2023 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 27A. Environment and Natural Resources
§27A-3-7-102. Definitions.

As used in the Healthy Soil Program Act:

1. "Champion" means a land manager who is declared a soil health champion due to the land manager's excellence in applying and promoting soil health principles, as modeled by the Soil Health Champions Network of the National Association of Conservation Districts;

2. "Commission" means the Oklahoma Conservation Commission;

3. "Eligible entity" means a local governmental entity with proven land management capacity to support healthy soil and including conservation districts;

4. "Healthy soil" means soil that enhances its continuing capacity to function as a biological system, increases its organic matter, and improves its structure and water- and nutrient-holding capacity;

5. "Program" means the healthy soil program created in this act;

6. "Soil health principle" means a principle that promotes soil health in a given environment and includes:

• a.keeping soil covered,
• b.minimizing soil disturbance on cropland and minimizing external inputs,
• c.maximizing biodiversity,
• d.maintaining a living root, or
• e.integrating animals into land management, including grazing animals, birds, beneficial insects, or keystone species, such as earthworms;

7. "Supported method" means a method that is based upon soil health principles and is scientifically supported to promote healthy soil;

8. "Technical assistance" means assistance provided to a farmer or rancher to achieve the purpose of the Healthy Soil Program Act and includes outreach, education, financial assistance or assistance with project planning, project design, grant applications, project implementation or project reporting; and

9. "Technical assistance provider" means a local, state, federal, tribal, or educational entity with demonstrated technical expertise in designing and implementing agricultural management practices that contribute to healthy soils and includes a conservation district, the United States Natural Resources Conservation Service, the United States Forest Service, the United States Bureau of Land Management, or the state Forestry Division.

Added by Laws 2022, c. 410, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2022.

NOTE: Editorially renumbered from § 3-6-102 of this title to avoid duplication in numbering.