Transcript Highlights:

• are supposed to report to the legislature in November on their plan to increase the amount of local beef
• to use their state funding to purchase local, and some school districts like Roswell use only local beef
• in their school meals and have spent over $1 million in the last year on local beef.
• asking PED and I believe UNM to come up with a plan to increase the amount of New Mexico dairy and beef
• The cost of beef in particular is going up, and if the rate is set now yet the actual cost goes up, are

Transcript Highlights:

• My wife, Jenny, and I farm up in Pi, Minnesota, and we have beef. We finish all the way through.
• We have a few restaurants that use our beef, and then we do sell hamburger into the school system as
• We have corn, soybeans, sunflowers, and our beef on the farm.
• We have corn, soybeans, sunflowers, and our beef on the farm.
• Now I'm worried about scrambling to find new customers to buy that beef.

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• I am totally fine with my tax dollars going to purchase someone in need some meat, some ground beef.
• I am totally fine with my tax dollars going to purchase someone in need some meat, some ground beef.
• /c><00:12:51.920> You<00:12:51.960> know,<00:12:52.200> I'm meat, some ground beef
• You know, I'm meat, some ground beef.
• jerky stick or a Snicker bar or a beef jerky stick or a packet<00:39:13.600> of<00:39:13.680>

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The committee took up House File 3603, and Representative Olson first offered and had adopted an A1 author’s amendment. Olson then explained that the bill would direct the Commissioner of Children, Youth and Families to seek a USDA waiver allowing Minnesota to bar SNAP purchases of items subject to state sales tax, such as prepared foods, chips, soft drinks, and candy. He argued the goal was to promote healthier nutrition, noted that other states have similar waivers, and said the change could help Minnesota qualify for significant federal rural health care funding. Public testimony was divided. Patrick Garofalo of the Minnesota Grocers Association opposed the bill, saying SNAP is a supplemental program and that the proposal would be difficult to administer at retail stores, create confusion, and expose retailers to serious penalties for mistakes. He argued the state tax code is not a nutrition standard and pointed out inconsistencies, such as some candy-like products still being taxable or some healthy items being treated as prepared food. Will Hagen of Minnesota Retailers also opposed the bill, warning it would require costly point-of-sale changes, retraining, and would turn store employees into enforcers while creating cross-border shopping problems. Matt Schmidt of the American First Policy Institute supported the concept, saying SNAP should emphasize nutrition and that restricting unhealthy purchases would reduce taxpayer subsidies for junk food and soda. Members then debated the bill’s logic and practicality, including questions about which snacks would or would not be allowed under the tax-based standard. Representative Sencer-Mura offered an H2 amendment, framed as applying the same restrictions to legislators’ own per diem spending; Representative Hansen responded that the comparison was not equivalent and raised concerns about household circumstances and accessibility. The H2 amendment was put to a vote and did not prevail. The committee then continued member discussion on the bill.

Transcript Highlights:

• So I was luckily able to hand-apply chicken litter, beef feedlot manure, and swine inflint all by hand
• Our beef manure, we get that more out west as we move more west, and we do have our local feedlots, a
• Our beef manure, we get that more out west as we move more west and we do have our local feedlots, a
• The litter, the beef feedlot manure, and the biosolids deliver carbon.
• They all rely on land application: either cows, chickens, dairy, beef.

