Transcript Highlights:

• farms in 1995 to now we are just over 1,600 dairy farms in Minnesota.
• </c> our dairy farms with 9,000 dairy farms our dairy farms with 9,000 dairy farms in<00:07:36.760><c
• </c> farms in Minnesota. farms in Minnesota.
• Uh, all farms that wish to expand over 1,000 animal units are required to fill out that EAW.
• Uh, all farms that wish to expand over 1,000 animal units are required to fill out that EAW.

Transcript Highlights:

• Hi, Bonita Villobos Rivera, third vice president of the United Farm Workers. Thank you.
• Hi, Bonita Villobos Rivera, third vice president of the United Farm Workers, and I'm also the regional
• So 180 units of nightly lodging. We serve about 400 farm workers a year through those centers.
• those units reserved for farm workers either through state or federal programs.
• the housing, 75 units of single-family homes for farm workers and others.

Committee: House Housing and Community Development

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><00:08:21.880><c> on</c><00:08:21.960><c> the</c> our farm where we've been farming on the our farm
• </c> over 3,000 family farms. over 3,000 family farms.
• </c> whatnot on their farm. whatnot on their farm.
• </c> animal units or more. animal units or more.
• All farms that wish to expand over 1,000 animal units are required to fill out that EAW.

Bills: HF4740 , HF3940

Committee: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:

• Farm workers are essential.
• So Rosa is a dedicated mother and farm worker, where she works on a vegetable farm.
• Farm workers in the United States don't just harvest our crops.
• workers unit.
• I worked with the United Farm Workers in California, in their health care system, and in Massachusetts

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Revenue

Summary: The hearing opened with remarks from the co-chairs explaining committee procedures, testimony limits, submission instructions, and the new deadlines for acting on House and Senate bills. The committee then heard testimony on several bills related to agriculture, land use, environment, housing, transportation, and taxation, with legislators often taken out of turn. No votes were taken during the hearing. The first major topic was H. 3206, a bill to allow fossil fuel-free 529 college savings plans to qualify for the state tax deduction if MEFA does not offer a comparable option. Representative Steve Owens said the bill would not force MEFA or Fidelity to change existing plans, but would create a definition for fossil fuel-free funds and extend the deduction to qualifying out-of-state plans. The committee also heard strong local testimony on a Belmont home-rule petition, H. 3970, to change tax treatment for the Belmont Country Club under Chapter 61B. Belmont residents and officials argued the private golf course receives an unfair tax break that shifts costs to other taxpayers, while Senator Brownsberger and Representative Rogers supported the measure as a way to help the town recover revenue. Committee members asked about town meeting support, the club’s lack of payment in lieu of taxes, and the size of the tax savings. The committee next heard testimony on a vehicle miles traveled tax proposal, S. 1925, from Senator Barrett and economists Gilbert Metcalf and Christopher Knittel. They argued that declining gas-tax revenue and rising fuel efficiency, especially with electric vehicles, require a more stable transportation funding source; they also said a VMT tax could be designed to be revenue-neutral and mildly progressive, though members raised concerns about administration, fairness, EV disincentives, and the possibility of annual tax shocks. The largest block of testimony focused on the Ahead Act, H. 3194/S. 1973, which would double the deed excise fee and dedicate the new revenue to affordable housing and climate adaptation. Supporters from MACDC, MAPC, FICC, Boston Climate Action Network, CLF, 350 Mass, CHAPA, and a tenant advocate said the bill could generate about $300 million annually for housing production, vouchers, weatherization, resilience, and environmental justice communities, and that it links two urgent crises with a stable funding stream. The committee also heard testimony on the Conservation Land Tax Credit bills, H. 3147/S. 2083, which would raise the annual cap on the credit from $2 million to $5 million for three years and then sunset back down. Conservation groups and a landowner said the program has conserved thousands of acres and that the higher cap would reduce delays and help meet state conservation goals. Finally, the committee took testimony on the Fairness for Farm Workers bills, S. 2011/H. 3107 and S. 2012, which would extend overtime, minimum wage, breaks, and paid time off protections to farm workers and include a refundable tax credit to help farmers offset overtime costs. Senator Gomez and advocates described the bills as overdue civil rights and public health measures, citing low wages, long hours, dangerous conditions, and the racial history behind farm labor exclusions. The hearing also included testimony on H. 3240, a bill to give municipalities a local option vacancy tax on chronically vacant shopping malls, with the sponsor arguing it would help towns address blight, encourage redevelopment, and potentially create housing and tax revenue.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, but farm to local.
• housing units, etc.?
• of the 400 housing units?
• of the 400 housing units?
• We farm all organically.

