Video & Transcript : 'farm programs' :
Page 41 of 500
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development - 01/22/25
Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development
Transcript Highlights:
- program.
- One thing I'd just say in the farm-to-school programs, or maybe two things that I've seen in my time
- Just an overview of the program: it's $155,000 for first-time farm buyers.
- </c> program we also received an urban farm program we also received an urban farm conservation<00:21
- it's $155,000 for firsttime the program it's $155,000 for firsttime Farm<00:21:49.880><c> buyers</c>
KY
Kentucky 2026 Regular Session
Senate Legislative Session Day 40 (3-5-26)
Kentucky Senate Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- The residency programs fell apart.
- were farming for some relatives.
- </c> typically dressed in farm store clothes. typically dressed in farm store clothes.
- </c> these old farm trucks that we all see. these old farm trucks that we all see.
- And one of them I do is farm.
Summary:
The Senate convened, opened with an invocation and pledge, established a quorum, excused absent members, and approved the journal. The House clerk then announced that the House had passed several bills and requested concurrence. The chamber also received second-reading reports for a number of bills and resolutions, which were referred to the Rules Committee, and committee reports from the Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor Committee and the Judiciary Committee recommending passage of several measures. New resolutions were also introduced, including one honoring Michael Mingi, Amanda Maize, and Senator Maize Bledsoe, and another designating March 31, 2026, as Kentucky Transitional Science Day.
The Senate then took up Senate Bill 145, relating to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. The chamber concurred in House Committee Substitute 1 and House Floor Amendment 1, then passed the bill as amended by a roll call vote of 35 yeas and 2 nays. The Senate next considered Senate Bill 59, relating to prohibited uses of tax dollars and resources. After adopting Senate Committee Substitute 1, members debated whether the bill’s enforcement provisions were needed to prevent public funds from being used to influence ballot questions; supporters cited prior school-related advocacy, while one opponent raised concerns about possible uneven treatment of schools receiving federal funds. The bill passed 28-9.
Finally, the Senate took up Senate Bill 137, relating to a provisional license to practice medicine. Supporters described Kentucky’s physician shortage, especially in rural areas, and argued the bill would help recruit foreign medical graduates by allowing a path to licensure based on prior residency and work experience. A floor amendment was offered to preserve standards by emphasizing U.S. residency pathways and cautioning against lowering the standard of care, but the amendment was withdrawn after discussion. The bill remained under consideration at the end of the transcript.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development - 03/21/25
Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development
Transcript Highlights:
- We don't have a a program like program.
- And in today's uh farm the family farm.
- I farm alongside my family near Northfield, and this tax credit program has been significantly beneficial
- I farm alongside my family near Northfield, and this tax credit program has been significantly beneficial
- So this program has been a huge help in building my business and my farming experience here in Minnesota
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee 1/22/25
Agriculture Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- We have a number of signature programs that we have to deliver our farm safety and health programming
- safety program we attractor and farm safety program we have<00:42:33.880><c> done</c><00:42:34.240><
- do target the farm safety programs to that youth audience.
- c> as</c> many of our farm safety programs um as many of our farm safety programs um as we<00:47:02.640
- <c> our</c><00:47:10.240><c> health</c> our farm safety programs and our health our farm safety programs
Committee:
House Agriculture Finance and Policy
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Agriculture Committee Mar 25th, 2026
Transcript Highlights:
- Rebecca Cruchin, Frog Hollow Farm: Hello, I'm Rebecca Cruchin from Frog Hollow Farm, and I'm here to
- Lail Gerhardt, Frog Hollow Farm: I, Lail Gerhardt from Frog Hollow Farm, also support the bill.
- Madeline Kershane, Frog Hollow Farm: I'm Madeline Kershane from Frog Hollow Farm, and I support this
- program.
- program.
Summary:
The Committee on Agriculture met and heard a full agenda of bills, beginning with AB 1674, which would create a Food Desert Elimination Grant Program and require grocery-store capacity to be preserved or mitigated in certain housing developments. The author and local residents from Sunnyvale testified in support, describing the loss of neighborhood grocery stores and the impact on seniors and low-income families. Business and building groups opposed or opposed unless amended, arguing the bill could add costs and create housing barriers, especially in Section 3. The committee discussed rural and urban food-access differences, and the bill passed the committee 5-0 and was re-referred to Housing and Community Development, with members noting continued work on amendments.
