Video & Transcript : 'farm programs' :
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AR
Arkansas 2026 Regular Session
AGRICULTURE- HOUSE SMALL BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEV. SUBCOM. Jun 2nd, 2026
AGRICULTURE- HOUSE SMALL BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEV. SUBCOM.
Transcript Highlights:
- 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.
- However, I grew up on a farm in Lonoke County. However, I grew up on a farm in Lonoke County.
- You know, this is a three-year program, readiness program for career development, integration around
- Actually running these programs on farms that their fathers probably never dreamed about.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Session (Full Formal with Calendar) Apr 1st, 2026
Massachusetts Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Program.
- into question and do everything we can to meet our climate goals and our farming goals and our farming
- that they can offer that isn't grown on that particular farm where the farm stand is located.
- stay farming.
- Farm workers would at least Farm workers would at least last be entitled to earn the state minimum wage
Summary:
The Senate resumed consideration of An Act Fostering Agricultural Resilience in Massachusetts and took up a series of amendments focused on farm taxation, land preservation, permitting, renewable energy, marketing, and labor standards. Amendment 5, offered by Senator Tarr, would allow local option tax exemptions for newly constructed farm buildings for up to five years; it was supported by Senator Comerford and adopted by a roll call vote of 38-0. Amendment 20, offered by Senator Mark, created a Massachusetts Food Tourism Task Force to improve marketing and promotion of agricultural goods, and it was also adopted. Several other Tarr amendments were debated but rejected, including proposals on APR criteria, a one-stop permitting and grants portal, foreign ownership tracking in the farmland registry, horse-riding instruction licensure, higher solar/agrovoltaics caps on farmland, farm stand waiver flexibility, notice before conversion of registered farmland, and a health and wellness amendment.
A major point of debate was Amendment 41, offered by Senator Gomez, which sought to extend wage and hour protections to agricultural laborers, including raising the subminimum wage, adding overtime, paid breaks, and paid time off. Senator Gomez described the measure as a correction to racist historical exclusions, and Senator Eldridge and Senator Comerford spoke in support of stronger worker protections and continued negotiations. The sponsor ultimately withdrew the amendment, saying talks with stakeholders and Senate leadership would continue. The chamber also heard a brief recognition for youth mentoring guests and later adopted a study amendment from Senator Fattman directing an assessment of the need for a Central Massachusetts agricultural school; that amendment passed 37-0.
After the agricultural bill was amended by the Senate Ways and Means amendment and ordered to a third reading, the Senate passed the bill, An Act Fostering Agricultural Resilience in Massachusetts (S. 3029), to be engrossed by a vote of 39-0. The Senate then adopted several committee extension orders, including extensions for the Revenue Committee and the Financial Services Committee, with some discussion about the number and scope of bills covered. The chamber also passed a local bill designating the U.S. Marine Staff Sergeant Raymond G. Torville Veterans Memorial Overpass in Sandwich and another local alcohol licensing bill for Topsfield. The session ended with recognitions for community and youth groups, a motion to adjourn in memory of Mark K. Harris, and adjournment to the following day at 11 a.m.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Floor Session Mar 26th, 2026
California Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Our farm workers remind us.
- of a farm worker, the great-granddaughter of a farm worker, and somehow their story didn't end in the
- And as we make this change to Farm Worker Day, we are making a broader statement to honor farm workers
- You cannot support farm workers while undermining the farms that employ them.
- You cannot support farm workers while undermining the farms that employ them.
Summary:
The Senate convened with a quorum, opened with prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance, and then moved through a series of guest introductions, including Canadian diplomatic visitors and youth soccer champions from Senator Niello’s district. The body also recognized guests connected to arts education and later heard adjournment-in-memory tributes for Caitlin “Katie” Mallet and Roxanne Miller. The President announced the Senate would enter a one-week spring recess and return on April 6, 2026.
On the floor, the Senate adopted SR 89 by Senator Alvarado-Gil, recognizing March 17, 2026 as Profound Autism Day in California. Supporters emphasized the need for greater awareness, research inclusion, and services for people with profound autism and their families. The resolution passed by a 35-0 vote. The Senate also adopted SCR 147 by Senator Allen, proclaiming March 26 as Arts Education Month, with remarks stressing the value of arts education for creativity, engagement, and student success; it passed 37-0.
