Transcript Highlights:

• It tastes like roast beef. It's rolled in flour, pan seared, and baked low and slow in beef broth.
• It tastes<00:15:19.199> like<00:15:19.360> roast<00:15:19.680> beef.
• <00:15:20.800> it's<00:15:21.199> it's<00:15:21.760> uh tastes like roast beef
• Uh, it's it's uh tastes like roast beef.
• <00:15:26.480> It's it low and slow in beef broth. It's it low and slow in beef broth.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Beef cow inventory is unchanged. About 450,000 head.
• For milk, right now we're number 11. and for beef, we're number 22.
• Right now, this graph demonstrates ground beef.
• and staff were able to donate beef.
• Beef for New Mexico schools, our senior citizen centers, and our retailers.

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, I want to touch briefly on the beef economy because the two are inseparable.
• Chris handles the beef feedlot. So, yeah, our job and theirs too has evolved over the years.
• We have beef. We do all these other things, you know, manure pumping.
• We primarily raise pork, grass-fed beef, and eggs.
• raise pork, grass-fed beef, and eggs. raise pork, grass-fed beef, and eggs. 100<01:45:27.040>

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So, you think about it when we talk about Oklahoma agriculture, it's wheat, beef, pork, and we all know
• So in your little road trip snack bag, there is the Shelter Creek cattle beef jerky, if you'd like to
• But he's taking his mash and he's selling bourbon beef.
• He's feeding his cattle with the mash, and he is marking it as bourbon beef. That's fantastic.
• Smart comment for me, of course, I ended with 'well done,' not to throw in a beef plug, but well done

Keywords: 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• been single-minded in my mission to have New Mexicans eat fresh-grown produce and New Mexico-raised beef
• We have passed the in-state beef inspection.
• They need a place to go with the byproduct that happens whenever you process a beef.
• They want to keep our ranchers on the land and provide fresh beef for our state. Thank you.

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a farmer, and we raise our own beef. We eat our own beef.
• I'm a farmer and we we raise our<00:19:14.320> own<00:19:14.480> beef.
• <00:19:16.880> And<00:19:17.039> I our own beef. We eat our own beef.
• And I our own beef. We eat our own beef.
• <00:19:24.799> I beef. Yeah. And I raise chickens. I beef. Yeah. And I raise chickens.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Judiciary Committee heard HB 698, which would increase criminal penalties for animal cruelty offenses. The chair explained that a proposed SD1 narrowed the bill to “pet animals” only, and testimony focused heavily on whether the bill should be limited to pets, whether service animals should also be included, and whether the measure could unintentionally affect livestock or cultural practices such as chicken fighting. Supporters, including the Hawaiian Humane Society, rescue organizations, and several individuals, argued that stronger penalties are needed because animal cruelty is under-prosecuted, that abuse of animals is linked to violence against people, and that harsher penalties could deter abuse. Opponents, including the public defender’s office and some farmers and livestock interests, argued the existing law is already on the books, enforcement is the real problem, and the bill is vague and could create unintended consequences. Several witnesses described graphic examples of animal abuse and urged the committee to act, while one testifier from the Disability Communication Access Board asked that service animals be explicitly included because they are not considered pets and are important to the independence and safety of people who rely on them. Committee members questioned the scope of the SD1, including whether it covered chickens, domesticated pigs, and service or emotional support animals. The deputy attorney general was asked to provide follow-up clarification on those points, and the Hawaiian Humane Society said it would welcome adding service animals back into the bill. At the end of testimony, the chair announced the final testimony count as 112 in support, 128 in opposition, and one comment, noting that some testimony appeared to address the broader House version rather than the narrower SD1. Because several questions remained unresolved, the committee deferred HB 698 until Monday, March 31, at 10:00 a.m. in room 016, with a vote to be taken then. After that, the committee moved on to its 10:02 decision-making agenda and deferred HB 108 as well, citing concerns about alcohol shipment, drunk driving, and underage access; it then began discussion of HB 226 on windshield tinting.

