Transcript Highlights:

• We send 90% of the cattle, if not more, from Kentucky on our background operations west to get fed, and
• is proving that we can feed the cattle is proving that we can feed the cattle to<00:28:18.240>
• We send 90% of the<00:28:21.440> cattle,<00:28:21.760> if<00:28:21.880> not<00:28
• industry, and any opportunity that we have in farming around our cattle industry, Eastern Kentucky and
• <00:33:24.680> industry<00:33:25.680> and<00:33:26.200> any around our cattle

Keywords: Reuploaded to restore full meeting, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture met with a quorum and adopted a committee substitute for Senate Bill 28, which would create a framework for the $5 million in agricultural economic development funding included in the 2024 budget. Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell testified that the bill is intended to support agriculture-focused economic development, especially processing and further processing projects, by giving the Department of Agriculture tools to identify opportunities, convene partners, and offer incentives. He emphasized the role of the new economic development division in the department and said the effort is meant to complement, not replace, the work of the state Economic Development Cabinet. Shell and several senators described the bill as a rural development tool aimed at helping smaller communities attract projects that fit their scale. He cited examples such as poultry processing, grain and elevator operations, milling, and specialty crop ventures, arguing that local processing can create jobs, strengthen markets for farmers, and keep more value in Kentucky. Senators discussed the need for return-on-investment metrics and clawback provisions for unsuccessful projects, and Shell said the framework includes those concepts. He also said the department is working on opportunities in sustainable aviation fuel, biofuels, and other markets that could bring more acres into production. Members also raised questions about small-farm innovation, raw milk, and direct-to-consumer opportunities. Shell said raw milk testing and related consumer protection issues are more closely tied to the University of Kentucky and the department’s consumer/environmental protection functions than to the bill’s economic development focus, but he said the department can help expand small-farm programs such as Kentucky Proud, Buy Local, KOAP, CAP, food-as-medicine efforts, LFPA, and farm-to-school initiatives. The discussion also turned to beef processing and feedlot development, with Shell saying Kentucky wants a beef processor but first needs to prove it can feed cattle at scale; he said changing conditions in western states could create an opening for Kentucky if it can build the necessary supply chain.

Transcript Highlights:

• On HB 1421 for Cattle Grazing on State Lands by Representative Albert, you are recognized. Rep.
• Albert: of cattle grazing on such lands.
• I happen to be a cattle rancher.
• We have these lands, cattle is the third leg of our economic stool of our economy.
• I agree we have cattle in our state we need to make sure gets adequately fed.

Transcript Highlights:

• We're in vaccine development in cattle.
• We're serving our our cattle producers.
• So um beef cattle producers as well.
• So there's what we call the cattle cycle. We are in a unique place right now in the cattle cycle.
• We're asking and our cattle industry.

Keywords: Appropriations - Room 216, 20 January, 2026; 2:30 PM, 925, all

Summary: Mississippi State University officials testified in support of the university’s separately funded agricultural, forestry, and veterinary units, emphasizing their economic impact, research output, and need for continued state support. Keith Cobalt, vice president for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine, said the division generates a $1.7 billion impact on Mississippi, but warned that state and local funding has not kept pace with federal dollars or inflation. He argued that global competition, especially from China and Brazil, is hurting row crop and forestry producers, and highlighted a Vision 2030 study finding about $10 billion in agricultural and forestry value leaves the state through value-added processing. He also raised concerns about rural depopulation and proposed rural innovation hubs to help retain population and jobs. Nick Frank, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine, said state appropriations make up about 25% of the college’s operating budget and are needed to support salaries, staffing, and service capacity. He described the college’s education, diagnostic, and clinical missions, including disease surveillance and responses to threats such as avian influenza, screwworm, and equine herpes virus. Frank said the college is expanding facilities with $18 million in 2024 state funding for a new farm animal hospital and cattle handling facility, but still needs additional support for equine and small animal renovations. He also requested support for rural veterinary scholarships and said inflation and salary competition from other schools and private practice are making retention difficult. In response to committee questions, Frank said the college enrolls about 118 to 119 students per class, with roughly 54 to 55 in-state students and tuition of about $29,900 for in-state and $53,000 for out-of-state students. He clarified that the “vet assistants” program is a four-year bachelor’s degree in veterinary medical technology, not a certificate. He also explained that staffing growth has largely been in the hospitals to address clinical shortages and improve care. Dr. Westberger, dean of the College of Forest Resources and director of the Forest and Wildlife Research Center, said Mississippi’s forests support a $19 billion economic impact, 84,000 jobs, and a $4.5 billion payroll, while also providing environmental benefits. He said the college and research center are nationally recognized, including an NSF ranking placing Mississippi State 10th in natural resource conservation research expenditures for a small university. Westberger highlighted research on forest management, pest detection, mass timber, wildlife disease surveillance, and value-added bioproducts, including efforts to attract mills and manufacturing. He said Mississippi has added 10 mills or mill expansions in five years with more than $1.5 billion in investment and over 1,000 high-paying jobs, and noted the college is planning a new mass-timber annex to address capacity and showcase the material. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• You know, I’ll ask, like the cattle ranchers, if we don’t see cattle when we went out to inspect your
• You know, I’ll ask, like the cattle ranchers, if we don’t see cattle when we went out to inspect your
• of cattle to the property, and then I’m good with that.
• And it's really mostly about cattle that we're talking about.
• as you're moving cattle from here and there.

