Transcript Highlights:

• And many of you told touching stories about growing up on farms, working on farms alongside family members
• farm worker pay.
• If your intent is to help farm...
• If your intent is to help farm workers, and I believe my colleague from Sacramento wants to help farm
• There is no agriculture without farm workers.

Keywords: 988, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• Farming is her full-time job, and her farm is just five acres because land is expensive and that was
• </c><01:04:46.760><c> store</c> Consumers I sell through my farm store Consumers I sell through my farm
• </c><01:09:14.239><c> and</c> and she's able to sustain her farm and and she's able to sustain her farm
• when I was looking for my 5-acre farm.
• when I was looking for my 5-acre farm.

Committee: House Taxes

Keywords: 1183, house

Transcript Highlights:

• Kentucky agriculture forward all across the Commonwealth, just as the farm tag does.
• Coming up in March, while I got a plug, that's when the farm tags come due for the farmers.
• "It'll be the same as the farm tag that already exists.
• That's what the current farm tag does. I doubt it brings in an additional million dollars.
• There's just a lot of individuals that can't get a farm tag because of the classification.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The House Transportation Committee met with a quorum and approved the minutes from its previous meeting. It then considered several transportation-related bills, beginning with House Bill 157 on special license plates. The bill, as amended by a committee substitute, would create a commercial Friends of Agriculture plate to support agriculture-related programs, with proceeds going to the same fund used by the existing farm tag. Members also discussed the committee substitute’s fee exemptions for military-related plates, and the bill was reported favorably with the substitute attached. The committee next took up House Bill 682 on utility relocation. Testimony from Charter Communications explained that the bill would update outdated law so cable and broadband providers are treated like public utilities for reimbursement when forced to relocate facilities for highway projects, while preserving the Transportation Cabinet’s discretion over reimbursements. Members asked about the current reimbursement process and fiscal impact; witnesses said the bill does not change cabinet discretion and therefore has no fiscal note. The bill was reported favorably. House Bill 443, which would shift the east end signage of the H. Rogers Parkway farther east to US 23 in Prestonsburg to reflect the already four-laned section and support future federal funding efforts, also received favorable expression. House Bill 444, a commercial driver’s licensing measure brought by the Transportation Cabinet and amended by committee substitute, would align Kentucky reporting requirements with federal law and allow drivers age 18 and older to qualify for a hazardous materials endorsement, with limits excluding school buses and interstate transport. Members discussed the safety rationale and the need for drivers in agriculture and propane delivery; the bill was reported favorably with the substitute attached. Finally, the committee heard House Bill 493 on towing and storage of motor vehicles. Representative Pollock and a Kentucky Farm Bureau Insurance witness described it as a cleanup bill aimed at transparency and enforcement against predatory towing and inflated charges, and members noted constituent concerns about towing practices. The bill was reported favorably with a committee substitute attached. The committee also reviewed Administrative Regulation 600 KAR 1:041, which updates disadvantaged business enterprise certification rules to conform to federal nomenclature and related federal changes; the regulation was reviewed without further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> your testimony next we have Eden Farms your testimony next we have Eden Farms Havi<00:11:55.760>
• </c> thank you next to testify Hawaii Farm thank you next to testify Hawaii Farm Bureau<00:18:34.400>
• </c> locally uh produced um locally farmed locally uh produced um locally farmed produce<00:48:14.240
• Thank you, Hawaii Farm Bureau. Thank you.
• Next to testify is Hawaii Farm Bureau. Hawaii Farm Bureau. Thank you. The testimony is in support.

Committee: House Agriculture & Food Systems

Keywords: 910, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• So when it's delivered to my farm, there's no problem.
• Just at my brother's farm in Rawls County, he does not have any diesel storage there.
• There's a really nice Petro-24 MFA stop there in Rawls County right before your brother's farm.
• acres and we quit putting fuel on the farm just because of the cost and...
• My name is Mark Figenbaum with the Missouri Farm Bureau, testifying in support.