Transcript Highlights:

• Uh, beef, you can go down the line in things that are just and they don't use the same standards to harvest
• Uh beef,<00:09:26.640> you<00:09:26.800> can<00:09:26.960> go<00:09:27.440> down
• 09:27.839> and<00:09:28.080> down<00:09:28.360> the<00:09:28.480> line beef
• , you can go down and down the line beef, you can go down and down the line in<00:09:29.320> things

Bills: HB444, HB444

Keywords: HB444, vaccines, vaccine exemption, religious exemption, religious liberty, private school, church school, faith-based school, parochial school, school immunization, testing requirement, disease testing, parental rights, school enrollment, attendance requirements, CHOOSE Act, school choice, education funding, tax exemption, corporate income tax

Transcript Highlights:

• And the advantage that will come from that is we will produce beef from something that would otherwise
• have gone to waste and that will increase the amount of beef produced in Florida.
• Florida is already a leading producer of beef and we know from listening to our constituents, affordability
• Well, I wonder if anyone is asking, have you looked at the price of beef lately?
• and my 18-year-old will appreciate me supporting this bill which I will because he loves grass fed beef

Transcript Highlights:

• He had cattle and sold beef, and uh, his land, they came and tested the soil and the beef and the cattle
• We did test catfish and beef cattle tissue samples. There were 2 or 3 fish kills in the ponds.
• We were deemed ineligible for that federal funding because this is a beef cattle herd rather than a dairy
• Their beef could be sold at grocery stores and restaurants and end up on your plate.
• Their beef could be sold at grocery stores and restaurants and end up on your plate.

Summary: The committee hearing focused on biosolids, sewage sludge, and PFAS contamination, with the opening remarks and first three presenters arguing that land application of municipal sludge poses serious risks to soil, water, livestock, and human health. Representative Shaw cited EPA and state data on detected pollutants and PFAS in biosolids, while Denise Travick Poyer described her background in chemical engineering and PFAS work and said the EPA’s draft sewage sludge risk assessment shows unacceptable risk at very low PFOS/PFOA levels. She urged source reduction, more testing, and consideration of total organic fluorine, and noted examples from Michigan where industrial pretreatment and source reduction reduced PFAS in biosolids. Johnson County, Texas Commissioner Larry Woolley and Investigator Dana Ames presented a case study of alleged runoff from land-applied biosolids affecting a ranch, with high PFAS readings in soil, water, fish, cattle tissue, and a stillborn calf, and said the county and state had pursued investigations, lawsuits, and legislative responses. Sandra Trawick of Save Oklahoma Farms and Ranches argued that Oklahoma’s biosolids program relies heavily on Class B sludge, that current rules are outdated, and that land application exposes farms and rural communities to pathogens, chemicals, odors, flies, and runoff; she cited examples from Maine, Texas, Georgia, Michigan, and Oklahoma to support calls for stronger regulation or a ban. After the testimony, members asked about sampling methods, lab testing, EPA limits, and whether the cited PFAS blood levels were comparable to the soil and sludge measurements. Witnesses said the Johnson County samples were collected by a Texas A&M PhD contractor and tested at a single lab, and they explained that the EPA’s 4 parts per trillion figure applied to municipal drinking water standards. Questions also addressed whether sludge is incorporated into soil; Trawick said it had often been left on the surface, though she had seen better disking after public scrutiny. Members asked how biosolids compare with manure and feedlot waste, and witnesses responded that municipal sludge is more contaminated because it includes industrial, hospital, and household waste streams, unlike animal manure. The committee then moved to alternative solutions, hearing from Doug McKinney of Advanced Microbial Solutions, who promoted biological sludge removal using bacteria to reduce sludge volumes and avoid land application, citing cost savings for wastewater plants and correctional facilities. Jason Jepsen of Eden Energy followed with a pitch for an eight-stage waste-to-energy system that converts mixed waste into clean energy, biochar, and reusable products, framing waste as an asset and presenting his company’s technology as a no-land-application alternative.

Transcript Highlights:

• ><00:15:41.120> pun<00:15:41.519> intendant<00:15:42.519> uh<00:15:42.639> beef
• <00:15:42.959> up<00:15:43.240> our beef up our pun intendant uh beef up our beef up
• our pun intendant uh beef up our capabilities<00:15:44.959> to<00:15:45.360> bring<00:
• There's ways where you can improve the quality or retain the quality of the beef or degrade the quality
• of the beef, so overall it's going to be better for our economy as well as for our consumers.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The committee heard testimony on HB 345, which would establish ʻōpae ʻula as the state shrimp. The Department of Land and Natural Resources and Kua Ulu Aumo testified in strong support, saying the designation could help protect endemic shrimp in anchialine pools and increase public education and awareness. In response to questions, DLNR said it would use existing education programs, press releases, and partnerships for statewide outreach and was not seeking a separate appropriation for that purpose. Members then took up SCR 132 and SR 111, which encourage adoption of recommendations from the UN Global Plastics Treaty and the Rapa Nui Summit Declaration on climate justice and sustainable development. Greenpeace Hawaii supported the measures, arguing that plastic production is tied to fossil fuel interests and that microplastics pose serious health and environmental risks. The committee later adopted the measures with amendments, including a change from “waste hierarchy” to “zero waste hierarchy” and technical edits. The final measures, SCR 157 and SR 127, urged the state to adopt and implement the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea agreement on biodiversity beyond national jurisdiction. DLNR testified that it had only just reviewed the resolution but stood on its written testimony. The committee passed SCR 157 and SR 127 as is. The meeting also included a separate hearing on SCR 89 and SR 72, which would create a University of Hawaiʻi Community College pathway for meat processing. The Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council supported the idea, citing workforce needs and local protein supply, while several members raised concerns about whether a formal educational pathway or degree requirement might unnecessarily limit entry into the field; discussion focused on whether the proposal should be more vocational and whether there is enough data on workforce demand. No final vote on those measures was shown in the transcript excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• remaining Title 41, Chapter 27, Article 2, A.R.S., by adding Section 41-334 relating to the Arizona Beef
• Yes, members, this Arizona Beef Council continuation is just so that they can promote beef across the
• I want everyone to know that I love my beef. I am I want everyone to know that I love my beef.
• We have to have not only fish and chicken, but we do need our beef industry.

