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‘‘(i) to produce 1 or more eligible
crops;
‘‘(ii) to develop and actively apply a
conservation plan that meets the require-
ments for highly erodible land conservation
and wetlands conservation as established
under subtitles B and C of title XII of the
Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3811
et seq.); and
‘‘(iii) to agree to implement a con-
servation plan approved by the local soil
conservation district, in consultation with
the local committees established under sec-
tion 8(b)(5) of the Soil Conservation and
Domestic 
Allotment 
Act 
(16 
U.S.C.
590h(B)(5)) and the Secretary, or by the
Secretary to use such conservation practices
as are necessary, where appropriate—
‘‘(I) to advance the goals and ob-
jectives of State, regional, and national
fish and wildlife conservation plans
and initiatives; and
‘‘(II) to comply with mandatory
environmental requirements for a pro-
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ducer under Federal, State, and local
law.
‘‘(4) PAYMENTS.—
‘‘(A) FIRST YEAR.—During the first year of
the contract, the Secretary shall make a payment
to an eligible participant in an amount that cov-
ers the cost of establishing 1 or more eligible
crops.
‘‘(B) SUBSEQUENT
YEARS.—During any
subsequent year of the contract, the Secretary
shall make incentive payments to an eligible
participant in an amount determined by the
Secretary to encourage the eligible participant to
produce renewable biomass.
‘‘(5) APPLICATIONS.—An application to the Sec-
retary for assistance shall include—
‘‘(A) identification of the proposed biomass
conversion facility for which the crop is in-
tended;
‘‘(B) letters of intent or proof of financial
commitment from the biomass conversion facility
to purchase the crop; and
‘‘(C) documentation from each eligible par-
ticipant that describes—
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‘‘(i) the variety and acreage of the eli-
gible crop the eligible participants have
committed to producing; and
‘‘(ii) the variety and acreage of crops
that the eligible participants would have
grown if the eligible participants had not
committed to producing the eligible crop.
‘‘(6) SELECTION
CRITERIA.—In selecting from
applications submitted under this subsection, the Sec-
retary shall consider—
‘‘(A) the likelihood that the proposed estab-
lishment of the eligible crop will be viable within
the proposed locale;
‘‘(B) the impact of the proposed eligible
crop and conversion system on wildlife, air, soil,
and water quality and availability; and
‘‘(C) local and regional economic impacts
and benefits, including participation of begin-
ning farmers or ranchers and socially disadvan-
taged farmers or ranchers.
‘‘(7) ELIGIBLE
CROP
TRANSITION
PLANNING
GRANTS.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—An eligible participant
or member entity (as described in paragraph
(3)(B)) may apply for a project planning grant
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in an amount of not more than $50,000 to assist
in assessing the viability for, or assembling of, a
regional supply of 1 or more eligible crops for
use by a bioenergy conversion facility.
‘‘(B) MATCHING REQUIREMENT.—To receive
a planning grant under subparagraph (A), an
eligible participant or member entity shall pro-
vide matching funding in an amount equal to
100 percent of the amount of the grant.
‘‘(c) ASSISTANCE FOR PRODUCTION OF ANNUAL CROP
OF RENEWABLE BIOMASS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary may provide
assistance to eligible participants to plant an annual
crop of renewable biomass for use in a biomass con-
version facility in the form of—
‘‘(A) technical assistance; and
‘‘(B) cost-share assistance for the cost of es-
tablishing an annual crop of renewable biomass.
‘‘(2) EXCLUSION.—An agricultural producer
shall not be eligible for assistance under paragraph
(1) for the establishment of any crop that is eligible
for benefits under title I of the Food and Energy Se-
curity Act of 2007.
‘‘(3) COMPLIANCE.—Eligible participants receiv-
ing assistance under paragraph (1)(B) shall develop
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and actively apply a conservation plan that meets the
requirements for highly erodible land conservation
and wetlands conservation as established under sub-
titles B and C of title XII of the Food Security Act
of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3811 et seq.).
‘‘(d) ASSISTANCE FOR COLLECTION, HARVEST, STOR-
AGE, AND TRANSPORT OF RENEWABLE BIOMASS.—
‘‘(1) ESTABLISHMENT OF PROGRAM.—The Sec-
retary shall establish a program to provide assistance
to eligible participants for collecting, harvesting, stor-
ing, and transporting renewable biomass to be used in
the production of advanced biofuels, biobased prod-
ucts, heat, or power from a biomass conversion facil-
ity.
‘‘(2) PAYMENTS.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—An eligible participant
shall receive payments under this subsection for
each ton of renewable biomass delivered to a bio-
mass conversion facility, based on a fixed rate to
be established by the Secretary in accordance
with subparagraph (B).
‘‘(B) FIXED RATE.—The Secretary shall es-
tablish a fixed payment rate for purposes of sub-
paragraph (A) to reflect—
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‘‘(i) the estimated cost of collecting,
harvesting, storing, and transporting the re-
newable biomass; and
‘‘(ii) such other factors as the Secretary
determines to be appropriate.
‘‘(e) ASSISTANCE FOR FOREST BIOMASS PLANNING.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall provide
assistance to eligible participants to develop forest
stewardship plans that involve management of forest
biomass for delivery to a biomass conversion facility
through—
‘‘(A) a State forestry agency; or
‘‘(B) a contract or agreement with a third-
party provider in accordance with section 1242
of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C.
3842).
‘‘(2) MANAGEMENT PRACTICES.—The Secretary
shall ensure that any plan developed using assistance
provided under paragraph (1) includes management
practices that will protect soil, water, and wildlife
habitat resources on the land covered by the plan.
‘‘(f) BEST PRACTICES.—
‘‘(1) RECORDKEEPING.—Each eligible partici-
pant, and each biomass conversion facility con-
tracting with the eligible participant, shall maintain