I 115th CONGRESS 2d Session H. R. 5048 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES February 15, 2018 Mr. Bost (for himself and Mr. Soto ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture A BILL To amend the Food Security Act of 1985 with respect to eligibility to become a third-party provider, and for other purposes.

1. Short Title This Act may be cited as the Nutrient Management Technical Service Provider Certification Act of 2018 . 2. Amendment to the Food Security Act of 1985 Section 1242(e) of the Food Security Act of 1985 ( 16 U.S.C. 3842(e) ) is amended by adding at the end the following: (4) Alternative certification (A) In general In carrying out this subsection, the Secretary shall approve any qualified certification that the Secretary determines to meet or exceed to the national criteria provided under paragraph (3)(B). (B) Qualified certification In this paragraph, the term qualified certification means a professional certification that is established by the Secretary, an agriculture-related retailer, a farmer cooperative, the American Society of Agronomy, or the National Alliance of Independent Crop Consultants, including certification— (i) as a Certified Crop Advisor by the American Society for Agronomy; (ii) as a Certified Professional Agronomist by the American Society for Agronomy; and (iii) as a Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plan Specialist by the Secretary. .