Summary: The meeting focused on the use of biosolids on farm and ranch land, with testimony from Oklahoma State University experts, a conservation official, and an engineering representative about the benefits, risks, and regulatory implications. Dr. Lusk described OSU’s long history of soil fertility research and said biosolids can provide nutrients and organic matter, but also may carry contaminants such as PFAS, heavy metals, pharmaceuticals, microplastics, and pathogens. He emphasized that many questions remain unanswered, especially about contaminant uptake into soil, crops, livestock, and humans, and said existing EPA and Oklahoma DEQ regulations address some treatment and application standards but may not fully cover PFAS. Dr. Arnell expanded on nutrient management, explaining that biosolids can function similarly to manure as a fertilizer source, especially for nitrogen and phosphorus, but should be tested, incorporated into soil, and applied under permit conditions to reduce runoff and other losses. He said PFAS testing methods are not yet standardized and that more research is needed to determine sampling protocols, movement in soil, and long-term effects. Committee members asked whether farmers and ranchers should be notified of risks, whether PFAS is currently tested, how many counties use biosolids, and what research would be needed for a dissertation-level study. The witnesses generally agreed that landowners should be informed of known risks and uncertainties, but said the science is still developing. Dr. Arnell said a unified testing method is needed before reliable PFAS monitoring can be done, and suggested that a multi-year study would be required to understand soil movement, crop uptake, and livestock impacts. Greg Scott of the Oklahoma Conservation Commission framed the issue as a waste-management problem, noting that human waste streams contain contaminants and that soil type affects how pollutants move; he said sandy soils pose greater movement risks than clay soils and that current best practice is incorporation, careful timing, and avoiding steep or sensitive sites. He also said PFAS are widespread and not naturally occurring in the way some other compounds are, and that liability and cleanup costs are major concerns. Mary Elizabeth Mock of Garver Engineering focused on the practical and financial consequences of a possible moratorium on land application, saying most of Oklahoma’s biosolids are currently land applied and would otherwise have to go to landfills. She warned that many landfills are nearing capacity, tipping fees could rise sharply, and cities such as Tulsa and Norman could face large increases in disposal costs, which would ultimately be borne by ratepayers and taxpayers. She also said septic system maintenance costs could rise if land application options shrink, potentially leading to deferred maintenance and system failures. Mock urged a tiered, data-driven approach to PFAS regulation and said advanced treatment technologies may help in the future, but they are still emerging and expensive. No votes were taken; the session consisted of presentations and member questions.

Transcript Highlights:

• are supposed to report to the legislature in November on their plan to increase the amount of local beef
• Some school districts, like Roswell, use only local beef in their school meals and have spent over $1
• million in the last school year on local beef.
• What if the students don't eat beef?
• Schools can only use 40% of their New Mexico grown to purchase beef.

Transcript Highlights:

• We produce 115,000 pounds a year of grass-fed beef.
• <00:21:07.400> in<00:21:07.720> in<00:21:07.799> the beef grass-fed beef we
• put in in the beef grass-fed beef we put in in the local<00:21:08.360> markets<00:21:08.960>
• Cattle, beef, is one of the critical components. We are fighting land use battles all the time.
• Cattle, beef, is one of the critical components. We are fighting land use battles all the time.

Keywords: 912, senate, all

Summary: The Committee on Water and Land heard SR 18, which asks DLNR to transfer active agricultural land leases to the Department of Agriculture to support agriculture. DLNR, through Don Chang, opposed the resolution, saying the department has already been transferring parcels by mutual agreement and should not be required to transfer lands it does not consent to. Ranchers and agricultural advocates strongly supported the measure, arguing that the lands are active production areas, that partial transfers would undermine ranching operations, and that water infrastructure built by ranchers must be protected. Testimony from the Hawaii Farm Bureau and others emphasized the importance of preserving agricultural land for food production, wildfire management, and long-term ranch viability. Committee members pressed both sides on acreage, specific parcels, and whether negotiations were still ongoing, with DLNR later clarifying that some parcels remain under negotiation and that some proposed transfers have been narrowed or adjusted. Several specific ranches and parcels were discussed, including Batello, Diamond B, Delo, Nobriga, and Kapala Ranch. Witnesses described the operational importance of water systems, grazing areas, and access routes, and said that losing productive acreage would threaten business viability. Some members expressed concern that the proposal appeared to transfer productive land while leaving less useful land with ranchers, and urged the department to continue transparent negotiations and consider the practical impact on agriculture and conservation. A DLNR representative said some transfers were tied to other needs, such as transportation mitigation, and not to a broader effort to take more land. The Department of Agriculture later stated it supports the intent of the measure, but suggested its concerns would likely be addressed if the resolution were narrowed to the specific parcels at issue. The chair also announced that the related House bill on the same subject remains alive and will be heard by Water and Land on Thursday. After concluding SR 18, the committee moved on to SCR 51 and SR 33, which seek a working group to evaluate establishing and administratively placing an Office of Resilience and Recovery. The Office of Planning and Sustainable Development indicated support for the concept, noting the office’s value in Maui wildfire recovery efforts.

