Existing law, the Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995, requires the Department of Food and Agriculture to establish and oversee an environmental farming program to provide incentives to farmers whose practices promote the well-being of ecosystems, air quality, and wildlife and their habitat. Existing law establishes the Climate Smart Agriculture Account, the moneys in which are continuously appropriated for purposes of the act.

This bill would instead require the department to establish and oversee a sustainable agriculture program to provide research, technical assistance, and incentive grants to promote agricultural practices that support climate resilience for farms and ranches and the well-being of ecosystems, air quality, and biodiversity. By expanding the purposes for which moneys in a continuously appropriated fund may be used, the bill would make an appropriation.

The act requires the Secretary of Food and Agriculture to convene a 9-member Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming, as prescribed, for the purpose of providing advice to the secretary on the implementation of the Healthy Soils Program and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program and assistance to federal, state, and local government agencies on issues relating to the impact of agricultural practices on air, water, and wildlife habitat, as specified. Existing law requires members of the panel to be highly qualified and professionally active or engaged in the conduct of scientific research and provides for their appointment for terms of 3 years.

This bill would rename the Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming the Scientific Advisory Panel on Resilient and Sustainable Agriculture for the purpose of providing advice to the secretary on the implementation of research, incentive, and technical assistance grant programs for sustainable agriculture. The bill would expand the panel from 9 members to 11 members, would require the panel to consist of members of the public that represent scientific expertise in sustainable agriculture and members of state agencies that represent expertise in programs and policies related to agriculture, and would limit the members of the panel to 2 terms.

The act establishes the Climate Smart Agriculture Technical Assistance Grant Program to provide funds to technical assistance providers to provide technical assistance, as defined, to applicants of the Healthy Soils Program, the Alternative Manure Management Program, and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program. Existing law requires the secretary to make available not less than 5% of the funds appropriated to the department for those programs, but not more than 20%, for providing technical assistance, as specified, and for supporting annual information sharing among technical assistance providers, the department, and other relevant stakeholders, as specified.

This bill would expand the definition of technical assistance to include, among other things, training, conservation, agricultural planning, and grant writing. The bill would delete the provision establishing the Climate Smart Agriculture Technical Assistance Grant Program and would instead require the secretary to make available not less than 5%, but not more than 20%, of the funds appropriated to the department for the above-described programs, for providing technical assistance directly through a technical assistance grant program, or indirectly through a block grant program that includes funding for technical assistance. The bill would require the department to provide funds to technical assistance providers to: (1) support farmers and ranchers in the application process for grants from those programs and the implementation of funded projects; (2) provide general planning and training for climate-smart and sustainable agriculture; and (3) lease, purchase, or repair farming, ranching, and food processing equipment that can be centrally housed with the technical assistance provider and shared regionally with producers.

This bill would require the department to authorize a percentage of funding to support training and capacity building within technical assistance provider organizations and coordination between organizations to improve assistance, as provided, and would require the department to support information sharing among technical assistance providers, the department, and other relevant stakeholders, as specified. The bill would require the department to allow equipment sharing costs funded as part of the grant awards to include developing and expanding equipment sharing programs, as specified.

Existing law, the Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995, requires the Department of Food and Agriculture to establish and oversee an environmental farming program to provide incentives to farmers whose practices promote the well-being of ecosystems, air quality, and wildlife and their habitat. Existing law establishes the Climate Smart Agriculture Account, the moneys in which are continuously appropriated for purposes of the act.

This bill would instead require the department to establish and oversee a sustainable agriculture program to provide research, technical assistance, and incentive grants to promote agricultural practices that support climate resilience for farms and ranches and the well-being of ecosystems, air quality, and biodiversity. By expanding the purposes for which moneys in a continuously appropriated fund may be used, the bill would make an appropriation.

The act requires the Secretary of Food and Agriculture to convene a 9-member Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming, as prescribed, for the purpose of providing advice to the secretary on the implementation of the Healthy Soils Program and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program and assistance to federal, state, and local government agencies on issues relating to the impact of agricultural practices on air, water, and wildlife habitat, as specified. Existing law requires members of the panel to be highly qualified and professionally active or engaged in the conduct of scientific research and provides for their appointment for terms of 3 years.

This bill would rename the Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming the Scientific Advisory Panel on Resilient and Sustainable Agriculture for the purpose of providing advice to the secretary on the implementation of research, incentive, and technical assistance grant programs for sustainable agriculture. The bill would expand the panel from 9 members to 11 members, would require the panel to consist of members of the public that represent scientific expertise in sustainable agriculture and members of state agencies that represent expertise in programs and policies related to agriculture, and would limit the members of the panel to 2 terms.

The act establishes the Climate Smart Agriculture Technical Assistance Grant Program to provide funds to technical assistance providers to provide technical assistance, as defined, to applicants of the Healthy Soils Program, the Alternative Manure Management Program, and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program. Existing law requires the secretary to make available not less than 5% of the funds appropriated to the department for those programs, but not more than 20%, for providing technical assistance, as specified, and for supporting annual information sharing among technical assistance providers, the department, and other relevant stakeholders, as specified.

