123STA T .4 1 8PUBLIC LA W 111 –5—FE B.1 7, 2 0 0 9‘ ‘ (i i )EXCEPTIONS.—TheS e cr e ta r ym ay no t a u thori z e p ayment s toana g ricu l tural commo d ity pro - ducer under clause (i)— ‘‘( I ) f or su b sistence e x penses that exceed the lesser of— ‘‘(aa) the actual per diem expenses for subsistence incurred by the producer
or ‘‘(bb) the pre v ailing per diem allo w ance rate authorized under F ederal travel regula- tions; or ‘‘(II) for travel expenses that exceed the pre- vailing mileage rate authorized under the Federal travel regulations. ‘‘( 2 ) INTENSI V E TEC H NIC AL ASSISTANCE.— A producer that has completed initial technical assistance under paragraph ( 1 ) shall be eligible to participate in intensive technical assistance. Such assistance shall consist of— ‘‘(A) a series of courses to further assist the producer in improving the competitiveness of the producer in pro- ducing— ‘‘(i) the agricultural commodity with respect to which the producer was certified under this chapter; or ‘‘(ii) another agricultural commodity; and ‘‘( B ) assistance in developing an initial business plan based on the courses completed under subparagraph (A). ‘‘( 3 ) INITIAL BU SINESS PLAN.— ‘‘(A) APP R OVAL B Y SECRETARY.—The Secretary shall approve an initial business plan developed under paragraph (2)(B) if the plan— ‘‘(i) reflects the s k ills gained by the producer through the courses described in paragraph (2)(A); and ‘‘(ii) demonstrates how the producer will apply those skills to the circumstances of the producer. ‘‘(B) FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE F ORI M PLEMENTIN G INITIAL BUSINESS PLAN.— U pon approval of the producer ’ s initial business plan by the Secretary under subparagraph (A) , a producer shall be entitled to an amount not to exceed $4 , 0 00 to— ‘‘(i) implement the initial business plan; or ‘‘(ii) develop a long-term business ad j ustment plan under paragraph (4). ‘‘(4) L ONG-TERM BUSINESS A DJ USTMENT PLAN.— ‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A producer that has completed intensive technical assistance under paragraph (2) and whose initial business plan has been approved under para- graph (3)(A) shall be eligible for, in addition to the amount under subparagraph ( C ), assistance in developing a long- term business adjustment plan. ‘‘(B) APPROVAL OF LONG-TERM BUSINESS ADJUSTMENT PLANS.—The Secretary shall approve a long-term business adjustment plan developed under subparagraph (A) if the Secretary determines that the plan— ‘‘(i) includes steps reasonably calculated to materi- ally contribute to the economic adjustment of the pro- ducer to changing market conditions;
