Utah Code 4-46-304. Agriculture Conservation Easement Account

4-46-304. Agriculture Conservation Easement Account.

(1)	There is created within the General Fund a restricted account known as the Agriculture Conservation Easement Account.

Agriculture: means the science and art of the production of plants and animals useful to man, including the preparation of plants and animals for human use and disposal by marketing or otherwise. See Utah Code 4-1-109
Appropriation: The provision of funds, through an annual appropriations act or a permanent law, for federal agencies to make payments out of the Treasury for specified purposes. The formal federal spending process consists of two sequential steps: authorization
Board: means the Land Conservation Board established in Section 4-46-201. See Utah Code 4-46-102
Department: means the Department of Agriculture and Food created in Chapter 2, Administration. See Utah Code 4-1-109
Fund: means the LeRay McAllister Working Farm and Ranch Fund created in Section 4-46-301. See Utah Code 4-46-102
Land: includes :Utah Code 68-3-12.5
Person: means a natural person or individual, corporation, organization, or other legal entity. See Utah Code 4-1-109
State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes a state, district, or territory of the United States. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5

(2)

The Agriculture Conservation Easement Account consists of:

(a)	conservation easement stewardship fees;

(b)	grants from private foundations;

(c)	grants from local governments, the state, or the federal government;

(d)	grants from the Land Conservation Board created under Section 4-46-201;

(e)	donations from landowners for monitoring and enforcing compliance with conservation easements;

(f)	donations from any other person; and

(g)	interest on account money.

(3)	Upon appropriation by the Legislature, the department shall use money from the account to monitor and enforce compliance with conservation easements held by the department.

(4)	The department may not receive or expend donations from the account to acquire conservation easements.

Enacted by Chapter 528, 2023 General Session