Bill Text: CA AB552 | 2023-2024 | Regular Session | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft

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Bill Title: Farmer Equity Act of 2017: Regional Farmer Equipment and Cooperative Resources Assistance Pilot Program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)

Status: (Vetoed) 2024-01-25 - Consideration of Governor's veto stricken from file. [AB552 Detail]

Download: California-2023-AB552-Amended.html

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Amended  IN  Assembly  March 06, 2023

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2023–2024 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill

No. 552

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Introduced by Assembly Member Bennett

February 08, 2023

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An act to amend Section 10230.2 of add Section 618 to the Public Resources Code, relating to agriculture, and making an appropriation therefor. agriculture.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST

AB 552, as amended, Bennett. Agriculture: California Farmland Conservancy Program. Regional Farmer Equipment and Cooperative Resources Assistance Program.

Existing law establishes

Under existing law, the Department of Conservation administers various programs relating to agriculture including the California Farmland Conservancy Program in the Department of Conservation, and Program. Existing law authorizes the program to offer financial assistance, including grants or contracts, for projects and activities on agricultural lands that support agricultural conservation and sustainable land management, including, among other projects and activities, the acquisition of agricultural conservation easements or fee title to protect the land’s agricultural use or capacity, and technical assistance to develop projects, prepare applications, and implement projects. Existing law creates the California Farmland Conservancy Program Fund and continuously appropriates moneys in the fund from federal grants and gifts and donations for purposes of the California Farmland Conservancy Program.

This bill would authorize the California Farmland Conservancy Program to additionally offer financial assistance for regional farm tool lending programs. By expanding the purposes for which continuously appropriated moneys may be used, the bill would make an appropriation. establish the Regional Farmer Equipment and Cooperative Resources Assistance Program in the department. The bill would require the department, in administering the program, to provide technical assistance and grants in order to support regional farm equipment sharing and enhance cooperative benefits for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and limited resource farmers and ranchers. The bill would specify the entities eligible to receive grants under the program and would require an applicant for a grant to provide the department with certain information including a description of the farm equipment lending program. The bill would require the department to prioritize grants to eligible entities that primarily serve specified farmers and ranchers.

Digest Key

Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: YESNO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

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Bill Text

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

SECTION 1.

 Section 618 is added to the Public Resources Code, to read:

618.

 (a) The Regional Farmer Equipment and Cooperative Resources Assistance Program is hereby established within the department.

(b) (1) In administering the program, the department shall provide technical assistance, including application assistance, and grants in order to support regional farm equipment sharing and enhance cooperative benefits for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and limited resource farmers and ranchers.

(2) Eligible entities for grants under the program shall include resource conservation districts, county agricultural commissioners, the University of California Cooperative Extension, tribal entities, small and underserved farmer cooperatives, and nonprofit organizations serving socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers or limited resource farmers or ranchers, or both.

(c) Eligible activities of the program shall include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

(1) Grants to eligible entities to develop and expand equipment sharing including, but not limited to, both of the following:

(A) The purchase of tools, equipment, and infrastructure to support conservation practices including, but not limited to, soil health practices, water conservation, and wildfire resilience.

(B) The purchase of tools, equipment, and infrastructure to enhance regional food and fiber systems and cooperative resources for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and limited resource farmers and ranchers.

(2) Grants to eligible entities to provide technical assistance and support, including, but not limited to, any of the following.:

(A) Application assistance.

(B) Cooperative development.

(C) Training on the use and maintenance of tools, equipment, and infrastructure.

(D) Outreach to ensure direct and meaningful benefits to socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers and limited resource farmers or ranchers.

(d) In order to be eligible for a grant under the program, an applicant shall provide the department all of the following information:

(1) A description of the types of tools, equipment, and infrastructure the applicant will purchase.

(2) A description of the lending program, including safeguards for the long-term benefits of any tools, equipment, or infrastructure purchased, expected benefits of the lending program, and the types of farmers the applicant aims to serve, including specific outreach that will be provided to socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers and limited resource farmers or ranchers.

(3) A description of how the lending program will be maintained after the period of the grant expires.

(4) Documentation that the lending program’s tools, equipment, and infrastructure will be primarily used on farms or ranches that are 500 acres or less.

(5) The type of technical assistance to be provided during the grant period including, but not limited to, cooperative development, equipment maintenance of tools, and small farm tool demonstrations.

(e) In providing grants pursuant to the program, the department shall do both of the following:

(1) Provide grants to eligible entities that primarily serve socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers.

(2) If there are moneys available after providing grants pursuant to paragraph (1), provide grants to eligible entities that primarily serve limited resource farmers or ranchers.

(f) The department may expand or amend an existing grant program to meet the requirements of this section.

(g) Funding for the program shall be made available upon appropriation by the Legislature.

(h) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:

(1) “Limited resource farmer or rancher” has the same definition as in Section 760.107 of Title 7 of the Code of Federal Regulations.

(2) “Socially disadvantaged farmer or rancher” has the same meaning as defined in Section 512 of the Food and Agricultural Code.

SECTION 1.Section 10230.2 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

10230.2.

(a)The California Farmland Conservancy Program is hereby established in the department.

(b)The program may offer financial assistance, including grants or contracts, for projects and activities on agricultural lands that support agricultural conservation and sustainable land management, including, but not limited to, any of the following:

(1)Acquisition of agricultural conservation easements or fee title to protect the land’s agricultural use or capacity that meets the following requirements:

(A)The primary purpose for which the easement or fee title is being sought is consistent with continuing agricultural use of the property.

(B)The easement or fee title does not, and will not, substantially prevent agricultural uses on the property.

(C)Any nonagricultural qualities that will be protected by the easement or fee title, if applicable, are inherent to the property.

(2)Improvements to land protected by a conservation easement, deed restriction, or similar long-term agreement as determined by the director.

(3)Plans to protect and conserve agricultural lands and plans to protect, conserve, restore, or enhance resources or values located on, or adjacent to, agricultural lands or that were historically present on agricultural lands. These may include, but are not limited to, either of the following:

(A)An agricultural land component or element of a general plan developed pursuant to Section 65565 of the Government Code.

(B)Land conservation strategies and plans to identify and develop potential projects.

(4)Technical assistance to develop projects, prepare applications, and implement projects.

(5)Regional farm tool lending programs.

(6)Administrative costs incurred by the department to administer the program.

(7)Any other purposes approved by the Legislature in a funding appropriation for the program.