1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Water Quality Conservation Act of 2017 . 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. 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