The committee then approved several consent items and heard AB 2264, which would allow district agricultural associations to use fairgrounds property for affordable housing by extending lease terms from 55 to 99 years. Supporters said it would unlock underused public land without displacing neighborhoods, and the bill passed to Housing and Community Development. AB 269, the “Fair Act,” would provide a targeted sales and use tax exemption to spur development projects on fairgrounds; it drew broad support from members and fair association testimony and passed to Revenue and Taxation. AB 2143, which would prohibit online marketplaces from accepting payment for noxious weeds shipped into California, received strong support from academic and agricultural witnesses and passed to Privacy and Consumer Protection.
The committee also heard AB 1731, creating the California Healthy Food Procurement Fund and an approved-vendor program to connect schools with California farmers. School nutrition, farm, and food-policy advocates supported the bill as a way to reduce procurement barriers and expand local food in school meals; it passed to Appropriations. Finally, AB 1848 would raise seed-law fees to fund inspection and enforcement of California’s seed regulations; the California Seed Association supported the increase, and the bill passed to Appropriations. The meeting concluded with roll calls on absent members and adjournment at 2:53 p.m.
HI
Hawaii 2026 Regular Session
AEN-HOU, AEN-EIG, AEN Public Hearings 03-18-2026
Agriculture and Environment
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> uh farm worker housing. uh farm worker housing.
- /c> possible with a a farm a farmer a farm possible with a a farm a farmer a farm operator<00:10:04.840
- </c> farming in general. farming in general.
- . farms. farms.
- </c><00:14:58.480><c> uh</c><00:14:58.600><c> farm</c> uh situation where farming uh farm uh situation
Committee:
Senate Agriculture and Environment
Summary:
The committee heard testimony on HB 1737, which clarifies allowable uses in agricultural districts for farm dwellings and farm employee housing, and HB 1604 HD2, which creates an agricultural workforce housing working group within the Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity. Testimony on HB 1737 was overwhelmingly supportive, with county agriculture officials, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, and Hawaii Farmers Union backing the measure; one witness asked for a definition of “affordable” to guard against misuse of farm housing. For HB 1604, the Department of Agriculture, Hawaii Farm Bureau, Housing Hawaii’s Future, Hawaii Farmers Union, and the Office of Hawaiian Affairs supported the bill, with OHA requesting disaggregated data and a seat on the working group. Committee discussion focused on housing shortages, possible misuse, affordability, and whether innovative housing models such as modular, tiny, and container homes should be considered.
The committee then took action on both measures. HB 1737 HD3 was recommended to pass with amendments that would limit farm employee housing to agricultural employees and their immediate family members actively engaged in the farm operation, add a grandfathering provision for existing permitted housing, preserve county zoning authority, clarify that ag tourism must be secondary and not occur in employee housing, delete a square-footage-per-acre ratio, and defer the effective date to July 1, 2050. HB 1604 HD2 was also recommended to pass with amendments adding OHA and a housing-shortage organization to the working group, expanding its scope to include modular, tiny, and container homes and permitting/zoning streamlining, and deferring the effective date to July 1, 2050. Both motions were adopted unanimously by the members present.
The joint hearing then moved to HB 1736, which would establish a spay and neuter special fund and require sterilization and declaration provisions for cats, with some discussion of dogs. DLNR and the Hawaiian Humane Society supported the bill, while Pacific Pet Alliance objected to the broader requirements and the inclusion of dogs; the Hawaiian Humane Society and American Bird Conservancy supported cat-focused sterilization and the special fund, while some testifiers opposed mandatory sterilization as too costly or intrusive. Members raised questions about toxoplasmosis, trap-neuter-release, enforcement, neighbor-island access, and funding needs, and DLNR indicated additional funding and third-party contracting would likely be needed. The transcript then began HB 1620 HD2 on energy, which would increase the environmental response energy and food security tax and shift funds from the hydrogen fueling subaccount to EV charging infrastructure; state agencies generally stood on written testimony in support, while the Tax Foundation objected to special fund earmarks and noted the bill raises only one part of the barrel tax structure.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Assembly Agriculture Committee Mar 26th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- of these farms.
- grant programs.
