Agriculture: Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995.

Assembly Member Connolly's sustainable agriculture legislation transforms California's environmental farming program into a comprehensive initiative supporting climate resilience and ecosystem health through research, technical assistance, and incentive grants. The bill expands the Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming from 9 to 11 members and renames it the Scientific Advisory Panel on Resilient and Sustainable Agriculture, adding expertise in sustainable agriculture practices and related state agency policies.

The legislation modifies technical assistance provisions by broadening eligible activities to include training, conservation planning, and grant writing support. Technical assistance providers can now receive funding to help farmers with grant applications, provide climate-smart agriculture training, and establish regional equipment-sharing programs. The Department of Food and Agriculture must allocate between 5% and 20% of program funds for technical assistance, with at least 25% supporting socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. Individual technical assistance grants are capped at $250,000 per program.

Under the revised framework, the advisory panel will guide implementation of research and grant programs while helping government agencies address agricultural impacts on climate, air, water, and biodiversity. The panel's expanded membership includes scientific experts serving up to two three-year terms, with seven members appointed by the Secretary of Food and Agriculture, two by the Secretary for Environmental Protection, and two by the Secretary of Natural Resources. The legislation maintains the existing Healthy Soils Program's focus on practices that enhance soil health and provide greenhouse gas benefits.