Washington State
House of Representatives
Office of Program Research
BILL
ANALYSIS
Rural Development, Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee
HB 1631
Brief Description: Supporting Washington's food production system by providing technical assistance in support of improved voluntary environmental stewardship.
Sponsors: Representatives Shewmake, Ryu, Leavitt, Wicks, Bateman, Duerr, Boehnke, Walen and Paul.
Brief Summary of Bill
  • Establishes a network of  sustainable farms and fields advisors   at the State Conservation Commission  to assist agricultural producers and food processors in increasing energy efficiency, sequestering carbon, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Hearing Date: 1/11/22
Staff: Robert Hatfield (786-7117).
Background:

Pursuant to legislation enacted in 2020, the Washington State Conservation Commission (Commission) is responsible for developing a sustainable farms and fields grant program in consultation with specified state agencies.  

 

Allowable uses of grant funds from the program include:

  • annual payments to enrolled participants for successfully delivered carbon storage or reduction;
  • up-front payments for contracted carbon storage; and
  • services to landowners, such as the development of site-specific conservation plans to increase organic soil levels or to increase usage of precision agricultural practices. 

 

As funding allows, the Commission must distribute funds to conservation districts and other public entities to help implement the projects approved by the Commission.  

 

Conservation districts are special local government districts authorized to engage in a variety of activities relating to the conservation of soil, water, and other natural resources.
Summary of Bill:

The sustainable farms and fields advisor network  is established at the Commission to assist agricultural producers and food processors in increasing energy efficiency and utilization of green energy, sequestering carbon, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.


The Commission must develop a network of sustainable farms and fields advisors in which pools of geographically adjacent conservation districts will hire, host, and share the services of sustainable farms and fields advisors.


The services to be provided by sustainable farms and fields advisors include, but are not limited to:

  • Consultations regarding sustainable farms and fields plans for interested farmers and food processors to help them reduce their carbon footprint; and
  • Informing conservation districts, farmers, and food processors about local, state, and federal funding opportunities to implement practices that help reduce the carbon footprint of farmers and food processors.


The Commission must establish within each pool of geographically adjacent conservation districts a sustainable farms and fields committee to develop a prioritized list of farmers and food processors interested in working with the advisor. The advisor's workload and priorities are set according to an interlocal agreement established between the districts in the pool. 


The Commission must hire a sustainable farms and fields coordinator who is responsible for coordinating the advisors, disseminating current information about energy efficiency and climate-smart practices and funding opportunities, applying for grants, and writing progress reports.


The report that the Commission must submit to the Legislature every two years on the performance of the sustainable farms and fields program must address the accomplishments of the sustainable farms and fields advisors, including, among other things, grants awarded, projects funded, greenhouse gas emissions reduced, and carbon sequestered. 
Appropriation:
Fiscal Note: Requested on January 3, 2022.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.