- The resulting technical assistance program has significantly increased the number and variety of farming
- Last year, some researchers from Cal Poly SLO did an independent program evaluation of CDFA's programs
- We are accepting our committee amendments to the completion date of the Farm Research Grant Program to
Summary:
The Assembly Agriculture Committee met as a subcommittee at first because a quorum was not yet present, then adopted its committee rules for the 2025-2026 legislative session by a 5-0 vote. The committee heard a series of agriculture-related bills, with most measures receiving broad support and moving forward. AB 1142 by Assemblymember Hoover would raise the fee thresholds for small public horse events that are exempt from equine medication monitoring rules; supporters said the current limits are outdated and hurt small riding clubs, and the bill passed to Appropriations. AB 411 by Assemblymember Papin would allow ranchers to compost livestock carcasses on-farm; supporters cited cost, environmental, and predator-control benefits, while rendering industry representatives asked for amendments to protect existing services and limit the bill’s scope. The bill passed to Natural Resources. AB 482 by Assemblymember Solache would modernize the California Table Grape Commission law and raise assessment caps without increasing assessments themselves; it passed to Appropriations. AB 312 by Vice Chair Alanis would shorten the holding period for ag theft property from six months to three months; it also passed to Appropriations.
The committee also heard AB 937 and AB 947 by Assemblymember Connolly. AB 937 would make technical changes to the Organic Transition Pilot Program to improve access to organic transition support, with testimony from a farmer who said the program helped him pursue organic certification; the bill passed to Appropriations. AB 947 would expand and refine technical assistance under the Healthy Soils/Climate Smart Agriculture programs, including training, grant writing, matching funds coordination, equipment sharing, and outcome monitoring; supporters said the changes would help small and organic producers access state climate programs, and it also passed to Appropriations. AB 1486, presented by the chair, would use Proposition 4 funding to start grants for public postsecondary agricultural research farms focused on climate resiliency; members praised the role of CSU and UC research farms, and the bill passed to Natural Resources as amended.
The most extensive discussion centered on AB 928 by Assemblymember Rogers, the California Cockfighting Cruelty Act. Supporters argued the bill would help law enforcement target cockfighting and rooster trafficking, reduce avian disease risks, and protect public health and animal welfare; opponents, including poultry hobbyists, breeders, and 4-H-related participants, said it would overreach into lawful poultry keeping and harm heritage-breed and youth programs, urging instead that cockfighting penalties be increased to a felony. Committee members echoed concerns about unintended impacts on legitimate poultry owners and requested continued work on exemptions and language. The bill passed to Judiciary on a 5-2-1 vote, with one no vote and one abstention, and the chair noted that further committee review would continue as the bill advances.
VT
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> Vermont already has a regulatory program Vermont already has a regulatory program for<00:21:03.200
- </c> finance licensing program. finance licensing program.
- lending program for personal loans.
- before the program takes effect.
- A farm that is required to wording.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee Apr 22nd, 2026
Labor, Public Employment and Retirement
Transcript Highlights:
- And this is a mechanism to help these farm workers.
- And this is a mechanism to help these farm workers.
- This program, which is identical to the tax credit, will be a jobs program for a stand-up.
- to produce solar farms?
- That is how the program is designed to work.
Summary:
The committee heard SB 921, which would create a tax credit to help agricultural employers offset overtime premium costs for farmworkers. Senator Grove and supporters, including farmworkers, the California Farm Bureau, and agricultural groups, argued the bill would restore lost hours and take-home pay after California’s agricultural overtime law reduced schedules. Opponents, including the California Federation of Labor Unions and CRLA Foundation, argued the proposal would subsidize employers with taxpayer dollars and undermine the principle that employers should pay overtime themselves. The bill was held in subcommittee until more members arrived.
The committee then took up SB 1083, a cleanup bill to the prior year’s school employee misconduct database law. The author and supporters said it would add due process protections for classified school employees, require an administrative law judge review before placement in the database, and improve notice and vetting rules for contractors and non-permanent staff. School employer groups and other opponents warned the bill could slow investigations and weaken child-safety protections. The committee approved the bill 3-0 and sent it to Senate Appropriations.
Members also considered SB 1089, which would require CalPERS health plans to cover GLP-1 medications and expand access through CalRX for chronic weight management and related health conditions. The author and supporters, including the American Diabetes Association and medical groups, said the drugs can prevent diabetes and improve health outcomes but remain unaffordable for many. Pharma representatives expressed concerns about the bill as drafted but said they were open to continued discussions. The bill passed 4-0 to Appropriations. The committee also approved the consent calendar 4-0.
