S.B. 1025 Summary

• Establishes a new Agricultural Enterprises chapter authorizing the Department of Agriculture to plan, design, construct, operate, and manage infrastructure on department-controlled lands to support diversified agriculture and increase agricultural self-sufficiency.

• Creates an agricultural enterprise program separate from existing agricultural park programs, allowing the department to accept transfers of agricultural lands and enterprises from the Department of Land and Natural Resources with mutual board approval.

• Establishes the Agricultural Enterprise Special Fund to receive legislative appropriations and all lease rents, fees, and revenue from agricultural enterprise lands, with funds used for planning, constructing, and maintaining agricultural infrastructure.

• Permits the department to negotiate leases with eligible parties including those holding revocable agricultural permits, former leaseholders whose leases expired within ten years, and persons with beneficial impacts on agriculture, with lease terms of 15 to 65 years.

• Takes effect July 1, 2021, and amends existing law to clarify the Department of Agriculture's authority to manage agricultural lands and infrastructure.