Climate resiliency: research farms: grant program.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Cecilia Aguiar-Curry and 2 co-sponsors

Establishes a Prop 4 grant program to fund public agricultural institutions for developing research farms to improve climate resiliency on working lands.

From committee: Do pass and re-refer to Com. on APPR. with recommendation: To Consent Calendar. (Ayes 7. Noes 0.) (July 1). Re-referred to Com. on APPR.

#climateresiliency #grantprogram #researchfarms

Purpose / intent

AB 1486 would direct the State Department of Education (in consultation with the Department of Food and Agriculture) to establish a grant program to develop or expand research farms that improve climate resiliency on agricultural lands. The program is intended to use funds made available under the Safe Drinking Water, Wildfire Prevention, Drought Preparedness, and Clean Air Bond Act of 2024 (Proposition 4).

Key provisions

Adds Education Code Section 33319.6.

Declares legislative intent that funds made available under Public Resources Code Section 93570 (Prop 4) be granted to public postsecondary institutions designated as Agricultural Experiment Stations or Agricultural Research Institutes to develop research farms for climate resiliency.

Requires the State Department of Education, in consultation with the Department of Food and Agriculture, to establish a grant program to provide grants to those designated institutions to develop or expand research farms to improve climate resiliency.

Schedule/deadline: the department must establish the program on or before July 1, 2026 (appears as an amended deadline in bill text).

The program would be implemented only upon appropriation by the Legislature of the authorized bond funds.

Funding context

Proposition 4 (2024) authorized $10 billion in general obligation bonds across multiple resilience and climate categories.

Of that total, $300 million is made available (upon appropriation) for improving climate resilience and sustainability of agricultural lands.

The act specifically makes $15,000,000 available (upon appropriation) to the State Department of Education, in consultation with CDFA, for grants to designated public postsecondary institutions to develop research farms — the source AB 1486 would use if appropriated.

Eligible recipients / who is affected

Public postsecondary educational institutions that are designated as Agricultural Experiment Stations or Agricultural Research Institutes (e.g., university-affiliated agricultural research stations).

Beneficiaries would include researchers, extension personnel, and ultimately agricultural producers and local communities that benefit from climate-resilient farming research and demonstration.

Potential impact

Builds on state bond funding to expand physical research infrastructure (research farms) focused on climate adaptation and resiliency for working lands.

Could accelerate applied research and demonstration of climate-smart practices, technology, and nature‑based solutions for California agriculture.

Program scope and actual funding depend on subsequent legislative appropriation and any implementing regulations or grant guidelines.

Legislative status & next steps

Introduced: February 21, 2025.

Committee actions: Referred to Assembly Agriculture and Natural Resources; passed out of Natural Resources and re-referred to Appropriations (April). Placed on Appropriations suspense file; hearing set and later postponed. As of May 23, 2025: In committee — hearing postponed.

Fiscal committee review required; no appropriation made within the bill itself. Implementation awaits legislative appropriation of the Prop 4 funds and administrative setup by the Department of Education in consultation with CDFA.

Bill