MN HF1456

Board of Water and Soil Resources shall administer a perennial feedstock program to incentivize establishment and maintenance of perennial agricultural crops, with priority given to contracts implementing water protection actions in completed watershed restoration and protection strategies.

Eligible land must have been in agricultural use or enrolled in a federal or state government program for at least two of the last five years before application and cannot currently be enrolled in another federal or state program.

Contract rates shall not exceed 90 percent of the most recent federal conservation reserve program payment for the county, with contracts lasting at least ten years and allowing perennial crops to be used for advanced biofuel feedstock or livestock feed with mechanical harvest prohibited before July 1.

Board may select up to two watersheds for a pilot program covering up to 200,000 total acres, with selected watersheds required to have completed restoration strategies, multiple water quality impairments from agricultural practices, a viable advanced biofuel facility within 50 miles, and sufficient cropland available.

Unspecified amounts appropriated from the general fund for fiscal years 2016 and 2017 to the Board of Water and Soil Resources.