Committee: House Agriculture, Food Production and Outdoor Resources

Summary: The committee first met in executive session and took up House Bill 2280, a bill to address abandoned railroad rights-of-way in Missouri by assigning the state land surveyor the duty of surveying them over a 20-year period. Supporters said the bill would help clarify boundaries and ownership where old rail corridors have been abandoned and physical evidence of the centerline has disappeared. Members discussed the bill’s fiscal note and the possibility of shifting survey costs to railroads in the future. The committee voted 21-0 to do pass HB 2280. In public hearing, Representative Farnan presented House Bill 3014, a conveyance bill authorizing the sale of about 59 acres owned by Northwest Missouri State University to Nottoway County Economic Development for a fairground, expo center, and campsites. Members asked about the acreage and whether the bill directed a specific buyer, and the sponsor said the county group was the intended purchaser if it secures funding. No witnesses testified, and the hearing closed without action. The committee then heard House Bill 3392 from Representative Haley, which would remove the requirement that retailers and distributors keep Form 149 exemption certificates on file for dyed diesel sales at retail pumps. Haley and supporting witnesses from Geyer Oil, the Missouri Petroleum and Convenience Association, Missouri Soybean Association, Missouri Farm Bureau, and Missouri Corn Growers said the current paperwork requirement is burdensome, especially for unmanned or rural stations, and had led to a large audit assessment against one company. Department of Revenue staff explained that the current law requires the form, that refunds are available through DOR if a retailer does not accept it, and that they were reviewing proposed amendment language to avoid unintended consequences. No vote was taken on HB 3392, and the committee adjourned after the hearing.

Transcript Highlights:

• FARMING INNKEEPER DUE TO GROWTH AND ARE WILLING TO SELL CONSERVATION EASEMENTS TO KEEP THE FARM FARMING
• ONE OF THE BEST THING ABOUT CONSERVATION EASEMENTS ON AGRICULTURAL LAND IS WE ARE KEEPING THE FARMS FARMING
• I KEPT BEES AND MY GRANDFATHER'S FARM AND I WILL SHOW YOU A FEW. IT WILL BE FULL OF A QR CODE.
• YOU ARE RECOGNIZED TO EXPLAIN THE BILL. >> Senator Truenow: THIS IS SAVE OUR FARMS.
• TRIP HUNTER WITH FLORIDA FARM BUREAU WAVING IN SUPPORT.

Keywords: 999, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The second, we're inserting section 16A The chair from the CCB, Farm to School Director, Shelburne Farms
• </c><00:42:33.440><c> operation</c> and medium farm operation and medium farm operation fee<00:42:35.200
• In 2026, estimated revenue is $92,500 for large farms.
• In 2026, estimated revenue is $92,500 for large farms.
• Farms that meet that definition.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• advancing the rights of farm workers.
• farm worker.
• farm worker.
• And as we make this change to Farm Worker Day, we are making a broader statement to honor farm workers
• Sacramento, we’re a farm-to-fork place. We like farm-to-fork. We like buying to glass.

Committee: Senate Governmental Organization

Keywords: 987, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill's also about honoring farms and the people who work on the farms, who grow the food we eat.
• As you know, and I think this legislature knows, farms and farmers, the people who work on farms, are
• Then the fungus hit the farms.
• It's really important for me because I grew up on a farm.
• Farming is really important, more than ever.