The chamber then adopted SCR 141 by Senator Wahab, recognizing March 26, 2026 as Women’s Equal Pay Day. Senators discussed the gender pay gap, its impact on families, and the need for transparency and enforcement; the resolution passed 37-0. The Senate also approved AB 2156, an urgency measure to proclaim March 31 as Farm Worker Day, with extensive debate about farm workers’ historical contributions, labor conditions, and the decision to rename the day in light of recent allegations involving the prior honoree. The bill passed unanimously, 37-0, including the urgency clause.
Finally, the Senate adopted the consent calendar, which included SB 968, SJR 11, SB 1005, and SB 1080, by unanimous vote. A committee announcement noted Budget Subcommittee 3 would meet upon adjournment.
NM
New Mexico 2026 Regular Session
House - Agriculture, Acequias And Water Resources Jan 27th, 2026 at 09:05 am
House Agriculture, Acequias And Water Resources
Transcript Highlights:
- Regional Farm to Food Bank was functionally a local food procurement program that created simplified,
- In fiscal year 2024, 34% of the New Mexico-grown program purchases were made with the Regional Farm to
- However, in summer of 2024, we were able to connect with the Regional Farm to Food Bank program, and
- We were able to connect with the Regional Farm to Food Bank program, and we were set for this program
- So we look forward to your support of the Regional Farm to Food Bank program. Thank you.
NY
New York 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture - 02/25/2026
Agriculture
Transcript Highlights:
- Extension, well-managed, and innovative farms.
- Farms online program has online courses for you.
- Our Cornell Small Farms online program has online courses for you. We are now enrolling.
- We run a farm apps program that is designed to help support our veterans who want to enter farming careers
- We have so many programs. It's great.
Committee:
Senate Agriculture
Summary:
The Senate Agriculture Committee met and first took up five bills. It reported S.593 (land used in agricultural production), S.879A (the Garden Protection Act), S.3277 (transfer-on-death beneficiaries for farming implements), and S.4754 (creating an Office of Urban Agriculture). S.1529A, the Carbon Farming Act, was moved to the Finance Committee. The committee briefly discussed S.4754, with Senator Borrello asking about its status and members noting strong support for urban agriculture and food-system resilience; the bill was then reported to Finance by voice vote.
The committee then heard from Julie Suarez, Associate Dean for Land Grant Affairs at Cornell CALS, who described Cornell’s role in research, extension, and public service across New York agriculture. She highlighted Cornell’s economic impact, growth in FFA participation including new urban chapters, dairy investment, and the potential of the maple industry, while emphasizing the need for continued agricultural science funding to address climate change, invasive species, and market challenges. She also pointed members to Cornell programs supporting food entrepreneurs, soil health, small farms, veterans entering agriculture, and community integrated pest management.
Members asked questions about tick increases, with Suarez attributing them to deer, rodents, climate change, and invasive species, and said Cornell’s community IPM program offers landscaping and prevention guidance. She also explained Cornell’s land-grant and contract-college structure, including its statutory mission and state support. The meeting ended after members expressed interest in further outreach and informational sessions, and the committee adjourned.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
February 4, 2025 - 09:00 AM
Transcript Highlights:
- Most of those small farmers want to remain in farming. Most of those are generational farms.
- The federal government has what we call an H-2A program that provides labor to many of our farms here
- , working on those farms.
- When you look at the H-2A programs, when you look at Floridians, sometimes farming is hard work, right
- When you look at the H2A programs, when you look at Floridians, sometimes farming is hard work, right
Summary:
The committee received an overview from Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson on the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, including staffing, licensing, forestry, law enforcement, and consumer services. He emphasized agriculture as a major economic driver and a national security issue, arguing that Florida should protect farmland, aquifer recharge areas, and the wildlife corridor through the Rural and Family Lands program. He said the program is cost-effective because the state buys development rights rather than land outright, keeps land on local tax rolls, and helps preserve farmland in perpetuity. He also highlighted the Fresh From Florida marketing program, increased social media reach, and the department’s efforts to reduce vacancies and improve pay and efficiency.
