Page 193

House Bill No. 5506

Public Act No. 22-118 193 of 739

ninety per cent of the cost of such [management or restoration] plan or twenty thousand dollars, whichever is less. The Commissioner of Agriculture may pay or reimburse any nonprofit organization, soil and water conservation district, The University of Connecticut Extension Services or any municipality to: (1) Provide technical assistance, (2) distribute grant funding to producers, (3) coordinate training programs, (4) coordinate projects that pilot or demonstrate conservation practices, (5) create tools that help reduce barriers to accessing assistance for conservation practices on farms, (6) establish equipment-sharing programs, or (7) other activities that will increase the number of farmers who are implementing climate-smart agriculture and forestry practices. Such plan may require agricultural restoration and climate-smart agricultural and forestry plans, practices and purposes, as defined in section 22-6d. (c) For purposes of this section, "farmer" includes, but is not limited to, any lessee or franchise holder of a state or town shellfish bed and ["farmland restoration plan"] "farmland restoration and climate resiliency plan" means a conservation plan of the United States Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service, a conservation plan of a soil and water conservation district established pursuant to section 22a-315 or a conservation plan approved by the Commissioner of Agriculture. ["Farmland restoration plan"] "Farmland restoration and climate resiliency plan" includes agricultural restoration purposes, as defined in section 22-6d, and conservation and restoration plans for leased or franchised shellfish beds. Sec. 146. Section 22-6d of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2022): As used in section 22-6e: "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Agriculture; "department" means the Department of Agriculture; "garden" means a piece of land appropriate for the cultivation of herbs, fruits, flowers, or vegetables; "sponsor" means any municipal agency or