WHEREAS, An intermediate crop is a nonfood crop of renewable biomass that otherwise meets the definition of a cover crop and is planted and harvested on land that would otherwise be idle in a rotation pattern between main crops or in a fallow rotation; and

WHEREAS, Intermediate crops possess the potential to produce ultralow carbon renewable fuels and sustainable aviation fuels to meet the growing demand for alternative energy sources; and

WHEREAS, Similar to cover crops, intermediate crops provide important conservation benefits, including by reducing erosion and nutrient loss to improve soil health and permeability; and

WHEREAS, Intermediate crops represent a meaningful opportunity for agricultural producers in the United States to capture additional income by growing intermediate crops on otherwise idle or fallow acres between crop cycles without displacing food crops; and

WHEREAS, By increasing the planted acreage of intermediate crops, such as the intermediate crop Camelina sativa, California can further diversify renewable energy sources and strengthen domestic energy production while bolstering rural economies; and

WHEREAS, In 2023, the intermediate crop Camelina sativa alone was produced on more than 45,000 designated acres in the United States; and

WHEREAS, The continued expansion of support for intermediate crops is important to help increase acreage and farmer adoption; and

WHEREAS, The United States government’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge and the federal Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (Public Law 117-169) prioritize and incentivize the increased use of renewable fuels and sustainable aviation fuels, resulting in a need for more feedstocks; and

WHEREAS, Intermediate crops do not contribute to land use change or food insecurity and can help the state meet the growing demand for renewable fuel feedstocks responsibly; and

WHEREAS, In anticipation of expanded interest in intermediate crops as a source of renewable fuels, October would be an appropriate month to be designated as California Intermediate Crop Month; now, therefore, be it