Later, the committee heard SB 954, which would narrow and add guardrails to last year’s CEQA exemption for advanced manufacturing, including environmental review near disadvantaged communities and labor standards such as prevailing wage and skilled-and-trained workforce requirements. Labor, environmental, and community groups supported the bill as a cleanup of an overly broad exemption, while business and manufacturing groups opposed it, warning it would discourage investment and worsen California’s competitiveness. The bill passed 3-1 to Appropriations. Finally, SB 1299, a fire sprinkler fitter certification bill, was heard and passed 3-0 to Appropriations with support from the sprinkler fitters and building trades and no recorded opposition.
WA
Washington 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Labor & Commerce Jan 20th, 2026 at 10:30 am
Labor & Commerce
Transcript Highlights:
- as everyone else will run farms out of business.
- These are multigenerational family farms.
- the intention of the program.
- We believe farm workers, they have the right to... family farming.
- You've seen what's going on on the farms over there.
Committee:
Senate Labor & Commerce
Keywords:
agriculture, collective bargaining, labor relations, public employment, agricultural employees, SB 6188, asbestos, asbestos training, asbestos certification, asbestos worker, asbestos supervisor, Department of Labor and Industries, L&I, rulemaking authority, occupational safety, workplace safety, hazardous materials, abatement, encapsulation, removal
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Conference Committee on HF2446 5/9/25
Transcript Highlights:
- Moving to line 85 for the farm business management or MALC program within Agri.
- It increases the individual grant award amount in the Farm Down Payment Assistance Grant Program from
- the farm down payment assistance<00:40:45.359><c> grant</c><00:40:45.680><c> program</c><00:40:46.640
- Section 32 on page R28 modifies the farm opportunity loan program to reduce the purposes of the loans
- Section 33 on page R28 amends the eligibility for the farm opportunity loan program to require that a
Summary:
The Agriculture Conference Committee met for an initial organizational and comparison session on House File 2446, the agriculture broadband and rural development bill. Members introduced themselves, noted that no conference target had yet been set, and agreed to begin with a side-by-side review of House and Senate positions. No oral testimony was taken; instead, the chair listed written testimony submitted by a wide range of agricultural, environmental, local government, food bank, and industry groups.
Nonpartisan fiscal staff walked through the major funding differences. Both bills included some shared items such as operating adjustments, wolf and elk damage compensation, and certain technical changes, but they differed on several major appropriations. The House generally proposed larger increases for meat inspection, local food purchasing, and the Board of Animal Health, and added items such as county inspector grants, biofertilizer innovation, a biosolids/PFAS-related study, a soil health study, broadband installation study funding, an Agri Works program, an Agri Support program, a milk grant program, and several House-only transfers and grants. The Senate included items such as a climate coordinator position, biofuel-related reductions and policy changes, livestock processing funding, farm-to-school and urban agriculture changes, MARL funding, cottage foods licensing updates, and several Senate-only pass-through grants and transfers. Staff also noted differences in the agriculture emergency account transfer approach and in how the two bodies handled the Second Harvest Heartland and related food distribution provisions.
House Research then reviewed the policy language differences in the bill. The House language included provisions allowing more flexible use of grant administration funds, unpaid prior-year claims, county inspector grants, and updates tied to its own policy article, while the Senate language included the climate coordinator, PFAS-related commercialization language, cooperative development grant permissive language, and other Senate policy changes. The committee did not take any votes or final actions at this meeting; the session was informational and focused on identifying differences for later negotiation.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee 3/19/25
Agriculture Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- that</c> this bill establish a program that this bill establish a program that provides<00:41:15.319>
- I have a farm named after my five children, and I'm so proud to be a farmer in Minnesota. program we're
- my farm.
- /c><00:45:04.200><c> farming</c> uh continue farming uh continue farming there<00:45:06.680><c> I</c>
- of</c> small family farm and Farms South of small family farm and Farms South of Brainard<00:48:08.079
Committee:
House Agriculture Finance and Policy
Keywords:
HF44, Casey Jones State Trail, Pipestone Trailhead, Currie Loop, Minnesota bonding bill, capital investment, state bonds, bond proceeds fund, Department of Natural Resources, DNR, trail rehabilitation, trail reconstruction, recreational trail, bike trail, hiking trail, infrastructure, state trail, Pipestone, Currie, bonding authorization
ID
Transcript Highlights:
- Did you grow up on a farm? Obviously, you're involved in farming. What do you guys farm out there?
- As a consumer, I can go visit my neighbor's farm, see farm products, ask him about the heritage of the
- So we're currently converting... ...program.
- We continue to support the Idaho Beef Counts program, and this is our year-round program that provides
- And so this program continues to grow.