Transcript Highlights:

• We have a project called Grand Farm.
• Crop insurance means a counter-cyclical safety net that works, keeping the farm in the farm bill.
• Sometimes our farm kids can't get a job back on the farm, can't return to the family farm, but they want
• Farm to Fly. It has been made a part of the draft of both the House and Senate farm bills.
• So who's going to work the farms?

Committee: Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee

Transcript Highlights:

• So many of our farms involve the second career or, you know, someone having a career and then farming
• and the medium-sized farms get through... ...to help those small farms and the medium-sized farms get
• In the past 20 years, the number of farms has decreased by 10.7%, and the size of farms has increased
• Resource Line, 1-800-Farm-Aid.
• The stresses of marriage while farming and running the family farm business alongside your spouse, with

Summary: The Senate Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee met for a work session focused on Washington agriculture’s condition, food security, behavioral health, and animal disease surveillance. WSDA Director Derek Sandison and economist Maddie Roy presented an update on agricultural viability, describing Washington agriculture as highly diverse and valuable but increasingly strained by rising production and labor costs, aging producers, consolidation, trade barriers, land pressures, stagnant research funding, infrastructure concerns, and climate impacts. They cited declining farm numbers, falling net farm income, and negative take-home pay for farmers, while also noting strengths such as climate, soils, ports, irrigation, universities, and other infrastructure. Committee members asked about commodity-specific impacts, comparisons with other states, and the role of regulation in worsening costs. Kelly McLean followed with a discussion of opportunities to support agriculture, including trade, domestic food systems development, climate mitigation, clean energy, ag tech, workforce and education, and mental health. She highlighted investments in port and transportation infrastructure, local food processing and distribution, land access and incubator opportunities, climate resilience projects, and programs supporting farmworker and farmer mental health. Katie Raines then updated the committee on food systems and food security, explaining WSDA’s reorganization into a Farm and Food Systems Development Division and describing trends in household food insecurity, the state’s hunger safety net, and the importance of food system infrastructure. She noted that food insecurity is rising again and that even higher-income households are reporting need, while legislators asked about eligibility thresholds and the impact on lower-income residents. The committee also heard from WSU Skagit County Extension’s Don McMoran and Maddie Van der Koi on agricultural stress and suicide prevention. They described the Western Region Agricultural Stress Assistance Partnership, crisis and referral resources, peer-to-peer outreach, trainings, and free counseling vouchers for farmers and farmworkers. They emphasized that farmers face chronic stress from financial volatility, weather, labor shortages, isolation, and stigma, and cited elevated suicide rates in agricultural populations. Members asked about reluctance to seek help and whether flooding had increased demand for services. Finally, Dr. Kevin Snekovic of the Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory described WADDL’s role in disease testing, food safety, wildlife surveillance, and rapid response to outbreaks such as avian influenza and chronic wasting disease. He said the lab supports trade and quarantine decisions, and members asked about elk hoof rot research, workforce needs, and how to connect constituents to the lab. No votes were taken; the session ended with a preview of upcoming Thursday work sessions on marine resources, Columbia River Basin supply, Ecology’s report back, and agricultural natural resources issues.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> would be for smallcale vegetable farms. would be for smallcale vegetable farms.
• </c> National Farm Bureau. National Farm Bureau.
• </c> &gt;&gt; The head of the National Farm. &gt;&gt; The head of the National Farm.
• United States Constitution. And that United States Constitution.
• </c> authority of the United States Congress. authority of the United States Congress.