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight

Summary: The Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight held a public hearing on several bills, including proposals to designate lobster as the official crustacean of the Commonwealth, asparagus as the official state vegetable, and a bill affecting property in Lowell tied to the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor (Link). Legislators also heard testimony on H. 5315 concerning the Veterans Memorial Ice Rink in Waltham and the city’s effort to preserve its long-term lease and right of first refusal, with supporters arguing the rink is a major regional asset for youth hockey and public recreation. Another bill, S. 3061, would make a narrow language change to prior law governing a Lowell property to remove a reversionary clause and clear the way for redevelopment associated with the Link project. Support for the asparagus bill came from Senator Comerford, Representative Gomez, Hadley Elementary School students and staff, and local farmers, who described asparagus as central to Hadley and western Massachusetts history, agriculture, and identity. They emphasized the student-led nature of the campaign, the region’s long asparagus-growing tradition, and the educational value of the legislative process. Supporters of the lobster designation, including Representative Machino and the Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association, highlighted lobster’s importance to coastal heritage, sustainability, and the state’s economy, noting the industry’s jobs and annual landings. The Waltham rink bill was backed by Representative Stanley, Mayor McCarthy, and Representative Lawn, who said the city had invested millions in the facility and that losing the lease could harm youth hockey access and the broader community. Committee members generally responded favorably to the testimony, praising the student advocacy on asparagus, the economic and cultural significance of lobster and farming, and the importance of keeping hockey affordable and accessible. No substantive votes were taken during the hearing itself, and the final action recorded was a motion and second to close the hearing after all testimony concluded.

Transcript Highlights:

• The bill's also about honoring farms and the people who work on the farms, who grow the food we eat.
• As you know, and I think this legislature knows, farms and farmers, the people who work on farms, are
• Then the fungus hit the farms.
• It's really important for me because I grew up on a farm.
• Farming is really important, more than ever.

Bills: H5088 , H5315 , H5335 , S3061 , S3073

Committee: Joint Joint Committee on State Administration and Regulatory Oversight

Keywords: asparagus, official vegetable, state symbol, Massachusetts, Veterans Memorial Rink, Waltham, municipal lease, capital management, city right of first refusal, American lobster, cultural significance, marine life, property, Lowell, state administration, legislation, local government, official state vegetable, state designation, Commonwealth

Transcript Highlights:

• But today I rise to recognize a farm to school early childhood awareness and school nutrition day at
• Simultaneously, farm to school opens up new stable institutional markets for our farmers.
• [snorts] [snorts] [snorts] Farm<00:04:25.759><c> to</c><00:04:26.080><c> school</c><00:04:26.720><c>
• brings local food foods Farm to school brings local food foods and<00:04:28.800><c> agriculture</c><
• Farm to school connects students ways.

Keywords: 926, house, all

Transcript Highlights:

• One of the practices on their farm.
• I was actually at one of these farms, and that was Five Sigma Farm in Sullivan, New Hampshire.
• Five Sigma Farm in Sullivan, New Five Sigma Farm in Sullivan, New Hampshire.<00:59:47.680><c> Um</c><
• </c> farm grants. farm grants. &gt;&gt; Representative<01:05:02.880><c> Bunson.
• story of what the farm did.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The committee first took up House Bill 219, which would revise the renewable portfolio standard by changing several class definitions, eliminating Class 2, lowering the utility obligation for Class 1 thermal renewable energy certificates from 2.2% to 1.7%, and adjusting alternative compliance payments. Representative Vose said the bill would save ratepayers an estimated $5.7 million annually, arguing that Class 2 is already saturated and that the changes would not materially affect renewable energy development. Members questioned the fiscal impact, with an amended fiscal note cited as showing a $1.2 million reduction in general fund revenue, and some members raised concerns that the bill could weaken one of the remaining incentives for renewable investment. The committee also reviewed the bill’s history, including that it had been added to HB 2 and then removed in conference committee. No vote was taken in the work session. The committee then heard House Bill 164, concerning local records retention and the creation of a local records manager position. Secretary of State David Scanlan testified that the position has existed in statute for years but has never been funded, and said the need has grown as records management has become more digital and ADA accessibility has become more important. He described the bill as a way to help towns preserve and digitize records, especially for smaller communities with limited resources, while keeping records locally when possible. Members asked about the fiscal note, the potential cost of a public website and storage system, and whether the state could start by funding the position alone; the secretary said the staffing cost estimate remained accurate but that storage costs could rise over time. Several members expressed support and suggested further discussion with the Department of Information or other agencies. The work session was then closed without action. Finally, the committee opened House Bill 365, which would provide proof of U.S. citizenship assistance for indigent voters. Secretary Scanlan said the bill is intended to help voters comply with the new voter registration documentation requirements by allowing the state to verify eligibility through federal, private, and other state databases, and by providing vouchers to cover the cost of obtaining documents such as birth certificates. He compared the proposal to the earlier voter ID law, which he said was successfully implemented with accommodations for voters lacking acceptable ID. Members asked how “indigent” would be defined and how the process would work for out-of-state-born applicants; the secretary said indigency would likely be based on a voter’s statement of inability to pay and that the state would help identify where to obtain records and, if necessary, verify them through outside databases. The discussion continued as the transcript ended, with no vote recorded.

