FUNDING AND ADMINISTRATION.

SEC. 2701. FUNDING AND ADMINISTRATION. Subtitle E of the Food Security Act of 1985 is amended by striking sections 1241 and 1242 (16 U.S.C. 3841), 3842) and inserting the following: “SEC. 1241. COMMODITY CREDIT CORPORATION. “(a) In General.—For each of fiscal years 2002 through 2007, the Secretary shall use the funds, facilities, and authorities of the Commodity Credit Corporation to carry out the following programs under subtitle D (including the provision of technical assistance): “(1) The conservation reserve program under subchapter B of chapter 1. “(2) The wetlands reserve program under subchapter C of chapter 1. “(3) The conservation security program under subchapter A of chapter 2. “(4) The farmland protection program under subchapter B of chapter 2, using, to the maximum extent practicable— “(A) $50,000,000 in fiscal year 2002; “(B) $100,000,000 in fiscal year 2003; “(C) $125,000,000 in each of fiscal years 2004 and 2005; “(D) $100,000,000 in fiscal year 2006; and “(E) $97,000,000 in fiscal year 2007. “(5) The grassland reserve program under subchapter C of chapter 2, using, to the maximum extent practicable $254,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2003 through 2007. “(6) The environmental quality incentives program under chapter 4, using, to the maximum extent practicable— “(A) $400,000,000 in fiscal year 2002; “(B) $700,000,000 in fiscal year 2003; “(C) $1,000,000,000 in fiscal year 2004; “(D) $1,200,000,000 in each of fiscal years 2005 and 2006; and “(C) $1,300,000,000 in fiscal year 2007. “(7) The wildlife habitat incentives program under section 1240N, using, to the maximum extent practicable— “(A) $15,000,000 in fiscal year 2002; “(B) $30,000,000 in fiscal year 2003; “(C) $60,000,000 in fiscal year 2004; and “(D) $85,000,000 in each of fiscal years 2005 through 2007. “(b) Section 11.—Nothing in this section affects the limit on expenditures for technical assistance imposed by section 11 of the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act (15 U.S.C. 714i). “(c) Regional Equity.—Before April 1 of each fiscal year, the Secretary shall give priority for funding under the conservation 116 STAT. 279 programs under subtitle D (excluding the conservation reserve program under subchapter B of chapter 1, the wetlands reserve program under subchapter C of chapter 1, and the conservation security program under subchapter A of chapter 2) to approved applications in any State that has not received, for the fiscal year, an aggregate amount of at least $12,000,000 for those conservation programs. “SEC. 1242. DELIVERY OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. “(a) In General.—The Secretary shall provide technical assistance under this title to a producer eligible for that assistance— “(1) directly; or “(2) at the option of the producer, through a payment, as determined by the Secretary, to the producer for an approved third party, if available. “(b) Certification of Third-Party Providers.— “(1) In general.—Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, the Secretary shall, by regulation, establish a system for— “(A) approving individuals and entities to provide technical assistance to carry out programs under this title (including criteria for the evaluation of providers or potential providers of technical assistance); and “(B) establishing the amounts and methods for payments for that assistance. “(2) Expertise.—In promulgating regulations to carry out this subsection the Secretary snail ensure that persons with expertise in the technical aspects of conservation planning, watershed planning, environmental engineering (including commercial entities, nonprofit entities, State or local governments or agencies, and other Federal agencies), are eligible to become approved providers of the technical assistance. “(3) Interim assistance.— “(A) In general.—A person that has provided technical assistance in accordance with an agreement between the person and the Secretary before the date of enactment of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 may continue to provide technical assistance under this section until the date on which the Secretary establishes the system described in paragraph (1). “(B) Evaluation.—If a person described in subparagraph (A) seeks to continue to provide technical assistance after the date referred to in subparagraph (A), the Secretary shall evaluate the person using criteria referred to in paragraph (1). “(4) Non-federal assistance.—The Secretary may request the services of, and enter into cooperative agreements or contracts with, non-Federal entities to assist the Secretary in providing technical assistance necessary to develop and implement conservation programs under this title.”.