This bill would expand the definition of technical assistance to include, among other things, training, conservation, agricultural planning, and grant writing. The bill would delete the provision establishing the Climate Smart Agriculture Technical Assistance Grant Program and would instead require the secretary to make available not less than 5%, but not more than 20%, of the funds appropriated to the department for the above-described programs, for providing technical assistance directly through a technical assistance grant program, or indirectly through a block grant program that includes funding for technical assistance. The bill would require the department to provide funds to technical assistance providers to: (1) support farmers and ranchers in the application process for grants from those programs and the implementation of funded projects; (2) provide general planning and training for climate-smart and sustainable agriculture; and (3) lease, purchase, or repair farming, ranching, and food processing equipment that can be centrally housed with the technical assistance provider and shared regionally with producers.

This bill would require the department to authorize a percentage of funding to support training and capacity building within technical assistance provider organizations and coordination between organizations to improve assistance, as provided, and would require the department to support information sharing among technical assistance providers, the department, and other relevant stakeholders, as specified. The bill would require the department to allow equipment sharing costs funded as part of the grant awards to include developing and expanding equipment sharing programs, as specified.

Existing law, the Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995, requires the Department of Food and Agriculture to establish and oversee an environmental farming program to provide incentives to farmers whose practices promote the well-being of ecosystems, air quality, and wildlife and their habitat. Existing law establishes the Climate Smart Agriculture Account, the moneys in which are continuously appropriated for purposes of the act.

This bill would instead require the department to establish and oversee a sustainable agriculture program to provide research, technical assistance, and incentive grants to promote agricultural practices that support climate resilience for farms and ranches and the well-being of ecosystems, air quality, and biodiversity. By expanding the purposes for which moneys in a continuously appropriated fund may be used, the bill would make an appropriation.

The act requires the Secretary of Food and Agriculture to convene a 9-member Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming, as prescribed, for the purpose of providing advice to the secretary on the implementation of the Healthy Soils Program and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program and assistance to federal, state, and local government agencies on issues relating to the impact of agricultural practices on air, water, and wildlife habitat, as specified. Existing law requires members of the panel to be highly qualified and professionally active or engaged in the conduct of scientific research and provides for their appointment for a term of 3 years.

This bill would rename the Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming the Scientific Advisory Panel on Resilient and Sustainable Agriculture for the purpose of providing advice to the secretary on the implementation of research, incentive, and technical assistance grant programs for sustainable agriculture. The bill would expand the panel from 9 members to 11 members, would require the panel to consist of members of the public that represent scientific expertise in sustainable agriculture and members of state agencies that represent expertise in programs and policies related to agriculture, and would limit the members of the panel to 2 terms.

The act establishes the Climate Smart Agriculture Technical Assistance Grant Program to provide funds to technical assistance providers to provide technical assistance, as defined, to applicants of the Healthy Soils Program, the Alternative Manure Management Program, and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program. Existing law requires the secretary to make available not less than 5% of the funds appropriated to the department for those programs, but not more than 20% for providing technical assistance, as specified, and for supporting annual information sharing among technical assistance providers, the department, and other relevant stakeholders, as specified.

This bill would expand the definition of technical assistance to include, among other things, training, conservation agricultural planning, and grant writing. The bill would delete the provision establishing the Climate Smart Agriculture Technical Assistance Grant Program and would instead require the secretary to make available not less than 5%, but not more than 20%, of the funds appropriated to the department for the above-described programs, for providing technical assistance directly through a technical assistance grant program, or indirectly through a block grant program that includes funding for technical assistance. The bill would require the department to provide funds to technical assistance providers to: (1) support farmers and ranchers in the application process for grants from those programs and the implementation of funded projects; (2) provide general planning and training for climate-smart and sustainable agriculture; and (3) lease, purchase, or repair farming, ranching, and food processing equipment that can be centrally housed with the technical assistance provider and shared regionally with producers.

This bill would require the department to authorize a percentage of funding to support training and capacity building within technical assistance provider organizations and coordination between organizations to improve assistance, as provided, and would require the department to support information sharing among technical assistance providers, the department, and other relevant stakeholders, as specified. The bill would require the department to allow equipment sharing costs funded as part of the grant awards to include developing and expanding equipment sharing programs, as specified.

 THIRD READING  

Bill No: AB 947

Author: Connolly (D), et al.