Bills: HB2016, HB2104, HB2105, HB2288, HB2289

Keywords: tax penalties, filing, tax returns, administration, Arizona Revised Statutes, agricultural property, classification, county assessor, property inspection, appeal process, property tax, agricultural classification, Department of Revenue, property valuation, inspection notice, inspection report, on-site inspection, full cash value, rural land, farm land

Summary: The committee began with member, staff, and page introductions, then heard reminders about public testimony limits. It first considered House Bill 2016, which would eliminate late-filing penalties when a tax return shows zero tax due. The sponsor argued the bill would prevent unnecessary fines on small businesses and individuals with no liability, while staff noted any fiscal impact would likely be minimal. The bill passed on an 8-1 vote, with one member opposing it on the grounds that current waiver procedures already exist and the change could weaken compliance incentives. The committee then took up House Bill 2104, which would bar county assessors from reclassifying agricultural property for four years after an owner prevails on appeal, unless there is a change in use, ownership, or parcel configuration. The sponsor and agricultural groups said the measure would reduce repetitive annual appeals and provide stability for ranchers and farmers, especially in urbanizing areas and in places affected by fallowing. County assessors opposed the bill, arguing that their offices are better qualified than the State Board of Equalization, that the bill could allow inaccurate classifications to persist, and that it relies too heavily on owners to report changes. After extensive testimony from the Maricopa County Assessor and the State Board of Equalization executive director, the committee approved the bill 5-4. Next, House Bill 2105 was heard. It would require advance notice of certain property inspections and provide inspection reports to property owners. The sponsor said the goal was to give owners a chance to be present for inspections and to receive the reasons for any denial of agricultural status. Assessors opposed the bill as an unfunded mandate and said they already communicate with owners through mail, door hangers, and other methods, but that a standardized report form does not currently exist. Supporters from the farm and ranch community said the bill would improve transparency and help avoid disputes. The committee passed the bill 5-4. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 2289, which updates truth-in-taxation and election pamphlet language to reflect higher residential property values, including a new $400,000 example. The sponsor and the Arizona Tax Research Association said the changes would make taxpayer notices more accurate and noted the bill was similar to one that had previously advanced, but without a provision that contributed to a veto. No vote was taken on this bill in the portion provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• heart failure study with these cattle as well.
• They can purchase these cattle. As a result, we've sent cattle as far north as Montana.
• There's cattle grazing under wind turbines.
• as our cattle inventories here in the United States and impacting beef prices.
• In cattle, what's called brisket disease affects high elevation cattle.

Transcript Highlights:

• And so if keep the cattle out.
• cattle or bison off of their property. cattle or bison off of their property.
• . cattle. cattle.
• the fence we put up to hold our cattle the fence we put up to hold our cattle in<03:39:53.400>
• someone's cattle someone's cattle trespassed<04:22:34.800> onto<04:22:35.040> someone's

Keywords: 916, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I'm a cattle raiser, so, you know, you're out there and you've got a cow down.
• I run a ranch with several hundred head of cattle, on about a thousand acres.
• You know, if I have cattle that get sick or die, I have to dispose of them.
• My biggest concern as a cattle owner is to keep stuff like that from affecting cattle herds in this area
• the world's cattle.

