Water Quality Conservation Act of 2017

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Water Quality Conservation Act of 
2017''.

SEC. 2. PURPOSES.

    The purposes of this Act are as follows:
            (1) To identify and promote the use of innovative and 
        effective conservation practices.
            (2) To apply targeted soil and water conservation practices 
        at the watershed, sub-watershed, and field scales.
            (3) To increase the use of conservation practices by 
        producers.
            (4) To collect data on how the implementation of precision 
        conservation practices affects soil health, reduces erosion and 
        nutrient runoff of soil, and enhances water quality.

SEC. 3. PRECISION CONSERVATION PILOT PROGRAM.

    (a) Pilot Program Authorized.--Section 1240B of the Food Security 
Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-2) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new subsection:
    ``(j) Precision Conservation Pilot Program.--
            ``(1) Pilot program authorized.--The Secretary is 
        authorized to carry out a precision conservation pilot program 
        to provide grants to not more than 10 States to assist 
        producers with projects that--
                    ``(A) increase nutrient retention in soil;
                    ``(B) reduce soil erosion;
                    ``(C) reduce nutrient loss from soil;
                    ``(D) improve soil health; and
                    ``(E) improve water quality.
            ``(2) Applications.--To be eligible to receive a grant 
        under paragraph (1), a State shall submit an application at 
        such time, in such manner, and containing such information as 
        the Secretary may require, including a description of how the 
        State will--
                    ``(A) collaborate with a partnership of entities, 
                which may include State agencies, local governments, 
                institutions of higher education, soil and water 
                conservation districts, producers, Indian tribes, 
                agricultural associations, nonprofit entities, and 
                other relevant entities to carry out precision 
                conservation pilot programs; and
                    ``(B) give priority to assisting producers with 
                projects within critical areas, including--
                            ``(i) critical conservation areas 
                        designated under section 1271F; and
                            ``(ii) critical watersheds, as defined by 
                        such State.
            ``(3) Matching funds.--A State awarded a grant under this 
        subsection shall provide non-Federal funds, including cash and 
        in-kind contributions, in an amount that is at least equal to 
        the amount of such grant.
            ``(4) Use of funds.--A State awarded a grant under this 
        section may use grant funds only--
                    ``(A) to educate and recruit agricultural producers 
                to participate in the pilot program;
                    ``(B) to provide technical and financial assistance 
                to producers that elect to participate in a precision 
                conservation pilot program for which the State received 
                a grant under this section to create and implement 
                precision conservation plans;
                    ``(C) to monitor and analyze the effectiveness of 
                such precision conservation plans; and
                    ``(D) to encourage the use of precision agriculture 
                technology to achieve conservation benefits.
            ``(5) Confidentiality.--
                    ``(A) In general.--In the case of information 
                furnished by a producer or State in order to facilitate 
                the creation and implementation of a precision 
                conservation plan pursuant to paragraph (4)(B) or 
                comply with the reporting requirements under paragraph 
                (6)(B), the Secretary, any other officer or employee of 
                the Department of Agriculture or agency thereof, or any 
                other person may not--
                            ``(i) use such information for a purpose 
                        other than the development or reporting of 
                        aggregate data under paragraphs (6) and (7) in 
                        a manner such that the identity of the producer 
                        who supplied such information is not 
                        discernible and is not material to the intended 
                        uses of such information; or
                            ``(ii) disclose the information to any 
                        person or any Federal, State, local, or tribal 
                        agency outside the Department of Agriculture, 
                        unless the information has been converted into 
                        a statistical or aggregate form that does not 
                        allow the identification of the producer that 
                        supplied particular information.
                    ``(B) Rule of construction.--Nothing in this 
                paragraph shall be construed to limit a producer from 
                sharing the information furnished by such producer 
                pursuant to subparagraph (A).
            ``(6) State reporting.--
                    ``(A) Reports to producers.--Not later than 1 year 
                after the date on which a State assists a producer with 
                the creation of a precision conservation plan pursuant 
                to paragraph (4)(B), and each year for the succeeding 4 
                years thereafter, the State shall submit to such 
                producer a report that includes an analysis of the 
                effectiveness of the precision conservation plan for 
                such producer.
                    ``(B) Reports to secretary.--
                            ``(i) Annual.--Not later than one year 
                        after the date on which a State receives grant 
                        funds under this section, and each year for the 
                        succeeding 3 years thereafter, the State shall 
                        submit to the Secretary a report that includes 
                        the data used to create, implement, and analyze 
                        precision conservation plans pursuant to this 
                        subsection.
                            ``(ii) 5-year report.--Not later than 5 
                        years after the date on which a State receives 
                        grant funds under this section, the State shall 
                        submit to the Secretary a report that includes 
                        an analysis of the effectiveness the use of 
                        grant funds under this subsection has had in 
                        fostering--
                                    ``(I) improved soil health;
                                    ``(II) reduced soil erosion and 
                                soil runoff;
                                    ``(III) improved water quality;
                                    ``(IV) improved understanding of 
                                the relationship between precision 
                                agriculture technology and conservation 
                                improvement; and
                                    ``(V) the effectiveness of 
                                different methods used.
            ``(7) Soil nutrient retention database.--
                    ``(A) In general.--The Secretary shall use the data 
                reported under paragraph (6) to establish and maintain 
                a publically available soil nutrient retention database 
                that provides--
                            ``(i) a compilation and analysis of 
                        effective conservation practices for nutrient 
                        management in varying soil compositions, 
                        cropping systems, slopes, and landscapes; and
                            ``(ii) recommended new and effective 
                        conservation practices for nutrient management.
                    ``(B) Funding for database.--The Secretary may 
                reserve up to $75,000 of the funds made available under 
                subsection (f)(3) to carry out this paragraph.''.
    (b) Allocation of Funding.--Section 1240B(f) of the Food Security 
Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3839aa-2(f)) is amended by adding at the end the 
following new paragraph:
            ``(3) Precision conservation pilot program.--For each of 
        fiscal years 2018 through 2022, at least 5 percent of the funds 
        made available for payments under the program shall be targeted 
        for the precision conservation pilot program under subsection 
        (j).''.

Summary: Water Quality Conservation Act of 2017 This bill amends the Food Security Act of 1985 to authorize the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to carry out a precision conservation pilot program to provide grants to up to 10 states to assist producers with projects that: increase nutrient retention in soil, reduce soil erosion, reduce nutrient loss from soil, improve soil health, and improve water quality.  States that receive grants under the program must use the funds only to: educate and recruit agricultural producers to participate in the program, provide technical and financial assistance to producers that elect to participate in the program, monitor and analyze the effectiveness of precision conservation plans, and encourage the use of precision agriculture technology to achieve conservation benefits. States that receive grants must submit to USDA and producers reports regarding the effectiveness of the conservation plans and grants. USDA must use the data to establish and maintain a publicly available soil nutrient retention database.