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<section article="gag" article_name="Agriculture" number="2-2404" effective_note="EFFECTIVE UNTIL JUNE 30, 2030 PER CHAPTER 430 OF 2025" title_number="2" title_name="Department of Agriculture" subtitle_number="24" subtitle_name="Maryland Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (Leef) Program">
  <level label="a">
    <text>In this section, “Fund” means the Maryland Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF) Program Fund.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="b">
    <text>There is a Maryland Leaders in Environmentally Engaged Farming (LEEF) Program Fund in the Department.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="c">
    <text>The Department shall administer the Fund.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="d">
    <text>The State Treasurer shall hold the Fund separately, and the Comptroller shall account for the Fund.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="e">
    <text>For fiscal year 2026 and each fiscal year thereafter, the Governor shall include in the annual budget bill an appropriation of at least $900,000 to the Fund.</text>
  </level>
  <level label="f">
    <level label="1">
      <text>The Fund may be used only to:</text>
      <level label="i">
        <text>Support actions associated with fulfilling the Program’s purpose; and</text>
      </level>
      <level label="ii">
        <text>Subject to paragraph (2) of this subsection, cover the Department’s administrative costs to administer the Program.</text>
      </level>
    </level>
    <level label="2">
      <text>In each fiscal year, not more than 20% of the Fund may be used for administrative costs of the Department.</text>
    </level>
  </level>
</section>
