California Legislature—2015–16 Regular Session

Assembly BillNo. 1247


Introduced by Assembly Member Irwin

February 27, 2015


An act to add and repeal Section 14502.2 of the Food and Agricultural Code, relating to fertilizer.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

AB 1247, as introduced, Irwin. Fertilizer: organic input materials.

Existing law requires the labeling and registration, as specified, of fertilizing materials, including organic input materials. Organic input materials are commercial fertilizers, agricultural minerals, auxiliary soil and plant substances, specialty fertilizers, or soil amendments, excluding pesticides, that are to be used in organic crop and food production and that comply with specified national standards.

Existing law requires all moneys, except for fines and penalties, collected by the State Air Resources Board from the auction or sale of allowances as part of a market-based compliance mechanism relative to reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, to be deposited in the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund.

This bill would require the Secretary of Food and Agriculture, on or before June 30, 2016, to provide to the Legislature a plan to expand the Department of Food and Agriculture’s promotion of organic input materials for the production of food and fiber. The bill would express the Legislature’s intent that the secretary’s plan and the department’s promotion of organic input materials be funded, all or in part, by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund. The bill would make findings and declarations regarding the ways in which agricultural practices, including the application of fertilizer, remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no.

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:

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SECTION 1.  

The Legislature finds and declares both of the
2following:

3(a) A variety of agricultural practices that enhance carbon
4storage or sequestration include conservation tillage, cover
5cropping, crop rotation, and application of compost and fertilizer
6to agricultural and range lands.

7(b) Improved soil and water quality, decreased nutrient loss,
8reduced soil erosion, increased water conservation, and greater
9crop production may result from increasing the amount of carbon
10dioxide stored in agricultural lands, which in turn removes that
11carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

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SEC. 2.  

Section 14502.2 is added to the Food and Agricultural
13Code
, to read:

14

14502.2.  

(a) On or before June 30, 2016, the secretary shall
15provide to the Legislature a plan to expand the department’s
16promotion of organic input materials for the production of food
17and fiber.

18(b) It is the intent of the Legislature to fund all or part of these
19requirements, including the secretary’s plan and the department’s
20promotion of organic input materials, with the Greenhouse Gas
21Reduction Fund.

22(c) (1) A report to be submitted pursuant to subdivision (a)
23shall be submitted in compliance with Section 9795 of the
24Government Code.

25(2) Pursuant to Section 10231.5 of the Government Code, this
26 section is repealed on June 30, 2020.



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