Video & Transcript Research : 'Interstate 12'

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KY

Kentucky 2026 Regular Session

Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture. (2-3-26)

Agriculture

Transcript Highlights:
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  • levels, K through 12, preK through 12. levels, K through 12, preK through 12.
Summary: The Senate Agriculture Committee met for the first meeting of the 2026 session, established a quorum, and opened with the pledge and a moment of silence honoring Gary Shell, the father of Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell. Committee members welcomed new senators to the panel and briefly noted a soybean association luncheon later in the day. The committee then took up two bills, both sponsored by Senator Jason Howell and presented with Commissioner Shell. Senate Bill 5 was the main item of discussion. Howell and Shell described it as a measure to reduce procurement barriers and expand the use of Kentucky-grown food in school nutrition programs, with a broader goal of connecting farmers, school districts, and the Department of Education through Kentucky Proud and related local sourcing efforts. Shell also discussed related agriculture-in-the-classroom efforts, including “All In for a Week,” and said the bill was part of a larger push to decentralize food sourcing and improve access for local producers. Several members asked questions and offered supportive comments, including a discussion of whether Kentucky Proud products would be included and a side conversation about possible future aquaculture legislation. The committee voted favorably on SB 5, and it passed with favorable expression. The committee then considered Senate Bill 73, which would allow beef tallow-based cosmetic products to be made at home under the state’s home-based industry rules by creating a specific statutory exclusion. After a brief explanation and no substantive debate, the committee voted on the bill and it passed with favorable expression and was recommended to be reported.