North Carolina SB 574: Soil Health Task Force.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025
S 1
SENATE BILL 574

Short Title: Soil Health Task Force. (Public)
Sponsors: Senator Murdock (Primary Sponsor).
Referred to: Rules and Operations of the Senate
March 26, 2025
*S574-v-1*
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1
AN ACT TO CREATE THE HEALTHY SOILS TASK FORCE. 2
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts: 3
SECTION 1.(a) Findings. – The General Assembly finds that healthy soils are a 4
limited natural resource and fundamental for healthy and sustainable food production. Improving 5
soil health means increasing soil's organic matter and diversifying its microbial activity to 6
enhance agricultural productivity and environmental resilience. 7
SECTION 1.(b) Additional findings. – The General Assembly finds further all of 8
the following: 9
(1) That North Carolina is a leading agricultural state with productive soils and 10
abundant water supplies, and therefore a commitment to maintain healthy and 11
productive soils and clean water is critical as population and food production 12
demands rise. However, much of the State's soil has been depleted of organic 13
matter and trace minerals, making the soil less fertile, requiring more inputs, 14
and resulting in a degradation of the soil structure that builds resilience and 15
helps to maintain clean water. 16
(2) There is a real and pressing opportunity for the state's farmers to capitalize on 17
the economic and production benefits of improved soil health, while 18
simultaneously improving surface and ground water quality. Improving the 19
health of the state's soil is the most effective way for agricultural producers to 20
increase crop and forage productivity and profitability while also protecting 21
the environment. 22
(3) Appropriate planning and coordination is needed to accelerate and coordinate 23
the adoption of conservation practices that: (i) rebuild and protect soil carbon 24
to increase water holding capacity and enhance the vitality of the subsurface 25
microbiome for landowners to capitalize on the economic and production 26
benefits of soil health; (ii) enhance water quality; (iii) capture carbon; (iv) 27
build resilience to drought and pests; (v) reduce grenhouse gas emissions; (vi) 28
expand pollinator and other wildlife habitats; and (vii) protect fragile 29
ecosystems for a more sustainable future. 30
SECTION 2. Chapter 139 of the General Statutes is amended by adding a new 31
Article to read: 32
"Article 7. 33
"Healthy Soils Task Force. 34
"§ 139-70. North Carolina Healthy Soils Task Force. 35

General Assembly Of North Carolina Session 2025
Page 2 Senate Bill 574-First Edition
(a) Task Force Established. – The North Carolina Healthy Soils Task Force (Task Force) 1
is established within the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for budgetary 2
purposes only. 3
(b) Membership. – The Task Force shall consist of the chairs of the House and Senate 4
standing committees with responsibility for agriculture issues as nonvoting members and the 5
following 11 voting members: 6
(1) The Commissioner of Agriculture or the Commissioner's designee. 7
(2) The Chair of the Soil and Water Conservation Commission, or the Chair's 8
designee. 9
(3) The Dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North Carolina 10
State University, or the Dean's designee. 11
(4) The Dean of the College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences at North 12
Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, or the Dean's designee. 13
(5) The President and Chief Executive Officer of the Soil Health Institute, or the 14
President's designee. 15
(6) The President of the North Carolina Farm Bureau or the President's designee. 16
(7) The Executive Director of the North Carolina Composting Council or the 17
Executive Director's designee. 18
(8) Two members appointed by the Governor who are farmers primarily engaged 19
in the production of row crops. 20
(9) Two members appointed by the Governor who are farmers primarily engaged 21
in the production of specialty crops. 22
(c) Additional Requirements for Governor's Appointments. – Of the four members 23
appointed by the Governor under subsection (b) of this section, one shall be a farmer farming 24
less than 180 acres, and one a farmer farming between 180 and 500 acres. The Governor shall 25
also make best efforts to appoint members engaged in healthy soils practices, as defined by the 26
Natural Resources Conservation Service of the United States Department of Agriculture. 27
(d) Meetings and Quorum. – The Task Force shall meet quarterly and at other times at 28
the call of the chair. A majority of voting members of the Task Force shall constitute a quorum. 29
(e) Terms and Vacancies. –Terms shall be for a period of two years. The members shall 30
elect a chair, who shall preside for the duration of the chair's term as a member. In the event a 31
vacancy occurs in the chair before the expiration of the chair's term, the members shall elect an 32
acting chair to serve f