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Bills · 2019-2020 Regular Session

SB 856

Died at session end Official bill text Atom feed

Relating to: providing farmers technical assistance related to water quality, organic production, and soil health; increasing cost-share rates; granting rule-making authority; and making an appropriation. (FE)

Agriculture trade and consumer protection department of Air pollution Farm and farming Farmer Natural resources department of — Environmental protection Soil and soil conservation Water — Pollution Water supply

  1. Introduced, stopped here
  2. Passes Senate, not reached
  3. Passes Assembly, not reached
  4. Governor signs, not reached
  5. Law, not reached

Unfamiliar terms? Glossary

What this bill does

Plain-language analysis by the nonpartisan Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill does the following regarding water quality, organic production, soil

health, and county conservation staffing:

1. Authorizes two positions in the Department of Agriculture, Trade and

Consumer Protection for providing technical and administrative support to

producer-led watershed protection groups. Under current law, producer-led

watershed protection groups conduct nonpoint source pollution abatement activities

with assistance from grants from DATCP.

2. Authorizes three laboratory positions in DATCP.

3. Authorizes a position for DATCP to connect farmers with technologies that

address water quality concerns.

4. Authorizes a position for DATCP to provide technical assistance to farmers

to become certified as an organic operation.

5. Authorizes two positions in DATCP to implement soil health programs. The

bill requires DATCP to assist farmers in promoting soil health, provide soil health

training to agronomists, establish a nutrient stewardship certification program, and

provide grants for farmers to purchase equipment necessary for reducing surface

runoff from farm fields.

6. Increases the amount of cost-sharing available, from 70 percent to up to 100

percent of costs, under the nonpoint source pollution abatement program for projects

that are located in sensitive areas, as determined by the Department of Natural

Resources by rule.

7. Specifically directs DNR to promulgate targeted runoff standards if

statewide standards are insufficient to meet water quality standards.

What it would cost

Fiscal estimates filed by state agencies, as official PDFs

Sponsors

Introduced by: Erpenbach (D) , Larson (D) , Miller (D) , Ringhand (D) , Risser (D) , Schachtner (D) , Smith (D)

25 cosponsors

Anderson (D) , Billings (D) , Brostoff (D) , C. Taylor (D) , Cabrera (D) , Considine (D) , Doyle (D) , Emerson (D) , Fields (D) , Gruszynski (D) , Hebl (D) , Hesselbein (D) , Kolste (D) , Milroy (D) , Neubauer (D) , Ohnstad (D) , Pope (D) , Sargent (D) , Shankland (D) , Sinicki (D) , Spreitzer (D) , Stubbs (D) , Subeck (D) , Vruwink (D) , Zamarripa (D)

Full history

  1. Feb 20, 2020 · Senate

    Introduced by Senators Miller, Smith, Risser, Erpenbach, Larson, Ringhand and Schachtner; cosponsored by Representatives Shankland, Pope, Hebl, Anderson, Billings, Brostoff, Emerson, Fields, Neubauer, Sargent, Spreitzer, C. Taylor, Zamarripa, Cabrera, Considine, Doyle, Gruszynski, Hesselbein, Kolste, Milroy, Ohnstad, Sinicki, Stubbs, Subeck and Vruwink

  2. Feb 20, 2020 · Senate

    Read first time and referred to Committee on Agriculture, Revenue and Financial Institutions

  3. Apr 1, 2020 · Senate

    Failed to pass pursuant to Senate Joint Resolution 1

  4. Apr 17, 2020 · Senate

    Fiscal estimate received