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‘‘(c) CONTRACTS AND COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.— 
For purposes of carrying out the duties under subsection 
(b), the Military Veterans Agricultural Liaison may enter 
into contracts or cooperative agreements with the research 
centers of the Agricultural Research Service, institutions of 
higher education, or nonprofit organizations for— 
‘‘(1) the conduct of regional research on the prof-
itability of small farms; 
‘‘(2) the development of educational materials; 
‘‘(3) the conduct of workshops, courses, and cer-
tified vocational training; 
‘‘(4) the conduct of mentoring activities; or 
‘‘(5) the provision of internship opportunities.’’. 
SEC. 12202. INFORMATION GATHERING. 
Section 1619(b)(3) of the Food, Conservation, and En-
ergy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 8791) is amended by adding 
at the end the following: 
‘‘(B) COOPERATION WITH STATE AND LOCAL 
GOVERNMENTS.— 
‘‘(i) IN
GENERAL.—Subject to clause 
(ii), in the case of a State agency, political 
subdivision, or local governmental agency 
that is charged with implementing an agri-
culture or conservation program under 
State law, on request of the State agency,
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political subdivision, or local governmental 
agency, the information described in para-
graph (2) shall be disclosed to the State 
agency, political subdivision, or local gov-
ernmental agency if the Secretary deter-
mines that the State agency, political sub-
division, or local governmental agency dem-
onstrates that the disclosure is required for 
implementing the State program. 
‘‘(ii) RESTRICTION.—Any information 
disclosed to a State agency, political sub-
division, or local governmental agency 
under clause (i) shall be— 
‘‘(I) used solely by the State agen-
cy, political subdivision, or local gov-
ernmental agency; and 
‘‘(II) exempt from disclosure to 
the public, including under any State 
law that allows a citizen to petition a 
State agency for that information.’’.
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SEC. 12203. GRANTS TO IMPROVE SUPPLY, STABILITY, SAFE-
TY, AND TRAINING OF AGRICULTURAL LABOR 
FORCE. 
Section 14204(d) of the Food, Conservation, and En-
ergy Act of 2008 (7 U.S.C. 2008q–1(d)) is amended to read 
as follows: 
‘‘(d) AUTHORIZATION
OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There 
are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this sec-
tion— 
‘‘(1) such sums as are necessary for each of fiscal 
years 2008 through 2013; and 
‘‘(2) $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 
through 2018.’’. 
SEC. 12204. NONINSURED CROP ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
(a) IN GENERAL.—Section 196 of the Federal Agri-
culture Improvement and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 
7333) is amended— 
(1) in subsection (a)— 
(A) by striking paragraph (1) and inserting 
the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.— 
‘‘(A) COVERAGES.—In the case of an eligi-
ble crop described in paragraph (2), the Sec-
retary of Agriculture shall operate a noninsured 
crop disaster assistance program to provide cov-
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erages based on individual yields (other than for 
value-loss crops) equivalent to— 
‘‘(i) catastrophic risk protection avail-
able under section 508(b) of the Federal 
Crop Insurance Act (7 U.S.C. 1508(b)); or 
‘‘(ii) additional coverage available 
under subsections (c) and (h) of section 508 
of that Act (7 U.S.C. 1508) that does not 
exceed 65 percent. 
‘‘(B) 
ADMINISTRATION.—The 
Secretary 
shall carry out this section through the Farm 
Service Agency (referred to in this section as the 
‘Agency’).’’; and 
(B) in paragraph (2)— 
(i) in subparagraph (A)— 
(I) in the matter before clause (i), 
by striking ‘‘(except livestock)’’ and in-
serting ‘‘(except livestock and crops 
and grasses used for grazing)’’; 
(II) in clause (i), by striking 
‘‘and’’ after the semicolon at the end; 
(III) by redesignating clause (ii) 
as clause (iii); and 
(IV) by inserting after clause (i) 
the following:
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‘‘(ii) for which additional 
coverage under subsections (c) and 
(h) of section 508 of that Act (7 
U.S.C. 1508) is not available; 
and’’; and 
(ii) in subparagraph (B)— 
(I) by inserting ‘‘(except ferns)’’ 
after ‘‘floricultural’’; 
(II) by inserting ‘‘(except ferns)’’ 
after ‘‘ornamental nursery’’; and 
(III) by striking ‘‘(including or-
namental fish)’’ and inserting ‘‘(in-
cluding ornamental fish, but excluding 
tropical fish)’’; 
(2) in subsection (d), by striking ‘‘The Sec-
retary’’ and inserting ‘‘Subject to subsection (l), the 
Secretary’’; 
(3) in subsection (k)(1)— 
(A) in subparagraph (A), by striking 
‘‘$250’’ and inserting ‘‘$260’’; and 
(B) in subparagraph (B)— 
(i) by striking ‘‘$750’’ and inserting 
‘‘$780’’; and 
(ii) by striking ‘‘$1,875’’ and inserting 
‘‘$1,950’’; and
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(4) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(l) PAYMENT EQUIVALENT
TO ADDITIONAL COV-
ERAGE.— 
‘‘(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make 
available to a producer eligible for noninsured assist-
ance under this section a payment equivalent to an 
indemnity for additional coverage under subsections 
(c) and (h) of section 508 of the Federal Crop Insur-
ance Act (7 U.S.C. 1508) that does not exceed 65 per-
cent, computed by multiplying— 
‘‘(A) the quantity that is less than 50 to 65 
percent of the established yield for the crop, as 
determined by the Secretary, specified in incre-
ments of 5 percent; 
‘‘(B) 100 percent of the average market 
price for the crop, as determined by the Sec-
retary; and 
‘‘(C) a payment rate for the type of crop, as 
determined by the Secretary, that reflects— 
‘‘(i) in the case of a crop that is pro-
duced with a significant and variable har-
vesting expense, the decreasing cost incurred 
in the production cycle for the crop that is, 
as applicable— 
‘‘(I) harvested;
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‘‘(II) planted but not harvested; or 
‘‘(III) prevented from being plant-
ed because of drought, flood, or other 
natural disaster, as determined by the 
Secretary; or 
‘‘(ii) in the case of a crop that is pro-
duced without a significant and variable 
harvesting expense, such rate as shall be de-
termined by the Secretary. 
