1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to agriculture; establishing a soil-healthy farming mentorship grant 
1.3 	program; appropriating money for grants promoting soil health practices.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. DEFINITIONS.
 1.6 	(a) "Soil health" has the meaning given in Minnesota Statutes, section 103C.101.
1.7 	(b) "Soil-healthy farming" means farming that improves soil health by integrating one 
1.8 	or more of the following practices:
1.9 	(1) no-till;
1.10 	(2) cover cropping;
1.11 	(3) perennial cropping;
1.12 	(4) interseeding;
1.13 	(5) organic production;
1.14 	(6) roll crimping; and
1.15 	(7) managed rotational grazing.

1.16 	Sec. 2. SOIL-HEALTHY FARMING MENTORSHIP GRANT PROGRAM.
 1.17 	The Department of Agriculture must administer a soil-healthy farming mentorship grant 
1.18 	program to award funding to organizations, Tribal nations, or individual farmers that will 
1.19 	increase the adoption of soil health practices throughout the state. Grant awards must support 
2.1 	scaling soil health practices for a variety of producers, including but not limited to specialty 
2.2 	crop, livestock, and row crop producers.

2.3 	Sec. 3. SOIL HEALTH PRACTICES; APPROPRIATIONS.
 2.4 	$500,000 in fiscal year 2024 and $500,000 for fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from 
2.5 	the general fund to the commissioner of agriculture for grants to organizations, Tribal 
2.6 	nations, and individual farmers in Minnesota to increase the adoption of soil health practices 
2.7 	and, if applicable, promote the Agriculture Water Quality Certification Program by, at a 
2.8 	minimum:
2.9 	(1) holding field days with farmers, speakers, and educational events;
2.10 	(2) developing farmer-to-farmer regional soil health hubs; and
2.11 	(3) working with technical assistance providers, including but not limited to Soil and 
2.12 	Water Conservation Districts and the Minnesota Office of Soil Health to provide soil health 
2.13 	adoption and climate resiliency programming for farmers.