Keywords: 1182, all

Summary: The House opened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, approval of the prior journal, and recognition of Dr. Jimmy Sade as Doctor of the Day. Members also read a proclamation commending law enforcement and Border Patrol personnel involved in rescuing an eight-year-old boy from a human trafficking situation, with several members praising the interagency cooperation and the officers’ actions. The chamber then handled routine desk business, committee substitutions, first and second readings of numerous bills, and reported attendance at 56 present, three absent, and one excused. The Committee of the Whole considered HB 2096, HB 2173, HB 2451, and HCR 2001. HB 2096, HB 2173, and HB 2451 each received do-pass recommendations, while HB 2121 was retained on the calendar. HCR 2001, a proposed constitutional amendment on election requirements, drew extended debate over voter ID, mail ballots, ballot deadlines, and election security. A subfloor amendment was adopted by a 32-26 vote, and the amended resolution then received a do-pass recommendation. The Committee of the Whole report was adopted, and the measures were assigned accordingly. On third reading, the House passed HB 2010 on digital consumer licensing disclosures by 59-0, HB 2132 on drug offenses by 59-0, HB 2155 on the Arizona Beef Council by 57-2, HB 2178 on state agency licensure requirements by 51-9, HB 2310 on employment relationships by 59-0, and HB 2395 on a Department of Education fitness-related measure by 59-0. HCR 2001 also passed on third reading by 32-27 and was sent to the Senate. Several members explained their votes, with supporters emphasizing election integrity and consumer or public-safety benefits, and opponents criticizing the election measure as restrictive and unnecessary. The House then heard multiple personal privilege remarks and announcements, including a proclamation for Cary Elwes Day, birthday and community notices, and a request for JLBC to review election-related funding. Committee meeting announcements followed, additional bill referrals and withdrawals were announced, and the House adjourned until 1:15 p.m. Tuesday, February 10, 2026.

Transcript Highlights:

• HB 1374 by Verdell, relating to the labeling of beef, pork, beef products, and pork products providing
• SB 1385 by Verdale relating to the labeling of beef and beef products providing a civil penalty.
• Department of Agriculture to promote the Texas strip stake as part of the efforts to support Texas beef
• Department of Agriculture to promote the tomahawk rib eye steak as part of their efforts to the Texas Beef

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• destabilize our cattle markets, inflate production costs, disrupt supply chains, and push already high beef
• Not only our beef and agricultural, but our wildlife segment.
• in beef demand here in the U.S. by U.S. consumers.
• in beef demand here in the U.S. by U.S. consumers.
• afford us the opportunity to expand the cattle and beef industry in Texas, not contract it.