Introduced: 2/20/25

Vote: 27

SENATE AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE: 4-0, 7/1/25

AYES: Hurtado, Cortese, McNerney, Padilla

NO VOTE RECORDED: Alvarado-Gil

SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE: 7-0, 8/29/25

AYES: Caballero, Seyarto, Cabaldon, Dahle, Grayson, Richardson, Wahab

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 78-0, 6/2/25 - See last page for vote

SUBJECT: Agriculture: Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995

SOURCE: Author

DIGEST:

This bill (1) requires the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to oversee a sustainable agriculture program to provide research, technical assistance, and incentive grants to promote agricultural practices that support climate resilience for farms and ranches and the well-being of ecosystems, air quality, and biodiversity. This bill (2) renames the Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming to the Scientific Advisory Panel on Resilient and Sustainable Agriculture (Panel) for the purpose of providing advice to the secretary on the implementation of research, incentive, and technical assistance grant programs for sustainable agriculture. This bill (3) expands the panel from nine members to eleven members to add members of the public that represent scientific expertise in sustainable agriculture and members of state agencies that represent expertise in programs and policies related to agriculture.

ANALYSIS:

Existing law establishes the Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995 which, among other things, creates incentives to farmers who practice and promote environmental farming programs for the well-being of ecosystems, air quality, wildlife and wildlife habitat.

This bill:

1. Requires the CDFA to establish and oversee a sustainable agriculture program that shall provide research, technical assistance, and incentive grants to promote agricultural practices that support climate resilience for farms and ranches and the well-being of ecosystems, air quality, and biodiversity.
2. Establishes CDFA shall serve as the repository of scientific information, on the environmental effects of agriculture, from various sources including colleges, industry, and conservation groups.
3. Renames the advisory panel from the Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming to the Scientific Advisory Panel on Resilient and Sustainable Agriculture and adds two members to the Panel.
4. Expands the definition of “technical assistance” to include, among other things, training, conservation agricultural planning, and grant writing.
5. Requires the secretary to make available not less than 5%, but not more than 20%, of the funds appropriated to CDFA for the above-described programs, for providing technical assistance directly through a technical assistance grant program, or indirectly through a block grant program that includes funding for technical assistance.
6. Requires CDFA to provide funds to technical assistance providers to: (1) support farmers and ranchers in the application process for grants from those programs and the implementation of funded projects; (2) provide general planning and training for climate-smart and sustainable agriculture; and (3) lease, purchase, or repair farming, ranching, and food processing equipment that can be centrally housed with the technical assistance provider and shared regionally with producers.
7. Requires CDFA to authorize a percentage of funding to support training and capacity building within technical assistance provider organizations and coordination between organizations to improve assistance, as provided.
8. Requires CDFA to support information sharing among technical assistance providers, the department, and other relevant stakeholders, as specified. The bill requires the department to allow equipment sharing costs funded as part of the grant awards to include developing and expanding equipment sharing programs, as specified.

FISCAL EFFECT: Appropriation: Yes Fiscal Com.: Yes Local: No

SUPPORT: (Verified 8/26/25)

A Voice for Choice Advocacy
Agricultural Institute of Marin
California Association of Resource Conservation Districts
California Certified Organic Farmers
California Climate & Agriculture Network
California Compost Coalition
California Dairy Campaign
California Farmers Union
California Special Districts Association
Californians Against Waste
Carbon Cycle Institute
Community Alliance With Family Farmers
Wild Farm Alliance

OPPOSITION: (Verified 8/26/25)

None received

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: According to the author:

“AB 947 will uplift farmers by expanding technical assistance for farmers by supporting farmers and ranchers with the application process, providing general planning and training for climate-smart agriculture, and more thus removing barriers to sustainable farming.”

The California Grape Rootstock, Avocado, and Apple Commissions, and the Olive Oil Commission of California write in support, stating:

“Many of the proposed changes in AB 1322 are non-substantive and technical in nature. Other amendments allow industry to be more competitive. For example, the proposed amendment to the Apple Commission would allow adoption of quality standards and product labeling standards by the secretary of the Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), if requested by the commission. This authority is presently available to other commissions and in the case of apples, would increase consumer awareness that California apples are grown using the Nation’s most rigorous environmental and labor standards. AB 1322 also seeks to amend the Grape Rootstock Commission by allowing the CDFA to expedite actions against those not in compliance with the law.”

ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION:

None received

ASSEMBLY FLOOR: 78-0, 6/2/25

AYES: Addis, Aguiar-Curry, Ahrens, Alanis, Alvarez, Arambula, Ávila Farías, Bains, Bauer-Kahan, Bennett, Berman, Boerner, Bonta, Bryan, Calderon, Caloza, Carrillo, Castillo, Chen, Connolly, Davies, DeMaio, Dixon, Elhawary, Ellis, Flora, Fong, Gabriel, Gallagher, Garcia, Gipson, Jeff Gonzalez, Mark González, Hadwick, Haney, Harabedian, Hart, Hoover, Irwin, Jackson, Kalra, Krell, Lackey, Lee, Lowenthal, Macedo, McKinnor, Muratsuchi, Nguyen, Ortega, Pacheco, Papan, Patel, Patterson, Pellerin, Petrie-Norris, Quirk-Silva, Ramos, Ransom, Celeste Rodriguez, Michelle Rodriguez, Rogers, Blanca Rubio, Schiavo, Schultz, Sharp-Collins, Solache, Soria, Stefani, Ta, Tangipa, Valencia, Wallis, Ward, Wicks, Wilson, Zbur, Rivas

NO VOTE RECORDED: Sanchez

Prepared by: Reichel Everhart / AGRI. / (916) 651-1508

8/29/25 20:41:32

**** END ****

SENATE COMMITTEE ON

Senator Anna Caballero, Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular Session

AB 947 (Connolly) - Agriculture: Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995

Bill Summary:

AB 947 would, among other things, make specified changes to the technical assistance (TA) provisions of the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) climate smart agriculture programs.

