What's happening
This bill creates a two-year carbon farming pilot project in Columbia and Dutchess counties to study and improve soil carbon sequestration.
Why it matters
Directly engages local farmers. by requiring real-world testing of carbon farming practices on commercial farms and orchards, ensuring that recommendations are grounded in practical, on-the-ground results.
Mandates regular, science-based monitoring. including baseline and biannual soil testing for both carbon content and water holding capacity—which could generate robust local data to inform future climate and agricultural policy.
Explores both established and innovative soil health practices,. including those easily replicated, to identify methods that could be scaled or adopted widely, potentially influencing farming practices beyond the pilot area.
Provides financial support for key on-farm costs. (such as composted manure and cover crop seed), helping lower the barrier for farmers to participate in climate-friendly practices and potentially encouraging broader adoption if the pilot proves successful.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Launch Carbon Farming Study
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Substituted by S9053
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.264
- Rules report cal.264
- Reported
- Reported referred to rules
- Reported referred to ways and means
- Referred to environmental conservation
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Test Carbon Farming in Hudson Valley
Vetoed · Sponsor Susan Serino
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
11111
IN ASSEMBLY
June 5, 2018
Introduced by COMMITTEE ON RULES -- (at request of M. of A. Barrett) -read once and referred to the Committee on Environmental Conservation
AN ACT to authorize the state soil and water conservation committee to establish a Columbia/Dutchess carbon farming pilot project to study the carbon sequestration potential of a range of farming practices in Columbia and Dutchess counties; and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The state soil and water conservation committee, in consultation with the department of environmental conservation and the department of agriculture and markets, shall establish a Columbia/Dutchess carbon farming pilot project to study the carbon sequestration potential of a range of farming practices. The goal of such project shall be to develop best practices recommendations to maximize the carbon sequestration of farming activities. The project shall, at a minimum, include any soil health practices already promoted by the state, as well as those determined by the soil and water conservation districts, the department of environmental conservation, and the department of agriculture and markets to be practicable and easily replicated.
§ 2. The carbon farming pilot project established pursuant to section one of this act shall be jointly administered by the soil and water conservation districts in both Columbia and Dutchess counties and shall be limited to five farms jointly selected pursuant to an open application process. Farms applying to participate in such pilot project must be engaged in the operation of a commercial farm or orchard. At least one participating farm shall utilize the practice of spreading of composted manure followed by planting of cover crops over the composted manure.
§ 3. The soil and water conservation districts of Columbia and Dutchess counties shall conduct baseline soil testing for carbon content at the beginning of the carbon farming pilot project and shall further conduct soil testing for carbon content and water holding capacity at intervals of six months for the duration of such pilot project. Farm
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD16061-02-8
A. 11111 2
costs eligible for reimbursement shall, at a minimum, include composted manure and cover crop seed. Best efforts shall be made to purchase composted manure from a single vendor or source for the duration of such pilot project.
§ 4. This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire and be deemed repealed two years after such effective date.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.