Amended in Assembly August 31, 2015

Senate Concurrent ResolutionNo. 83


Introduced by Senators Wolk and Galgiani

(Principal coauthor: Senator Cannella)

(Coauthor: Senator Berryhill)

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Cooper, Dodd, Gallagher, Irwin,begin delete and Levineend deletebegin insert Levine, Achadjian, Alejo, Travis Allen, Atkins, Baker, Bigelow, Bloom, Bonilla, Brown, Campos, Chang, Chau, Chávez, Chiu, Chu, Cooley, Dahle, Daly, Eggman, Frazier, Beth Gaines, Cristina Garcia, Eduardo Garcia, Gatto, Gipson, Gomez, Gordon, Gray, Grove, Hadley, Harper, Roger Hernández, Holden, Jones, Kim, Lackey, Linder, Low, Mathis, Mayes, McCarty, Medina, Melendez, Mullin, Nazarian, Obernolte, O’Donnell, Olsen, Patterson, Perea, Quirk, Rendon, Ridley-Thomas, Rodriguez, Salas, Mark end insertbegin insertStone, Thurmond, Ting, Wagner, Waldron, Weber, Wilk, Williams, and Woodend insert)

July 16, 2015


Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 83—Relative to the International Year of Soils.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

SCR 83, as amended, Wolk. International Year of Soils.

This measure would declare 2015 as the International Year of Soils, and recognize the importance of healthy soils as a critical resource supplying an abundance of food, diverse habitats, water storage, and climate resiliency.

Fiscal committee: no.

P1    1WHEREAS, For more than 60 consecutive years, California
2has been the number one agricultural state in the nation, producing
P1    1more than 400 crop and livestock products and accounting for
2 approximately 50 percent of the nation’s supply of fruits,
3vegetables, and nuts; and

4WHEREAS, Ninety-five percent of our food is directly or
5indirectly produced on our soils and the essential nutrients they
6contain; and

7WHEREAS, It can take up to 1,000 years to form one centimeter
8of soil, and, with 33 percent of all global soil resources degraded,
9critical limits are being reached, making stewardship an urgent
10matter; and

11WHEREAS, According to the Food and Agriculture
12Organization of the United Nations, more than 805 million people
13across the globe face hunger and malnutrition, and future
14population growth will require an approximate 60 percent increase
15in food production; and

16WHEREAS, The Food and Agriculture Organization of the
17United Nations launched the International Year of Soils on World
18Soil Day, December 5, 2014; and

19WHEREAS, On January 6, 2015, the United States Department
20of Agriculture began its celebration of the International Year of
21Soils to highlight the importance of healthy soils for food security,
22ecosystems functions, and resilient farms and ranches; and

23WHEREAS, California has launched its Healthy Soils Initiative
24and is pioneering efforts to incentivize building soil organic matter
25and provide research, education, and technical support to facilitate
26healthy soils and ensuring interagency coordination and
27collaboration; and

28WHEREAS, Ensuring healthier soils by increasing the carbon
29content and soil organic matter can help enhance the long-term
30sustainability of California agriculture and its resiliency to climate
31change; and

32WHEREAS, Improved soil health increases soil’s water holding
33capacity and water infiltration rate, which can help optimize the
34management of California’s scarce water supply; and

35WHEREAS, Increasing soil health helps to improve food crop
36yields, help to increase soil fertility and the ability to hold plant
37nutrients and water, supports beneficial biological microbial
38diversity and populations, reduces soil erosion, and can be used
39to reduce atmospheric greenhouse gases by sequestering carbon;
40and

P3    1WHEREAS, The building of soil organic matter can be
2supported by several management practices, including, but not
3limited to, minimal soil disturbance, residue soil cover, the use of
4cover crops, and the utilization of compost; and

5WHEREAS, In 1997, the California Legislature enacted SB 389
6(Monteith), Chapter 331, Statutes of 1997, commemorating
7completion of the state’s most comprehensive soil inventory by
8designating San Joaquin Soil as the official State Soil; and

9WHEREAS, We recognize the essential role of all of
10California’s soils in supporting a thriving California economy and
11healthy environment and ensuring a sustainable and food secure
12future; now, therefore, be it

13Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly
14thereof concurring,
That the Legislature of the State of California
15hereby declares 2015 as the International Year of Soils; and be it
16further

17Resolved, That on the occasion of the International Year of Soils,
18the Legislature recognizes the importance of healthy soils as a
19critical resource supplying an abundance of food, diverse habitats,
20water storage, and climate resiliency; and be it further

21Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of
22this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.



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