A bill proposing a California version of the Green New Deal was fleshed out with more details last week. Along with a number of other goals, it now calls for “increasing the percentage of California’s agricultural land that is certified organic to 100 percent by 2040.”
The measure, Assembly Bill 1839, also wants the state to “transition from polluting, fuel-based models of agriculture to nonpolluting, energy-efficient models that support and protect the environment, workers, local communities and certified organic farmers, including small and socially disadvantaged farms.”
AB 1389 lists 13 authors and co-authors, mostly from the Bay Area and San Diego. The bill is currently in the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. The authors have signaled that some aspects of the bill may be shelved until next year. The first objective of the measure is to establish a task force to explore its many goals through conferences and public forums and report back with solutions.
Other actions proposed in the bill would add to California’s climate goals for phasing out fossil fuel use, while also increasing access to healthy food, tackling homelessness and boosting affordable housing.
Top photo: Asm. Rob Bonta, D-Alameda, introduces AB 1839 in January.
