S.Amdt. 1035

1. Adds SEC. 25___. FARM BUSINESS CENTERS at the end of subtitle F of title II

   Adds a section

   In S. 954 · Placed on Calendar Senate

   (2) publish the findings of the study on a public website and in the Federal Register.

   Inserted: SEC. 25___. FARM BUSINESS CENTERS.

   Inserted: (a) Findings.--Congress finds that--

   Inserted: (1) Federal conservation programs, such as the Conservation Stewardship Program and the Environmental Quality Incentives Program--

   Inserted: (A) help farmers and landowners reduce soil erosion, enhance water supplies, improve water quality, and improve wildlife habitat; and

   Inserted: (B) represent the shared cost and responsibility of the Federal Government and farmers and landowners for conservation;

   Inserted: (2) much of the support provided by the programs described in paragraph (1) is in the form of technical support to help farmers and landowners achieve conservation goals;

   Inserted: (3)(A) section 14212(b)(1)(B) of the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 6932a(b)(1)(B)) provided for the closing of Farm Service Agency offices if the offices had 2 or fewer permanent full-time employees; but

   Inserted: (B) that provision failed to take into consideration that--

   Inserted: (i) some Farm Service Agency offices were colocated;

   Inserted: (ii) some Farm Service Agency programs were interdependent; and

   Inserted: (iii) that colocation and interdependence served as an advantage;

   Inserted: (4) reducing staff levels and closing Farm Service Agency and Natural Resources Conservation Service offices makes it more difficult for farmers and landowners to participate in Federal programs;

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   Inserted: (5)(A) the State of Maine is increasing the number of new, small, and mid-sized farms in the State; and

   Inserted: (B) for many of those farms, access to technical assistance is critical for success; and

   Inserted: (6)(A) the policy of the Administrative and Financial Management office of the Department of Agriculture in effect on the date of enactment of this Act supports consolidation of offices of--

   Inserted: (i) the Farm Service Agency;

   Inserted: (ii) the Natural Resources Conservation Service offices; and

   Inserted: (iii) soil and water conservation districts; but

   Inserted: (B) that policy is undermined by other policies that do not evaluate the effect on the entire service system of a decision of such an agency to relocate staff or close an office, which often results in a cost shift to rural communities, farmers, and landowners.

   Inserted: (b) Guidelines.--As soon as practicable after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall publish guidelines--

   Inserted: (1) to encourage the colocation of offices of the Farm Service Agency, the Natural Resources Conservation Service, and soil and water conservation districts to establish "1-stop" farm business centers of the Department of Agriculture to increase efficiency, improve communication with agency and local government partners, and enhance service delivery to rural communities; and

   Inserted: (2) relating to the use of donated office space, on a full-time or part-time basis, from local governments and other appropriate entities.

   Original wording

   At the end of subtitle F of title II, add the following:

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As printed