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WashingtonSB 53912025-2026 Regular SessionSenateWALLET

Concerning the sustainable farms and fields grant program.

Sponsored By: Sharon Shewmake (Democratic)

Became Law

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 2 mixed.

Grants for farm climate projects

The state runs a grant program to help farms store carbon and cut emissions. The Commission funds conservation districts and other public entities to deliver approved projects, and one grant can serve many farmers. Grants can pay for annual or up‑front carbon payments, equipment and down payments, seed and animal feed, and conservation services like precision ag and manure management. They can also support digestate use and related studies. You may include technical assistance costs in your application.

Caps and rules for grant funds

The program caps spending: up to 15% for program development and outreach, up to 5% for administration, and no more than 20% of total funds to any single applicant. Contracts for carbon storage or practice changes cannot run longer than 25 years. If you get an up‑front payment, your contract must include penalties for negligent default. Before paying up‑front for carbon storage, the Commission uses a 100‑year equivalency and may linearly annualize it: 3.67 tons of biogenic carbon stored for 100 years equals avoiding one ton of CO2e, until a better metric is adopted.

How farm grants are ranked

The Commission must use a clear metric to rank projects and publish the main metrics it uses. It favors projects that boost soil carbon, add trees or seaweed, cut greenhouse gases, save fuel, and use precision ag. Projects that create riparian buffers, improve fish habitat, or support pollinators get extra priority. The Commission strives to spread funds fairly across regions, crops, and farm sizes and to combine state, federal, and private money. Proposals expected to significantly harm fish or wildlife habitat are downgraded.

State land approval and public reporting

If your project is on land leased from the Department of Natural Resources, you must include DNR approval with your grant application. You may choose whether your business name appears in the public report. The Commission still publishes anonymized totals showing all project funding sources and amounts.

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Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Sharon Shewmake

    Democratic • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Deborah Krishnadasan

    Democratic • Senate

  • Javier Valdez

    Democratic • Senate

  • Rebecca Saldaña

    Democratic • Senate

  • T'wina Nobles

    Democratic • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 142 • No: 5

House vote • 4/9/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 93 • No: 5

Senate vote • 3/4/2025

3rd Reading & Final Passage

Yes: 49 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Effective date 7/27/2025.

    4/22/2025Senate

  2. Chapter 128, 2025 Laws.

    4/22/2025Senate

  3. Governor signed.

    4/22/2025legislature

  4. Delivered to Governor.

    4/17/2025legislature

  5. Speaker signed.

    4/15/2025legislature

  6. President signed.

    4/14/2025legislature

  7. Third reading, passed; yeas, 93; nays, 5; absent, 0; excused, 0.

    4/9/2025Senate

  8. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    4/9/2025Senate

  9. Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.

    4/8/2025Senate

  10. Referred to Rules 2 Review.

    4/2/2025Senate

  11. AGNR - Majority; do pass.

    4/1/2025Senate

  12. AGNR - Executive action taken by committee.

    4/1/2025Senate

  13. First reading, referred to Agriculture & Natural Resources.

    3/6/2025Senate

  14. Third reading, passed; yeas, 49; nays, 0; absent, 0; excused, 0.

    3/4/2025Senate

  15. Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.

    3/4/2025Senate

  16. Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.

    3/3/2025Senate

  17. Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.

    2/17/2025Senate

  18. ANR - Majority; do pass.

    2/13/2025Senate

  19. First reading, referred to Agriculture & Natural Resources.

    1/21/2025Senate

  20. Introduced

    1/21/2025Senate

Bill Text

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