Bills: SB34, SB119, SB261, SB532, SB1035, SB1245, SB1247, SB1267, SB1442, SB1930, SB1948, SB2078, SB2112, SB2143, SB2155

Keywords: wildfire, wildfire mitigation, wildfire prevention, volunteer fire department, Texas A&M Forest Service, West Texas A&M University, prescribed burning, fuel loading, fuel reduction, firefighting equipment database, emergency communications, disaster preparedness, rural fire protection, asset hardening, natural resource management, emergency management, large wildfire risk, fire grant funding, fire suppression, Texas Legislature

Transcript Highlights:

• <01:13:14.400> more about uh h5n1 and dairy cattle more about uh h5n1 and dairy cattle more
• cattle with those two variants.
• Next slide, please, which brings us to H5N1 in dairy cattle.
• cattle, uh, and I was pleased to, um, approve the research in Minnesota.
• cattle, uh, and I was pleased to, um, approve the research in Minnesota.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Cattle fever ticks are capable of carrying parasites that cause cattle fever.
• It's coming back to a huge impact Texas cattle industry.
• That report showed that cattle are at a low all-time low inventory.
• total in all of the United States. 12.2 million of those cattle reside here. in Texas.
• Some of the challenges that have reduced the cattle herds...

Keywords: 1184, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Cattle fever ticks are capable of carrying parasites that cause cattle fever.
• Uh, it's coming back to a huge impact Texas Texas cattle industry.
• That report showed that cattle are at a low all-time low inventory.
• . 12.2 million of those cattle reside here in Texas.
• So, um, any kind of cattle or hay or, or forestry products in East Texas.

Transcript Highlights:

• And essentially, it is the same thing that we use in dairy cattle to predict genetic merit.
• It's the same thing as what we do in cattle.
• This actually works better than a lot of things in cattle.
• I raise cattle.
• Since cattle already have a separate limit of 200 gallons, Is it possible that this bill misses the cattle

Bills: HB3270, HB3145, HB3056

Keywords: farmed cervidae, chronic wasting disease, genetic resistance, wildlife management, agriculture, wildlife tagging, hunting regulations, Cervidae family, feral swine, exotic wildlife, conservation, commercial hunting, raw milk, unpasteurized, farm sales, Oklahoma Milk and Milk Products Act, local producers, advertising, 914, all

Transcript Highlights:

• out to eat cattle in the pasture<00:12:17.920> over.
• According to the USDA, loss of cattle to According to the USDA, loss of cattle to wolves<00:26:46.840
• That is a minimal impact of three cattle That is a minimal impact of three cattle among<00:27:01.560
• Cattle built this state. Cattle built this building. This is a cow town, I'll say it again.
• Most of us raise cattle in the high desert.

Keywords: Continuation of today's legislative session, beginning at 7:45 pm., 981, all

Summary: The House took up House Bill 1410, the state’s long appropriations bill for the executive, legislative, and judicial branches and their agencies and institutions for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026. The committee first recessed and then adopted a motion to rise, report progress, and sit again later that day. The House also adopted a motion under House Rule 14 to limit debate on House Bill 1410 to one hour during special orders on April 10, 2026, by a vote of 40-20, with four excused and one absent. During consideration of House Bill 1410, members debated Amendment J82/54A, which would require funding for wolf reintroduction to come from gifts, grants, and donations rather than general fund dollars. Supporters argued the state should not use taxpayer money for additional wolf reintroduction, especially during a budget crisis, and said rural ranchers and livestock producers are bearing the costs and impacts of wolves. They emphasized depredation concerns, the strain on rural communities, and the view that the reintroduction effort has been costly and poorly managed. Opponents of the amendment said the funding line is part of broader wolf management, not just reintroduction, and argued the state has a legal obligation to carry out Proposition 114. They said gifts, grants, and donations are not a reliable funding source for that mandate and noted the program also supports conflict minimization efforts such as range riders. One speaker also defended the ecological role of wolves, citing their benefits to ecosystems, elk management, and biodiversity. The transcript does not show a final vote on the amendment before the excerpt ends.

