Land Grants-Mercedes Conservation Program Eligibility Act of 2017

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Land Grants-Mercedes Conservation 
Program Eligibility Act of 2017''.

SEC. 2. ELIGIBILITY FOR LAND GRANTS-MERCEDES.

    (a) Definitions.--Section 1201(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 
(16 U.S.C. 3801(a)) is amended by redesignating paragraphs (17) through 
(27) as paragraphs (18) through (28), respectively, and inserting after 
paragraph (16) the following:
            ``(17) Land grant-merced.--The term `land grant-merced' 
        means a community, town, colony, or pueblo--
                    ``(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) is 
amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(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)) is amended by 
        inserting ``land grant-merced,'' after ``Indian tribe,''.
            (2) Conservation stewardship program.--Section 1238G(f) of 
        the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3838g(f)) is amended 
        by inserting ``or land grants-mercedes'' after ``Indian 
        tribes''.
            (3) Administrative requirements for conservation 
        programs.--Section 1244(a) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 
        U.S.C. 3844(a)) is amended--
                    (A) in the subsection header, by inserting ``and 
                Land Grants-Mercedes'' after ``Indian Tribes''; and
                    (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 
        et seq.) is amended--
                    (A) in section 1265A(2)(A), by striking ``or an 
                Indian tribe'' and inserting ``, or an Indian tribe or 
                land grant-merced,'';
                    (B) in section 1265C--
                            (i) in subsection (b)(1)(D), by inserting 
                        ``and land grants-mercedes'' after ``Indian 
                        tribes'';
                            (ii) in subsection (d)(2), by striking ``or 
                        Indian tribe'' and inserting ``Indian tribe, or 
                        land grant-merced''; and
                            (iii) in subsection (e), by striking ``or 
                        Indian tribe'' and inserting ``Indian tribe, or 
                        land grant-merced''; and
                    (C) in section 1265D(a)(2), by adding ``, other 
                than land of a land grant-merced'' before the 
                semicolon.
            (5) Regional conservation partnership program.--Section 
        1271A(4) of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3871a(4)) 
        is amended by adding at the end the following:
                    ``(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.