S.Amdt. 3312

SA 3312. Mr. DURBIN (for himself and Mr. Blunt) submitted an
amendment intended to be proposed to amendment SA 3224 proposed by Mr.
Roberts (for himself and Ms. Stabenow) to the bill H.R. 2, to provide
for the reform and continuation of agricultural and other programs of
the Department of Agriculture through fiscal year 2023, and for other
purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the end of subtitle A of title I, add the following:

SEC. 11__. NONRECOURSE CONSERVATION AND BEGINNING FARMERS
LOAN ASSISTANCE PILOT PROGRAM.

(a) Definitions.--In this section:
(1) Eligible commodity.--The term ``eligible commodity''
means corn, soybeans, and wheat.
(2) Qualified producer.--The term ``qualified producer''
means a producer eligible for a nonrecourse marketing loan
under section 1201 of the Agricultural Act of 2014 (7 U.S.C.
9031) that agrees to not apply for that loan for any eligible
commodity in each of the 2019 through 2023 crop years.
(b) Nonrecourse Conservation and Beginning Farmers Loan
Assistance Pilot Program.--The Secretary shall establish a
nonrecourse conservation and beginning farmers loan
assistance pilot program (referred to in this section as the
``pilot program'') to make available to qualified producers
on a farm nonrecourse conservation assistance loans for each
eligible commodity for each of the 2019 through 2023 crop
years.
(c) Eligible Production.--A qualified producer on a farm
shall be eligible for a loan under the pilot program for any
quantity of an eligible commodity produced on the farm.
(d) Loan Rates for Nonrecourse Conservation Assistance
Loans.--
(1) In general.--Subject to paragraph (2), for purposes of
each of the 2019 through 2023 crop years, the loan rate for a
loan under the pilot program for an eligible commodity shall
be--
(A) for beginning farmers and ranchers (as determined by
the Secretary), 70 percent of the national average price
received by producers during the 12-month marketing year for
the eligible commodity for the 5 crop years immediately prior
to the crop year in which the conservation assistance loan
will be made, excluding--
(i) the crop year with the highest price; and
(ii) the crop year with the lowest price; and
(B) for qualified producers not described in subparagraph
(A), 55 percent of the national average price received by
producers during the 12-month marketing year for the eligible
commodity for the 5 crop years immediately prior to the crop
year in which the conservation assistance loan will be made,
excluding--
(i) the crop year with the highest price; and
(ii) the crop year with the lowest price.
(2) Special rule for cover crops.--
(A) In general.--In the case of a qualified producer who
agrees to plant a cover crop on acres associated with the
eligible commodity, the applicable loan rate under paragraph
(1) shall be increased by an amount equal to $0.20 per
bushel.
(B) Effect of failure to plant cover crop.--In the case of
a qualified producer who is prevented from planting a cover
crop due to weather or other natural events that interfered
with the planting of a cover crop (as determined by the
Secretary), the qualified producer shall be eligible for the
loan rate described in subparagraph (A).
(e) Terms of Loans.--
(1) In general.--In the case of each eligible commodity, a
loan under the pilot program shall have a term of 9 months
beginning on the first day of the first month after the month
in which the loan is made.
(2) Extensions prohibited.--The Secretary may not extend
the term of a loan under the pilot program for any eligible
commodity.
(f) Repayment of Loans.--
(1) In general.--The Secretary shall permit the qualified
producers on a farm to repay a loan under the pilot program
for an eligible commodity at a rate that is the lesser of--

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(A) the loan rate established under subsection (d);
(B) a rate that is equal to the expected market price for
the eligible commodity as calculated for crop insurance, as
determined by the Secretary; and
(C) such other rate the Secretary determines will avoid or
minimize potential loan forfeitures.
(2) Adjustments.--The Secretary shall make such adjustments
that the Secretary determines necessary--
(A) to avoid forfeiture or the accumulation of stocks of
the commodities placed under a loan under the pilot program;
(B) to minimize the costs incurred by the Federal
Government;
(C) to allow the commodity produced to be marketed freely
and competitively, both domestically and internationally; and
(D) to minimize discrepancies in conservation loan benefits
across State boundaries and across county boundaries.
(g) Compliance Requirements.--As a condition of the receipt
of a loan under the pilot program, the qualified producer
shall, during the crop year in which the loan was provided--
(1) comply with applicable conservation requirements under
subtitle B of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16
U.S.C. 3811 et seq.) and applicable wetland protection
requirements under subtitle C of title XII of that Act (16
U.S.C. 3821 et seq.);
(2) agree to use a reduced tillage method and nutrient
management practices (as determined by the Secretary to be
appropriate for soil health management) for the acres
associated with the commodity covered by the loan; and
(3) in the case of a loan calculated under subsection
(d)(2), agree to plant a cover crop on the acres associated
with the eligible commodity, as determined by the Secretary
to be appropriate.
(h) Farm Service Agency Report.--The Administrator of the
Farm Service Agency shall submit an annual report to the
Secretary that includes the information with respect to the
compliance requirements described in paragraphs (1) and (2)
of subsection (g) with respect to each loan under the pilot
program that was fully repaid in the preceding fiscal year.
______