Transcript Highlights:

• Farm Bureau sees it. Okay.
• Farm Bureau sees it. Okay.
• believe that any farm that has fewer than a thousand head is actually a farm. that I think was that
• </c> thousand head is actually a farm. thousand head is actually a farm.
• Um the farm-to-table um is big.

Keywords: 928, house, all

Summary: The Environment and Agriculture Committee met in work session on retained House Bill 396, which would exempt meat and meat food products slaughtered and prepared in-state for in-state sale from certain inspections. The discussion centered on the bill’s conflict with federal law and whether any state action could help small farmers process and sell cuts of meat locally. Representative Comtois argued the current federal system unfairly burdens New Hampshire farmers and consumers, while committee members and witnesses repeatedly noted that federal action would likely be required. Mr. Johnson explained that the committee’s prior resolution asked USDA to allow small and very small slaughter plants to use custom-exempt criteria with a third-party inspector, and said discussions had been held with federal offices, but no change had been secured. Members and witnesses described the practical limits facing small producers, including the scarcity of USDA-inspected facilities in New Hampshire, long booking lead times, and the cost of shipping animals out of state. Representative German and others noted that slaughter schedules and seasonal grazing patterns make compliance difficult for smaller farms. Farm Bureau representatives said they were continuing to educate federal officials, but that the USDA secretary’s visit to a local operation had been rejected. They also explained that one local operation can process USDA-inspected meat, but that still involves federal inspection. Several members asked about possible exemptions, workarounds, or whether a state bill would be needed if federal relief were granted; the response was that a federal exemption or rule change would be sufficient and no state action would then be required. The committee also heard broader policy views. Senator Dan Innis said there was strong Senate support for helping small farms and that the issue is mainly federal overreach and economics, not food safety, while acknowledging the risk of federal enforcement against farmers. He compared the issue to other federal-state conflicts and said the current law reflects outdated concerns from the early meatpacking era. Members discussed whether the bill should be amended to include limits on the number of animals processed, similar to poultry rules, to make it more politically viable. No vote was taken during the work session, and the bill remained under discussion for possible amendment before the retained-bill deadline.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c><01:09:01.040><c> has</c> depending on how the farm has depending on how the farm has transferred
• I'm the public policy specialist for Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation.
• Our members value farming and ranching as a family enterprise.
• family in law, because it's not the same as the farm family that's living.
• </c><01:15:18.480><c> family</c> nature and definition of a farm family nature and definition of a farm

Committee: Senate Taxes

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• We are the nation's leading producer of farm shellfish.
• We are the nation's leading producer of farm shellfish.
• Our family farm, and especially our small processing plant, are in danger.
• The DOH fee for our farm is $798. That fee would go to $2,645.
• As you know, farming in general, including shellfish farms, has struggled the last several years, resulting