Fiscal Impact:

By increasing the TA program’s scope and eligible activities that may be funded, this bill would create cost pressures on the department and its climate smart agriculture programs. The magnitude is unknown, and at a minimum would be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars annually. (General Fund/special funds/bond fund). CDFA currently absorbs the associated workload, and has never received permanent baseline funding for its Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability; instead, all the activities related to the TA program have been funded by on a one-time basis.

Background:

CDFA indicates that TA is a key component of its climate smart agriculture programs, including the Healthy Soils Program (HSP), the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP), and the Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP). A 5 percent set-aside within these programs funds the TA program to help farmers and ranchers with project development, applications, implementation, and reporting. Since 2019, CDFA has awarded $96 million to AMMP projects, $163 million for HSP, and $88 million for SWEEP. CDFA has funded approximately 75 grants to TA providers to help farmers and ranchers access HSP, SWEEP, and AMMP.

Proposition 4 (the $10 billion voter-approved climate bond approved in 2024) includes $300 million for a variety of activities related to supporting climate smart agriculture, including HSP and SWEEP. The multiyear expenditure plan for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund includes funding for AMMP.

According to the California Climate and Agriculture Network, this bill makes a number of changes to CDFA’s TA program that have been proposed by stakeholders based on their experience with the program over the past seven years. These updates include expanding the definition of TA and list of eligible TA activities to include activities farmers, ranchers, and TA providers have identified as important TA needs (for example, planning, matching funds coordination, translation, access to equipment, and environmental compliance); clarifying that TA grants may be used to provide assistance to farmers and ranchers over multiple grant application cycles; and allowing CDFA to support training and capacity building within TA provider organizations to “improve the quality, consistency, and reach of technical assistance to farmers and ranchers across the state and to help farmers and ranchers access all relevant state and federal programs.”

Proposed Law:

This bill would, among other things, do the following:

• Rename and expand the scope of the “environmental farming” program at CDFA as the “sustainable agriculture” program and requires the program to provide research, TA, and incentive grants to promote agricultural practices that support climate resilience on farms and ranches.
• Update the membership and responsibilities of CDFA’s Environmental Farming Act Science Advisory Panel (EFASAP), as specified.
• Expand the definition of TA as it relates to CDFA’s climate smart agriculture TA grant program to include conservation agricultural planning, grant writing, translation and interpretation, environmental compliance facilitation, and various other purposes.
• Allow TA funding to be used to provide assistance over multiple funding cycles.
• Require CDFA to provide funds to technical assistance providers to: (1) support farmers and ranchers in the application process for grants from those programs and the implementation of funded projects; (2) provide general planning and training for climate-smart and sustainable agriculture; and (3) lease, purchase, or repair farming, ranching, and food processing equipment that can be centrally housed with the TA provider and shared regionally with producers.
• Allow a percentage of funding, to be determined by CDFA, to support training and capacity building within TA provider organizations and coordination between organizations to improve assistance, as specified.
• Allow equipment-sharing costs funded as part of grant awards to include developing and expanding equipment sharing programs, as specified.
• .Modify the allowable grant amounts for TA providers, as specified.

Related Legislation:

• AB 389 (Chapter 928, Statutes of 1995) established the Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995.
• AB 1348 (Chapter 620, Statutes of 2017) required CDFA to include socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in the development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of food and agriculture laws, regulations, and policies and programs.
• AB 2377 (Chapter 868, Statutes of 2018) established a technical assistance grant program to provide funds to technical assistance providers who work with applicants for the Healthy Soils Program (HSP), alternative manure management programs (AMMP), and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP).

-- END --

SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE

Senator Melissa Hurtado, Chair

2025 - 2026 Regular

Bill No: AB 947 Hearing Date: 7/1/25

Subject: Agriculture: Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995

SUMMARY

:

This bill requires the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to oversee a sustainable agriculture program to provide research, technical assistance, and incentive grants to promote agricultural practices that support climate resilience for farms and ranches and the well-being of ecosystems, air quality, and biodiversity. This bill renames the Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming to the Scientific Advisory Panel on Resilient and Sustainable Agriculture for the purpose of providing advice to the secretary on the implementation of research, incentive, and technical assistance grant programs for sustainable agriculture. This bill would expand the panel from 9 members to 11 members to add members of the public that represent scientific expertise in sustainable agriculture and members of state agencies that represent expertise in programs and policies related to agriculture.

