The purposes of the the Farmland Stewardship Program shall be to–

            `(A) combine, couple or coordinate multiple programs from multiple agencies and levels of government on individual parcels of land, and on a regional basis, to–

            `(i) improve conservation delivery at the local level,

            `(ii) eliminate redundancy,

            `(iii) simplify application procedures,

            `(iv) leverage the investment of federal dollars,

            `(v) make more efficient use of limited technical assistance dollars,

            `(vi) provider greater incentives for participation from owners and operators,

            `(vii) foster partnerships and improve cooperation between agencies at all levels of government and nongovernmental organizations to increase access to technical and financial assistance for owners, operators, and producers; and

            `(viii) provide greater environmental benefits;

            `(B) more precisely tailor and more effectively target conservation programs administered by the Secretary, and other federal and state agencies and local units of government, to the unique conservation needs of, and opportunities presented by, individual parcels of eligible agricultural land;

            `(C) address shortcomings in existing program delivery as described in the General Accounting Office Report, GAO-02-295, ‘Agricultural Conservation - State Advisory Committees’ Views on How USDA Programs Could Better Address Environmental Concerns,' (click here to view a summary of the GAO Report)

            `(D) enable an owner or operator to participate in 1 or more of the conservation programs offered through agencies at all levels of government and the private sector and, where possible and feasible, comply with permit requirements and regulations, through a one-stop, one-application process; or, if that is not feasible, then an attempt shall be made to assemble as many programs, requirements and regulations into as few applications and agreements as possible;

            `(E) negotiate a mutually agreeable set of guidelines, practices, and procedures under which conservation practices will be provided by the owner or operator to protect, maintain, and, where possible, improve, the natural resources on the land covered by the agreement in return for annual payments to the owner or operator; and

            `(G) negotiate and develop agreements with private owners and operators to expand or maintain their participation in conservation activities and programs; to enable them to install or maintain best management practices (BMPs) and other recommended practices to improve the compatibility of agriculture, horticulture, silviculture, aquaculture and equine activities with the environment; and improve compliance with public health, safety and environmental regulations.