((a)) ** Appointment; civil service exemption; compensation** The Secretary shall appoint such officers and employees as may be necessary for the transaction of the business of the Corporation pursuant to civil-service laws and regulations, fix their compensation in accordance with the provisions of chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, define their authority and duties, and delegate to them such of the powers vested in the Corporation as the Secretary may determine appropriate. However, personnel paid by the hour, day, or month when actually employed may be appointed without regard to civil-service laws and regulations.

((b)) ** Application of employees’ compensation law** Insofar as applicable, the benefits of subchapter I of chapter 81 of title 5, shall extend to persons given employment under the provisions of this subchapter, including the employees of the committees and associations referred to in subsection (c) of this section and the members of such committees.

((c)) ** Use of associations of producers and private insurance companies; payment of administrative and program expenses; sale of crop insurance through private agents and brokers: renewals, exclusion of compensation from premium rates, indemnification for errors or omissions of Commission or its contractors** In the administration of this subchapter, the Board shall, to the maximum extent possible, (1) establish or use committees or associations of producers and make payments to them to cover the administrative and program expenses, as determined by the Board, incurred by them in cooperating in carrying out this subchapter, (2) contract with private insurance companies, private rating bureaus, and other organizations as appropriate for actuarial services, services relating to loss adjustment and rating plans of insurance, and other services to avoid duplication by the Federal Government of services that are or may readily be available in the private sector and to enable the Corporation to concentrate on regulating the provision of insurance under this subchapter and evaluating new products and materials submitted under section 1508(h) or 1523 of this title, and reimburse such companies for the administrative and program expenses, as determined by the Board, incurred by them, under terms and provisions and rates of compensation consistent with those generally prevailing in the insurance industry, and (3) encourage the sale of Federal crop insurance through licensed private insurance agents and brokers and give the insured the right to renew such insurance for successive terms through such agents and brokers, in which case the agent or broker shall be reasonably compensated from premiums paid by the insured for such sales and renewals recognizing the function of the agent or broker to provide continuing services while the insurance is in effect: , That such compensation shall not be included in computations establishing premium rates. The Board shall provide such agents and brokers with indemnification, including costs and reasonable attorney fees, from the Corporation for errors or omissions on the part of the Corporation or its contractors for which the agent or broker is sued or held liable, except to the extent the agent or broker has caused the error or omission. Nothing in this subsection shall permit the Corporation to contract with other persons to carry out the responsibility of the Corporation to review and approve policies, rates, and other materials submitted under .section 1508(h) of this titleProvided

((d)) ** Allotment of funds to Federal and State agencies** The Secretary may allot to bureaus and offices of the Department or transfer to such other agencies of the State and Federal Governments that the Secretary requests to assist in carrying out this subchapter any funds made available pursuant to the provisions of .section 1516 of this title

((e)) ** Utilization of producer cooperative associations** In carrying out the provisions of this subchapter the Board may, in its discretion, utilize producer-owned and producer-controlled cooperative associations.

((f)) ** Use of resources, data, boards, and committees of Federal agencies** If the Board determines it is necessary, the Board shall use, to the maximum extent practicable, the resources, data, boards, and the committees of—

((1)) the Natural Resources Conservation Service, in assisting the Board in—

((A)) the classification of land as to risk and production capability; and

((B)) the consideration of acceptable conservation practices, including good farming practices with respect to conservation (such as cover crop termination);

((2)) the Forest Service, in assisting the Board in the development of a timber insurance plan;

((3)) the Farm Service Agency, in assisting the Board in—

((A)) the determination of individual producer yields;

((B)) sharing information on beginning farmers and ranchers and veteran farmers and ranchers;

((C)) investigating potential waste, fraud, or abuse;

((D)) sharing information to support the transition of crops and counties from the noninsured crop disaster assistance program established by to insurance under this subchapter; and

((E)) serving as a local point of contact for the dissemination of information on risk management options available to farmers and ranchers; and

((4)) other Federal agencies, in assisting the Board in any way the Board determines is necessary in carrying out this subchapter.

((g)) ** Specialty Crops Coordinator**

((1)) ** .—** The Corporation shall establish a management-level position to be known as the Specialty Crops Coordinator.

((2)) The Specialty Crops Coordinator shall have primary responsibility for addressing the needs of specialty crop producers, and for providing information and advice, in connection with the activities of the Corporation to improve and expand the insurance program for specialty crops. In carrying out this paragraph, the Specialty Crops Coordinator shall act as the liaison of the Corporation with representatives of specialty crop producers and assist the Corporation with the knowledge, expertise, and familiarity of the producers with risk management and production issues pertaining to specialty crops.

((3)) The Specialty Crops Coordinator shall use information collected from Corporation field office directors in States in which specialty crops have a significant economic effect and from other sources, including the extension service and colleges and universities.

((4)) ** .—** The Specialty Crops Coordinator shall—

((A)) designate a Specialty Crops Liaison in each regional field office; and

((B)) share the contact information of the Specialty Crops Liaisons with specialty crop producers.

((5)) ** .—** The Specialty Crops Coordinator shall establish a website focused on the efforts of the Corporation to provide and expand crop insurance for specialty crop producers.