(1) The soil health advisory committee is hereby created. The commissioner shall appoint no less than nine members to the committee. (2) (a) The commissioner shall appoint members who: (I) Represent the different geographic areas and demographic diversity of the state and reflect the political diversity of the state to the greatest extent possible; (II) Include agricultural producers of diverse production systems, including diversity in size, product, irrigated systems, dryland systems, and livestock production systems; and (III) Include: (A) An irrigated crop producer; (B) A dryland crop producer; (C) A rancher; (D) An organic producer; (E) A crop consultant; (F) A representative of an Indian tribe; (G) A representative with expertise in soil carbon storage and natural climate mitigation; (H) Two representatives who are board members of the Colorado Association of Conservation Districts or its successor organization; and (I) At least two water users who own, lease, or represent owners of adjudicated water rights used for agricultural purposes both from west of the continental divide and east of the continental divide, one of whom must be a ditch corporation as described in section 7-42-101, an acequia ditch corporation as described in section 7-42-101.5, or a shareholder in either of these types of ditch corporations. (b) Members on the advisory committee representing water users in accordance with subsection (2)(a)(III)(I) of this section may, but need not, be the same members that represent another person or group described in subsections (2)(a)(III)(A) to (2)(a)(III)(H) of this section. (c) The state conservation board, created in section 35-70-103, shall appoint two representatives to be members of the advisory committee. (d) The commissioner shall appoint one of the two representatives who are members of the state conservation board as the chair of the advisory committee. (e) The advisory committee shall meet with the state conservation board at least four times annually. (3) The commissioner shall appoint representatives of the following to serve as ex officio members on the advisory committee: (a) The Colorado water conservation board created in article 60 of title 37; (b) The natural resources conservation service in the United States department of agriculture; and (c) Colorado state university. (4) (a) The commissioner shall appoint approximately half of the initial members for two-year terms, but thereafter, appointments are for four-year terms unless the commissioner, in changing the number of members, determines that an appointment needs to be for less than four years to keep approximately half of the total number of the members' terms expiring every two years. Upon expiration of a member's term, the member continues to hold office until a successor has been duly appointed, but for no longer than six months. (b) Members of the advisory committee shall not serve more than two full four-year terms. An initial two-year term is not a full term. (5) The commissioner may remove a member of the advisory committee for misconduct, incompetence, or neglect of duty. (6) A majority of the members that represent at least five of the people or groups described in subsections (2)(a)(III)(A) to (2)(a)(III)(H) and (2)(c) of this section constitutes a quorum of the advisory committee to take any action authorized in this section. (7) (a) The advisory committee shall: (I) Approve or deny any grant proposed by the department; and (II) Make recommendations to the department concerning and assist in the development of the soil health program, including recommendations for the qualifications of eligible entities to receive grant money. (b) The advisory committee may: (I) Solicit input from stakeholders from each member's area of expertise and region of the state and communicate the advisory committee's recommendations to the region and stakeholders represented by each member; (II) Solicit input, in collaboration with the department, from underserved agricultural producers; (III) Solicit input from agricultural producers that reflect the different geographic areas and demographic diversity of the state to the greatest extent possible; (IV) Review soil health grant proposals from grant applicants, including proposed budgets, proposed grant outcomes, and the qualifications of any eligible entities applying for grants; (V) Review any agreements for cooperation or collaboration entered into by the department as authorized in section 35-73-105 (1)(e); (VI) Evaluate the results and effectiveness of soil health activities and the soil health program in improving soil health; and (VII) Recommend to the commissioner ways to enhance statewide efforts to support healthy soils throughout the state. (8) Members of the advisory committee receive no compensation for their service on the advisory committee but may be reimbursed for actual and necessary travel and other actual expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties. The department shall adopt uniform and reasonable guidelines governing expense reimbursement. (9) This section is repealed, effective September 1, 2031. Before the repeal, this section is scheduled for review in accordance with section 2-3-1203.
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