Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995: grant program update.

Existing law, the Cannella Environmental Farming Act of 1995, requires the Department of Food and Agriculture to establish and oversee an environmental farming program to provide incentives to farmers whose practices promote the well-being of ecosystems, air quality, and wildlife and their habitat. The act requires the Secretary of Food and Agriculture to convene the Scientific Advisory Panel on Environmental Farming, as prescribed, for the purpose of providing advice to the secretary on the implementation of the Healthy Soils Program and the State Water Efficiency and Enhancement Program and assistance to federal, state, and local government agencies on issues relating to the impact of agricultural practices on air, water, and wildlife habitat, as specified. The act requires the department to provide an update to the panel on or before January 31, 2021, on aspects of the grant program, as specified. This bill would require, after January 31, 2021, that the department provide to the panel subsequent reports on aspects of the grant program, as specified, every 2 years.