PRINTER'S NO. 3140

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No.

2310

Session of

2024

INTRODUCED BY TAKAC, PROBST, HILL-EVANS, KHAN, CEPEDA-FREYTIZ,

SCHLOSSBERG, N. NELSON, SAPPEY, SANCHEZ, BELLMON, PASHINSKI,

CONKLIN, KINKEAD, DALEY, STEELE, CAUSER, FRIEL, KENYATTA,

Program; and promulgating regulations.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Title 3 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

is amended by adding a chapter to read:

Sec.

11001. Scope of chapter.

11002. Purpose.

11009. Applications.

11010. Disposition of grants.

11011. Regulations.

§ 11001. Scope of chapter.

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the

Agriculture Innovation Grant Program.

§ 11002. Purpose.

It is the intent of the General Assembly to offer

reimbursement grants to promote and support agricultural

innovation to ensure the competitiveness, resiliency,

sequesters carbon.

§ 11003. Definitions.

The following words and phrases when used in this chapter

shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Agricultural commodity." As defined in the act of June 10,

1982 (P.L.454, No.133), referred to as the Right-to-Farm Law.

"Board." The Agriculture Innovation Board established under

section 11005 (relating to board membership).

"Commission." The State Conservation Commission.

(1) be qualified under the provisions of the Cooperative

Marketing Association Act (42 Stat. 388, 7 U.S.C. §§ 291 and

292) and organized as a cooperative agricultural association

under the laws of this Commonwealth and any other state; and

(2) have full authority in the sale of affected

agricultural commodity of its members and to be engaged in

making collective sales of or marketing the commodity or its

products for its members.

"Department." The Department of Agriculture of the

Commonwealth.

inspection, crop protection, soil amendments, nutrient

management and similar services.

(3) A person or cooperative association that utilizes

agricultural commodities to create products or energy.

"Innovation." The practical implementation of ideas that

result in new products, processes or services.

"Lending institution." As defined under section 603

(relating to definitions).

"Person." An individual, partnership, association, firm,

corporation or any other legal entity.

The Agriculture Innovation Grant Program is established

within the department. The program shall be administered by the

department, in consultation with the commission and the board,

to provide reimbursement grants to eligible applications for

costs associated with one or more of the following:

(1) Utilization of innovation to improve energy

efficiency, improve water quality, reduce water consumption,

reduce odors or address solid waste concerns.

(2) Increased processing of agricultural commodities

that sequester carbon into durable goods.

(6) Technology that assists eligible applicants with the

management of their farms, including diagnostic tools and

services.

(7) Technology that assists a packer, processor or

cooperative in the sorting, grading or production of

agricultural commodities more efficiently.

(8) Innovations that improve biosecurity or health of

plants and animals.

(9) Innovations that support cybersecurity or data

analytics.

(1) The Secretary of Agriculture or a designee, who

shall serve as chairperson.

(2) The Secretary of Community and Economic Development,

or a designee.

(3) The Executive Director of the State Conservation

Commission or a designee.

(4) A representative of a higher educational facility

located in this Commonwealth.

(5) A board member of a rural electric cooperative

located in this Commonwealth.

Commonwealth.

(9) An employee of a conservation organization doing

work in this Commonwealth.

§ 11006. Grant funds and eligibility.

(a) Planning project grant.--An eligible applicant may apply

for a grant for a project focused on developing strategic plans

to improve agricultural practices, technologies, operations or

approaches within a specific business, geographic area or

network, to which the following shall apply:

(1) The amount of a grant shall be no less than $7,500

for a grant for a project that focuses on implementing

practices, technologies or approaches on an individual farm or

property producing an agricultural commodity, to which the

following shall apply:

(1) The amount of the grant shall be no less than $5,000

and no more than $200,000.

(2) A grantee must use non-State sourced matching funds

equal to at least 50% of the grant amount for the project.

(c) Regional impact project grant.--An eligible applicant

may apply for a grant for a project designed to address

funds equal to at least 50% of the grant amount for the

project.

(3) The project must impact two or more persons or

businesses or be a cooperative association that grows,

harvests, processes, packs or manages agricultural

commodities.

§ 11007. Funding.

The department shall accept funds from the following sources:

(1) Money appropriated to the department for the

purposes of this chapter.

§ 11008. Limitation of grants.

(a) Limitation.--A grant under section 11006 (relating to

grant funds and eligibility) may only be awarded to the extent

money is appropriated by the General Assembly or provided by

other sources.

(b) Approval of grant.--The board may approve a grant that

is less than the requested amount.

(c) Conditions.--The department may impose restrictions or

special conditions upon issuance of a grant.

(d) Reimbursement grants.--

portion of an in-kind contribution to an eligible project.

(3) Grant money may not be used to pay or reimburse

wages or salaries of grant recipient staff.

(4) Grant money may not be used to reimburse any portion

of project costs that are paid or reimbursed under another

Federal or State grant program.

(e) Cap on grants.--A single eligible applicant may not be

awarded more than $2,000,000 in a one-year period, calculated

from the date on which the department awards the initial grant.

§ 11009. Applications.

on the following application criteria:

(1) The ability of the applicant to complete the

project.

(2) The ability of the applicant to incorporate one or

more of the innovations under section 11004 (relating to

Agriculture Innovation Grant Program).

(3) How the project fulfills one or more of the

innovations under section 11004.

(4) The number of jobs created or retained due to the

project.

of grant expenditures.

(c) Criteria.--The department may establish criteria under

which the department may demand the return of all or a portion

of the grant money.

§ 11011. Regulations.

The department shall administer this chapter and may

prescribe and adopt regulations or program policy guidelines as

it deems necessary to administer this chapter.

Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.