571.
(a) Upon appropriation by the Legislature for purposes of this section, the department, in collaboration with the Department of Conservation, the BIPOC Producer Advisory Committee, and the Small-Scale Producer Advisory Committee, shall establish the Regional Farmer Equipment and Cooperative Resources Assistance Pilot Program to provide grants and technical assistance to support regional farm equipment sharing and enhance cooperative benefits for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and limited resource farmers and ranchers.(b) Activities eligible for funding pursuant to this section include all of the following:
(1) Developing and expanding equipment sharing programs,
including, but not limited to, the purchase of tools, equipment, and infrastructure to do both of the following:
(A) Support environmental farming practices, including, but not limited to, practices that promote soil health, water conservation, wildlife and their habitat, and wildfire resilience.
(B) Enhance regional food and fiber systems and cooperative resources for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers and limited resource farmers and ranchers.
(2) Providing 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.
(E) Small farm tool demonstrations.
(c) The program established pursuant to this section shall do both of the following:
(1) (A) Provide grants for projects that primarily benefit socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers.
(B) If there are moneys available
after providing grants pursuant to subparagraph (A), provide grants for projects that primarily benefit limited resource farmers or ranchers.
(C) If there are moneys available after providing grants pursuant to subparagraphs (A) and (B), provide grants to eligible entities that serve socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers or limited resource farmers or ranchers.
(2) Prioritize grants for projects that primarily benefit farms or ranches that are 500 acres or less.
(d) Entities eligible for grant funding 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.
(e) In order to be eligible for a grant under the program, an applicant shall provide the department all of the following information:
(1) A list and description of the 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 or ranchers 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.
(f) The Farm Equity Advisor at the department shall ensure that
the pilot program meets the objectives of Article 6 (commencing with Section 510).
(g) Notwithstanding Section 569.5, moneys in the Climate Smart Agriculture Account shall only be available for the program established pursuant to this section only 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.
(i) This section shall remain in effect only until January 1, 2029, and as of that date is repealed.