Bill Text: IL HB5224 | 2021-2022 | 102nd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Creates the Healthy Soil Act. Creates the Healthy Soil Program to be administered by the Department of Agriculture with the purpose of promoting and supporting farming and ranching systems and other forms of land management that increase soil organic matter, aggregate stability, microbiology, and water retention to improve health, yield, and profitability of the soils in the State. Provides that the Healthy Soil Program shall be composed of a healthy soil assessment and education program, a healthy soil grants program, and other programs established by the Department to accomplish the purposes of the Act. Sets forth requirements of the Department in administering the Program. Provides for use of funds appropriated to the Department to administer the Program.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2022-02-18 - Rule 19(a) / Re-referred to Rules Committee [HB5224 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2021-HB5224-Introduced.html

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102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2021 and 2022 HB5224 Introduced , by Rep. Sonya M. Harper SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
New Act
Creates the Healthy Soil Act. Creates the Healthy Soil Program to be administered by the Department of Agriculture with the purpose of promoting and supporting farming and ranching systems and other forms of land management that increase soil organic matter, aggregate stability, microbiology, and water retention to improve health, yield, and profitability of the soils in the State. Provides that the Healthy Soil Program shall be composed of a healthy soil assessment and education program, a healthy soil grants program, and other programs established by the Department to accomplish the purposes of the Act. Sets forth requirements of the Department in administering the Program. Provides for use of funds appropriated to the Department to administer the Program.
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A BILL FOR
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AN ACT concerning agriculture.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Healthy Soil Act.
Section 5. Definitions. As used in this Act:
"Champion" means a land manager that is declared a soil
health champion due to the land manager's excellence in
applying and promoting soil health principles, as modeled by
the soil health champion program of the national association
of conservation districts.
"Department" means the Illinois Department of Agriculture.
"Eligible entity" means an entity with proven land
management capacity to support healthy soil.
"Healthy soil" means soil that enhances its continuing
capacity to function as a biological system, increases its
organic matter, and improves its structure and water-holding
and nutrient-holding capacity.
"Program" means the Healthy Soil Program created by this
Act.
"Soil health principle" means a principle that promotes
soil health in a given environment and includes:
(1) keeping soil covered;

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(2) minimizing soil disturbance on cropland and
minimizing external inputs;
(3) maximizing biodiversity;
(4) maintaining a living root; and
(5) integrating animals into land management,
including grazing animals, birds, beneficial insects, or
keystone species such as earthworms.
"Supported method" means a method that is based upon soil
health principles and is scientifically supported to promote
healthy soil.
"Technical assistance" means assistance provided to a
farmer or rancher to achieve the purpose of this Act and
includes outreach, education, financial assistance, and
assistance with project planning, project design, grant
applications, project implementation, or project reporting.
"Technical assistance provider" means a local, State,
federal, tribal, or educational entity with demonstrated
technical expertise in designing and implementing agricultural
management practices that contribute to healthy soils.
Section 10. Healthy Soil Program created; purpose.
(a) The Healthy Soil Program is created in the Department.
The Department shall administer the Program.
(b) The Purpose of the Program is to promote and support
farming and ranching systems and other forms of land
management that increase soil organic matter, aggregate

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stability, microbiology, and water retention to improve the
health, yield, and profitability of the soils of the State.
Section 15. Soil assessment and education; grants;
Department duties.
(a) The Program shall be composed of:
(1) a healthy soil assessment and education program;
(2) a healthy soil grants program; and
(3) other programs established by the Department to
accomplish the purposes of this Act.
(b) In administering the healthy soil assessment and
education program, the Department shall:
(1) work through technical assistance providers or
eligible entities to:
(A) encourage farmers, ranchers, and land managers
to undertake voluntary soil health measurements;
(B) raise awareness about desirable soil health
characteristics;
(C) facilitate on-site, producer-led workshops and
training sessions to promote and engender soil health
stewardship; and
(D) complete a baseline soil health assessment by
testing the organic matter, water infiltration rate,
microbiology, and aggregate stability of soils, in
addition to analyzing phospholipids and monitoring
soil cover;

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(2) establish a statewide network of champions to
promote soil health stewardship, offer guidance to
producers and land managers, and encourage teamwork;
(3) create a program to provide ongoing training in
soil health stewardship and workshop facilitation for
champions and eligible entities;
(4) in collaboration with technical assistance
providers, sponsor soil health workshops and training
sessions at research centers and learning sites throughout
the State; and
(5) educate students and the public about the
importance of soil health stewardship.
(c) In administering the healthy soil grant program, the
Department shall:
(1) award grants to eligible entities to provide
technical assistance to producers and land managers in
advancing soil health principles and implementing
supported methods;
(2) develop a user-friendly grant program application
and application and reporting processes;
(3) develop criteria for the award of grants, under
which grants shall be awarded equitably and priority may
be given to eligible entities serving young producers,
veterans, and small farms or ranches, or to projects that
benefit economically or socially disadvantaged
communities; and

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(4) ensure that grant funds are used only to advance
soil health and soil health stewardship.
(d) The Department shall encourage producer, land manager,
landowner, and interagency collaboration in the management of
healthy soils and shall:
(1) work with technical assistance providers to
advance soil health stewardship across private, State, and
federal lands by fostering collaboration among producers,
land managers, and landowners; and
(2) conduct outreach to producers and land managers to
promote the Program and other federal, State, or local
grant opportunities that support and promote healthy
soils.
(e) In administering the Program, the Department shall
support local economic growth in the State and shall:
(1) identify ways to increase the generation and use
of compost to build healthy soils;
(2) to the extent permitted by the Procurement Code,
prioritize in-State sourcing of the resources needed for
the Program, including testing resources, compost, seeds,
fencing supplies, and equipment; and
(3) support the emerging market for food grown in the
State under management for healthy soils.
(f) The Department may adopt rules to implement this Act.
Section 20. Use of appropriated funds. Funds appropriated

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to the Department to administer the Program may be used for:
(a) the healthy soil grant program;
(b) the healthy soil assessment and education program;
(c) promotion and outreach;
(d) Department staffing support;
(e) capacity building for eligible entities;
(f) soil health research;
(g) travel and reimbursement of other expenses in
accordance with applicable law; and
(h) other expenditures as determined by the Department to
be necessary to support the overall effective administration
of the Program.