Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Agriculture Water Conservation topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee OKs $20 million for agriculture water‑innovation pilot and on‑farm efficiency fund
Summary
A strike‑everything amendment to Senate Bill 17‑09 created an Agriculture and Water Innovation Fund pilot and an on‑farm irrigation efficiency fund and appropriated $10 million to each from the state lottery fund for FY2026 and FY2027; the committee returned the amended bill with a do‑pass recommendation, 7–2.
The committee adopted a strike‑everything amendment to Senate Bill 17‑09 and voted to return the measure with a do‑pass recommendation. The amendment establishes an Agriculture and Water Innovation Fund pilot to provide grants and collect data on water‑focused agricultural innovations, and allocates $10 million to the pilot and another $10 million to an on‑farm irrigation efficiency fund from the state lottery fund for fiscal years 2026 and 2027.
A sponsor explained the amendment as a vehicle to help farmers test practices that improve soil health and conserve water. Laura Magnus, speaking in support on behalf of a landowner coalition, said the pilot is “designed to derisk the farmers in order to allow them to have access to some of these technologies and advancements that can help us reduce the water use and improve soil health.”
Dane Hague, co‑founder and CEO of MyLane Company, described a soil‑microbiome approach his company uses on Arizona farms, including on‑farm sampling and lab work to select native microalgae that the company says can improve soil structure and reduce irrigation needs. Hague told the committee live biologics and on‑farm testing can assist growers in conserving water while improving yields.
Committee members raised some fiscal and oversight questions but ultimately passed the amendment and the bill by voice and roll call. The committee recorded a 7–2 vote in favor of returning the bill with a do‑pass recommendation.
The amendment frames the pilot as technology‑agnostic and seeks to fund grants that collect data on practices that conserve water and improve soil health for Arizona agriculture.
