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HF 3302

1st Engrossment - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 03/30/2022 01:06pm

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.

Current Version - 1st Engrossment

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A bill for an act
relating to natural resources; providing for soil health; appropriating money;
proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 103C; 103F.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

new text begin [103C.701] SOIL-HEALTH GOALS.
new text end

new text begin The state of Minnesota's soil-health goals are that:
new text end

new text begin (1) at least 5,750,000 acres employ cover crops, perennial crops, no-till, or managed
rotational grazing by 2030;
new text end

new text begin (2) at least 11,500,000 acres employ cover crops, perennial crops, no-till, or managed
rotational grazing by 2035; and
new text end

new text begin (3) at least 23,000,000 acres employ cover crops, perennial crops, no-till, or managed
rotational grazing by 2040.
new text end

Sec. 2.

new text begin [103F.49] SOIL HEALTH COST-SHARE PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the terms in this subdivision
have the meanings given.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Board" means the Board of Water and Soil Resources.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Local units of government" has the meaning given under section 103B.305,
subdivision 5.
new text end

new text begin (d) "Soil health" has the meaning given under section 103C.101, subdivision 10a.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin The board must administer a cost-share program consistent
with section 103C.501 to establish soil health practices that mitigate climate change impacts,
improve water quality, and provide related public benefits.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Financial assistance. new text end

new text begin (a) The board may provide financial assistance to local
units of government, private sector providers, and farmers for the costs of soil health and
related water-quality practices consistent with a plan approved according to chapter 103B,
103C, or 103D. The board must establish costs eligible for financial and technical assistance
under this section.
new text end

new text begin (b) The board may enter into agreements with local units of government receiving
financial assistance under this subdivision.
new text end

new text begin (c) Financial assistance under this subdivision must give priority to multiyear contracts
and to leveraging contributions from nonstate sources.
new text end

new text begin (d) Financial assistance under this subdivision must give priority to multiyear contracts
that prioritize long-term soil health practices, including but not limited to no-till, field
borders, prairie strips, and other practices sanctioned by the board or the United States
Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service, that, separately or
together with other conservation practices, provide durable soil health and related benefits.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Technical assistance; review. new text end

new text begin (a) The board may employ or contract with
experts to implement the soil health program under this section.
new text end

new text begin (b) When implementing the soil health program, the board must:
new text end

new text begin (1) assist local units of government in achieving the objectives of the program;
new text end

new text begin (2) review and assess practice standards; and
new text end

new text begin (3) evaluate the effectiveness of completed practices.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Federal aid availability. new text end

new text begin The board must regularly complete an analysis of the
availability of federal funds and programs to supplement or complement state and local
efforts consistent with the purposes of this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Carbon market applicability. new text end

new text begin The board and the commissioner of agriculture
may cooperate with the United States Department of Agriculture, other federal and state
agencies, and private sector organizations to align or incorporate soil health practices with
carbon trading, mitigation, or offset markets and related tracking or recognition efforts.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin SOIL HEALTH; APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $17,000,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the Board of
Water and Soil Resources to accelerate the adoption of soil health practices consistent with
Minnesota Statutes, sections 103C.101, subdivision 10a, and 103F.49. The base appropriation
under this section in fiscal year 2024 and thereafter is $4,500,000.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin STATEWIDE SOIL HEALTH ACTION PLAN; APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin $180,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the Board of
Regents of the University of Minnesota to develop a soil health action plan, in consultation
with the Minnesota Office for Soil Health, the United States Department of Agriculture's
Natural Resources Conservation Service, and other state and federal agencies, academic
institutions, local governments, and practitioners, that will provide recommendations for
standardized specifications for soil health and related conservation and climate protection
practices and projects to achieve soil health goals, including recommendations for research,
implementation, outreach, and prioritization of the use of future funding. By January 15,
2023, the plan must be submitted to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house
of representatives and senate committees and divisions with jurisdiction over agriculture
and environment and natural resources policy. This is a onetime appropriation.
new text end