The term “contract acreage” means eligible land that is covered by a BCAP contract entered into with the Secretary.
The term “eligible material” means renewable biomass harvested directly from the land, including crop residue from any crop that is eligible to receive payments under title I of the Agricultural Act of 2014 [7 U.S.C. 9001 et seq.] or an amendment made by that title.
The term “producer” means an owner or operator of contract acreage that is physically located within a BCAP project area.
The term “socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher” has the meaning given the term in section 2279(e) [1] of this title.
The Secretary shall provide financial assistance to a producer of an eligible crop in a BCAP project area.
On approval of a BCAP project area by the Secretary, each producer in the BCAP project area shall enter into a contract directly with the Secretary.
The Secretary shall make establishment and annual payments directly to producers to support the establishment and production of eligible crops on contract acreage.
Subject to clause (ii), the amount of an annual payment under this subsection shall be determined by the Secretary.
The Secretary shall not make any BCAP payments on land for which payments are received under the conservation reserve program established under subchapter B of chapter 1 of subtitle D of title XII of the Food Security Act of 1985 (16 U.S.C. 3831 et seq.) or the agricultural conservation easement program established under subtitle H of title XII of that Act [16 U.S.C. 3865 et seq.].
Subject to paragraph (3), the Secretary may provide matching payments at a rate of up to $1 for each $1 per ton provided by the biomass conversion facility, in an amount not to exceed $20 per dry ton for a period of 2 years.
As a condition of the receipt of an annual payment under subsection (c), a producer receiving a payment under this subsection for collection, harvest, storage, or transportation of an eligible crop produced on BCAP acreage shall agree to a reduction in the annual payment.
Not later than 4 years after February 7, 2014, the Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate a report on the dissemination by the Secretary of the best practice data and information gathered from participants receiving assistance under this section.
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $25,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2019 through 2023.
Of the amount made available under paragraph (1) for each fiscal year, the Secretary shall use not less than 10 percent, nor more than 50 percent, of the amount to make collection, harvest, transportation, and storage payments under subsection (d)(2).