‘‘(2) PREMIUM.—To be eligible to receive a pay-
ment under this subsection, a producer shall pay— 
‘‘(A) the service fee required by subsection 
(k); and 
‘‘(B) a premium for the applicable crop 
year that is equal to— 
‘‘(i) the product obtained by multi-
plying— 
‘‘(I) the number of acres devoted 
to the eligible crop; 
‘‘(II) the yield, as determined by 
the Secretary under subsection (e); 
‘‘(III) the coverage level elected by 
the producer; 
‘‘(IV) the average market price, as 
determined by the Secretary; and
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‘‘(ii) 5.25-percent premium fee. 
‘‘(3) LIMITED RESOURCE, BEGINNING, AND SO-
CIALLY
DISADVANTAGED
FARMERS.—The additional 
coverage made available under this subsection shall be 
available to limited resource, beginning, and socially 
disadvantaged producers, as determined by the Sec-
retary, in exchange for a premium that is 50 percent 
of the premium determined for a producer under 
paragraph (2). 
‘‘(4) ADDITIONAL AVAILABILITY.— 
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—As soon as practicable 
after October 1, 2013, the Secretary shall make 
assistance available to producers of an otherwise 
eligible crop described in subsection (a)(2) that 
suffered losses— 
‘‘(i) to a 2012 annual fruit crop grown 
on a bush or tree; and 
‘‘(ii) in a county covered by a declara-
tion by the Secretary of a natural disaster 
for production losses due to a freeze or frost. 
‘‘(B) ASSISTANCE.—The Secretary shall 
make assistance available under subparagraph 
(A) in an amount equivalent to assistance avail-
able under paragraph (1), less any fees not pre-
viously paid under paragraph (2).’’.
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(b) TERMINATION DATE.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Effective October 1, 2018, sub-
section (a) and the amendments made by subsection 
(a) (other than the amendments made by clauses 
(i)(I) and (ii) of subsection (a)(1)(B)) are repealed. 
(2) ADMINISTRATION.—Effective October 1, 2018, 
section 196 of the Federal Agriculture Improvement 
and Reform Act of 1996 (7 U.S.C. 7333) shall be ap-
plied and administered as if subsection (a) and the 
amendments made by subsection (a) (other than the 
amendments made by clauses (i)(I) and (ii) of sub-
section (a)(1)(B)) had not been enacted. 
SEC. 12205. BIOENERGY COVERAGE IN NONINSURED CROP 
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 
Section 196(a)(2)(B) of the Federal Agriculture Im-
provement 
and 
Reform 
Act 
of 
1996 
(7 
U.S.C. 
7333(a)(2)(B)) is amended by inserting ‘‘(including those 
grown expressly for the purpose of producing a feedstock 
for renewable biofuel, renewable electricity, or biobased 
products)’’ after ‘‘industrial crops’’. 
SEC. 12206. REGIONAL ECONOMIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE 
DEVELOPMENT. 
Section 15751 of title 40, United States Code, is 
amended—
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(1) in subsection (a), by striking ‘‘2012’’ and in-
serting ‘‘2018’’; and 
(2) in subsection (b)— 
(A) by striking ‘‘Not more than’’ and insert-
ing the following: 
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), not more than’’; and 
(B) by adding at the end the following: 
‘‘(2) LIMITED FUNDING.—In a case in which less 
than $10,000,000 is made available to a Commission 
for a fiscal year under this section, paragraph (1) 
shall not apply.’’. 
SEC. 12207. OFFICE OF TRIBAL RELATIONS. 
Title III of the Department of Agriculture Reorganiza-
tion Act of 1994 is amended by adding after section 308 
(7 U.S.C. 3125a note; Public Law 103–354) the following: 
‘‘SEC. 309. OFFICE OF TRIBAL RELATIONS. 
‘‘The Secretary shall establish in the Office of the Sec-
retary an Office of Tribal Relations.’’. 
SEC. 12208. ACER ACCESS AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM. 
(a) GRANTS
AUTHORIZED; AUTHORIZED
ACTIVI-
TIES.—The Secretary of Agriculture may make grants to 
States and tribal governments to support their efforts to 
promote the domestic maple syrup industry through the fol-
lowing activities:
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(1) Promotion of research and education related 
to maple syrup production. 
(2) Promotion of natural resource sustainability 
in the maple syrup industry. 
(3) Market promotion for maple syrup and 
maple-sap products. 
(4) Encouragement of owners and operators of 
privately held land containing species of tree in the 
genus Acer— 
(A) to initiate or expand maple-sugaring 
activities on the land; or 
(B) to voluntarily make the land available, 
including by lease or other means, for access by 
the public for maple-sugaring activities. 
(b) APPLICATIONS.—In submitting an application for 
a grant under this section, a State or tribal government 
shall include— 
(1) a description of the activities to be supported 
using the grant funds; 
(2) a description of the benefits that the State or 
tribal government intends to achieve as a result of en-
gaging in such activities; and 
(3) an estimate of the increase in maple-sug-
aring activities or maple syrup production that the