Senate Study Bill 3149 - Introduced SENATE FILE _____ BY (PROPOSED COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE BILL BY CHAIRPERSON SENG) A BILL FOR An Act providing for an in-field watershed quality education 1 pilot project. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 5977SC (3) 86 da/nh

S.F. _____ Section 1. IN-FIELD WATERSHED QUALITY EDUCATION PILOT 1 PROJECT —— COMMUNITY COLLEGES. 2 1. The department of education shall establish a three-year 3 in-field watershed quality education pilot project in 4 cooperation with the Iowa association of community college 5 trustees, Iowa state university of science and technology, 6 the Iowa nutrient research center, and the division of soil 7 conservation and water quality created within the department of 8 agriculture and land stewardship. 9 2. Three community colleges selected by the department of 10 education shall offer a special course or courses as a part of 11 the curriculum for students pursuing careers in agriculture or 12 natural resources. A course shall be designed for students 13 to analyze crop fields with a corn-soybean rotation and 14 assess, evaluate, or validate the impacts of practices that 15 reduce soil erosion and sediment loss, optimize nitrogen and 16 phosphorus application, and reduce the transport of sediment 17 and nutrients to surface water from nonpoint sources in a 18 cost-effective manner. The courses shall provide for hands-on 19 participation by students seeking to be involved in existing or 20 proposed watershed quality projects, including but not limited 21 to projects that are part of the water quality initiative 22 described in chapter 466B, subchapter IV. A student shall not 23 participate in a project unless the owner of the land where 24 the project is or may be established consents to the student’s 25 participation. 26 3. A selected community college shall transmit information 27 regarding the effectiveness of the pilot project including 28 any assessments, evaluations, or validations of specific 29 practices, to Iowa state university of science and technology. 30 The information, including aggregate data transmitted to the 31 university, shall be available for public examination and 32 copying under chapter 22. However, any information received 33 by a community college and transmitted to the university that 34 identifies a person holding a legal interest in agricultural 35 -1- LSB 5977SC (3) 86 da/nh 1/ 3

S.F. _____ land, or specific agricultural land, shall be a confidential 1 record under section 22.7. The university may designate 2 another entity to receive, collect, and hold the information, 3 which may include but is not limited to any of the following: 4 a. The Iowa nutrient research center, which shall receive, 5 collect, and hold the information under chapter 466B, 6 subchapter IV. 7 b. A person who has entered into a contract with the 8 university pursuant to 2015 Iowa Acts, chapter 132, section 18, 9 who shall receive, collect, and hold the information under that 10 section. 11 4. The department of education and Iowa state university of 12 science and technology shall jointly submit interim reports to 13 the general assembly by March 1, 2017, and March 1, 2018, and 14 a final report to the general assembly by March 1, 2019. The 15 final report shall include findings and recommendations. 16 EXPLANATION 17 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 18 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 19 GENERAL. The bill requires the department of education to 20 establish a three-year in-field watershed quality education 21 pilot project in which three selected community colleges are 22 to offer courses for students pursuing careers in agriculture 23 or natural resources. Students would analyze crop fields and 24 assess, evaluate, or validate the impacts of practices designed 25 to reduce soil erosion and sediment loss, optimize nitrogen and 26 phosphorus application, and reduce the transport of sediment 27 and nutrients to surface water. 28 COOPERATION WITH INTERESTED PERSONS. In establishing 29 the courses, the department of education would be required 30 to cooperate with the Iowa association of community college 31 trustees, Iowa state university of science and technology, 32 the Iowa nutrient research center, and the division of soil 33 conservation and water quality created within the department of 34 agriculture and land stewardship. 35 -2- LSB 5977SC (3) 86 da/nh 2/ 3

S.F. _____ INFORMATION. Information regarding the effectiveness of 1 the pilot project, including any assessments, evaluations, 2 or validations of specific practices would be transmitted to 3 Iowa state university of science and technology or a person 4 designated by the university. Information identifying a 5 person holding a legal interest in agricultural land would be 6 a confidential record. 7 REPORTS. The department of education and Iowa state 8 university of science and technology would be required to 9 submit interim reports to the governor and general assembly by 10 March 1 of each year until March 1, 2019, when they must submit 11 a final report. 12 -3- LSB 5977SC (3) 86 da/nh 3/ 3