Summary: The joint hearing focused on preparedness for the New World screwworm threat and brought together the House Committees on Culture, Recreation, and Tourism and Agriculture and Livestock. USDA officials, Texas Department of Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, and Texas Animal Health Commission leadership described the pest as a serious risk to livestock, wildlife, rural economies, and beef prices, and emphasized coordination among federal, state, industry, and Mexican partners. Witnesses repeatedly stressed that Texas is currently seeing no confirmed U.S. detections, but that recent confirmed cases in northern Mexico, including Nuevo León, remain a concern because of their proximity to the border. USDA testimony outlined current surveillance and response efforts, including more than 120 screw worm-specific traps along the Texas border and neighboring states, thousands of additional dual-purpose traps, wildlife inspections, weekly coordination with Mexico’s Senasica, and a new USDA New World Screwworm Directorate. Officials said the existing Panama sterile fly facility is maxed out at about 100 million flies per week, while a dispersal facility in Tampico is helping move flies farther north in Mexico. They also described plans for a retrofitted sterile fly facility in Metapa, Mexico, expected to come online in 2026, and a new domestic production facility at Moore Air Base, with phase one targeted for late 2026 or early 2027 and phase two adding substantially more capacity later. Members pressed USDA on timelines, production capacity, the reliability of Mexican reporting, the risk from wildlife, and whether modular or mobile facilities could be deployed faster. USDA said it is also exploring innovative technologies, including a genetically engineered sterile male fly, but that such tools still require EPA review and field validation. Commissioner Miller highlighted Texas biosecurity efforts, five permanent inspection stations, cooperation with FDA and EPA on treatments such as Exzolt, and other pest issues affecting Texas agriculture. He also noted research into fly bait and private-sector efforts to speed sterile fly production. Texas Animal Health Commission officials described extensive state preparedness work, including weekly coordination calls, field response trainings, outreach to producers and veterinarians, and a Texas Screwworm Response Team. They said Texas has trained more than 100 inspectors and other personnel, with additional trainings planned, and that the state is expanding its cattle fever tick rider program. No votes or formal committee actions were taken during the hearing; the main action was the exchange of testimony and questions about readiness, surveillance, and facility timelines.

Transcript Highlights:

• So today we are back with a work session on bill HB 396, relative to the processing of beef cows, swine
• <00:04:19.600> cows, relative to the processing of beef cows, relative to the processing of
• beef cows, swine,<00:04:20.400> sheep,<00:04:20.639> and<00:04:20.880> goats<00
• would wouldn't need to go for swine beef would wouldn't need to go for swine beef cows<00:22:20.320
• And for consistency and beef cattle.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Environment and Agriculture Committee held a work session and then an executive session on HB 396, which would allow processing of beef cows, swine, sheep, and goats at facilities not certified by USDA. Representative Comtois presented a revised amendment after earlier drafting issues were corrected. She explained that the amendment now limits the amenable species language to cuts of meat rather than meat food products, fixes labeling language, removes an exemption from federal law, strikes a seasonal date range, and restores a section that had been removed. She also said the amendment distinguishes between amenable and non-amenable species and keeps a registration statement acknowledging the federal-law conflict. Committee members and witnesses debated the policy. Representative Howard questioned whether the bill should educate farmers rather than legislate them and raised concerns about requiring a farmer to register as violating federal law. Representative Comtois argued the bill supports small farmers, year-round meat processing, and intrastate activity, and described problems she said had occurred at USDA facilities. Representative Miner and others expressed support for moving the amendment forward. DHHS food safety officials testified that the department has no oversight of custom exempt facilities, that USDA is the only inspector in that system, and that if the bill passed there would be very limited regulatory oversight unless there were complaints or a foodborne outbreak. They also noted the original September 1 to April 30 date range had been tied to bison because of size and temperature concerns, and said the current language appeared to address bison, elk, and red deer documentation rather than the livestock species named in the bill. The New Hampshire Farm Bureau’s policy director, Rob Johnson, said the organization had recently voted down a policy opposing state regulations that would allow uninspected meat sales at retail until federal law changes, and that he needed to consult further with leadership before taking a position on HB 396. He suggested the bill should use the term “beef cattle” for consistency with livestock statutes. In executive session, Representative Comtois moved to approve amendment 2025-3090H, Representative King seconded, and members reiterated both support and reservations. The transcript ends during executive-session discussion, with no final recorded vote on the bill shown in the excerpt.

Transcript Highlights:

• the Minnesota Beef Council. the Minnesota Beef Council.
• Beef Ambassador. Beef Ambassador.
• This was my first push within the beef industry, and now I'm serving as a Minnesota State Beef Ambassador
• It's a beef jerky.
• It's a beef jerky. purchased Tonka Bar. It's a beef jerky.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• markets, inflate production costs, disrupt supply chains, and push all the way forward. ready high beef
• Us in Texas, this will be a $40 billion hit to our state if it's flying. gets here, not only our beef
• checkoff we are experiencing a 40-year high in beef demand. here in the U.S. by U.S. consumers.
• We must continue this upward trend in beef demand. and we will all benefit from making decisions that
• afford us the opportunity to do so. to expand the cattle and beef industry in Texas, not contract it