Members asked about nutrient management, citrus disease, housing, disaster recovery, wildfire prevention, interdiction stations, and concealed carry permitting. Simpson said SB 1000 and updated best management practice manuals, informed by University of Florida research, are helping agriculture use less water and fertilizer, and he described citrus greening as having devastated the industry while noting research, replanting programs, and CUPS as possible paths to recovery. On housing, he argued that allowing H-2A farmworker housing on farms would ease pressure on the broader housing market, and on disasters he described a zero-interest loan program for farmers affected by hurricanes and other events. He also detailed wildfire preparedness improvements, including upgraded helicopters, dozers, drones, and prescribed burns.
The commissioner said ag interdiction stations are catching stolen semis, drugs, human trafficking, and other illegal activity, and that the department wants more technology, including X-ray scanning, to inspect more trucks. He also discussed concealed carry administration, saying the department cleared a large backlog and that constitutional carry reduced but did not eliminate permit demand because permits still provide reciprocity and other benefits. Members generally praised the department’s work, expressed support for rural land protection, Fresh From Florida, water-quality improvements, and foreign-interference concerns, and the meeting ended with no formal votes or other committee action beyond adjournment.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Floor Session Mar 26th, 2026
California Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Our farm workers remind us.
- of a farm worker, the great-granddaughter of a farm worker, and somehow their story didn't end in the
- And as we make this change to Farm Worker Day, we are making a broader statement to honor farm workers
- You cannot support farm workers while undermining the farms that employ them.
- You cannot support farm workers while undermining the farms that employ them.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Session (Full Formal with Calendar) Apr 1st, 2026
Massachusetts Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Program.
- into question and do everything we can to meet our climate goals and our farming goals and our farming
- Tarr, farm stand percentage waiver.
- that they can offer that isn't grown on that particular farm where the farm stand is located.
- stay farming.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Environment, Climate and Legacy - 02/18/25
Environment, Climate, and Legacy
Transcript Highlights:
- I am the owner, co-owner of Mahogany Farms. Mahogany Farms was bought by Mrs. Walker and Mr.
- And one of the things that once we bought the farm, what we want to do also is provide programming.
- what we want to do also is provide farm what we want to do also is provide programming<00:54:04.960>
- , and it's not earmarked, uh, farm by farm.
- Are those farms privately owned, or is it a co-op that owns those farms? Miss Dawson? Uh, Mr.
Committee:
Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Committee on Revenue Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:00 am
Joint Committee on Revenue
Transcript Highlights:
- to help keep their whole farm more sustainable.
- 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.
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.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Agriculture committee considers HF1503 3/5/25
Transcript Highlights:
- to award grants to poultry producers to install prevention measures on the farm.
- with the cost of wild bird deterrence on farms.
- </c><00:08:06.280><c> expanded</c> I'd like to see this uh program expanded I'd like to see this uh program
- Those would be ones with depopulation programs.
- They, you know, on a quarantined farm, there's no avenue for...
ND
North Dakota 2026 1st Special Session
Agriculture and Water Management Committee Jun 17th, 2026
Agriculture and Water Management Committee
Transcript Highlights:
- It sort of leads into the next slide that talks about the net farm back to the farm.
- We have a program in family and community wellness, which includes our food and nutrition programs.
- We leverage, you know, Grand Farm and Farm...
- We leverage, you know, Grand Farm and Farm. Test spaces. We leverage other test spaces.
- We leverage, you know, Grand Farm if our researchers need to test out at Grand Farm.
Summary:
The committee met in Fargo and approved the minutes from the March 31 meeting before hearing a series of informational presentations focused on North Dakota agriculture, water, and research. NDSU President David Cook opened with remarks about NDSU’s land-grant mission, emphasizing statewide service through research, teaching, and extension, and highlighting examples such as the Lilac Agriculture startup and the university’s role in applying research to real-world problems. He said he intends to spend time listening across the state to better understand local needs.
The committee then received a detailed presentation on a state irrigation and drainage study from Tom Bodine on behalf of Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. The study projected significant potential for expanded irrigation acreage, especially in counties such as McLean, Williams, Sargent, Burleigh, Mountrail, McKenzie, McIntosh, Dunn, and Bottineau, and estimated major economic gains from irrigation, including higher farm returns and support for value-added agriculture. Members discussed water permits, surface water versus aquifers, infrastructure, drought resilience, and the role of legal drains in improving productivity and generating economic activity. The presenters also noted that the full report is available online.