Committee: Senate Finance

Transcript Highlights:

• dairy farms in Washington State with approximately 257,000 dairy cows.
• I also grew up on a dairy farm, not in Washington State, but it was a small family farm.
• It was, and I think also it's important: I get the newsletters for the farm worker trust, the farm trust
• And now he is a proud farm owner of his dairy in Elma, Washington.
• out to larger farms for many pressures that are upon them.

Summary: The Senate first handled routine business, including approving the previous day’s journal, receiving House messages transmitting House Bill 73 and Second Substitute House Bill 1784, and referring Senate Bill 6353 to the Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs, and Elections. It then moved to resolutions. Senate Resolution 8687, commemorating the 84th anniversary of Executive Order 9066 and acknowledging the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II, drew extensive remarks in support from several senators. Speakers emphasized the injustice of the internment, the contributions of Japanese American veterans and civil rights activists, the importance of remembrance, and the need to prevent similar abuses in the future. The resolution was adopted by voice vote. The Senate also considered Senate Resolution 8688, recognizing Washington’s dairy farms and the role of dairy producers in the state’s economy and communities. Senators shared personal ties to dairy farming and praised the hard work of family farms, dairy workers, and industry representatives. The resolution was adopted by voice vote, and visiting members of the Washington State Dairy Council, Dairy Women’s Organization, and Dairy Ambassadors were recognized in the gallery. At the close of business, the Senate agreed to adjourn until 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 19, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• And whereas there are nearly 260 family dairy farms in Washington.
• I also grew up on a dairy farm, not in Washington State, but it was a small family farm.
• It was, and I think also it's important: I get the newsletters for the Farm Worker Trust, the farm trust
• Proud farm owner of his dairy in Elma, Washington.
• out to larger farms for many pressures that are upon them.

Summary: The Senate opened by approving the previous day’s journal, receiving messages from the House, and referring newly introduced Senate Bill 6353 to the Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs, and Elections. The chamber then moved to resolutions. Senate Resolution 8687, commemorating the 84th anniversary of Executive Order 9066 and recognizing Japanese American veterans, incarcerees, and civil rights activists, was presented and adopted. Several senators spoke in support, describing the wartime incarceration of Japanese Americans as a grave civil rights injustice and emphasizing remembrance, healing, and the need to prevent similar abuses in the future. The Senate also adopted Senate Resolution 8688 honoring Washington’s dairy farms and dairy workers. Senators highlighted the industry’s economic importance, family farm traditions, and the hard work involved in dairy production, with some members sharing personal family and farming experiences. After adoption, the Senate welcomed representatives of the Washington State Dairy Council, Washington State Dairy Women’s Organization, and Dairy Ambassadors Apprentices to the gallery. The Senate then adjourned without objection until 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 19, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• or adjacent to farms?
• Many of our farmers have off-farm... ...many of our farmers have off-farm income already.
• So it's just an opportunity to help them keep their farm as a farm because they're getting that consistent
• Farms need power to be able to operate.
• The funds flow to the United Nations Least Developed Countries Fund, which is administered by the United

