1.1.................... moves to amend H.F. No. 1175 as follows:
1.2Delete everything after the enacting clause and insert:

1.3    "Section 1.MINNESOTA AGRICULTURAL WATER QUALITY
1.4CERTIFICATION PROGRAM.
1.5    Subdivision 1. Pilot program. The commissioner of agriculture may implement
1.6a three-year pilot Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program whereby
1.7certainty, as defined in subdivision 3, is provided to a producer who demonstrates
1.8practices and management sufficient to protect and enhance water quality. The program is
1.9voluntary. The commissioner may use contributions from gifts or other state accounts,
1.10provided that the purposes of the expenditures are consistent with the purpose of the
1.11accounts, for grants, loans, or other financial assistance.
1.12    Subd. 2. Program components. The commissioner must implement the pilot
1.13program according to the recommendations of the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality
1.14Certification Program Advisory Committee. Specifically, the commissioner must:
1.15(1) select pilot locations that represent characteristics of the three primary
1.16agricultural regions of the state: northwest, central-southwest, and southeast. The
1.17commissioner also must give consideration to locations in the Sentinel Watershed program
1.18and areas with a locally-representative diversity of agriculture;
1.19(2) establish a three-year duration for the pilot projects in order to fully sample
1.20different weather conditions, production systems, and implementation practices and to
1.21emphasize replication of successful program implementation and operation on a local scale;
1.22(3) target pilot areas by 12-digit hydrologic unit codes to enable a watershed basis
1.23while providing opportunity for potential pilot assessment on a county basis;
1.24(4) utilize the pilot-selection framework recommended by the Certainty
1.25Subcommittee; and
2.1(5) utilize measurement metrics to establish the features necessary for a successful
2.2program.
2.3    Subd. 3. Certainty. For purposes of the pilot program, "certainty" means that a
2.4certified producer:
2.5(1) is exempt from any new rule issued by any state agency pertaining to water
2.6quality protection for the duration of certification; and
2.7(2) is considered to be meeting the producer's contribution to any Total Maximum
2.8Daily Load implementation plan or other targeted reduction of pollutants during the
2.9period of certification.
2.10    Subd. 4. Eligible land. Eligible land includes all contiguous and noncontiguous
2.11agricultural acres farmed by a participating producer. A participating producer may, but is
2.12not required to, enroll acres that the participating producer farms according to a lease or
2.13other legal agreement but does not own.
2.14    Subd. 5. Data. All data collected under the program that identifies a producer or a
2.15producer's location is nonpublic data as defined in section 13.02, subdivision 9, or private
2.16data on individuals as defined in section 13.02, subdivision 12. The commissioner must
2.17make summary data of program outcomes available.
2.18    Subd. 6. Reporting. No later than February 1, 2014, 2015, and 2016, the
2.19commissioner must report program progress and outcomes to the legislative committees
2.20with jurisdiction over agriculture policy and finance. The 2016 report must recommend
2.21whether the legislature should reauthorize or expand the program, accompanied by
2.22corresponding bill language."