Hawaii-2024-SB660-Amended

SECTION 1. Chapter 141, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to part I to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§141- Healthy soils program; established. (a) The department of agriculture shall establish a healthy soils program. The healthy soils program shall:

(1) Create a healthy soil assessment and education program;

(2) Provide farmers with education and technical assistance to implement farm management practices that contribute to healthy soils;

(3) Operate the healthy soil grants program;

(4) Administer existing financial incentives to implement farm management practices that contribute to healthy soils, including the compost reimbursement program under section 141-16 and cover crop reimbursement pilot program established pursuant to Act 312, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022; and

(5) Establish other programs to accomplish the purposes of the healthy soils program based on the findings of the greenhouse gas sequestration task force established pursuant to section 225P-4.

(b) In administering the healthy soil assessment and education program, the department shall:

(1) Work through technical assistance providers or eligible entities to:

(A) Encourage farmers, ranchers, and land managers to undertake voluntary soil health measurements;

(B) Raise awareness about desirable soil health characteristics;

(C) Facilitate on-site, producer-led workshops and training sessions to promote and engender soil health stewardship; and

(D) Complete a baseline soil health assessment by testing the organic matter, water infiltration rate, microbiology, and aggregate stability of soils, in addition to analyzing phospholipids and monitoring soil cover;

(2) Establish a statewide network of champions to promote soil health stewardship, offer guidance to producers and land managers, and encourage teamwork;

(3) Create a program to provide ongoing training in soil health stewardship and workshop facilitation for champions and eligible entities;

(4) In collaboration with technical assistance providers, sponsor soil health workshops and training sessions at research centers and learning sites throughout the State; and

(5) Educate students and the general public about the importance of soil health stewardship.

(1) Award grants to eligible entities to provide technical assistance to producers and land managers in advancing soil health principles and implementing supported methods;

(2) Award grants as financial assistance to eligible farmers, ranchers, and other land managers who implement soil health practices on their lands;

(3) Develop a user-friendly grant program application and application and reporting processes;

(4) Develop criteria for the award of grants; provided that grants shall be awarded equitably and priority may be given to eligible entities serving young producers, veterans, small farms, or ranches or for projects that benefit economically or socially disadvantaged communities; and

(5) Ensure that grant funds are only used to advance soil health and soil health stewardship.

(d) The department shall encourage producer, land manager, landowner, and interagency collaboration in the management of healthy soils and shall:

(1) Work with technical assistance providers to advance soil health stewardship across federal, state, and private land jurisdictions by fostering collaboration among producers, land managers, and landowners; and

(2) Conduct outreach to producers and land managers to promote the program and other federal, state, or local grant opportunities that support and promote healthy soils.

(e) The following standards shall apply to all grants awarded under the program:

(1) Any grant shall be used exclusively for the purposes of the program;

(2) The grantee shall comply with all applicable federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination against any person on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex, age, sexual orientation, disability, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal or state law;

(3) The grant shall not be used for purposes of entertainment or perquisites;

(4) All activities undertaken with grant funds received shall comply with all applicable federal, state, and county statutes and ordinances;

(5) The grantee shall:

(A) Indemnify and hold harmless the State of Hawaii and its officers, agents, and employees from and against any and all claims arising out of or resulting from activities carried out or projects undertaken with funds received from the program; and

(B) Obtain sufficient insurance to provide the indemnification under subparagraph (A), if requested to do so by the department of agriculture; and

(6) The grantee shall agree to make available to the department of agriculture all records the grantee may have relating to the grant to monitor the grantee's compliance with the requirements of the program.

(f) The department of agriculture shall adopt rules to implement the grant program. The grant applications shall be reviewed and approved by an administrative staff member of the department.

(g) The department shall submit a report detailing the status and progress of the healthy soils program, including the number of grants awarded, the types of soil health practices being implemented, and the benefits to soil health and agricultural productivity, and its recommendations, including any proposed legislation, to the legislature no later than twenty days before the convening of each regular session."

SECTION 2. There is appropriated out of the general revenues of the State of Hawaii the sum of $ or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2023-2024 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for fiscal year 2024-2025 to establish the healthy soils program and to issue grants and other financial incentives pursuant to the program.

The sums appropriated shall be expended by the department of agriculture for the purposes of this Act.

SECTION 3. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect on June 30, 3000.

THE SENATE	S.B. NO.	660
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2023		S.D. 2
STATE OF HAWAII		H.D. 1