This bill requires the Secretary of Agriculture to establish and maintain a comprehensive training program focused on soil health management systems for Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) personnel and third-party providers. The program aims to provide education, resources, and technical support on rapidly evolving methodologies, science, and practices to improve soil health on agricultural land. The training program will be delivered through a nationally available online curriculum and in-person workshops, made available in each Service region twice every two years. These resources will be developed through cooperative agreements with entities possessing expertise in soil health, such as farming consultants, nonprofit organizations, conservation districts, and land-grant universities. Key curriculum components include the principles of soil health, the transition to regenerative agriculture, organic production, diversified farming systems, and the latest research on soil biology. It will also cover issues specific to Indian Tribes, traditional ecological knowledge, and the needs of new, small-scale, and underserved producers. The Secretary must encourage relevant personnel and providers to participate and will require them to provide soil health education materials to producers. To ensure the program remains current, the curriculum and all training materials will be reviewed and updated every two years, incorporating the latest soil health management innovations and scientific advancements. This continuous education component, alongside the initial training, aims to keep personnel and providers at the forefront of regenerative agriculture. For the implementation of this subsection, the bill authorizes an appropriation of $10,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2027 through 2032.
This bill requires the Secretary of Agriculture to establish and maintain a comprehensive training program focused on soil health management systems for Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) personnel and third-party providers. The program aims to provide education, resources, and technical support on rapidly evolving methodologies, science, and practices to improve soil health on agricultural land. The training program will be delivered through a nationally available online curriculum and in-person workshops, made available in each Service region twice every two years. These resources will be developed through cooperative agreements with entities possessing expertise in soil health, such as farming consultants, nonprofit organizations, conservation districts, and land-grant universities. Key curriculum components include the principles of soil health, the transition to regenerative agriculture, organic production, diversified farming systems, and the latest research on soil biology. It will also cover issues specific to Indian Tribes, traditional ecological knowledge, and the needs of new, small-scale, and underserved producers. The Secretary must encourage relevant personnel and providers to participate and will require them to provide soil health education materials to producers. To ensure the program remains current, the curriculum and all training materials will be reviewed and updated every two years, incorporating the latest soil health management innovations and scientific advancements. This continuous education component, alongside the initial training, aims to keep personnel and providers at the forefront of regenerative agriculture. For the implementation of this subsection, the bill authorizes an appropriation of $10,000,000 for the period of fiscal years 2027 through 2032.