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So today we are back with a work session on HB 396, relative to the processing of beef cows, swine, sheep
• <00:04:18.479> the<00:04:18.720> processing<00:04:19.120> of<00:04:19.280> beef
• <00:04:19.600> cows, relative to the processing of beef cows, relative to the processing of
• beef cows, swine,<00:04:20.400> sheep,<00:04:20.639> and<00:04:20.880> goats<00
• And for consistency and beef cattle.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Environment and Agriculture Committee held a work session and then executive session on HB 396, which would allow processing of beef cows, swine, sheep, and goats at facilities not certified by USDA. Representative Comtois presented a revised amendment after prior drafting issues were corrected. The changes narrowed the bill to cuts of meat rather than meat food products, clarified labeling for amenable and non-amenable species, removed an exemption from federal law, struck a seasonal date range at Representative Bixby’s request, and reinstated a previously removed section. Supporters said the amendment now had clearer language and better safeguards, while some members still expressed reservations about the underlying policy. Testimony from DHHS food safety officials emphasized that the department does not inspect custom-exempt facilities and would have little oversight unless there were a complaint or foodborne outbreak. They noted concerns about removing the September 1 to April 30 date range, explaining it had been included in the original bill because of temperature and storage concerns for large animals, and they also said the amendment appeared to focus documentation requirements on bison, elk, and red deer. Committee members and witnesses debated whether the proposal would create food safety risks, whether farmers should instead be educated and helped to aggregate processing capacity, and whether the bill would expose farmers, retailers, and restaurants to federal enforcement risk. Rob Johnson of the New Hampshire Farm Bureau said the organization had recently voted down a policy opposing state regulations that would allow uninspected meat sales at retail, and he said he needed to consult further with Farm Bureau leadership before taking a position on HB 396. He suggested the bill should use the broader term “dairy and beef cattle” rather than “beef cows” for consistency. Supporters argued the bill would help small farmers, expand local food access, and reflect an intrastate policy choice despite conflict with federal law. The committee then moved into executive session and voted to approve amendment 2025-3090H, with members stating they would likely have different views on the bill itself.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're asking in this memorial to have 50% of the beef, milk, and cheese...
• We're a leader in milk, cheese, and beef production.
• Beef cattle ranching alone contributes over 16,000 jobs and produces 1.7 million dollars in output.
• A guaranteed market for 50% of beef, cheese, and milk in our schools would provide a consistent revenue
• And she's taking a bite and hollers, "Where's the beef?"

Transcript Highlights:

• I mean, does that include beef, chicken, things like that? I mean, what...
• I mean, does that include beef, chicken, things like that?
• funding for this because it is a rural health issue to provide fruits and vegetables and good-quality beef
• I mean, does that include beef, chicken, things like that?
• I mean, what I mean, does that include beef, chicken, things like that?

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The Appropriations Division met in a work session on the draft Rural Health Transformation appropriations bill, 25.1392.01000, with no public testimony taken. Legislative Council and the Department of Health and Human Services walked through the bill, which would appropriate about $397.8 million in federal grant funds over two federal fiscal years, provide transfer authority, allow certain federal funds to be used for salaries and wages without counting against existing transfer limits, and authorize OMB to adjust other agencies’ spending authority if they receive grant awards through HHS. The bill also includes several temporary statutory exemptions to help implement the program, plus recipient acknowledgement/reporting requirements, periodic reports to Legislative Management, and an immediate effective date upon filing. Committee discussion focused heavily on how the federal rural health transformation money can be used and administered. Department officials explained that CMS will review projects for allowability and sustainability, that the state has flexibility to move funds among categories, and that the grant is limited to 10% administrative costs. Members asked about whether the funding could support renovations, equipment, ambulances, bulk purchasing, food distribution, and other rural health ideas, and were told many details will depend on CMS approval and the eventual applications. Questions also addressed cash flow, timing of obligations and reimbursements, FTE funding, and whether grant recipients should be told the program will not continue beyond the federal period; officials said the language is meant to prevent expectations of automatic continuation, not to bar future legislative action. The committee also discussed the bill’s use of a two-year appropriation amount, with staff explaining that the state must appropriate enough authority to cover the federal grant cycle and that unused authority would lapse if the full amount is not received or spent. Members raised concerns about whether the bill’s language could limit creativity or future program design, but department officials and several members emphasized the need for flexibility because CMS may reject overly specific directives. After discussion, the committee voted to recommend the bill draft to the full committee; the motion carried on a roll call vote, and the chair said the full Joint Appropriations Committee would take up the bill at the special session next week.

Transcript Highlights:

• of those are beef-sired now, are much more valuable.
• of those are beef-sired now, are much more valuable.
• of those are beef-sired now, are much more valuable.
• of those are beef-sired now, are much more valuable.
• Now, got a small herd of beef cattle.

Keywords: Meeting Start 00:00:00 Attendance Roll Call 00:00:18 University of Kentucky Department of Agricultural Economics Presentation 00:02:18 Farm Credit Mid-America Presentation 01:12:41, 958, all