Transcript Highlights:

• is supposed to report to the legislature in November on their plan to increase the amount of local beef
• in their menus and have spent over $1 million of their food budget on local beef.
• , increasing processing plants in the state of New Mexico for beef and school meals from.
• I got contacted by a beef processor in Raton last week. He said he had...
• Preference for beefing up the statute.

Transcript Highlights:

• Um so this would just um have those essentially reporting requirements, the sort of beefed up reporting
• Um so this would just um have those essentially reporting requirements, the sort of beefed up reporting
• Um so this would just um have those essentially reporting requirements, the sort of beefed up reporting
• Um so this would just um have those essentially reporting requirements, the sort of beefed up reporting
• Um so this would just um have those essentially reporting requirements, the sort of beefed up reporting

Keywords: 927, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• mentioned, Commissioner, that thinking outside the box, and so, you know, we've talked a lot about beef
• Um, Senate Bill 73 just makes a simple change to statute to allow for beef tallow-based cosmetic products
• Um, we already allow beef... The bill makes the exclusion for cosmetics made with beef tallow.
• We already allow beef tallow products for human consumption, but every item has to be specifically excluded
• So, this makes the exclusion for cosmetics made with beef tallow.

Keywords: Meeting Start: 00:00 Attendance Roll Call: 00:12 SB 5 Discussion: 03:10 SB 5 Roll Call Vote: 18:05 SB 73 Discussion: 22:00 SB 73 Roll Call Vote: 22:40, 958, all

Summary: The Senate Agriculture Committee met for the first meeting of the 2026 session, established a quorum, and opened with the pledge and a moment of silence honoring Gary Shell, the father of Commissioner of Agriculture Jonathan Shell. Committee members welcomed new senators to the panel and briefly noted a soybean association luncheon later in the day. The committee then took up two bills, both sponsored by Senator Jason Howell and presented with Commissioner Shell. Senate Bill 5 was the main item of discussion. Howell and Shell described it as a measure to reduce procurement barriers and expand the use of Kentucky-grown food in school nutrition programs, with a broader goal of connecting farmers, school districts, and the Department of Education through Kentucky Proud and related local sourcing efforts. Shell also discussed related agriculture-in-the-classroom efforts, including “All In for a Week,” and said the bill was part of a larger push to decentralize food sourcing and improve access for local producers. Several members asked questions and offered supportive comments, including a discussion of whether Kentucky Proud products would be included and a side conversation about possible future aquaculture legislation. The committee voted favorably on SB 5, and it passed with favorable expression. The committee then considered Senate Bill 73, which would allow beef tallow-based cosmetic products to be made at home under the state’s home-based industry rules by creating a specific statutory exclusion. After a brief explanation and no substantive debate, the committee voted on the bill and it passed with favorable expression and was recommended to be reported.

Transcript Highlights:

• We just touched briefly on beef before we sat down for this interview here.
• 00:01:34.240> touched<00:01:34.560> briefly<00:01:34.960> on<00:01:35.360> beef
• <00:01:35.920> uh<00:01:36.000> before just touched briefly on beef uh before just
• touched briefly on beef uh before we<00:01:36.400> sat<00:01:36.640> down<00:01:36.799>

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• represents approximately 20,000 individuals and businesses as members that contribute to the production of beef
• It's bad even for the consumers that want to be able to buy American beef.
• We know that the beef industry has been attacked nationally about their global emissions.
• We know that the beef industry has been attacked. Nationally, about their global emissions.

