Agricultural land: socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers: REEAL Act of 2019.

Existing law establishes in the Department of Conservation the Agricultural Protection Planning Grant Program, under which a local government entity, nonprofit organization, authority, or joint powers authority may apply to the department for a planning grant to be used for the protection and preservation of farmland, grazingland, and grassland, as specified. This bill would enact the Regional Economies and Equity in Agricultural Lands Act of 2019, or the REEAL Act of 2019, which would require the department, in consultation with the Department of Food and Agriculture, to establish the Regional Economies and Equity in Agricultural Lands Program and the Regional Economies and Equity in Agricultural Lands Fund. The bill would provide that moneys in the fund are available upon appropriation by the Legislature for the purposes of the program. The bill would require the department, under the program, to award grants to certain eligible entities to protect agricultural lands and to make agricultural lands accessible to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers, as prescribed.