be cit$ z !         
,increas$ ,,tsp ,access ,act ( #bjbe4   
#b4 ,deliv]y ( te*nical assi/ance       
,section #abdb ( ! ,food ,security ,act 
( #aihe 7#af ,u4,s4,c4 #chdb7 is am5d$--
 7#a7 9 subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 by        
r$esignat+ p>agraphs 7#a7 & 7#b7 z      
p>agraphs 7#b7 & 7#c71 respectively2 &  
7,b7 by ins]t+ be=e p>agraph 7#b7 7z s  
r$esignat$7 ! foll[+3  7#a7 ,approv$    
non-,f$]al c]tify+ entity ,! t]m approv$
 non-,f$]al c]tify+ entity means a      
non-,f$]al entity approv$ by ! ,secret>y
 "u subsection 7e77#e77;,c77ii7 to p]=m 
c]tifications ( ?ird-p>ty provid]s "u   

?is section4  2  7#b7 9 subsection 7b71 
by /rik+ sci5ce-bas$1 site-specific     
practices design$ & ins]t+ timely1      
sci5ce-bas$1 & site-specific practice   
design & implem5tation assi/ance2  7#c7 
9 subsection 7d71 by ins]t+ 7includ+    
private sector entities7 aft] non-,f$]al
 entities2  7#d7 9 subsection 7e7-- 7,a7
 9 p>agraph 7#b71 by /rik+ ,food1       
,cons]vation1 & ,en]gy ,act ( #bjjh &   
ins]t+ ,increas$ ,,tsp ,access ,act (   
#bjbe2  7,b7 9 p>agraph 7#c77;,a71 by   
/rik+ ensure & all t foll[s ?r\gh       
eng9e]+1 & ins]t+ ensure t ?ird-p>ty    
provid]s ) exp]tise 9 ! te*nical aspects
 ( cons]vation plann+1 wat]%$ plann+1   
environm5tal eng9e]+1 cons]vation       
practice design1 implem5tation1 &       
evaluation1 or o!r te*nical skills1 z   
det]m9$ by ! ,secret>y12 &  7,c7 by     
/rik+ p>agraphs 7#d7 & 7#e7 & ins]t+ !  
foll[+3  7#d7 ,c]tification ,! ,secret>y
 %all c]tify a ?ird-p>ty provid] ?r\gh--
 7,a7 a c]tification process adm9i/]$ by
 ! ,secret>y1 act+ ?r\gh ! ,*ief ( !    

,natural ,res\rces ,cons]vation ,s]vice2
  7,b7 a non-,f$]al entity 7o!r ?an a   
,/ate ag5cy7 approv$ by ! ,secret>y to  
p]=m ! c]tification2 or  7,c7 a ,/ate   
ag5cy ) /atutory au?ority to c]tify1    
adm9i/]1 or lic5se pr(essionals 9 "o or 
m fields ( natural res\rces1            
agriculture1 or eng9e]+ approv$ by !    
,secret>y to p]=m ! c]tification4  7#e7 
,non-,f$]al c]tify+ entity process  7,a7
 ,e/abli%m5t ,n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] 
! date ( enactm5t ( ! ,increas$ ,,tsp   
,access ,act ( #bjbe1 ! ,secret>y %all  
e/abli% a process = ! c]tification (    
?ird-p>ty provid]s ?r\gh approv$        
non-,f$]al c]tify+ entities1 ) ! goal ( 
increas+ ?ird-p>ty provid] capacity1    
includ+ ! c]tification ( qualifi$       
agricultural retail]s1 coop]atives1     
pr(essional societies1 s]vice provid]s1 
& organizations describ$ 9 section      
#abfe;,a7#c77;,b77i74  7,b7 ,eligibility
 ( non-,f$]al entities ,9 det]m9+ !     
eligibility ( an entity describ$ 9      
subp>agraph 7,b7 or 7,c7 ( p>agraph 7#d7