BACKGROUND AND EXISTING LAW

:

1. Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995:
   1. Requires CDFA to establish and oversee an environmental farming program to provide incentives to farmers whose practices promote the well-being of the ecosystems, air quality, and wildlife and their habitat.
   2. Requires the secretary to convene the Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming (SAPEF) to advise and assist federal, state, and local government agencies on issues relating to the impact of agricultural practices on air, water, and wildlife habitat.
   3. Requires the department, in consultation with the panel, to establish and oversee a Healthy Soils Program to provide incentives including, but not limited to, loans, grants, research, and technical assistance, educational materials and outreach to farmers who participate in practices that contribute to healthy soils.
2. California Farmer Equity Act: Established to address historical inequities and barriers faced by socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.^[1]
3. Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability (OARS)^[2]: Provides one-on-one support to farmers and ranchers from consulting on project design to developing a conservation plan, providing grant writing and project management services. OARS focuses on providing technical assistance to underserved and small producers, those that may need translation services, or those lacking the financial resources needed to hire consultants.
4. Healthy Soils Program: Provides grants and incentives to farmers and ranchers to implement healthy soil and carbon sequestration practices.^[3]
5. State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP): An incentive program to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save water by funding the implementation of advanced irrigation systems and technologies.^[4]
6. Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP): Provides financial assistance for the implementation of non-digester manure management practices on dairy and livestock operations in California that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The program supports several project types focused on handling and storing manure in environmentally responsible ways, with the goal of limiting how much manure ends up in liquid, anaerobic environments where its decomposition produces methane.^[5]

PROPOSED LAW

:

This bill:

1. Requires CDFA to establish and oversee a sustainable agricultural program to provide research, technical assistance and incentive grants to promote agricultural practices that support climate resilience.
2. Expands access to technical assistance to include training, agricultural planning, and grant-writing support.
3. Updates CDFA’s Environmental Farming Act Science Advisory Panel responsibilities and composition.

ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT: According to the author:

“AB 947 will uplift farmers by expanding technical assistance for farmers by supporting farmers and ranchers with the application process, providing general planning and training for climate-smart agriculture, and more thus removing barriers to sustainable farming.”

ARGUMENTS IN OPPOSITION:

None received.

RELATED LEGISLATION

:

1. AB 389 (Chapter 928, Statutes of 1995): Established the Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995.
2. AB 1348 (Chapter 620, Statutes of 2017): Required CDFA to include socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers in the development, adoption, implementation, and enforcement of food and agriculture laws, regulations, and policies and programs.
3. AB 2377(Chapter 868, Statutes of 2018): Established a technical assistance grant program to provide funds to technical assistance providers who work with applicants for the Healthy Soils Program (HSP), alternative manure management programs (AMMP), and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP).

PRIOR ACTIONS

:

SUPPORT

:

A Voice for Choice Advocacy

Agricultural Institute of Marin

California Association of Resource Conservation Districts

California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF)

California Climate & Agriculture Network (CALCAN)

California Dairy Campaign

California Farmers Union

California Special Districts Association

Californians Against Waste

Carbon Cycle Institute

Community Alliance With Family Farmers

Wild Farm Alliance

-- END --

1. https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/farmequity/ ↑

2. https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oars/technical/ ↑

3. https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oars/healthysoils/ ↑

4. https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oars/sweep/ ↑

5. https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oars/ammp/ ↑

ASSEMBLY THIRD READING

ATR Bill Id:AB 947

Author:(Connolly)

As Introduced Ver:February 20, 2025

2/3 vote

SUMMARY

This bill would require the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to establish and oversee a sustainable agriculture program to provide research, technical assistance (TA), and incentive grants to promote agricultural practices that support climate resilience for farms and ranches and the well-being of ecosystems, air quality, and biodiversity.

Major Provisions

1. Renames and expands the scope of the "environmental farming" program at CDFA as the "sustainable agriculture" program and requires the program to provide research, TA, and incentive grants to promote agricultural practices that support climate resilience on farms and ranches.
2. Updates the composition and responsibilities of CDFA's Environmental Farming Act Science Advisory Panel (EFASAP), as specified.
3. Expands the definition of TA as it relates to CDFA's climate smart agriculture TA grant program to include conservation agricultural planning, grant writing, translation and interpretation, environmental compliance facilitation, and various other purposes.
4. Allows TA funding to be used to provide assistance over multiple funding cycles.
5. Requires CDFA to provide funds to technical assistance providers to: a) support farmers and ranchers in the application process for grants from those programs and the implementation of funded projects; b) provide general planning and training for climate-smart and sustainable agriculture; and 3) lease, purchase, or repair farming, ranching, and food processing equipment that can be centrally housed with the TA provider and shared regionally with producers.
6. Allows a percentage of funding, to be determined by CDFA, to support training and capacity building within TA provider organizations and coordination between organizations to improve assistance, as specified.
7. Allows equipment sharing costs funded as part of grant awards to include developing and expanding equipment sharing programs, as specified.
8. Modifies the allowable grant amounts for TA providers, as specified.