Bills: HB147

Keywords: government contracting, business program, discrimination, state procurement, equity, underutilized businesses

Summary: The House Committee on Agriculture and Livestock met with a quorum present and heard several bills, all of which were left pending. HB 1113, by Rep. Cain, would update Texas hemp law to keep state rules aligned with federal changes, require timely rule amendments by the Department of Agriculture, and create hemp research permits for universities and nonprofits. Supporters from the Texas Hemp Coalition said it would improve research, licensing, testing, and enforcement while helping the industry stay compliant and competitive; the author said the bill was intended to reward good actors and deter bad ones. HB 1203, by Rep. Gonzalez, would create an Office of Food System Security and Resiliency within the Department of Agriculture to address food insecurity and coordinate local food access efforts. Gonzalez said the office would build on a prior Department of Agriculture study and help connect farmers, agencies, schools, and local governments; members asked about the fiscal note, consumer costs, and whether the office would overlap with existing programs. HB 1269, HB 1276, and HB 1277 focused on plant disease and pest prevention, including a grant program and studies to identify gaps and track outbreaks. Gonzalez emphasized the need for a more intentional state response, citing crop losses from pests and a recent cotton disease outbreak in his district. HB 1437 would create a pollinator task force to address threats to Texas honeybees and related pollination industries. A Texas Beekeepers Association witness described major recent colony losses, emerging threats such as mites and hornets, and the need to bring agencies and researchers together; Gonzalez noted prior work adding a bee specialist at AgriLife Extension. Finally, HB 147, by Chairman Guillen, would modernize cattle brand registration by moving it to an electronic system at the Texas Animal Health Commission while keeping county clerks involved. Supporters said it would improve efficiency, accuracy, and access for ranchers and law enforcement, while an opponent warned about possible electronic tracking implications and costs for small producers. The committee took no final votes and adjourned after leaving HB 147 pending as well.

Transcript Highlights:

• goods to Japan each year, including aircraft engines and parts, agricultural products like bourbon, beef
• goods to Japan each year, including aircraft engines and parts, agricultural products like bourbon, beef
• parts, agricultural products like parts, agricultural products like bourbon,<00:33:04.960> beef
• /c><00:33:05.440> pork,<00:33:05.919> and<00:33:06.399> thoroughbred bourbon, beef
• , pork, and thoroughbred bourbon, beef, pork, and thoroughbred horses,<00:33:07.919> pharmaceuticals

Keywords: Convene 00:00 Senate Message 04:45 Calendar/2nd Readings 05:20 Report of Committees 07:05 Orders of the Day 08:23 HB 214 08:33 HB 416 12:26 HB 281 16:20 HB 134 18:13 Motions, Petitions, and Communications 21:08 Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 37:01 Recess for ConC/Rules Meeting 39:15 ConC/Rules Report 42:29 Floor Amendments 44:27 Correction to Introduction of New Bills and Resolutions 46:14 Adjournment 46:40, 958, all

