161B.1 Agricultural energy management fund.

1. The agricultural energy management fund is created within the department of agriculture and land stewardship. The fund shall be used to finance education and demonstration projects regarding tillage practices and the management of fertilizer and pesticide use which result in management practices that reduce energy inputs in agriculture and reduce potential for groundwater contamination.

2. An agricultural energy management advisory council is established which shall consist of the secretary of agriculture and the chief administrator of each of the following organizations or the administrator's designee:

a. The energy and geological resources division of the department of natural resources.

b. The environmental protection division of the department of natural resources.

c. Iowa state university of science and technology college of agriculture.

d. Iowa state university of science and technology college of engineering.

e. Iowa state water resource research institute.

f. State university of Iowa department of preventative medicine and environmental health.

g. Division of soil conservation of the department of agriculture and land stewardship.

h. Iowa cooperative extension service in agriculture and home economics.

i. The university of northern Iowa.

j. The state hygienic laboratory.

The secretary of agriculture shall coordinate the appointment process for compliance with section 69.16A.

The secretary of agriculture shall be the chairperson of the council. The presiding officers of the senate, after consultation with the majority leader and the minority leader of the senate, and house shall each appoint two nonvoting members, not more than one of any one political party, to serve on the advisory council for a term of two years. The council may invite the administrators of the United States geological survey and the federal environmental protection agency to each appoint a person to meet with the council in an advisory capacity. The council shall meet quarterly or upon the call of the chairperson. The council shall review possible uses of the fund and the effectiveness of current and past expenditures of the fund. The council shall make recommendations to the department of agriculture and land stewardship on the uses of the fund.

3. The department of agriculture and land stewardship shall report annually to the standing committees on energy and environmental protection of the house and senate on the projects conducted with the agricultural energy management fund.