CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION Senate Resolution No. 115Introduced by Senator GroveAugust 07, 2024 Relative to food and agriculture. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSR 115, as introduced, Grove. Digest KeyBill TextWHEREAS, An intermediate crop is a nonfood crop of renewable biomass that otherwise meets the definition of a cover crop and is planted and harvested on land that would otherwise be idle in a rotation pattern between main crops or in a fallow rotation; andWHEREAS, Intermediate crops possess the potential to produce ultralow carbon renewable fuels and sustainable aviation fuels to meet the growing demand for alternative energy sources; andWHEREAS, Similar to cover crops, intermediate crops provide important conservation benefits, including by reducing erosion and nutrient loss to improve soil health and permeability; andWHEREAS, Intermediate crops represent a meaningful opportunity for agricultural producers in the United States to capture additional income by growing intermediate crops on otherwise idle or fallow acres between crop cycles without displacing food crops; andWHEREAS, By increasing the planted acreage of intermediate crops, such as the intermediate crop Camelina sativa, California can further diversify renewable energy sources and strengthen domestic energy production while bolstering rural economies; andWHEREAS, In 2023, the intermediate crop Camelina sativa alone was produced on more than 45,000 designated acres in the United States; andWHEREAS, The continued expansion of support for intermediate crops is important to help increase acreage and farmer adoption; andWHEREAS, The United States governments Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge and the federal Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-169) prioritize and incentivize the increased use of renewable fuels and sustainable aviation fuels, resulting in a need for more feedstocks; andWHEREAS, Intermediate crops do not contribute to land use change or food insecurity and can help the state meet the growing demand for renewable fuel feedstocks responsibly; andWHEREAS, In anticipation of expanded interest in intermediate crops as a source of renewable fuels, October would be an appropriate month to be designated as California Intermediate Crop Month; now, therefore, be itResolved by the Senate of the State of California, That the Senate designates October 2024 as California Intermediate Crop Month; and be it furtherResolved, That the Senate recognizes the potential of intermediate crops to provide additional revenue streams to rural communities and contribute to renewable energy goals; and be it furtherResolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION Senate Resolution No. 115Introduced by Senator GroveAugust 07, 2024 Relative to food and agriculture. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGESTSR 115, as introduced, Grove. Digest Key
CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE 20232024 REGULAR SESSION
Senate Resolution
No. 115
Introduced by Senator GroveAugust 07, 2024
Introduced by Senator Grove
August 07, 2024
Relative to food and agriculture.
LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
## LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST
SR 115, as introduced, Grove.
## Digest Key
## Bill Text
WHEREAS, An intermediate crop is a nonfood crop of renewable biomass that otherwise meets the definition of a cover crop and is planted and harvested on land that would otherwise be idle in a rotation pattern between main crops or in a fallow rotation; and
WHEREAS, Intermediate crops possess the potential to produce ultralow carbon renewable fuels and sustainable aviation fuels to meet the growing demand for alternative energy sources; and
WHEREAS, Similar to cover crops, intermediate crops provide important conservation benefits, including by reducing erosion and nutrient loss to improve soil health and permeability; and
WHEREAS, Intermediate crops represent a meaningful opportunity for agricultural producers in the United States to capture additional income by growing intermediate crops on otherwise idle or fallow acres between crop cycles without displacing food crops; and
WHEREAS, By increasing the planted acreage of intermediate crops, such as the intermediate crop Camelina sativa, California can further diversify renewable energy sources and strengthen domestic energy production while bolstering rural economies; and
WHEREAS, In 2023, the intermediate crop Camelina sativa alone was produced on more than 45,000 designated acres in the United States; and
WHEREAS, The continued expansion of support for intermediate crops is important to help increase acreage and farmer adoption; and
WHEREAS, The United States governments Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge and the federal Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-169) prioritize and incentivize the increased use of renewable fuels and sustainable aviation fuels, resulting in a need for more feedstocks; and
WHEREAS, Intermediate crops do not contribute to land use change or food insecurity and can help the state meet the growing demand for renewable fuel feedstocks responsibly; and
WHEREAS, In anticipation of expanded interest in intermediate crops as a source of renewable fuels, October would be an appropriate month to be designated as California Intermediate Crop Month; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, That the Senate designates October 2024 as California Intermediate Crop Month; and be it further
Resolved, That the Senate recognizes the potential of intermediate crops to provide additional revenue streams to rural communities and contribute to renewable energy goals; and be it further
Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.