COMMENTS

TA is a key component of the department's climate smart agriculture programs, including the Healthy Soils Program (HSP), the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP), and the Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP). A 5% set-aside within these programs funds the TA program to help farmers and ranchers with project development, applications, implementation, and reporting. Since 2019, CDFA has awarded approximately $95.5 million to AMMP projects, $162.7 million for HSP, and $88.2 million for SWEEP. CDFA has funded approximately 75 grants to TA providers to help farmers and ranchers access HSP, SWEEP, and AMMP.

Proposition 4, the $10 billion voter-approved climate bond, includes $300 million for a variety of activities related to supporting climate smart agriculture, including HSP and SWEEP. The multiyear expenditure plan for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund includes funding for AMMP.

According to the Author

This bill will uplift farmers by expanding technical assistance for farmers by supporting farmers and ranchers with the application process, providing general planning and training for climate-smart agriculture, and more thus removing barriers to sustainable farming.

Arguments in Support

Since HSP was launched in 2017, the program has awarded $167 million in grants and funded over 1,467 projects. CDFA has estimated that the HSP has contributed to removing 1.1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

AB 947 would proposes several amendments to HSP to ensure all farmers can access HSP, promoting climate-smart practices across California. Specifically, this bill expands technical assistance for the program to include: trainings, conservation agriculture planning, grant writing, matching funding coordination, equipment sharing costs, and outcome monitoring, requires CDFA to provide funds to farming nonprofits to support farmers and ranchers in the application process for grants programs and implementation of funded programs, and allows for equipment sharing costs funded as part of the grants awarded to include developing and expanding equipment sharing programs. These changes are critical and will help support farmers and ranchers utilize this important program.

Arguments in Opposition

None on file

FISCAL COMMENTS

This bill, by substantially increasing the scope of and eligible activities that may be funded by the TA program, creates cost pressures on CDFA and its climate smart agriculture programs of an unknown but potentially significant amount, likely in the hundreds of thousands to low millions of dollars (General Fund, special fund such as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, or bond funds). CDFA notes it has never received permanent baseline funding for its Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability, and that all the activities related to the EFASAP and the TA program have been funded by one-time appropriations.

VOTES

ASM AGRICULTURE: 8-0-0

YES: Soria, Alanis, Aguiar-Curry, Connolly, Jeff Gonzalez, Hadwick, Irwin, Ransom

ASM APPROPRIATIONS: 14-0-1

YES: Wicks, Arambula, Calderon, Caloza, Dixon, Elhawary, Fong, Mark González, Hart, Pacheco, Pellerin, Solache, Ta, Tangipa

ABS, ABST OR NV: Sanchez

UPDATED

VERSION: February 20, 2025

CONSULTANT: Victor Francovich / AGRI. / (916) 319-2084 FN: 0000549

Date of Hearing: April 9, 2025

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS

Buffy Wicks, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 947

Author:(Connolly) – As Introduced Ver:February 20, 2025

Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program: No Reimbursable: No

SUMMARY:

This bill, among other things, makes various updates to the technical assistance (TA) provisions of the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s (CDFA) climate smart agriculture programs.

Specifically, this bill, among other things:

1) Renames and expands the scope of the “environmental farming” program at CDFA as the “sustainable agriculture” program and requires the program to provide research, TA, and incentive grants to promote agricultural practices that support climate resilience on farms and ranches.

2) Updates the composition and responsibilities of CDFA’s Environmental Farming Act Science Advisory Panel (EFASAP), as specified.

3) Expands the definition of TA as it relates to CDFA’s climate smart agriculture TA grant program to include conservation agricultural planning, grant writing, translation and interpretation, environmental compliance facilitation, and various other purposes.

4) Allows TA funding to be used to provide assistance over multiple funding cycles.

5) Requires CDFA to provide funds to technical assistance providers to: (a) support farmers and ranchers in the application process for grants from those programs and the implementation of funded projects; (b) provide general planning and training for climate-smart and sustainable agriculture; and (3) lease, purchase, or repair farming, ranching, and food processing equipment that can be centrally housed with the TA provider and shared regionally with producers.

6) Allows a percentage of funding, to be determined by CDFA, to support training and capacity building within TA provider organizations and coordination between organizations to improve assistance, as specified.

7) Allows equipment sharing costs funded as part of grant awards to include developing and expanding equipment sharing programs, as specified.

8) Modifies the allowable grant amounts for TA providers, as specified.

FISCAL EFFECT:

By substantially increasing the scope of and eligible activities that may be funded by the TA program, this bill creates cost pressures on CDFA and its climate smart agriculture programs of an unknown but potentially significant amount, likely in the hundreds of thousands to low millions of dollars (General Fund, special fund such as the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, or bond funds). CDFA notes it has never received permanent baseline funding for its Office of Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability, and that all the activities related to the EFASAP and the TA program have been funded by one-time appropriations.

