Conservation loan and loan guarantee program

The Secretary may make or guarantee qualified conservation loans to eligible borrowers under this section. In this section: The term “qualified conservation loan” means a loan, the proceeds of which are used to cover the costs to the borrower of carrying out a qualified conservation project. The term “qualified conservation project” means conservation measures that address provisions of a conservation plan of the eligible borrower. The term “conservation plan” means a plan, approved by the Secretary, that, for a farming or ranching operation, identifies the conservation activities that will be addressed with loan funds provided under this section, including— The Secretary may make or guarantee loans to farmers or ranchers in the United States, farm cooperatives, private domestic corporations, partnerships, joint operations, trusts, limited liability companies, or such other legal entities as the Secretary considers appropriate that are controlled by farmers or ranchers and engaged primarily and directly in agricultural production in the United States. To be eligible for a loan under this section, applicants shall meet the requirements in subparagraphs (A) and (B) of section 1922(a)(1) of this title. In making or guaranteeing loans under this section, the Secretary shall give priority to— The portion of a loan that the Secretary may guarantee under this section shall be— The Secretary shall ensure, to the maximum extent practicable, that loans made or guaranteed under this section are distributed across diverse geographic regions. The provisions of paragraphs (1) and (3) of section 1983 of this title shall not apply to loans made or guaranteed under this section. There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary to carry out this section $150,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2014 through 2023.