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on Revenue

Summary: The committee heard testimony on H. 3256, a bill stemming from the Massachusetts Cranberry Revitalization Task Force that would remove Chapter 61A barriers for certain renewable energy projects on non-producing agricultural land. Supporters said the bill would let farmers separate adjacent land from Chapter 61A without a municipal right of first refusal, avoid rollback and advance tax penalties, and use small solar or other renewable projects to generate supplemental income while keeping the farm in operation. Testimony emphasized that the proposal is intended to be “farm-first,” limited to marginal or accessory land, and could also produce local tax revenue for municipalities. Some members raised concerns about whether the bill should be limited to solar, the appropriate project size, impacts on other agricultural sectors, and whether future sales or conversion back to other uses should trigger local rights of first refusal. Witnesses said the bill had been reported favorably in a prior session and noted that similar projects typically involve 20-year leases with extensions. The committee also took testimony on S. 2009, which would authorize regional transportation ballot initiatives. MAPC and Transportation for Mass argued that the bill would give municipalities and groups of municipalities a flexible tool to raise local revenue for transportation projects such as transit, roads, bridges, bikeways, and pedestrian infrastructure, with sunset provisions so the revenue ends when the project ends. They said the measure would not raise taxes on its own, but would allow local voters to decide whether to adopt a revenue source, and pointed to examples from other states where similar initiatives funded major transit and infrastructure projects. No votes were taken during the hearing. Testimony was also heard on S. 1922, which would create a Massachusetts fund allowing voluntary taxpayer donations to the UN Least Developed Countries Fund or related 501(c)(3) nonprofits supporting climate-vulnerable communities. Climate Reality Project representatives said the bill would let Massachusetts residents support climate resilience projects in the world’s poorest countries at no cost to the Commonwealth, and could serve as a model for other states. Senators questioned how recipient countries and nonprofits would be selected, what safeguards would exist regarding countries such as Yemen, and how taxpayers would know where donations would go; witnesses said the fund would be administered through the UN system and that they would provide more clarification. Rep. Michelle Ciccolo also testified on H. 3051, seeking a one-year deferral of the higher interest rate that applies when deferred property taxes become due after the death of a senior or veteran, saying the current jump to 16% can burden heirs and discourage use of the deferral program. The hearing concluded without any votes or committee actions.

Transcript Highlights:

• This was created by the Farm Bill. Remember when we had a Farm Bill? And it created...
• gate income in the United States.
• She's on a farm that is personal friends with us, a very substantial dairy farm.
• Farm to school: we've got farms, we've got kids who need food. And yet it was so hard.
• working on a farm for 20 years.

Committee: Senate Agriculture

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture first moved through a series of animal welfare bills, reporting all of them to the floor. The measures included bills on sentencing for aggravated cruelty to animals, additional aggravated cruelty provisions, penalties for animal abandonment, requiring owners or lessors of vacated properties to inspect for abandoned animals, and restricting surgical depopulation procedures on dogs and pets. Members generally expressed support, and each bill advanced by motion and voice vote with no noted opposition or recusals; one additional bill was held by the sponsor. The committee then heard from Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard Ball, who gave an update on state and federal agriculture issues. He discussed the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center, federal farm bill negotiations, specialty crops, labor and H-2A reform, dairy margin coverage concerns, possible cuts to EQIP, organic certification funding, trade and USMCA review, tariffs and input costs, and disaster concerns affecting Long Island seafood producers. He also highlighted state programs such as Nourish New York, Dairy Modernization, farm-to-school efforts, and workforce development initiatives. Members asked questions about raw milk sales, H-2A labor, solar siting on farmland, farm-to-school expansion, tariff impacts, and support for farmers facing federal cuts and rising costs. Ball said raw milk sales remain limited to licensed on-farm sales with inspections and warnings, supported reform of H-2A and broader labor policy, urged protecting prime and actively farmed land from solar development, and emphasized the need to preserve food access programs like Nourish New York and farmers market nutrition benefits. The meeting ended after the commissioner’s testimony and member discussion, with no further formal action beyond the earlier bill reports.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> the cold storage unit? the cold storage unit?
• </c> Farm Bureau. Farm Bureau.
• , farming, farming, bonafide<00:19:01.560><c> farm</c><00:19:01.920><c> farming,</c><00:19:02.360><c>
• production,</c> bonafide farm farming, production, bonafide farm farming, production, whatever<00:19
• of what farming is.