Summary: The House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee heard several Senate bills and a joint memorial, with the chair moving items around to accommodate prime sponsors and public testimony. SB 5838 would add two tribal representatives to the Board of Natural Resources, one from each side of the Cascades, and broaden the nomination pool to include tribes with treaty-ceded lands in Washington. The sponsor and tribal and agency witnesses said the bill would add tribal knowledge and stewardship expertise without changing government-to-government consultation. County and industry witnesses raised concerns about fiduciary duties to trust beneficiaries, the lack of stakeholder consultation, and the effect of expanding the board from one to two tribal seats. Public testimony was mixed, and the committee recorded strong support and opposition on the bill. SB 5816 would add juice grapes to the state Agricultural Marketing and Fair Practices Act, allowing juice grape producers to use the same marketing and negotiation framework already available to pears, sweet corn, and potatoes. The sponsor said the bill would help juice grape growers facing unfair pricing pressure from processors. The committee took limited public testimony and recorded support and opposition before closing the hearing. SJM 8015 urged Congress to ensure federal wildfire response entities remain capable of protecting communities, infrastructure, watersheds, and firefighter health and safety during federal consolidation of wildfire programs. Testimony from environmental groups, forest industry, and union representatives broadly supported the memorial and emphasized rising wildfire risk, smoke impacts, and the need for strong interagency response capacity. The committee also heard HB 2737, which would cap certain shellfish regulatory fees, exempt the shellfish program from full fee recovery, and apply the caps retroactively. The sponsor and shellfish growers said the Department of Health’s fee increases would be unsustainable for small family farms and processors, while DOH explained it was following a full cost-recovery model unless the Legislature provides general fund support. Witnesses described large projected fee increases and potential business closures, and DOH said it had reopened rulemaking to consider smaller operators. Because the bill was heard after cutoff, the chair noted it could not advance, but the committee still took testimony and discussed possible amendments and follow-up information before adjourning.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> center, or any farm with a factory. Mr. center, or any farm with a factory.
• You know, living in rural Kentucky, um, we farm over a 40-mile stretch.
• I deal with a lot of different<00:10:39.200><c> farms.
• I've got multiple different farms.
• We happen to farm on the upper side on one of those.

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee discussed House Bill 353, a proposal to tighten eminent-domain procedures and property protections while still allowing public projects. Supporters said the bill would not prohibit condemnation, but would require proof that property is in blight, give owners notice and an opportunity to cure, require a reasonable plan and funding for the public use, and ensure the taking is limited to what is necessary. They argued this would protect good-faith property owners, prevent abandoned projects, and make the process more efficient for utilities and infrastructure by encouraging easements where possible instead of full takings. Much of the discussion focused on the proper measure of compensation and the broader constitutional limits on eminent domain. Several members argued that compensation should reflect current market value and that public benefit should not be treated as the standard for value. Others said market value can be unfair in cases involving unique property uses, damage to land, or public-private projects, and suggested owners should share in some upside. Members also raised concerns about Kelo v. City of New London, the risk of abuse by governments or large corporations, and the need to protect farmers and rural landowners from one-sided treatment. A number of legislators supported the concept but asked for more detail on how the bill would work in practice, whether it is based on model legislation from other states, and how it could be tailored to Kentucky. The bill sponsor said it was a modified model policy and was open to amendments to make it more Kentucky-specific. No vote or final action was taken in the portion of the meeting provided.

Transcript Highlights:

• Senate Bill 1033 is about farm vehicles and emission inspection requirements.
• , federally defined as covered farm vehicles.
• from the owner's ranch or farm.
• Retrofitting these farm vehicles can be extremely costly for folks.
• Retrofitting these farm vehicles can be extremely costly for folks.

