S.B. 660 Summary

• Establishes a Healthy Soils Program within the Department of Agriculture to improve soil health and build soil carbon stocks through farm management practices.

• Program shall create a statewide soil health assessment, provide educational and technical assistance to farmers, and establish standards based on greenhouse gas sequestration findings including minimum soil carbon and water content levels.

• Establishes standards to phase out petrochemical synthetic fertilizers over five to ten years while providing farmer assistance in adopting holistic land management practices that integrate cultural, biological, and mechanical methods.

• Program shall issue awards and financial incentives to farmers implementing soil health practices and submit annual reports to the Legislature on program status and progress.

• Appropriates unspecified general revenues for fiscal years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 to establish the program and issue awards; takes effect July 1, 2023.