Dr. Greg Lardy followed with NDSU’s required interim report, outlining the university’s agricultural research and extension system, including the State Board of Agricultural Research and Education, seven research-extension centers, and the economic importance of agriculture to the state. He highlighted recent research impacts such as new crop varieties, potato breeding successes, virtual fencing, AI-assisted weed control, weather-network tools, and 4-H programming. He also described NDSU’s budget priorities: restoring the governor’s proposed 10% cuts, additional operating support, and deferred maintenance funding. Committee members asked about the new agricultural field lab, storage sheds, and NDSU’s partnership with Grand Farm.
The committee also heard from the North Dakota Water Resources Research Institute and a professor presenting water-related research, including data center cooling, water reuse, smart irrigation, and a feasibility study on co-locating data centers with greenhouse and aquaculture production. Members asked about water use, ownership, and whether the concepts were operational or still speculative. Finally, North Dakota AgTech presented its NSF-funded innovation engine work, describing startup commercialization, on-farm trials, workforce development, and partnerships with NDSU, UND, tribal colleges, and other land-grant institutions. No formal votes were taken beyond approval of the prior meeting minutes.
AR
Arkansas 2026 Regular Session
AGRICULTURE- HOUSE SMALL BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEV. SUBCOM. Jun 2nd, 2026
AGRICULTURE- HOUSE SMALL BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEV. SUBCOM.
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.
- However, I grew up on a farm in Lonoke County. Dad was one of the largest farms in that area.
- You know, this is a three-year program, readiness program, This is a three-year readiness program for
Summary:
The committee approved the minutes from its October 27 meeting and then heard testimony on the economic and regulatory effects of Arkansas’s raw milk law, Act 698. Clinton Ballard of Milk and Honey Hill Farm said the law helped his family farm expand from 8 to 12 cows and from serving about 75 families to about 150, increasing sales by roughly $50,000 and allowing about $10,000 in raw cheese sales through retail outlets. He argued the law supports small-farm income, food security, and local processing, but said state health agencies still do not inspect raw milk producers unless they sell to a commercial buyer, which he said limits access to USDA grants and other opportunities. He and members discussed safety practices, including rapid chilling, sick-animal removal, sanitation, customer education, and whether any optional state certification or inspection program should be created without adding burdensome regulation.
Members asked about herd management, bee production, market channels, and whether raw milk producers should receive training or certification. Ballard said his farm uses Jerseys, removes sick cows from production, sells on-farm and through retail locations, and relies on best-practice guidance from groups such as the Weston A. Price Foundation and the Raw Milk Institute. Several members expressed support for consumer choice but also raised concerns about food safety, especially for children and pregnant women, and about possible “mission creep” if the state creates a voluntary inspection or training system. The discussion ended without any vote or formal action on the raw milk issue.
The committee then heard a lengthy presentation from Terrence Bolden of TLB Enterprises on hydroponic and container-based farming as a response to food insecurity, food deserts, and workforce needs. Bolden described a three-year career and technical education model using retrofitted shipping containers to grow food year-round with low water and energy use, paired with training in drones, robotics, agribusiness, and entrepreneurship. He said pilot projects are underway or planned with UAPB, the Little Rock School District, and other partners, and projected that five regional hubs could create significant economic impact and multiple jobs per container. Members asked about costs, target communities, school partnerships, food desert locations, and whether the model could include aquaponics or protein production; Bolden said the program is intended as a public-private partnership and that the committee could tour a container site once it is operational. The meeting adjourned after the presentation and questions.
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- And the multi-generational farms—these guys are all...
- Secretary Rollins just released the RPP program, the regenerative pilot program.
- But this was a full tillage program.
- So because we have irrigated, because we have farmed that ground, tilled it, and conventionally farmed
- Talk a little bit about the federal sugar program.
Committee:
House Agricultural Affairs
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- water, and then policy in the farm bill.
- Input costs and farm profitability.
- Input costs in farm profitability.
- The Farm Food and National Securities Act of 2026, aka the Farm Bill, just passed out of the House Agricultural
- And there's 12 titles in the farm bill.