Committee: House Agriculture, Food Production and Outdoor Resources

Summary: The committee first took up Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 913 in executive session and voted it “do pass” by a roll call of 16 ayes and 3 noes. After that, the committee opened a public hearing on Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 1033, sponsored by Senator Jason Bean. The bill would exempt certain older farm vehicles used in local farming operations from emissions inspection requirements, and it would also ease permitting requirements for cotton gins by removing the need for air dispersion modeling in certain construction permit applications. The bill also incorporated language from Senate Bill 953 related to funding the air pollution control program. Supporters included the Missouri Cotton Producers, Missouri Farm Bureau, Infra, the Missouri Mining Association, the Missouri Concrete Association, the American Council of Engineering Companies, Missouri Forest Products, the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, the Missouri Soybean Association, Associated Industries of Missouri, and the Missouri Corn Growers Association. Testimony emphasized reduced regulatory burdens, lower retrofit and permitting costs, improved competitiveness for Missouri cotton gins, and the need for a stable funding source for the air pollution control program. Several witnesses said the program was expected to become insolvent in fiscal year 2028 and that the bill’s funding mechanism would help sustain it. Committee questions focused on the scope of the cotton gin provisions, the number of farmers affected, and how the new funding stream would work. Department of Natural Resources staff testified informationally that the air program would become insolvent in FY 2028 and said they would follow up on details. No one testified in opposition, and the hearing on Senate Substitute for Senate Bill 1033 was concluded without further action.

Transcript Highlights:

• </c> a non-partisan grassroots general farm a non-partisan grassroots general farm organization<00:03
• Ultimately, her farm didn't look the same, but she was able to keep farming.
• Ultimately, her farm didn't look the same, but she was able to keep farming.
• </c> same, but she was able to keep farming. same, but she was able to keep farming.
• </c><00:09:14.680><c> We've</c> that this program saves farms. We've that this program saves farms.

Committee: Senate Higher Education

Keywords: 1187, senate, all

Transcript Highlights:

• ><c> movement</c> permitting non-infected farms movement permitting non-infected farms movement during
• They will be going to those farms and helping those producers understand what their on-farm risks are
• </c> on that farm and where they're located. on that farm and where they're located.
• </c> to who coordinate uh the the farm to who coordinate uh the the farm donations<01:04:11.359><c> of
• </c><01:11:45.360><c> service</c> working with um with farm service working with um with farm service

Keywords: 958, all

Summary: The committee met to adopt the minutes of the second meeting by voice vote, then heard an update focused on disaster preparedness, resiliency, response, and coordination among state agencies and partners. The chair emphasized avoiding duplication of resources and highlighted the importance of agriculture-related response issues, including animal evacuation, feed distribution, and the role of extension services during disasters. The Department for Public Health was invited to explain its role in emergency planning and response. Public Health described its Emergency Preparedness and Response Branch as the lead coordinating agency for Emergency Support Function 8, covering health and medical services under Kentucky’s emergency operations framework. Testimony outlined its broad responsibilities, including support for hospitals, morgues, local health departments, behavioral health, crisis counseling, suspicious package testing, disease outbreaks, and coordination with emergency management, EMS, transportation, and nonprofit and private partners. Officials also described the agency’s risk-assessment process, training and exercise programs, and deployed assets such as PPE caches, deployable communications, a federal medical station, a mobile treatment center, and alternate care support used in events like the eastern Kentucky floods and COVID-19. The agency also discussed funding through federal cooperative agreements for public health emergency preparedness and hospital preparedness, noting that these programs have evolved since 9/11 and have been shaped by major disasters and emerging threats. Officials said Kentucky’s funding has declined over time and that current awards are partially funded for the first time in the program’s history. They expressed support for efficiency if federal programs are consolidated, but cautioned that combining programs could risk further funding losses.

Transcript Highlights:

• There is the Reno farm that's so close in the downtown Reno area, where they converted a parking lot
• The federal government announced severe cuts to fresh food programs, farm-to-table programs, to support
• There are the Reno farm that's so close in downtown Reno area where they converted a parking lot to a
• We support AB 405 to create a community gardens and urban farming program.
• Community gardens and urban farming do just that.

Committee: Senate Natural Resources

Keywords: 909, all