Video & Transcript Research : 'agricultural activities'

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MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Taxes Committee 4/14/26

Taxes

Transcript Highlights:
  • to participate through reduced activity to participate through reduced activity fees. fees. fees
  • fine arts activities that they love. fine arts activities that they love.
  • ><00:03:38.240> are<00:03:38.320> also student activity fees, there are also student activity
  • , residential, homesteaded, agricultural, residential, homesteaded, agricultural, and<01:16:10.880
  • <01:20:31.520> involved owner, as I said, I am actively involved owner, as I said, I am actively
Summary: The committee first approved the April 9 minutes, then took up House File 2988, which would extend for eight more years a sales tax exemption tied to Minnesota State High School League tournament ticket revenue that is funneled into the league’s foundation and returned to schools as grants. Chair Youakim and Executive Director Eric Martins said the program sends more than $1.1 million annually back to schools for activity fee reductions, scholarships, coaching and training, AEDs, late buses, and other school needs, with over 98% of funds going directly to schools. Representative Huot and others spoke in support, while Representative Robinson questioned the structure and suggested the state could instead simply reduce ticket prices and not tax the tickets. The committee laid HF 2988 over for possible inclusion in the omnibus tax bill. The committee then heard House File 4906, as amended, which would create a one-time property tax refund in calendar year 2026 for owners of residential homesteads and the homestead portion of agricultural property, funded by a $4 billion appropriation in fiscal year 2027. The bill includes a clawback for delinquent taxpayers and offsets to ensure no one receives more in property tax refunds than they paid. A House Research staffer said the Department of Revenue viewed the refund as potentially taxable, while House Research said it likely should be treated as a recovery of prior taxes, and the two would follow up. The bill was introduced with testimony from Eric Bernstein of We Make Minnesota and Nan Madden of the Minnesota Budget Project, both of whom opposed it, arguing it would create a large budget hole, force future cuts, and disproportionately benefit homeowners while excluding renters and lower-income Minnesotans. Several members also raised concerns. Representative Hewitt said the state should prioritize public safety, rural EMS, and safety-net hospitals rather than a large rebate, and Representative Youakim argued the money would be better spent on longer-term property tax relief and education funding. Representative Hollins said the proposal would worsen racial and wealth inequities because homeownership is lower among communities of color and renters would get nothing. In response, the author and supporters said the bill is meant to put money back into people’s budgets and that individuals should be able to decide how to use their own money. The discussion continued with questions about the bill’s size and fiscal impact, but no final action on HF 4906 was taken in the portion provided.
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

CAA Public Hearing - Fri Feb 13, 2026 @ 9:15 AM HST

Culture & Arts

Transcript Highlights:
  • It authorizes rodeos and rodeo activities on various lands that are zoned for agriculture or pastoral
  • It authorizes rodeos and rodeo activities on various lands that are zoned for agriculture or pastoral
  • ’re in full support of this, and we’re in support of any measures that help create more economic activity
  • ’re in full support of this, and we’re in support of any measures that help create more economic activity
  • It authorizes rodeo and rodeo activities on various lands that are zoned for agriculture and pastoral
Bills: HB2045, HB1703, HB2461
Summary: The Committee on Culture and the Arts met on February 13 and heard testimony on HB 2045, which would designate La Hoʻihoʻi Ea Sovereignty Restoration Day as a state holiday in place of Statehood Day. Testimony was overwhelmingly in support, including from the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Naviʻoliʻoli Newi Foundation, and many individuals and students. Supporters said the bill would better reflect Hawaiian history, sovereignty, and self-determination, while a few agencies submitted comments. The committee recessed to allow more students to arrive and testify. After reconvening, additional student testimony continued in strong support of HB 2045. Students said the change would honor Native Hawaiian history and culture, recognize Hawaii as a sovereign nation, and provide a more historically grounded observance. Members thanked the students for traveling to testify and for sharing their perspectives. The committee then voted to pass HB 2045 with one amendment to defect the date; the motion passed unanimously with the chair, vice chair, and members voting aye, and one member excused. The committee also heard HB 1703 HD1, which authorizes rodeos and rodeo activities on lands zoned for agriculture or pastoral use. Testimony in support came from the Department of Land and Natural Resources, the Agribusiness Development Corporation, and the Iron Workers Stabilization Fund, with comments from the Hawaii Food and Policy group. Supporters described rodeos as cultural and social events that could boost local economies, create jobs, and provide youth and community engagement. The committee passed HB 1703 HD1 with technical amendments. Finally, the committee considered HB 2461, which would increase the ceiling for the works of art special fund and appropriate funds for preservation of the state’s public art collection and a collections manager position. After discussion, the chair said the measure would not move forward this year and recommended deferral; the committee deferred the bill and adjourned.
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee 4/2/25