Bills: SB2319 , SB2407 , SB2489 , SB2153 , SB2321 , SB2805 , SB3010 , SB2892 , SB2595 , SB2781

Committees: House Agriculture & Food Systems , House Agriculture and Environment

Keywords: agriculture, biosecurity, grant funding, food security, climate resiliency, agricultural development, Hawaii Island, property manager, agribusiness, state employment, invasive species, lease provisions, environment, food safety, farmers, local food systems, rural development, livestock, forage grasses, pest management

Transcript Highlights:

• So many of our farms involve the second career or, you know, someone having a career and then farming
• I'm a fourth-generation farm kid, grew up on a 2,000-acre diversified potato farm in Skagit County, and
• Resource Line, 1-800 Farm Aid.
• The center dot is obviously the positive farm that has dead birds in there, but there are other farms
• Because those farms have to keep testing in order for, say, eggs to move off of them, and those farms

Committee: Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources

Transcript Highlights:

• My wife and I run Milk and Honey Hill Farm.
• We started our farm in about 2016. Since then, we started our farm in about 2016.
• They're paying about $1.75 per gallon off the farm, and we're making $10 per gallon off the farm.
• Terence Bolden, the founder... ...farming.
• However, I grew up on a farm in Lonoke County. However, I grew up on a farm in Lonoke County.

Committee: All AGRICULTURE- HOUSE SMALL BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEV. SUBCOM.

Transcript Highlights:

• The United Farm Workers, who we honored unanimously in this chamber, spent decades fighting against this
• ><c> we</c><02:40:04.920><c> honored</c> United Farm Workers, who we honored United Farm Workers, who
• It took the United Farm Workers until 2016 to win it.
• There are around 2.4 million farm workers in the United States.
• Last but not least, we have to remember that farming, for the most part, other than Southeast United

Transcript Highlights:

• , united in its faith and values.
• </c> liberty, united in its faith and values. liberty, united in its faith and values.
• </c> typically dressed in farm store clothes. typically dressed in farm store clothes.
• </c> these old farm trucks that we all see. these old farm trucks that we all see.
• And one of them I do is farm.

Summary: The Senate convened, opened with an invocation and pledge, established a quorum, excused absent members, and approved the journal. The House clerk then announced that the House had passed several bills and requested concurrence. The chamber also received second-reading reports for a number of bills and resolutions, which were referred to the Rules Committee, and committee reports from the Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor Committee and the Judiciary Committee recommending passage of several measures. New resolutions were also introduced, including one honoring Michael Mingi, Amanda Maize, and Senator Maize Bledsoe, and another designating March 31, 2026, as Kentucky Transitional Science Day. The Senate then took up Senate Bill 145, relating to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. The chamber concurred in House Committee Substitute 1 and House Floor Amendment 1, then passed the bill as amended by a roll call vote of 35 yeas and 2 nays. The Senate next considered Senate Bill 59, relating to prohibited uses of tax dollars and resources. After adopting Senate Committee Substitute 1, members debated whether the bill’s enforcement provisions were needed to prevent public funds from being used to influence ballot questions; supporters cited prior school-related advocacy, while one opponent raised concerns about possible uneven treatment of schools receiving federal funds. The bill passed 28-9. Finally, the Senate took up Senate Bill 137, relating to a provisional license to practice medicine. Supporters described Kentucky’s physician shortage, especially in rural areas, and argued the bill would help recruit foreign medical graduates by allowing a path to licensure based on prior residency and work experience. A floor amendment was offered to preserve standards by emphasizing U.S. residency pathways and cautioning against lowering the standard of care, but the amendment was withdrawn after discussion. The bill remained under consideration at the end of the transcript.

Transcript Highlights:

• close farms overnight.
• I grew up on my family's dairy farm, which was located two and a half miles from the farm my wife and
• It is important to note that we operate two businesses on our farm: a traditional dairy farm where we
• It is important to note that we operate two businesses on our farm: a traditional dairy farm where we
• Dairy farmer advocates such as Florida Farm Bureau and United Dairy Farmers of Florida allow us to have

