§ 151-M — Soil health initiative

§ 151-m. Soil health initiative. 1. The department, in cooperation\nwith the state soil and water conservation committee, and other partners\nworking on soil health shall encourage agricultural producers in urban,\nsuburban and rural communities to improve and maintain the health of\nfarm soils by: managing and optimizing soil health to mitigate and adapt\nto climate change, and improve water quality while improving long term\nsoil productivity, efficiency, resiliency and profitability of farming;\nensuring that soil is conserved as a living ecosystem managed to provide\nnutrients for the growth of agricultural plants and animals and a\nhealthy, affordable food supply; and addressing such environmental\nimpacts from farm operations, including, but not limited to absorbing\nand holding rainwater for use during dry periods, filtering and\nbuffering potential pollutants from leaving fields, improving climate\nresiliency, and providing habitat for beneficial soil microbes to\nflourish and diversify. Such improvement and maintenance shall account\nfor the differences in soils in different regions of the state. The\ndepartment shall coordinate the soil health initiative with the\nagricultural environmental management program established in article\neleven-A of this chapter and section eleven of the soil and water\nconservation districts law.\n 2. The department shall encourage soil health practices that include,\nbut shall not be limited to:\n (a) improving, enhancing, or otherwise maximizing soil health and\nquality, and minimizing soil erosion and sedimentation;\n (b) improving, enhancing, or otherwise maximizing water infiltration\nrates and water holding capacities of soils for improved storm water\nmanagement and flood control, drought resilience, and groundwater\nsupply; and\n (c) managing and enhancing the healthy cycling of nutrients within\nfields, to minimize nutrient runoff and reduce downstream nutrient\nloading, improve watershed health and reliable water availability,\nrestore and enhance wildlife habitat, and manage water runoff and\ndrainage water for improved local and downstream water quality.\n 3. The department, in the development of efforts to promote and\nencourage soil health, shall conduct public virtually accessible\nstakeholder meetings and provide opportunity for written public comment\nand consult with stakeholders, as appropriate, including, but not\nlimited to: the state soil and water conservation committee, the\ndepartment of environmental conservation, agricultural producers\nincluding historically marginalized producers, not-for-profit\nconservation organizations, environmental protection organizations\nincluding environmental justice, the United States Department of\nAgriculture's National Resources Conservation Services, the New York\nstate college of agriculture and life sciences established in section\nfifty-seven hundred twelve of the education law including Cornell\nCooperative Extension, other institutions of higher education in New\nYork state working on soil health, and any other organization designated\nby the commissioner.\n 4. The department, in cooperation with the state soil and water\nconservation committee, the New York state college of agriculture and\nlife sciences established in section fifty-seven hundred twelve of the\neducation law, and with input from other organizations with expertise in\nsoil health and regional stakeholders, shall establish appropriate\nvoluntary standards and objectives for soil health and quality,\nreflective of the different geographic regions, soil types, and farming\noperations. Such standards should include soil quality indicators for\nbiological, physical, and chemical properties of soil and reflect the\nlatest scientific advancements.\n