grants for colleges to study regenerative agriculture

The text as introduced · 1,409 words

90R817 CMO-D

By: Zaffirini
S.B. No. 96

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the establishment by the Texas Higher Education

Coordinating Board of a grant program to support the study of

regenerative agriculture at public institutions of higher

education.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 61, Education Code, is amended by adding

Subchapter LL to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER LL. HIGHER EDUCATION REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE GRANT

PROGRAM

Sec. 61.9851. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:

(1) "Nonprofit organization" means an organization

exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(a), Internal

Revenue Code of 1986.

(2) "Program" means the Higher Education Regenerative

Agriculture Grant Program established under this subchapter.

(3) "Regenerative agriculture" means a holistic

system of agricultural practices and techniques that enhance

overall soil health, increase soil organic matter, improve water

infiltration and retention, increase resilience to droughts and

flooding, enrich biological diversity, and proliferate beneficial

soil microbes through a combination of practices based on the

following principles:

(A) ensuring the presence of living roots in the

soil throughout the year to nourish the ecosystem;

(B) minimal disturbance to limit disruption to

the soil structure and its living organisms, while actively

protecting and promoting soil microbial diversity;

(C) the encouragement of biological diversity

through varied crop rotations, cover crops, and intercropping

strategies;

(D) soil armor to maintain soil coverage with

living plants, crop residues, or mulch to prevent exposure of bare

soil, reduce risks of wind and water erosion, and protect soil

biology from harmful temperature extremes;

(E) animal integration, including incorporating

livestock and poultry to recycle nutrients and stimulate soil

biological activity without overwhelming the soil ecosystem; and

(F) context-based practices to tailor the

regenerative agricultural practices to the characteristics of a

particular piece of land, climate conditions, and any cropping or

livestock systems present on that land.

Sec. 61.9852. PROGRAM ESTABLISHMENT AND ADMINISTRATION.

(a) The board shall establish and administer the Higher Education

Regenerative Agriculture Grant Program under which the board may

award grants to eligible institutions of higher education to:

(1) study successful regenerative agriculture

operations and identify practices and methods to support persons in

this state seeking to implement regenerative agriculture on their

land;

(2) develop innovative, evidence-based methods to

support agricultural producers in bioremediation and other

scientifically supported techniques that promote beneficial soil

bacteria and microorganisms and increase crop yields; and

(3) provide students, agricultural producers, and

rural communities with regenerative agriculture-focused education

and technical assistance programs founded on transparent and

objective research protocols.

(b) In administering the program, the board shall:

(1) collaborate with the State Soil and Water

Conservation Board to:

(A) align research funded under the program with

existing soil and water conservation programs;

(B) ensure projects funded under the program

complement statewide efforts to improve soil health and reduce the

use of synthetic inputs; and

(C) facilitate partnerships between institutions

of higher education that are awarded grants under the program and

local soil and water conservation districts;

(2) identify opportunities to align the program with

federal initiatives or grants to maximize program funding and

impact;

(3) ensure that research funded under the program:

(A) is conducted independently using the proper

scientific method;

(B) is not compromised by external factors or

parties; and

(C) complies with any requirements imposed by

state or federal law;

(4) establish a framework for monitoring and

evaluating the outcomes of research and other activities funded

under the program;

(5) ensure that findings, research, data, and

recommendations resulting from research funded under the program

are made publicly accessible;

(6) provide technical assistance to institutions of

higher education that apply for a grant under the program;

(7) conduct periodic reviews and site visits to ensure

proper use of grant funds and compliance with grant agreements;

(8) oversee the creation and maintenance of a

statewide online resource hub to share educational materials,

research findings, and best practices developed through the

program;

(9) require program grant recipients to submit to the

board annual progress reports that include:

(A) research and education achievements related

to agricultural sustainability;

(B) measurable outcomes, such as the adoption of

regenerative agriculture farming practices or reductions in the use

of synthetic inputs by producers; and

(C) financial documentation detailing the use of

grant funds; and

(10) ensure that institutions of higher education that

misuse grant funds or fail to meet program requirements are subject

to the following consequences:

(A) suspension or termination of grant funding;

(B) disqualification from future grant cycles;

and

(C) repayment of misused grant funds.

Sec. 61.9853. GRANT ELIGIBILITY. To be eligible to receive

a grant under the program for a state fiscal year, an institution of

higher education must:

(1) apply to the board in the manner prescribed by

board rule; and

(2) satisfy any other criteria prescribed by board

rule in accordance with this subchapter.

Sec. 61.9854. GRANT ALLOCATION. (a) The board may not

award more than 30 percent of the total amount of grant funds

allocated under this program for a state fiscal year to any one

institution of higher education.

(b) In awarding grants under the program, the board shall

give first and equal priority to institutions of higher education

that:

(1) conduct research in partnership with one or more

nonprofit organizations; or

(2) both:

(A) conduct research in partnership with a

nonprofit organization described by Section 501(c)(3), Internal

Revenue Code of 1986; and

(B) do not derive more than 25 percent of the

institution's agricultural grant program funding from an entity

that manufactures, markets, or sells synthetic inputs for use in

farming.

(c) In its application review and funding allocation

process for the program for a state fiscal year, the board shall

ensure a reasonable distribution of funds across institutions of

higher education statewide that do not qualify for a priority grant

award under Subsection (b).

Sec. 61.9855. GRANT USE. Grant money awarded under the

program may be used only for the following purposes:

(1) multiyear research projects focused on

transitioning agricultural producers to regenerative agriculture

farming systems through evidence-based techniques, peer-reviewed

studies, and event coordination;

(2) research on healthy soil practices, including

identifying practical and beneficial techniques for achieving and

maintaining soil health, such as bioremediation and other

innovative methods to increase crop yields and enhance beneficial

soil microbiology;

(3) institution of higher education-led education and

training programs to support agricultural producers in this state

in implementing regenerative agriculture methods on their land,

with priority given to programs that provide resources for small

and mid-sized farms;

(4) support for student-led projects, internships,

and research initiatives focused on regenerative agriculture;

(5) development and distribution of digital and

physical educational resources for rural agricultural communities

and farming regions;

(6) collaborative research initiatives between

institutions of higher education, nonprofit organizations, and

agricultural organizations to pilot and test regenerative

agriculture farming solutions; and

(7) any additional purposes approved by board rule

following a thorough and systematic review.

Sec. 61.9856. FUNDING. In addition to any money

appropriated for the program, the board may solicit and accept

gifts, grants, and donations from any public or private source for

the program.

Sec. 61.9857. RULES. The board shall adopt rules as

necessary for the administration of the program, including rules

prescribing program guidelines, application forms, and report

templates for institutions of higher education under the program.

Sec. 61.9858. ANNUAL REPORT. The board, in collaboration

with the State Soil and Water Conservation Board, annually shall

prepare and submit to the legislature a report summarizing:

(1) the outcomes, benefits, and challenges of the

program, including any unintended consequences; and

(2) legislative recommendations to further advance

regenerative agriculture research, education, and outreach in this

state, including data and independent evaluations to support those

recommendations.

SECTION 2. Subchapter LL, Chapter 61, Education Code, as

added by this Act, applies beginning with the 2028-2029 academic

year.

SECTION 3. Not later than January 1, 2028, the Texas Higher

Education Coordinating Board shall develop and make available on

the coordinating board's Internet website an application form for

the Higher Education Regenerative Agriculture Grant Program

established under Subchapter LL, Chapter 61, Education Code, as

added by this Act, as well as report templates and guidelines for

public institutions of higher education under the grant program.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2027.