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<section article="gag" article_name="Agriculture" number="2-2003" title_number="2" title_name="Department of Agriculture" subtitle_number="20" subtitle_name="Urban Agriculture Grant Program">
  <level label="a">
    <text>There is an Urban Agriculture Grant Fund.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>The purpose of the Fund is to provide grants to qualified applicants to implement the Program.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The Secretary shall administer the Fund.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Fund is a special, nonlapsing fund that is not subject to § 7–302 of the State Finance and Procurement Article.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately, and the Comptroller shall account for the Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>The Fund consists of:</text>
    <level label="1">
      <text>Money appropriated to the Fund under subsection (g) of this section; and</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>Any other money from any other source accepted for the benefit of the Fund.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <text>In accordance with this subsection, the Fund shall be used to provide grants to qualified applicants.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="g">
    <text>For each of fiscal years 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028, and 2029, the Governor shall include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of at least $100,000 to the Fund.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="h">
    <level label="1">
      <text>There is an Urban Agriculture Advisory Committee to recommend guidelines, policies, and practices for the implementation of the Urban Agriculture Grant Program.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>The Committee consists of the following members:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Five members, appointed by the Secretary, with expertise in urban agriculture or working with socially disadvantaged farmers who reside in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore City, Montgomery County, or Prince George’s County;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Two members, appointed by the Secretary, with expertise in providing education and training to urban farmers through a nonprofit organization or an institution of higher education;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>One member appointed by the Maryland Agricultural and Resource–Based Industry Development Corporation;</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iv">
        <text>One member appointed by the Maryland State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="v">
        <text>One member appointed by the Department of Planning for the City of Baltimore.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="3">
      <text>The Secretary shall designate the chair of the Committee.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="4">
      <text>The Department shall provide staff for the Committee.</text>
    </level>
    <level label="5">
      <text>A member of the Committee:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>May not receive compensation as a member of the Committee; but</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="6">
      <text>The Committee shall make recommendations that:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Establish a competitive grant application process that prioritizes applications that benefit socially disadvantaged urban farmers to:</text>
        <level label="1">
          <text>Secure real property:</text>
        </level>
        <level label="A">
          <text>That has established the necessary infrastructure to grow food;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="B">
          <text>For which the grantee is the steward of the real property; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="C">
          <text>For which not more than 20% of the grant money will be used to secure property;</text>
        </level>
        <level label="2">
          <text>Maintain safe, environmentally sustainable, and socially responsible practices; and</text>
        </level>
        <level label="3">
          <text>Make capital improvements to support viable urban agriculture enterprises;</text>
        </level>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Require that grant applications demonstrate a measurable community benefit, which may include improving local food access; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="iii">
        <text>Prohibit grant recipients from using more than 15% of the amount of the grant for operating expenses.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="7">
      <text>On or before December 30, 2023, and each December 30 thereafter, the Urban Agriculture Advisory Committee shall report to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article, the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee and the House Appropriations Committee.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