Summary: The House convened, heard an invocation focused on recovery from a recent storm, and recited the Pledge of Allegiance. A quorum was established with 94 members present, absent members were excused, and the rules were suspended to allow co-sponsorships and vote modifications. The journal was approved, and the clerk reported a Senate message transmitting Senate Joint Resolution 23 for concurrence. The chamber then received second-reading reports on a wide range of bills covering pharmacist reimbursements, grooming a minor, local government liability, water fluoridation, solid waste, highway markings, fiduciary bonds, motor vehicle titles, hearing aid coverage, eating disorder coverage, public safety, pedestrians, cigar bars, backyard chickens, and county law libraries. Committee reports also advanced several bills, including measures on elections, local government, state-operated mental health facilities, prescription drugs, Alzheimer’s services, electric generating unit decommissioning costs, reemployment of retired police officers, and the Kentucky Communications Network Authority. Those favorable reports were treated as first readings and placed on the calendar. The House passed several bills unanimously by roll call, including House Bill 214 on a program to help disabled veterans obtain and install home wheelchair ramps, House Bill 416 on educator preparation and early assessments, House Bill 281 on streamlining food donations by churches and nonprofits for shelters and disaster victims, and House Bill 134 on sexual assault nurse examiners, creating a statewide coordinator, registry, and regional access plan. In each case, sponsors explained the bills and members voiced support; floor amendment 1 to House Bill 416 was adopted before passage. Clinchers were applied after passage of the bills. The House also adopted House Resolution 33 recognizing cancer patients, survivors, and families and designating January 29, 2026 as Suits and Sneakers Day, and adopted House Resolution 43 recognizing the economic and cultural partnership between Kentucky and Japan. Members offered additional citations honoring Newport Central Catholic High School and the YMCA, and the chamber observed a moment of silence for Boone County Sheriff Michael Helmig after a citation honoring his service and legacy. Announcements included committee meetings after adjournment, birthday wishes, and the introduction of numerous new bills and resolutions, including measures on kindergarten, bridges, revenue, retirement benefits, concealed deadly weapons, local taxes, motor vehicles, fiscal reporting, SNAP, families and children, vision testing, and a balanced budget amendment application.

Transcript Highlights:

• . >> I also have a bill that would beef up the Medicaid fraud control unit in the attorney general's
• Um, I also have a bill that<00:08:25.440> would<00:08:26.400> uh<00:08:26.560> beef<
• c><00:08:27.199> the<00:08:27.680> Medicaid<00:08:28.319> fraud that would uh beef
• up the Medicaid fraud that would uh beef up the Medicaid fraud control<00:08:29.120> unit<00:

Keywords: 919, house, all

Summary: The interview focused on the lawmaker’s emphasis on bipartisanship and civility, which he said has become even more important amid recent political violence in Minnesota and nationally. He described the civic pledge he signed with Republican Senator Michael Kun as part of a broader responsibility for elected officials and citizens to lower the temperature, debate issues vigorously without demeaning opponents, and preserve basic human dignity. He was also asked about gun violence and said Minnesota should continue a robust debate on possible policy changes after recent shootings, including the Annunciation school shooting. He pointed to steps already taken, such as expanded use of the red flag law and enhanced background checks, but said the public expects action and that the current status quo is unacceptable. The discussion then turned to several policy priorities for the 2026 session. He highlighted concerns about private equity buying manufactured home parks and sharply raising lot rents, which he said can force residents to choose between leaving their homes or cutting back on essentials. He also discussed a bill to stop pet shops from selling cats and dogs sourced from puppy mills, while allowing existing shops to continue only if they can show responsible sourcing. On fraud prevention, he said he plans to revisit a bill to create an independent inspector general office, along with a proposal to strengthen the Medicaid fraud control unit and other preventive measures. He also said he hopes to advance a bill licensing art therapy as a profession in Minnesota, framing it as a consumer protection and mental health issue. No votes or formal committee actions were taken in the interview.

Transcript Highlights:

• for the transportation of our commodities in the state of Minnesota, such as corn, soybeans, pork, beef
• 00:02:47.200> pork Minnesota such as corn soybeans pork Minnesota such as corn soybeans pork beef
• 49.120> and<00:02:49.280> forestry<00:02:49.840> Products<00:02:50.840> and beef
• turkeys and forestry Products and beef turkeys and forestry Products and more<00:02:51.239> importantly

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• tirelessly as a Geistown Borough road foreman while maintaining his family farm, where he also raises beef
• tirelessly as a Geistown Borough road foreman while maintaining his family farm, where he also raises beef
• tirelessly as a Geistown Borough road foreman while maintaining his family farm, where he also raises beef
• tirelessly as a Geistown Borough road foreman while maintaining his family farm, where he also raises beef
• tirelessly as a Geistown Borough road foreman while maintaining his family farm, where he also raises beef

Keywords: U.S. House of Representatives Floor Proceedings on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, 1012, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We're also the number one beef cattle state east of the Mississippi.
• But I was also involved in reopening beef export markets after BSE or the mad cow disease outbreak.
• And those markets took over a decade to recover when we had countries that did not buy our beef because
• To be beef cattle is now soy and corn, alternatively.
• I have been a longtime supporter of mandatory country-of-origin labeling for beef products.