Committee:
House Agricultural Affairs
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Agriculture Committee Meeting - 2025-03-24
Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development
Transcript Highlights:
- Minnesota Fertilizer Grant Program, Minnesota Made Grant Program established, and the money appropriated
- This House File 1701 would be a grant program for a Minnesota-made fertilizer program, and much like
- As the farm grew and we needed more than our off-farm income alone could afford, we looked at the life
- cycle of the farm.
- This program also provides ESL programs to adults on the backside.
AR
Arkansas 2026 1st Special Session
AGRICULTURE- HOUSE SMALL BUSINESS & ECONOMIC DEV. SUBCOM. Jun 2nd, 2026
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.
- You know, this is a three-year program, a readiness program for career development, integration around
- 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.
MA
Massachusetts 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Session (Full Formal with Calendar) Jun 21st, 2026 at 10:00 am
Massachusetts Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- Program.
- that they can offer that isn't grown on that particular farm where the farm stand is located.
- stay farming.
- The exclusion of farm workers from basic wage and hour protections is... ...exclusion of farm workers
- This amendment is not only about... ...our farms running.
Summary:
The Senate resumed debate on An Act Fostering Agricultural Resilience in Massachusetts and considered a series of amendments focused on farm economics, land preservation, energy, labor, and agricultural education. Senator Tarr’s Amendment 5, allowing local-option tax exemptions for newly constructed farm buildings for up to five years, was adopted by a roll call vote of 38-0. Several other Tarr amendments were debated but not adopted, including proposals on APR criteria and climate resilience, a one-stop permit and grant portal, a foreign-ownership farmland registry, horse-riding instructor licensing, expanding farm-based renewable energy, a farm stand waiver process, non-agricultural conversion notice requirements, and a health and wellness amendment. Senator Mark’s Amendment 20, creating a Massachusetts Food Tourism Task Force to support marketing and procurement of agricultural goods, was adopted. Senator Gomez’s Amendment 41 on farmworker fairness and wage protections was withdrawn after discussion, with Senators Eldridge and Comerford speaking in support of continued work on the issue. Senator Fattman’s Amendment 34, directing a study of agricultural schools and regional workforce needs, was adopted by roll call vote 37-0.
The chamber also took up several procedural matters and extension orders. The Senate adopted a Ways and Means amendment and then ordered the agricultural bill to a third reading before passing it to be engrossed by a roll call vote of 39-0. Separately, the Senate adopted extension orders for the Committee on Revenue and the Committee on Financial Services, with Senators Eldridge and Feeney explaining the need for additional time on revenue and financial services bills; Senator Tarr raised concerns about the scope and duration of some of the extensions. The Senate also approved an extension for a financial technology services bill.
In addition to legislative action, the Senate observed a moment of silence in memory of Mark K. Harris after a motion by Senators Collins and Miranda, and recognized guests for Youth Mentoring Day and the Mass Mentoring Program. The chamber also passed a memorial overpass designation for U.S. Marine Staff Sergeant Raymond G. Torville and a local alcohol-license bill for the town of Topsfield. The session concluded with an order to adjourn until the next day at 11 a.m., with the adjournment also dedicated to the memory of Mark K. Harris.
KY
Kentucky 2025 Regular Session
Interim Joint Committee on Agriculture (11-6-25)
Transcript Highlights:
- Credit</c> have with Farm Bureau, uh, Farm Credit have with Farm Bureau, uh, Farm Credit of<00:58:28.960
- Because the biggest things that we found in surveys post-Farm to School program was there were three
- Because the biggest things that we found in surveys post-Farm to School program was there were three
- Found in surveys post-Farm to School program was there were three areas that made them say why they do
- It is and farm farming I is is coexist.
Summary:
The committee heard first from Kentucky Farm Bureau leaders, who outlined the organization’s current priorities and recent work on farmland transition. Eddie Melton said Farm Bureau is working through 983 county and advisory committee resolutions and highlighted support for the updated selling farmer tax credit, now law through House Bill 775, as well as Senate Bill 28’s agriculture economic development provisions. He said Farm Bureau’s likely priorities include maintaining the 50% share of the tobacco settlement fund for agriculture, protecting funding for the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, preserving sales tax exemptions on farm inputs, keeping property taxes controlled, and exploring additional tools to keep farmland in active farmers’ hands, including possible loan or inheritance-tax changes. He also raised concerns about eminent domain transparency, nuisance deer permits, and access to agricultural inputs and crop protection products.
