Farmland Access and Conservation for Thriving Communities Act.

Assembly Member Wilson, with a roster of coauthors, advances a comprehensive framework to broaden access to farmland by creating a dedicated program within the Department of Conservation that supports acquiring and protecting agricultural land and then transferring or leasing it to qualified farmers. The centerpiece is the Farmland Access and Conservation for Thriving Communities Act, a stand-alone division that would authorize a Farmland Access Fund in the State Treasury and set out a structure for financial and technical assistance to eligible entities to secure land for long-term, farmer-focused use.

The proposal defines agricultural land broadly to include lands used for food or fiber production and the stewardship of cultural resources, and it sets out a multi-entity model for delivering the program. Eligible recipients include nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status, public agencies, farmer cooperatives, tribal governments and entities, agricultural land trusts, and community land trusts; eligible participants are beginning or socially disadvantaged farmers or ranchers who commit to practices improving soil health, biodiversity, conservation, and long-term sustainability. The department, in collaboration with a statewide task force, would fund activities such as land identification, zoning and water-right verification, soil testing and environmental reviews, legal and appraisal services, permitting, and housing or on-farm infrastructure improvements, as well as the purchase of land or easements and related ongoing technical assistance.

Funding mechanisms and governance hinge on a confluence of appropriations and private or federal gifts, with repayments from loans to recirculate back into the program. A key feature is that the division becomes operative only upon a legislative appropriation specific to this division. The bill also establishes prioritization criteria for financial assistance, giving emphasis to socially disadvantaged farmers, farms of 500 acres or fewer, and entities with demonstrated experience, while directing that at least a third of financial assistance during each grant cycle go to tribal governments or tribal entities. Administrative costs are capped at 15 percent of the financial assistance awarded, and the framework requires that proceeds from future land resale continue to support the program. Post-acquisition requirements mandate either transferring land to a qualified farmer participant with appropriate easements and resale restrictions or leasing the land for a minimum of 10 years (or longer to meet total term criteria) with options for purchase or first refusal, and, in the case of farmer cooperatives, a path to maintain ownership under a conservation easement and related resale restrictions. A five-year window after acquisition imposes the deadline to complete transfer or lease arrangements.

In addition to these mechanics, the bill envisions ongoing oversight through the California Agricultural Land Equity Task Force, which would help guide administration and select nonprofit partners to run the program. The approach reflects an intent to preserve land for agricultural use and to anchor tenure for eligible farmers, including tribal communities and community land trusts, while coordinating with existing conservation frameworks. Because the program depends on future appropriations, the timeline and scale of implementation will hinge on budget decisions and implementing regulations, with the revolving aspects of funding—such as loan repayments and resale proceeds—subject to market conditions and regulatory guidance. The overall design maps a structured method to align land acquisition, tenure, and stewardship with the identified goals of expanding access for beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers and enhancing long-term agricultural and cultural land protections.