and information available to county rural develop-
ment boards.
(i) REPORTS.—
(1) REGULAR
REPORTS.—Not less frequently
than annually, each county rural development board
that receives a grant made under this section shall
submit to the Secretary a report that documents the
continued involvement of the public in the activities
of the board, and includes such information as the
Secretary may require to determine whether the
projects proposed in the approved application of the
board are progressing as described in the application
toward the goals set forth in the application.
(2) FINAL REPORT.—Upon the completion of
the projects described in an approved application for
a grant under this section, the applicant shall sub-
mit to the Secretary a final report on the projects.
(j) AUDITS.—The Secretary shall require each entity
that receives a grant made under this section to perform
annual audits of the financial management system and in-
ternal controls of the entity.
(k) MAINTENANCE OF RECORDS.—Each entity that
receives a grant made under this section shall maintain
records and accounts sufficient to enable a determination
as to whether the grant has been used in accordance with
the approved application and the requirements imposed by
or under this section.
(l) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this Act:
(1) QUALIFIED COUNTY RURAL DEVELOPMENT
BOARD.—The term ‘‘qualified county rural develop-
ment board’’ means a rural development board that
is established in accordance with the following re-
quirements:
(A) The board is an agency of county gov-
ernment.
(B) The county for which the board is es-
tablished does not contain a city with a popu-
lation of more than 35,000 individuals.
(C) The board has not less than 7 and not
more than 15 members.
(D) Not more than 50 percent of the board
members may be appointed by the county.
(E) The membership of the board is fully
representative of the population of the county.
(F) The meetings of the board are re-
quired to be open to the public, the board is re-
quired to notify the public not less than 7 days
and not more than 21 days in advance of board
meetings, the board is required to keep minutes
of its meetings, and the board is required to af-
ford the public an opportunity to comment at
board meetings.
(2) SECRETARY.—The term ‘‘Secretary’’ means
the Secretary of Agriculture.
(3) SUBSTATE REGIONAL ORGANIZATION.—The
term ‘‘substate regional organization’’ means a sub-
state regional multicounty planning and development
entity.
(m) LIMITATIONS ON AUTHORIZATION OF APPRO-
PRIATIONS.—To carry out this section, there are author-
ized to be appropriated to the Secretary not more than—
(1) $20,000,000 for fiscal year 1996; and
(2) $40,000,000 for each of fiscal years 1997
and 1998.
SEC. 3. NATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM.
The Secretary shall create a training and information
system utilizing 1862 and 1890 land grant institutions,
the Agricultural Extension Service, State rural develop-
ment councils, and substate regional organizations, which
shall include—
(1) advice and materials on local rural strategic
planning processes and procedures, which shall in-
clude how to study local economies, identify local
strengths and weaknesses, develop opportunities,