Transcript Highlights:

• Also, I want to touch briefly on the beef economy because the two are in sync.
• The current strength in the beef market has been a crucial stabilizer for many of our dairy producers
• economy because the two are in beef economy because the two are in sync.<00:21:11.200> The<00
• The current strength in the beef sync.
• The ba the value of the beef Minnesota.

Bills: HF3474, HF3475, HF3508

Keywords: agriculture, funding, research, agricultural institute, state appropriations, education, leadership council, compensation, research institute, dairy assistance, investment, relief initiative, farm support, 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• I've been a lead analyst on most of the major national programs for genetic improvement of beef and dairy
• And as we all know, US dairy and beef competitiveness and US dairy and beef security, food security is
• Much better than a lot of the traits that power the economic engine of genetic improvement in beef and
• the idea, well, maybe they're, correlated traits, birth weight, weaning weight, yearling weight in beef

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:

• the Department of Administration has been doing quite a bit of work in the last couple of years to beef
• the Department of Administration has been doing quite a bit of work in the last couple of years to beef
• the Department of Administration has been doing quite a bit of work in the last couple of years to beef
• the Department of Administration has been doing quite a bit of work in the last couple of years to beef
• As that keeper of the policies for grants management, has kind of beefed up their role as well without

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Summary: The Senate Finance Committee met on January 9, 2025, to focus on internal controls, fraud prevention, and legislative oversight of state agencies. Legislative Auditor Judy Randall explained Minnesota’s internal control framework, based on the GAO Green Book, and described five core controls: assigning responsibility, separating duties, restricting access, maintaining policies and procedures, and keeping records. She tied each control to examples from recent audits, including DHS’s Medicaid provider debt recovery, the Minnesota State Academies’ travel reimbursement issue, privileged access at the Minnesota State Lottery, missing mileage-verification procedures at the Board of Firefighter Training and Education, and weak documentation in the Board on Aging’s senior nutrition program. Deputy Legislative Auditor Jod Mson Rodriguez then presented a new follow-up report on implementation of prior recommendations from 2022 through 2024, including special reviews. She said the office gathers agency documentation, evaluates progress, and categorizes recommendations from implemented to not applicable, while noting that some items require more work to verify and that this reflects OLA capacity rather than agency performance. Examples included the Department of Commerce, where some policy changes were verified but further work would be needed to confirm consistent investigator compliance, and the Metropolitan Council, where more data analysis would be needed to determine whether bonus payments were properly earned. She also noted that a legislature-directed recommendation to require grant manager training had not been implemented. Overall, OLA reported that state agencies had implemented or partially implemented close to 70% of its recommendations, while the legislature had implemented or partially implemented about 40% of recommendations from the last three years. Members generally praised the office’s work and discussed how agencies respond after reports are issued. Senator Westrom raised concerns about a recent media report on alleged fraud in CCAP, and Randall said OLA was aware of the issue but could not discuss details. Senator Draheim asked about post-report agency engagement, and Randall and Rodriguez said follow-up varies, with some agencies seeking private meetings and others engaging less, but that the follow-up process often prompts further discussion and improvement.

Transcript Highlights:

• we know there's a negative consequence if we just tell people, listen, like you're gonna eat this beef
• It means fewer calves and less beef, which is a loss of revenue for the state.
• Let me add that a reduction of supply will potentially result in a negative impact to beef demand through
• This can in turn, create additional impact on producers as the beef, beef market turns bearish.
• first of all, I, I would like to say that, you know, as a cattle auction barn, we are the pipeline for beef