BILL ANALYSIS
AB 1891
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Date of Hearing: April 14, 2010
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
Cathleen Galgiani, Chair
AB 1891 (Committee on Higher Education) - As Introduced:
February 16, 2010
HIGHER EDUCATION 9-0
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|Ayes:|Block, Norby, Adams, Chesbro, |
| |Fong, Fuller, Galgiani, |
| |Portantino, Ruskin |
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SUBJECT : Sustainable agriculture research: agricultural
chemicals.
SUMMARY : Reestablishes two University of California (UC)
programs: the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education
Program (SAREP), and Biologically Integrated Farming System
(BIFS) demonstration projects. Specifically, this bill :
1)Requests the UC Regents to establish SAREP to support
competitive grants to promote research and education on
sustainable agricultural practices, and to support the giving
of instruction and practical demonstrations in agriculture.
2)Requests the UC Regents to establish a program of pilot
demonstration projects designed to provide extension services,
training, and financial incentives for participating farmers
to implement biologically integrated farming systems.
EXISTING LAW establishes UC, administrated by the UC Regents, as
a public trust with full powers of organization and government.
FISCAL EFFECT : This bill has been keyed fiscal by Legislative
Counsel.
COMMENTS : AB 1182 (Brownley), Chapter 386, Statutes of 2009,
streamlined higher education-related reporting requirements.
Late amendments accidentally deleted two agricultural related
programs, SAREP and BIFS.
AB 1891
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According to the author, SAREP and BIFS did not cease to exist
due to the code sections being repealed, since legislation was
not necessary to create programs at UC. This is due to UC
constitutional autonomy. The need for this bill's statutory
authorization is to assure the agriculture community that UC is
committed to SAREP and BIFS.
SAREP is a statewide program within UC Agriculture and Natural
Resources. It was created due to concerns about the
environmental impacts of agriculture, the health of rural
communities, and the profitability of family farming operations
in California. At the request of the California Legislature, UC
established SAREP with three mandates:
1)Administer competitive grants for research on sustainable
agricultural practices and systems.
2)Develop and distribute information through publications and
on-farm demonstrations.
3)Support long-term research and sustainable farming systems on
UC farmlands.
BIFS is a program to help growers enhance environmental quality
while maintaining yields and profits. BIFS projects use on-farm
demonstrations and a collaborative model of outreach and
extension involving public-private partnerships. Funds for BIFS
have been provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency -
Region 9, California Department of Food and Agriculture's Buy
California Initiative, United States Department of Agriculture,
the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, and the UC
Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources.
SAREP and BIFS have significant impacts on improving sustainable
farm practices for California agriculture. SAREP has a national
reputation for developing new farming practices, for research,
and for making sure framers have up to date information on
sustainable farming. The continuation of these programs will
continue to assist California agriculture community.
REGISTERED SUPPORT / OPPOSITION :
Support
Food & Water Watch
AB 1891
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University of California
Opposition
None on file.
Analysis Prepared by : Victor Francovich / AGRI. / (916)
319-2084