COMMENTS:

1) Purpose. According to the author:

AB 947 will uplift farmers by expanding technical assistance for farmers by supporting farmers and ranchers with the application process, providing general planning and training for climate-smart agriculture, and more thus removing barriers to sustainable farming.

2) Background. According to CDFA, TA is a key component of the department’s climate smart agriculture programs, including the Healthy Soils Program (HSP), the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP), and the Alternative Manure Management Program (AMMP). A 5% set-aside within these programs funds the TA program to help farmers and ranchers with project development, applications, implementation, and reporting. Since 2019, CDFA has awarded approximately $95.5 million to AMMP projects, $162.7 million for HSP, and $88.2 million for SWEEP. CDFA has funded approximately 75 grants to TA providers to help farmers and ranchers access HSP, SWEEP, and AMMP.

Proposition 4, the $10 billion voter-approved climate bond, includes $300 million for a variety of activities related to supporting climate smart agriculture, including HSP and SWEEP. The multiyear expenditure plan for the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund includes funding for AMMP.

According to the California Climate and Agriculture Network, this bill makes a number of changes to CDFA’s TA program that have been proposed by stakeholders based on their experience with the program over the past seven years. These updates include expanding the definition of TA and list of eligible TA activities to include activities farmers, ranchers, and TA providers have identified as important TA needs (for example, planning, matching funds coordination, translation, access to equipment, and environmental compliance); clarifying that TA grants may be used to provide assistance to farmers and ranchers over multiple grant application cycles; and allowing CDFA to support training and capacity building within TA provider organizations to “improve the quality, consistency, and reach of technical assistance to farmers and ranchers across the state and to help farmers and ranchers access all relevant state and federal programs.”

Analysis Prepared by: Nikita Koraddi / APPR. / (916) 319-2081

Date of Hearing: March 26, 2025

ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE

Esmeralda Soria, Chair

ABPCA Bill Id:AB 947

Author:(Connolly) – As Introduced Ver:February 20, 2025

SUBJECT: Agriculture: Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995

SUMMARY: This bill would require the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) to establish and oversee a sustainable agriculture program to provide research, technical assistance (TA), and incentive grants to promote agricultural practices that support climate resilience for farms and ranches and the well-being of ecosystems, air quality, and biodiversity. Specifically, this bill:

1. Renames the Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming the Scientific Advisory Panel on Resilient and Sustainable Agriculture for the purpose of providing advice to the Secretary of CDFA on the implementation of research, incentive, and TA grant programs for sustainable agriculture.
2. Expands the panel from nine members to 11 members, would require the panel to consist of members of the public that represent scientific expertise in sustainable agriculture and members of state agencies that represent expertise in programs and policies related to agriculture, and would limit the members of the panel to 2 terms.
3. Expands the definition of “technical assistance” to include, among other things, training, conservation agricultural planning, and grant writing.
4. Deletes the provision establishing the Climate Smart Agriculture TA Grant Program and would instead require the secretary to make available not less than 5%, but not more than 20%, of the funds appropriated to the CDFA, for providing TA directly through a TA grant program, or indirectly through a block grant program that includes funding for technical assistance.
5. Requires CDFA to provide funds to TA providers to:
   1. Support farmers and ranchers in the application process for grants from those programs and the implementation of funded projects;
   2. Provide general planning and training for climate-smart and sustainable agriculture; and
   3. Lease, purchase, or repair farming, ranching, and food processing equipment that can be centrally housed with the TA provider and shared regionally with producers.
6. Requires CDFA to authorize a percentage of funding to support training and capacity building within TA provider organizations and coordination between organizations to improve assistance, as provided, and would require the department to support information sharing among TA providers, CDFA, and other relevant stakeholders, as specified.
7. Requires CDFA to allow equipment sharing costs funded as part of the grant awards to include developing and expanding equipment sharing programs, as specified.

EXISTING LAW:

1. Requires the Department of Food and Agriculture, via the Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995, to establish and oversee an environmental farming program to provide incentives to farmers whose practices promote the well-being of ecosystems, air quality, and wildlife and their habitat. (Food and Agriculture Code (FAC) 560)
2. Establishes the Climate Smart Agriculture Account, the moneys in which are continuously appropriated for purposes of the act. (FAC 569.5)
3. Requires the Secretary of CDFA to convene a 9-member Panel, as prescribed, for the purpose of providing advice to the secretary on the implementation of the Healthy Soils Program (HSP) and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program (SWEEP) and assistance to federal, state, and local government agencies on issues relating to the impact of agricultural practices on air, water, and wildlife habitat, as specified. (FAC 568)
4. Requires members of the panel to be highly qualified and professionally active or engaged in the conduct of scientific research and provides for their appointment for a term of 3 years. (FAC 568)
5. Establishes the Climate Smart Agriculture TA Grant Program to provide funds to TA providers to provide technical assistance, as defined, to applicants of the HSP, the Alternative Manure Management Program, and SWEEP. (FAC 570)
6. Requires the secretary to make available not less than 5% of the funds appropriated to the department for those programs, but not more than 20% for providing technical assistance, as specified, and for supporting annual information sharing among TA providers, CDFA, and other relevant stakeholders, as specified. (FAC 570)

