Land Grants-Mercedes Conservation Program Eligibility Act of 2017

To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 to make land grants-mercedes eligible for assistance, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Land Grants-Mercedes Conservation Program Eligibility Act of 2017 2. Eligibility for land grants-mercedes (a) Definitions Section 1201(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3801(a) (17) Land grant-merced The term land grant-merced (A) the land of which was granted by the government of Spain or by the government of Mexico to— (i) the community, town, colony, or pueblo; or (ii) a person for the purpose of founding or establishing a community, town, colony, or pueblo; or (B) that asserted title pursuant to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, through— (i) the Office of the Surveyor General for New Mexico established pursuant to the Act of July 22, 1854 (Chapter 103; 10 Stat. 308); or (ii) the United States Court of Private Land Claims established by the Act of March 3, 1891 (Chapter 539; 26 Stat. 854) (commonly known as the Court of Private Land Claims Act). . (b) Alternative funding arrangements for land grants-Mercedes Section 1244 of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3844 (m) Alternative funding arrangements for land grants-Mercedes (1) Alternative funding arrangements Notwithstanding section 1001(f)(6), the Secretary may enter into an alternative funding arrangement under any conservation program administered by the Secretary with a land grant-merced if the Secretary determines that— (A) the goals and objectives of the applicable program will be met by the arrangement; and (B) statutory limitations regarding contracts with individual producers will not be exceeded by any member of the land grant-merced. (2) Technical and administrative assistance The Secretary may provide technical and administrative assistance, as mutually agreed by the parties, under an alternative funding arrangement entered into under paragraph (1). . (c) Conforming amendments (1) Definitions Section 1201(a)(18)(B) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3801(a)(18)(B) land grant-merced, Indian tribe, (2) Conservation stewardship program Section 1238G(f) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3838g(f) or land grants-mercedes Indian tribes (3) Administrative requirements for conservation programs Section 1244(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3844(a) (A) in the subsection header, by inserting and land grants-Mercedes Indian tribes (B) by adding at the end of paragraph (2) the following: (G) Land grants-mercedes. . (4) Agricultural conservation easement program Subtitle H of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3865 (A) in section 1265A(2)(A), by striking or an Indian tribe , or an Indian tribe or land grant-merced, (B) in section 1265C— (i) in subsection (b)(1)(D), by inserting and land grants-mercedes Indian tribes (ii) in subsection (d)(2), by striking or Indian tribe Indian tribe, or land grant-merced (iii) in subsection (e), by striking or Indian tribe Indian tribe, or land grant-merced (C) in section 1265D(a)(2), by adding , other than land of a land grant-merced (5) Regional conservation partnership program Section 1271A(4) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3871a(4) (I) A land grant-merced. .

Summary: Land Grants-Mercedes Conservation Program Eligibility Act of 2017 This bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to authorize the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enter into an alternative funding arrangement under any USDA conservation program with a land grant-merced. A land grant-merced is a community, town, colony, or pueblo that: (1) includes certain land granted by Mexico or Spain; or (2) asserted title pursuant to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, through the Office of the Surveyor General for New Mexico or the U.S. Court of Private Land Claims. (An alternative funding arrangement allows a land grant-merced to receive assistance directly from the conservation programs.) USDA may also provide technical and administrative assistance under the alternative funding arrangement. USDA may enter into an arrangement if: (1) the goals and objectives of the applicable conservation program will be met by the arrangement, and (2) statutory limitations regarding contracts with individual producers will not be exceeded by any member of the land grant-merced.