A BILL for an Act to amend and reenact section 4.1-13-15 of the North Dakota Century Code, relating to the assessment levied by the wheat commission.
SB 2162 would amend North Dakota law governing the wheat commission assessment by increasing the levy from 15 mills to 30 mills per bushel. The assessment applies to wheat grown in North Dakota, wheat delivered into the state, and wheat sold through commercial channels to a first purchaser in the state, with the charge collected at the time of sale. In practical terms, the bill would double the per-bushel assessment paid by wheat producers and others subject to the levy.
The bill is a targeted change to section 4.1-13-15 of the North Dakota Century Code and would directly affect wheat growers, handlers, first purchasers, and the wheat commission’s funding stream. Because the assessment is tied to wheat sales and deliveries, the measure would increase the amount collected for commission activities without changing the underlying structure of the assessment system. The bill was ultimately withdrawn, so no statutory change took effect.
There is no recorded committee testimony or vote history in the provided materials, so the available record does not show formal debate or a documented split in support. The bill’s text suggests the main policy issue was the size of the assessment increase, which would likely matter most to wheat producers and agricultural stakeholders who would bear the higher cost. The absence of recorded discussion makes it difficult to identify broader legislative sentiment beyond the fact that the proposal did not advance.
The principal point of contention appears to be whether doubling the wheat commission assessment was justified and how the added cost would affect farmers and the wheat industry. Supporters would likely have viewed the increase as a way to strengthen commission funding, while opponents would likely have been concerned about higher production and marketing costs for wheat producers. Because the bill was withdrawn, those concerns were not resolved through enactment.
SB 2162 would have amended North Dakota Century Code section 4.1-13-15 to increase the wheat commission assessment from 15 mills to 30 mills per bushel on covered wheat transactions. This would have raised the amount collected from wheat grown in the state, wheat delivered into the state, and wheat sold through commercial channels to a first purchaser in the state, thereby increasing revenue available to the wheat commission. Because the bill was withdrawn, the existing assessment rate remains unchanged.
The provided record shows no committee transcripts, recorded votes, or formal floor debate, so there is no documented public sentiment in the materials beyond the bill’s introduction and later withdrawal. The measure appears to have been a straightforward funding proposal for the wheat commission, but the lack of action suggests it did not gain enough momentum to proceed. Overall, the available history indicates limited visible support or unresolved concerns rather than a clearly polarized debate.
The main likely point of contention was the proposed increase in the wheat commission assessment from 15 mills to 30 mills per bushel. Agricultural producers and other affected parties would likely have been concerned about higher costs, while supporters would have argued that the wheat commission needed additional funding. No specific objections or endorsements are recorded in the supplied transcripts, so the precise arguments on each side are not documented.