Committee:
Senate Agricultural Affairs
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Agriculture Committee Meeting - 2025-03-26
Agriculture Finance and Policy
Transcript Highlights:
- One is moving unspent funds, the $4 million from the dairy program to farm to school.
- to school program.
- How much money is in the, and I'm kind of thinking, how many dollars are in the farm to school program
- school, farm to institution program.
- I made comments a couple of weeks ago about how important it is for us to have farm-to-food programs
Committee:
House Agriculture Finance and Policy
FL
Transcript Highlights:
- what is necessary for us to keep many of our farms and ranches farming and ranching, and to continue
- to participate in this program.
- farming, to keep it producing, to keep it benefiting... ...to keep that farm farming, to keep it producing
- There is a program.
- program, loan assistance program.
Committee:
Senate Agriculture
Summary:
The Committee on Agriculture heard two informational presentations before taking up legislation. Tracy Dean of Conservation Florida described the organization’s work protecting wild and working lands, especially ranch and timber lands within the Florida Wildlife Corridor, and argued that agricultural conservation easements are essential to preserving habitat, water resources, family farms, and the corridor itself. Senators discussed how conservation easements can help family operations remain viable across generations, and Dean emphasized strong demand for the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program and Florida Forever funding. Dr. Jamie Ellis of the University of Florida then gave a detailed presentation on honeybees, their role in pollination and Florida agriculture, and major threats such as Varroa mites, queen quality, nutrition issues, hurricanes, and the yellow-legged hornet; senators asked about colony losses, pollination alternatives, and the economic importance of beekeeping in Florida.
The committee then considered SB 210 on animal cremation, sponsored by Senator Harrell. The bill was described as a response to a case involving mishandled pet cremation and would require crematories to provide clear disclosures about services, prohibit false or misleading information, and authorize civil penalties enforced by the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The bill was reported favorably after a roll call vote. Next, the committee took up SJR 318, a joint resolution by Chair Truenow creating a proposed ad valorem tax exemption for tangible personal property used in agricultural production or agritourism on agricultural land and owned by the landowner or leaseholder. Several industry and agency representatives appeared in support, and the resolution was also reported favorably by unanimous vote.
The meeting concluded with no further business and adjournment motioned by Senator Rouson.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development - 04/02/25
Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development
Transcript Highlights:
- Section 28 modifies the farm opportunity loan program to reduce the purposes of the loans.
- , as well as the farm-to-school program.
- A good ag budget, it fills gaps left by the federal government and federal farm programs.
- for farm safety and rural mental health, continued support for the farm advocate program, and all those
- We're waiting to adjust our camera on our end. for the farm advocate program, and all for the farm advocate
CO
Colorado 2026 Regular Session
Colorado House 2026 Legislative Day 092 Apr 16th, 2026
Colorado House Floor Meeting
Transcript Highlights:
- </c> of non-farm wages. of non-farm wages.
- Under the $11 billion farmer bridge assistant program, the largest soybean farms, just 7.6% of operations
- Let's reform the farm subsidy program that funnels federal dollars to mega operations instead of family
- That's not how farming<03:04:11.160><c> works.</c> farming works. farming works.
- That's just 2.9% of all farms farms farms in<04:29:52.520><c> 2022.
MN
Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session
Committee on Agriculture, Veterans Broadband and Rural Development - 03/12/25
Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development
Transcript Highlights:
- programs, I would say, are three.
- programs, I would say, are three.
- of those programs.
- of those programs.
- programs.
CA
California 2025-2026 Regular Session
Senate Labor, Public Employment and Retirement Committee Apr 22nd, 2026
Labor, Public Employment and Retirement
Transcript Highlights:
- So let's just calculate the losses for the farm workers.
- And this is a mechanism to help these farm workers.
- This program, which is identical to the tax credit, will be a jobs program for a stand-up.
- solar farms?
- That is how the program is designed to work.
FL
Florida 2025 Regular Session
Agriculture Jan 14th, 2025
Transcript Highlights:
- WE HAVE DONE MANY SMALL FARMS.
- WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DO MANY SMALL FARMS UNDER THOSE RULES.
- AFTER THE HURRICANES LAST YEAR, THE LEGISLATURE PUT IN PLACE A LOAN PROGRAM, AND EMERGENCY LOAN PROGRAM
- WE ARE THE THIRD STATE IN THE UNION IN THE FFA PROGRAM.
- WE NOTICE THE FARMS FOR THESE TWO.