 7ref]r$ to 9 ?is p>agraph z a          
non-,f$]al entity7 to p]=m              
c]tifications1 ! ,secret>y %all         
consid]-- 7i7 ! ability ( ! non-,f$]al  
entity to assess qualifications ( a     
?ird-p>ty provid] & c]tify ?ird-p>ty    
provid]s at scale2  7ii7 ! exp]i5ce ( ! 
non-,f$]al entity 9 work+ ) ?ird-p>ty   
provid]s & eligible p>ticipants2  7iii7 
! exp]tise ( ! non-,f$]al entity 9 !    
te*nical & sci5ce-bas$ aspects (        
cons]vation deliv]y describ$ 9 p>agraph 
7#c77;,a72  7iv7 ! hi/ory ( ! non-,f$]al
 entity 9 work+ ) agricultural produc]s2
 &  7v7 su* o!r qualifications z !      
,secret>y det]m9es to be appropriate4   
7,c7 ,approval ,n lat] ?an #dj bus9ess  
days aft] ! date on :i* ! ,secret>y     
receives an application submitt$ by a   
non-,f$]al entity to p]=m c]tifications 
( ?ird-p>ty provid]s "u ?is section1 !  
,secret>y %all-- 7i7 det]m9e if !       
non-,f$]al entity meets ! eligibility   
requirem5ts e/abli%$ "u subp>agraph     
7,b72 &  7ii7 if ! ,secret>y makes a    

positive det]m9ation "u clause 7i71     
approve ! non-,f$]al entity to p]=m     
c]tifications ( ?ird-p>ty provid]s "u   
?is section4  7,d7 ,timely decisions ,n 
lat] ?an #aj bus9ess days aft] ! date on
 :i* ! ,secret>y receives a notification
 submitt$ by a ?ird-p>ty provid] t !    
?ird-p>ty provid] has be5 c]tifi$ by an 
approv$ non-,f$]al c]tify+ entity to    
provide te*nical assi/ance = specifi$   
practices & cons]vation activities1 !   
,secret>y %all-- 7i7 review !           
c]tification2 &  7ii7 if ! c]tification 
is satisfactory to ! ,secret>y1 include 
! "n ( ! ?ird-p>ty provid] on ! regi/ry 
( c]tifi$ ?ird-p>ty provid]s ma9ta9$ by 
! ,secret>y4  7,e7 ,duties ( approv$    
non-,f$]al c]tify+ entities ,an approv$ 
non-,f$]al c]tify+ entity %all-- 7i7    
assess ! ability ( a ?ird-p>ty provid]  
to appropriately provide te*nical       
assi/ance to eligible p>ticipants =     
specifi$ practices & cons]vation        
activities2 &  7ii7 provide to ?ird-p>ty
 provid]s c]tifi$ by ! approv$          

non-,f$]al c]tify+ entity-- 7,i7 tra9+  
to ensure t ! ?ird-p>ty provid]s are    
qualifi$ to provide ! te*nical assi/ance
 describ$ 9 clause 7i72 &  7,,ii7       
cont9u+ education1 z appropriate1 to    
ensure t ! ?ird-p>ty provid]s are       
educat$ 9 ! mo/ rec5t te*nical- &       
sci5ce-bas$ aspects ( cons]vation       
deliv]y4  7#f7 ,/reaml9$ c]tification ,n
 lat] ?an #ahj days aft] ! date (       
enactm5t ( ! ,increas$ ,,tsp ,access    
,act ( #bjbe1 ! ,secret>y %all provide a
 /reaml9$ c]tification process = a      
?ird-p>ty provid] t has an appropriate  
specialty c]tification1 includ+ a       
c]tifi$ crop advisor c]tifi$ by !       
,am]ican ,society ( ,agronomy1 a        
pr(essional eng9e]1 or a hold] ( a      
te*nical c]tification approv$ by !      
,secret>y4  2 &  7#e7 9 subsection 7f7--
 7,a7 9 p>agraph 7#b71 9 ! matt] prec$+ 
subp>agraph 7,a71 by ins]t+ or an       
approv$ non-,f$]al c]tify+ entity aft]  
?ird-p>ty provid]2  7,b7 by /rik+       
p>agraph 7#c7 & ins]t+ ! foll[+3  7#c7  