Transcript Highlights:

• cattle give them access to the feed unless I provided it for them.
• that it was going to have any impact at all on whether my cattle got out or not.
• North Dakota, because we have horses and some cattle there.
• It'll affect because we have horses and some cattle there.
• There's also feeding and tending for cattle and a... Mr.

Keywords: 908, all

Summary: The House convened with prayer, the Pledge of Allegiance, and a quorum present, then received a gubernatorial message listing numerous bills signed by the governor. The chamber also handled conference committee business, including appointing conferees for House Bills 1003 and 1169 after refusing to concur with Senate amendments, and adopting a conference committee report on House Bill 1053, which repealed a Century Code section related to the length of the state highway system. A major portion of the meeting focused on Senate Bill 2137, which would allow supplemental feed for hunting and include an expiration date. The House divided the proposed amendments into two parts. Division A, dealing with baiting limits and setbacks near livestock facilities, drew extensive debate over private property rights, enforceability, livestock protection, and hunting access, and failed 14-76. Division B, requiring chronic wasting disease surveillance and a report to Legislative Management, also drew debate over whether the reporting requirement was necessary or too late to be useful; it failed 44-46. With both divisions defeated, the House then passed the underlying bill 56-34. The House also laid over Senate Bills 2340, 2326, and 2289. Later, it defeated Senate Bill 2325, which would have created a process for non-federal easements on wetland areas, by a vote of 4-84. It passed Senate Bill 2210, directing a legislative management study on watershed-based water management, 85-3; Senate Bill 2387, establishing rights for sexual violence survivors, 89-0; and Senate Bill 269, allowing state agencies to satisfy legal notice requirements by posting on their websites if newspaper publication is missed, 72-17. The House then excused absent members and adjourned until Monday, April 14, 2025.

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.
• There were 4,000 head of dairy cattle euthanized out there.
• He was banned from selling his cattle or growing crops on his farm.
• He was banned from selling his cattle or growing crops on his farm.

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:

• fall, I kept seeing cattle on the land. fall, I kept seeing cattle on the land.
• <00:45:43.359> that<00:45:43.680> they and the cattle that they and the cattle that
• <00:59:28.160> from you're not going to take a cattle from you're not going to take a cattle
• <01:11:42.159> the<01:11:42.320> American cattle ranch community. the American cattle
• Cattle ranchers can't compete on price against ethanol.

Bills: HF3718

Keywords: veterinary medicine, veterinary technology, animal care, licensing, client consent, continuing education, emergency services, teletriage, 1183, house

Summary: The Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee met with quorum present, approved the March 2 minutes, and then heard a presentation on economic consolidation in agriculture from Austin Ferk, who said he was not taking additional public testimony. Ferk argued that consolidation in meat, dairy, and grain markets has squeezed farmers on both input and output prices, raised consumer prices, and reduced product quality. He used charts and examples to claim that concentrated markets lead to price gouging, that farmers now receive a historically low share of each food dollar, and that industrial production has contributed to environmental problems, especially in Iowa. Ferk focused on several large agribusiness firms, especially JBS and Cargill. He described JBS as a dominant meatpacker with a history of bribery allegations and market power across beef, pork, poultry, and leather, and said its ownership of brands can obscure who is actually selling the product. He also criticized Cargill as an opaque, privately held company with enormous influence over grain and food markets, and said the farm bill and crop insurance system have been shaped to favor overproduction of corn and soy rather than diversified farming. He argued that these policies, along with ethanol demand and export-oriented livestock production, have harmed rural communities, increased manure and nitrate pollution, and contributed to health problems. In the latter part of the presentation, Ferk discussed antitrust and policy responses, including concentration studies, a proposed packer ban that would prevent meatpackers from owning the animals they slaughter, and restrictions on slotting fees and other pay-to-play practices in grocery retail. He also referenced the failed Kroger-Albertsons merger as an example of consolidation harming local communities. No committee vote or formal action was taken on the presentation beyond approving the minutes.

Transcript Highlights:

• Basically, the way it goes is if your cattle gets hurt or killed, the U.S.
• The way we figure out how much is we work with the cattle industry on what the rates are for cattle at
• It's very fair to all the ranchers, the ones that get cattle that are hurt.
• There have been pets, cattle that were people's pets, that were killed in their front yards, but they
• Arizona State Cal Bells, and the American National Cattle Women.