FISCAL EFFECT: Unknown

COMMENTS:

Climate Smart AG

CDFA's climate smart agriculture programs include HSP, Alternative Manure Management (AMMP), and State Water Efficiency and Enhancement (SWEEP). The objectives of HSP are to increase statewide implementation of conservation management practices that improve soil health, sequester carbon, and reduce greenhouse gases. According to information released by CDFA in January 2024, HSP has awarded more than $105 million to fund more than 1,500 projects over its lifetime. Of the $170 million allocated to HSP in the fiscal year (FY) 2021-22 and 2022-23 budgets, the FY 2023-24 budget cut $15 million and shifted $50 million from the General Fund to the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund (GGRF).

CDFA's Climate Smart Agriculture Technical Assistance Program provides one-on-one application and implementation assistance to farmers and ranchers applying for funding from the department’s climate smart agriculture programs. Of the $39 million allocated to this program in the FY 2021-22 and 2022-23 budgets, the FY 2023-24 budget cut $22 million.

Farm Equipment Sharing

Small-scale, socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, and beginning farmers and ranchers face significant barriers in accessing infrastructure resources. After land, the purchase of farm equipment and infrastructure is the second largest capital investment and remains difficult to get to for small, underserved and beginning farmers with limited cash flow for major purchases. These small-scale farming operations require a greater variety of costly equipment and some high-capital equipment is only used a few times a year. Cooperatively managed equipment sharing can help address these infrastructure barriers and increase farm viability, while supporting implementation of conservation practices and maximizing efficient use of equipment.

The appeal of cutting equipment investment costs has driven the development of standard equipment sharing organizations around the globe. In Sweden, machine rings (equipment sharing groups) started at the beginning of the 1990s and now number 20 local associations with about 5000 members (about 6% of Swedish farmers) - while Germany has about five times that amount of equipment sharing activity. Canadian farmers in Ontario and Saskatchewan have formed numerous machinery cooperatives. However, the US is comparatively far behind. The reason seems to be largely a cultural one: while equipment-sharing has been proven successful elsewhere, there is a persistent impression that tool sharing is unlikely to work or not worth the hassle.

Equipment sharing programs allow farmers to borrow or lease high-value equipment from regional agricultural centers such as fairgrounds, universities, cooperative extension offices, farmer cooperatives, and resource conservation districts (RCD). These programs aim to alleviate the financial burden for farmers, increase on-farm safety, reduce emissions, incentivize conservation practices, and provide necessary resources to producers. There is evidence of successful state-government-run equipment sharing programs in states like the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission equipment sharing and rental program and several of New Hampshire’s County Conservation Districts have equipment rental programs to allow farmers to borrow specialized equipment at a low cost for soil health and nutrient management practices.

Proposition 4, passed by voters in 2024, includes Fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000) for grants for regional farm equipment sharing.

This bill will impact small, underserved, and marginalized farmers because we are opening more opportunities to sustainable farming. For example, equipment sharing provides direct assistance to small, underserved, and marginalized farmers because it saves them money by not having to outright purchase equipment. Farming equipment can cost thousands of dollars, which can be difficult for small, underserved, and marginalized farmers to afford, especially when starting a new farm. In addition, small and underserved farmers need technical assistance, such as matching funding coordination and outcome monitoring, which normally, small, underserved, and marginalized farmers would not have the access.

This bill seeks to remedy some issues with HSP based on feedback from farmers in our district. The specific deficiencies include:

1. Organic farmers are disincentivized from participating in the HSP through additional barriers such as grant writing and agricultural planning which might dissuade less experienced and small scale farmers. By including grant writing and conservation agriculture planning, and training as part of the HSP, this bill hopes removing these barriers will help more small farmers to utilize HSP.
2. Equipment sharing should be a part of HSP grant awards to reduce costs for small and underserved farmers. Small and underserved farmers find it difficult to purchase equipment after purchasing the land and the costs associated with being a farmer. Equipment sharing can help reduce and control the costs of farming.

This bill will also increase the Scientific Advisory Panel membership from nine to eleven. This change aims to add more perspective on the panel by including more expertise variety on the panel.

According the author, this bill will uplift farmers by expanding technical assistance for farmers by supporting farmers and ranchers with the application process, providing general planning and training for climate-smart agriculture, and more thus removing barriers to sustainable farming.

REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION:

Support

A Voice for Choice Advocacy

California Climate & Agriculture Network (CALCAN)

Opposition

None on file.

Analysis Prepared by: Victor Francovich / AGRI. / (916) 319-2084