| Formal Name: | Healthy Soils Task Force |
| Contact Person: | Task Force Chair Keith Berns, 932 Road X, Bladen, NE 68928, (402) 984-1784 |
| Purpose: | The Task Force is charged with developing a comprehensive action plan, coordinating efforts to carry out such healthy soils initiative using standards for organic matter, biological activity, biological diversity, and soil structure as measures to assess improved soil health. The action plan shall set goals, formulate timelines for task completion, and determine resources required and resource availability.On or before January 1, 2021, the Healthy Soils Task Force shall submit the comprehensive action plan and report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and electronically to the Agriculture Committee of the Legislature. |
| How Many Affectable: | NA |
| How Many Served: | NA |
| Year Created: | 2019 |
| Year Active: | 2019 |
| Sunset Date: | The task force shall terminate on January 1, 2021. |
| Authorization Citation: | Nebraska Revised Statute, 81-2, 162.27 |
| Parent Agency: | Nebraska Department of Agriculture |
| Number Of Members: | 15 voting members, 2 non-voting ex-officio members |
| Who Appoints: | Governor appoints the voting members |
| Legislative Approval: | No |
| Qualifications Of Members: | The task force shall consist of the following voting members: The Director of Agriculture or his or her designee; two representatives of natural resources districts in Nebraska, appointed by the Governor; two academic experts in agriculture and natural resources in Nebraska, appointed by the Governor; six representatives from production agriculture, including at least two producers that are using healthy soil practices, appointed by the Governor; two representatives from agribusiness, appointed by the Governor; and two representatives from environmental organizations in Nebraska, appointed by the Governor. The task force shall consist of the following nonvoting members: the chairperson of the Natural Resources Committee of the Legislature, or his or her designee; and the chairperson of the Agriculture Committee of the Legislature, or his or her designee. |
| Per Diem: | No |
| Expense Reimbursement: | Members shall be reimbursed for their actual and necessary expenses. |
| Term Length: | 2 years |
| Terms Rotate or Expire At Once: | All Expire |
| Required FY 17-18: | NA |
| Held FY 17-18: | NA |
| Required FY 18-19: | NA |
| Held FY 18-19: | NA |
| Required FY 19-20: | At the discretion of the Chair |
| Held FY 19-20: | 6 |
| Support Staff: | No |
| Shared or Separate: | No |
| FY 17-18 Budget: | NA |
| FY 18-19 Budget: | NA |
| FY 19-20 Budget: | Not to exceed $10,000 |
| Other Funding Sources: | None |
| Spending Authority: | LB243 |
| Since July 1, 2016: | The Task Force met three times in 2019, and as of this writing has met four times in 2020. The initial meetings involved detailed discussions among members as to what the Task Force needed to accomplish, a timeline to meet its goals, definition of healthy soils and how to achieve them, and what content to include in the final report to the Nebraska Legislature. In the summer meetings of 2020, the Task Force focused on writing and execution of the comprehensive plan and report that is to be submitted to the Legislature and the Governor on or before Jan. 1, 2021. |