Keywords: 1182, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We could be talking about dairy cattle.
• So is there any prohibition on that, that the protein added was not going to be cattle-to-cattle?
• <00:19:10.400> or cattle were eating parts of cattle or cattle were eating parts of cattle
• <00:19:21.039> to added was not going to be uh cattle to added was not going to be uh cattle
• We had a little reprieve that... spillover event in dairy cattle in Texas spillover event in dairy cattle

Bills: HF601, HF271, HF1101, HF979

Keywords: agriculture, depredation compensation, livestock, crop damage, elk, wolves, wildlife management, skills path program, career and technical education, CTE, dual credit, postsecondary options enrollment, apprenticeship, apprenticeship readiness, dual training, work-based learning, career pathways, skilled trades, workforce development, high school to career

Transcript Highlights:

• So just provide a pregnancy test for the cattle.
• So to be able to pre check your cattle.
• You know, there's there's some cattle.
• And so that was tests on their cattle.
• <00:03:18.000> and that. and with the amount of cattle and that. and with the amount of cattle

Keywords: 916, all

Summary: The committee met briefly to hear and sort through interim topic proposals, with members noting they needed to finish quickly before floor work. The first topic, from Representative Banks and Representative Ottman, would allow non-veterinarians to perform pre-check pregnancy testing on cattle to help address veterinary shortages, while still requiring a certified veterinarian for cattle sold as bred. No public testimony was offered, and the committee agreed to move through the full list and rank topics later rather than taking an immediate vote. A second topic, brought by the County Commissioners Association through Jeremiah Ryman and Joy Hill, concerned subdivision fencing laws. Hill said recent statutory changes moved fencing requirements into the subdivision statutes, creating cost and planning problems for developers and county officials. She said the preferred option would be repeal; if not, counties should have flexibility to exempt some subdivisions, and at minimum the law should be clarified because key terms and requirements are unclear. The committee asked a few questions and then moved on. Representative Davis and Holly Kennedy of the Wyoming Association of Conservation Districts discussed updating conservation district statutes. Kennedy said districts are currently barred from borrowing money for major purchases and that election rules can force board members to vacate seats if they move within the district but outside their original locality. The association supported revisiting those provisions. The committee also heard a topic on comparing recreation rules on state lands and federal lands, with the sponsor saying the goal was to identify disparities and possible improvements. Later topics included preventing orphaned water rights, with Keith Kennedy of the Wyoming Association of Irrigation Districts asking for statutory clarification so water rights are properly transferred during divisions and not forfeited, especially in small subdivisions and family exemptions. Another proposal from Representative Ottman addressed a tribal buffalo issue involving whether animals crossing between reservation land and fee land are treated as wildlife or domestic animals; members emphasized the topic was for information and discussion rather than legislation. Senator Pearson also proposed revisiting fence-out laws for livestock to give landowners more protection when repeatedly dealing with wandering animals, while others cautioned that any changes would need to be handled carefully because of differing livestock rules and the state’s fence-in/fence-out framework. Finally, Senator Hicks raised livestock identification concerns, arguing producers should retain flexibility under prior law to identify animals as they choose and that veterinarians should not be forced into new federal tagging requirements.

Transcript Highlights:

• They were built for smaller cattle. Cattle back then were 700 pounds to 1,000 pounds.
• Our current cattle we slaughter 1,100 to 1,600 pound cattle.
• They can't handle the cattle that we're producing right now. They can only handle smaller cattle.
• It makes processors not wanting to purchase cattle.
• My son had to sell most of the cattle. Now as you saw in Dr.

Transcript Highlights:

• , which cattle is... the big industry in Texas.
• Issue number two is cattle fever tick mitigation.
• Miller earlier about the cattle being imported from Mexico at this present time.
• The cattle, the dairy cattle that are affected with the bird flu, you were talking about their production
• I raise Bragg Angus and Wagyu cattle where no animal is is critical to my purchaser.

Bills: SB1, SB 1

Keywords: appropriations, budget, state funding, education, healthcare, infrastructure, campground safety, youth camp regulations, flood safety, emergency evacuation, health and safety standards, 1185, senate, all