Committee: Senate Agriculture

Summary: The Committee on Agriculture convened, took roll, and heard Senate Bill 58 by Senator Harrow, which would create regulation for companion animal cremation. Harrow described a case involving mishandled pet remains and said the bill would require written service descriptions, prohibit false or misleading statements, require certification with returned remains, authorize Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services rulemaking, and impose civil penalties for violations. With no questions or public opposition, the committee voted the bill favorably. The committee then heard presentations on robotics in agriculture and aquaculture. Dr. Nathan Boyd of UF/IFAS discussed the rapid growth of agricultural robotics, including AI-driven weed detection, targeted spraying, autonomous tractors, and harvesting technology, emphasizing reduced pesticide use, lower input costs, and labor-saving automation. Dr. Nicole Kirchoff of Live Advantage Bait and Adrian Johnson of the Florida Shellfish Aquaculture Association highlighted aquaculture’s economic and environmental value, Florida’s strong position in the industry, and challenges including hurricane losses, lack of insurance, land-use instability, capital access, and water quality. They urged support for working waterfronts, risk mitigation, and policies to help the sector commercialize and expand. The committee also heard from dairy producers Kevin Lusher and Jacob Larson. Lusher described his family’s dairy and artisan cheese business, noting reliance on USDA grants, rising costs, labor shortages, and regulatory burdens, and asked for more grant support, marketing for Fresh From Florida products, and permanent funding for Farmers Feeding Florida. Larson discussed the broader dairy market, declining herd sizes due to efficiency gains, high production costs in Florida, and competition from out-of-state processing, suggesting incentives for local processing and supply management. Finally, FDOT Chief Planner Wayway Schen presented on arterial and local road funding programs, including ART, ARTW, SCOP, SCRAP, CIGP, and TRIP, and said rural road needs remain significant, with more than $16 billion in unfunded or partially funded project needs. The committee adjourned after brief discussion and thanks to the presenters.

Transcript Highlights:

• My wife and I run Milk and Honey Hill Farm.
• We started our farm in about 2016. Since then, we started our farm in about 2016.
• They're paying about $1.75 per gallon off the farm, and we're making $10 per gallon off the farm.
• The future farming is what we're talking about here.
• Industry partners like local farms, ag tech.

Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from its October 27 meeting and then heard testimony from Clinton Ballard of Milk and Honey Hill Farm about the impact of Act 698 on raw dairy producers. Ballard said the law allowed his farm to expand from one cow to 12, serve about 150 families, increase sales by roughly $50,000, and sell about $10,000 in raw cheese and other products through retail outlets. He argued the law improved farm income, food security, and local supply, and he asked for an optional state inspection/certification path for raw milk producers so they could access USDA grants and other opportunities available to licensed dairies. Committee members asked about herd management, safety practices, bee production, market channels, and whether such certification should remain voluntary; Ballard said he follows Grade A-style sanitation, chills milk quickly, removes sick cows from production, and supports optional training or inspection but not mandatory regulation. Members also raised food safety concerns, especially for children and pregnant women, and Ballard responded that raw milk producers rely on cleanliness, rapid cooling, consumer feedback, and truth in labeling. He said the health department currently inspects commercial dairies but not raw milk producers who do not sell through a cooperative, and he believed state inspection would help producers distinguish themselves and qualify for funding without changing interstate rules. Several members discussed the balance between consumer choice, safety, and possible “mission creep” if the state created a certification system. The committee then heard a lengthy presentation from Terence Bolden of TLB Enterprises on hydroponic and container farming as a response to food insecurity and food deserts. Bolden described a three-year workforce and career-technical program built around retrofitted shipping containers, drones, robotics, agribusiness, and AI, with partnerships involving schools, universities, Farm Bureau, UAPB, the Little Rock School District, and other entities. He said the model could create year-round local food production, support school cafeterias and community markets, and generate jobs and economic impact, estimating at least four jobs per container and potentially significant regional economic benefits. Members asked about costs, target communities, energy needs, crop types, and implementation timelines; Bolden said the first containers for school sites could be in place by late summer or early fall, with pilot projects already underway in Arkansas and Orlando. The meeting adjourned after no further business.

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the great projects that came out of the past Farm Bill, Federal Farm Bill, was the... swine eradicate
• That guy employs 14 year-round farmer farm hands.
• They farm in both those districts. I see.
• The Right to Farm Bill has really helped us on some of that, but inherent in the Right to Farm Bill is
• There are 205 county farm bureaus.

Committee: House Agriculture & Livestock