,review ,n lat] ?an #a ye> aft] ! date (
 enactm5t ( ! ,increas$ ,,tsp ,access   
,act ( #bjbe1 & additionally !reaft] at 
! discretion ( ! ,secret>y1 ! ,secret>y 
%all-- 7,a7 review c]tification         
requirem5ts = ?ird-p>ty provid]s2  7,b7 
make any adju/m5ts consid]$ necess>y by 
! ,secret>y to improve p>ticipation & ! 
quality & effectiv5ess ( cons]vation    
practices implem5t$ & adopt$ ) support f
 te*nical s]vice provid]s2 &  7,c7      
conduct outrea* to & receive input f    
?ird-p>ty provid]s1 bo? t curr5tly      
p>ticipate 9 ! program "u ?is section & 
^? t no long] p>ticipate 9 ! program1 & 
entities1 organizations1 & associations 
provid+ or support+ consultative s]vices
 to agriculture1 live/ock1 & =e/        
produc]s to assess b>ri]s &             
opportunities = ! use ( ?ird-p>ty       
provid] assi/ance = improv$ cons]vation 
program deliv]y4  2  7,c7 9 p>agraph    
7#d77;,a77i71 by ins]t+ ma9t5ance1 aft] 
outrea*12 &  7,d7 by /rik+ p>agraph 7#e7
 & ins]t+ ! foll[+3  7#e7 ,paym5t am\nts

  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,secret>y %all       
e/abli% fair & reasonable am\nts (      
paym5ts = te*nical s]vices provid$ by   
?ird-p>ty provid]s at rates equival5t   
to1 b t d n exce$1 te*nical assi/ance   
provid$ by ! ,secret>y4  7,b7           
,consid]ations ,9 det]m9+ fair &        
reasonable paym5t am\nts "u subp>agraph 
7,a71 ! ,secret>y %all consid]          
specializ$ equipm5t1 frequ5cy ( site    
visits1 tra9+1 travel & transportation1 
& su* o!r factors z ! ,secret>y det]m9es
 to be appropriate4  7,c7 ,exclusion ,a 
paym5t provid$ "u ano!r ,f$]al program  
directly to an eligible p>ticipant =    
te*nical assi/ance provid$ by a         
?ird-p>ty provid] c]tifi$ "u ?is section
 %all be-- 7i7 exclud$ f co/-%>+        
requirem5ts "u ! program "u :i* ! paym5t
 0 provid$2 &  7ii7 equal to n m ?an    
#ajj p]c5t ( ! fair & reasonable paym5t 
am\nt = ! applicable te*nical assi/ance 
det]m9$ "u subp>agraph 7,b74  7#f7      
,transp>5cy ,n lat] ?an #a ye> aft] !   
date ( e/abli%m5t ( ! processes "u      

p>agraphs 7#e77;,a7 & 7#f7 ( subsection 
7e71 & r\t9ely !reaft]1 ! ,secret>y %all
 provide accessible public in=mation    
on-- 7,a7 funds obligat$ to ?ird-p>ty   
provid]s ?r\gh-- 7i7 contracts ent]$    
into betwe5 eligible p>ticipants &      
individual ?ird-p>ty provid]s2 &  7ii7  
agreem5ts ) public & private sector     
entities to secure ?ird-p>ty te*nical   
assi/ance2  7,b7 c]tification results1  
includ+-- 7i7 ! numb] ( ?ird-p>ty       
provid]s c]tifi$ by ! ,secret>y2  7ii7 !
 numb] ( approv$ non-,f$]al c]tify+     
entities2  7iii7 ! numb] ( ?ird-p>ty    
provid]s c]tifi$ ?r\gh approv$          
non-,f$]al c]tify+ entities2 &  7iv7 !  
numb] ( ?ird-p>ty provid]s c]tifi$ bas$ 
on ,/ate ag5cy or pr(essional           
association cr$5tial+2 &  7,c7 ! e/imat$
 numb] ( /aff h\rs or full-"t equival5ts
 sav$ ?r\gh "w accompli%$ by ?ird-p>ty  
provid]s4  4