Amendment #826 to H4200

Farmland Protection Advisory Commission

Mr. Mark of Peru moves to amend the bill by adding the following section:

"SECTION  XXXX.  SECTION XX: Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the secretary of the executive office of energy and environmental affairs, in consultation with the farmland protection and farm viability advisory commission established pursuant to paragraph 3 of this section, shall develop a farmland action plan, which may include maps, illustrations and other media as well as propose funding levels to meet these goals, and policy and regulatory changes. The plan shall: (i) set forth the commonwealth’s goals, priorities, and actions for farmland protection and access; and (ii) include an inventory of commonwealth owned land suitable for farming; (iii) give consideration to sound agricultural management and natural resource protection practices, taking into account existing natural, economic, cultural, and historic characteristics; (iv) reflect the importance of farmland of the commonwealth to its citizens who derive livelihoods from farming; (v) reflect the importance of protected farmland for ecosystem health and biodiversity; (vi) identify at risk of conversion farmland areas; (vii) factor in climate change; and (viii) be based on best available science and best management practices.

The plan shall include, but not be limited to (i) an inventory of state-owned land in active agricultural production or potentially suitable for farming, review of state agency policies related to the use or lease of land for farming, and recommendations related to state policies around the use and lease of state-owned land for farming, (ii) recommended statutory, regulatory, or policy revisions to the Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) Program to support the long-term economic viability of protected farms, address housing needs, and ensure the program is managed in a transparent and consistent manner and that its policies keep pace with changes in agriculture and associated markets, (iii) an analysis of recent trends and potential threats related to farmland loss and conversion, and recommendations, including resources needed, to improve state data collection around farmland trends and to establish a system for tracking acres of farmland in production over time, (iv) an analysis of farmland enrolled in Chapter 61A and recommendations for improving enrollment of farmland in the program, (v) measurable statewide goals and benchmarks related to farmland conversion, farmland protection, and farmland access, and recommendations for state policy changes and program funding levels to meet these goals and benchmarks. Funding recommendations shall, at a minimum, include recommendations for the following programs:  Agricultural Preservation Restriction (APR) Program; APR Agriculture Improvement Program; and Farm Viability Enhancement Program.

There shall be a farmland protection and farm viability advisory commission. The commission shall consist of 2 members of the senate, 1 of whom to be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; 2 members of the house of representatives, 1 of whom shall be appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; a member of the board of food and agriculture, as elected by the board of food and agriculture for this purpose and this member shall chair the commission; the commissioner of the department of agricultural resources or his designee; a representative of the University of Massachusetts Agricultural Extension Program; a representative of the Massachusetts Farm Bureau Federation; a representative of The Trustees of Reservations; a representative of American Farmland Trust; and 3 members to be appointed by the Governor, 1 of whom shall be a farmer, 1 of whom shall be a representative of a urban agriculture organization, 1 of whom shall be a representative of a farmland access organization.

The commission shall meet at least quarterly and at the discretion of the secretary. The commission shall make recommendations to the secretary for the proper management and development of the plan. The secretary shall consider the recommendations of the commission.

The farmland action plan shall be delivered to the Joint Committee on the Environment, Natural Resources, and Agriculture by (insert date one year out from passage).

The executive office of energy and environmental affairs and the department of agricultural resources shall provide technical support to the commission.

The secretary shall develop and implement a public outreach and information program to provide information to the public regarding the farmland action plan.

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #826 to H4200

Farmland Protection Advisory Commission