AB 2734 incentivizes farming methods that promote healthy soil and low greenhouse gas emissions by streamlining and expanding the bandwidth of the Healthy Soils Program.
SACRAMENTO, CA – Today, Assemblymember Damon Connolly (D-San Rafael) introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 2734, which expands the Healthy Soils Program to include grants for on-farm demonstration projects, allow equipment sharing, and establish a common application for all of the Climate Smart Agriculture Technical Assistance Grant programs.
“The Healthy Soils Program is an extremely important factor in promoting farming methods that are healthy for the soil and also reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Assemblymember Damon Connolly (D-San Rafael). “Expanding the Healthy Soils Program is a benefit both for farms and for the environment, and streamlining the application process and funding on-farm demonstration projects is vital to the continued success of the program.”
The Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995 (Act) currently requires that the Department of Food and Agriculture oversee an environmental farming program to provide incentives to farmers whose practices promote the wellbeing of ecosystems, air quality, and wildlife. Under this act the Department of Food and Agriculture established the Healthy Soils Program in consult with the California Organic Products Advisory Committee. This provides incentives such as loans, grants, research, and technical assistance to farmers whose management practices contribute to heathy soils and result in long term on-farm greenhouse gas benefits. The Act also requires that the Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming provide advice on the implementation of the Healthy Soils Program and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program. The Act created the Climate Smart Agriculture Technical Assistance Grant Program, which provides funds to technical assistance providers assisting applicants of the Healthy Soils Program, the Alternative Manure Management Program, and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program.
AB 2734 would require the Department of Food and Agriculture to provide grants of up to five years for on-farm demonstration projects that further the goals of the Healthy Soils Program, as well as require that the Department of Food and Agriculture allow equipment sharing, funded through the grants awarded under the Climate Smart Agriculture Technical Assistance Grant Program. This bill would further require the Department of Food and Agriculture to establish a common application for all of the Climate Smart Agriculture Technical Assistance Grant programs before the first of January, 2027.
AB 2734 is currently waiting to be assigned to a policy committee.
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Assembymember Connolly represents the entirety of Marin County and Southern Sonoma County