Alita Bots described the farmland transition initiative in more detail, saying the revised state tax credit is generating strong interest and that a new federal tax provision now allows eligible land sales to actively engaged farmers to spread capital gains taxes over time. She said the initiative has reached 22 counties and more than 1,300 people this year through outreach and meetings, and that Farm Bureau is pairing policy work with resources to help farm families plan transitions and prepare wills and other estate documents. Drew Graham added that the effort is also meant to bridge the rural-urban divide and support rural communities, and Farm Bureau invited members to its annual meeting in early December.
Members asked about rising insurance costs and deer damage. Farm Bureau representatives said severe convective storms, inflation, and higher repair and material costs have driven insurance rate increases, citing five major storm events since 2021 and a recent Owensboro hailstorm that caused about $350 million in losses; they said the company is moving toward percentage deductibles to help moderate increases. On deer, they said crop-loss totals are hard to quantify but acknowledged the problem and discussed possible coordination with the Department of Fish and Wildlife and Hunters for the Hungry. Commissioner Jonathan Shell then began the Department of Agriculture presentation, reporting gains from the department’s school agriculture outreach program, including a 23% increase in county participation between March and September and improved teacher-reported student learning, before continuing into the department’s legislative priorities.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Joint Hearing Assembly Economic Development, Growth, and Household Impact Committee and Assembly Agriculture Committee Oct 24th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- When I open the paper daily and I see small farms abandoned or farms without a plan for transition, I
- When I open the paper daily and I see small farms abandoned or farms without a plan for transition, I
- farming practice and sales.
- So I'm here today in my representation of the Fresno County Farm Bureau, but I still farm on the side
- So I'm here today in my representation had of the Fresnel County Farm Bureau, but I still farm on the
Summary:
The joint informational hearing at Fresno State focused on cost pressures in California’s food system and how those pressures affect households, farmers, and small businesses. Opening remarks emphasized Fresno State’s role in the Central Valley economy and the region’s importance to the state and nation’s food supply. Members said the hearing was part of a broader “pocketbook tour” to gather local input on affordability, food costs, labor, water, regulation, and market conditions, and they noted the added strain from the federal shutdown’s impact on CalFresh benefits and food insecurity.
The first panel featured an agricultural economist, a PPIC researcher, and a Small Business Development Center leader. The economist described agriculture’s outsized role in the Central Valley’s GDP, employment, exports, and food manufacturing, while identifying water scarcity, SGMA-related land fallowing, labor shortages and rising labor costs, market uncertainty, invasive pests, and rising production costs as major barriers. The PPIC witness said food prices remain much higher than before the pandemic, household budgets are under pressure, and California’s nutrition safety net—especially CalFresh, WIC, and school meals—reduces poverty significantly, though federal changes and the shutdown could weaken that support. The SBDC representative highlighted technical assistance, capital access, and training for farm-adjacent businesses, but warned that reduced funding and ownership-transition challenges are making it harder for small businesses and farms to adapt.
The second panel brought testimony from a small produce grower, a food entrepreneur, and the Fresno County Farm Bureau CEO. The grower said input costs such as fertilizer, fuel, irrigation supplies, land leases, labor, and compliance have risen sharply while wholesale prices have not, leaving small farmers with thin or negative margins and delayed disaster assistance. The food entrepreneur described scaling barriers for small food processors, including the lack of local small-batch processing facilities, higher distribution costs, and the need for better education on labeling and regulatory compliance. The Farm Bureau leader argued that farmers are price takers, not price setters, and said consumer food prices are driven largely by transportation, processing, packaging, and retail costs rather than farm-gate prices; he also stressed the importance of exports, water infrastructure, land preservation, ag burn rules, and continued investment in technology and labor solutions.
Members asked about ways to help small farmers, land access, farm-to-school participation, ag burn restrictions, and water reliability. Witnesses suggested grants or programs to help small farmers buy land, more local processing capacity, continued investment in water conveyance and recharge, and stronger support for technical assistance and innovation. No formal votes were taken; the hearing concluded with members thanking the panelists and inviting continued input as they prepare future legislation.