Agriculture Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • My whole life is agriculture.
  • So agriculture is very important to me.
  • <00:24:49.760> come the Department of Agriculture come the Department of Agriculture come
  • for a community supported agriculture for a community supported agriculture program<00:34:08.040
  • <00:53:01.960> become and help Minnesota agriculture become and help Minnesota agriculture
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Intergovernmental Affairs Apr 8th, 2025

Intergovernmental Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • additional point of leverage, you may have free riders that can take advantage of this economic activity
  • Landlord incentives are an eligible activity for the tenant readiness funds and can be used as necessary
Bills: HB158
DE

Delaware 2025-2026 Regular Session

Senate Executive Committee Meeting Jun 24th, 2026

Executive

Transcript Highlights:
  • I have served two terms as the Delaware Secretary of Agriculture and four months as chief of staff for
  • I've also served eight years at the United States Department of Agriculture as an undersecretary and
  • As the former Secretary of Agriculture, I've worked closely with the commission, the horsemen, and the
  • DFB is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization serving as a unified voice for Delaware agriculture.
  • Their authority to approve new agricultural districts is duplicated by the county planning and zoning
Bills: HB371
Summary: The Senate Executive Committee met in hybrid format, approved the minutes from its June 17 and June 18 meetings, and considered several nominations and bills. The committee heard testimony from Michael T. Skeuse for the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission and Jay Eric Fearwald for the University of Delaware Board of Trustees; both nominees described their backgrounds and qualifications, and no objections were raised. The committee then moved to legislation focused largely on property tax reassessment and related school-tax issues, along with a technical constitutional corrections bill, an agricultural lands preservation cleanup bill, and a child-safety/service-letter bill. A major portion of the meeting centered on Senate Bill 350, which would create a third multifamily residential tax classification at 1.2 times the residential rate. Supporters argued apartments are housing and should not be taxed as commercial property, emphasizing relief for renters and fairness after reassessment. Opponents, including county and school officials, warned the bill would reduce local revenues, complicate tax administration, and create unintended consequences for counties, municipalities, school districts, and agriculture. Similar themes carried into House Bill 462, which would make the split-rate school tax structure permanent and lower the nonresidential cap to 1.85, and House Bill 463, which would align New Castle County senior school-tax exemptions with county exemption rules; both bills drew discussion about shifting burdens, fiscal impacts, and timing. The committee also heard House Substitute 1 for House Bill 320, a technical corrections bill to the Delaware Constitution, with one public commenter objecting to charter-related changes being included in a correction bill. House Bill 371, which removes the requirement for county farmland preservation advisory boards under the Delaware Agricultural Lands Preservation Act, was presented as a streamlining measure and had support from the Department of Agriculture and public comment in favor. House Bill 438, expanding service-letter requirements to a broader set of child-serving facilities and requiring reporting when employers fail to respond, was described as a cleanup bill closing a safety loophole. After public comment and committee discussion, the meeting ended with a motion and unanimous adjournment; no recorded votes on the bills were taken in the transcript.
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

AEN Public Hearing 02-04-2026

Agriculture and Environment

Transcript Highlights:
  • under the Hawaii Agriculture Department.
  • opposed<00:29:46.399> to<00:29:47.039> just active producers as opposed to just active
  • >> who think about agriculture. Um yeah. >> who think about agriculture. Um yeah.
  • agriculture, at least in part. agriculture, at least in part.
  • think it's going to help agriculture think it's going to help agriculture which<00:52:32.480>
Summary: The committee heard testimony on several agriculture-related measures, beginning with SB 2309, which would require the agricultural loan division to sell portions of its loan portfolio and use the proceeds to expand the agriculture loan revolving fund. The Department of Agriculture and Biosecurity and the Hawaii Farm Bureau supported the bill, along with several other organizations and individuals. A committee question focused on the risk of not finding a qualified buyer for the loan portfolio; DAB said a mandatory sale of the full amount could force a less favorable rate, while flexibility to sell different amounts could produce a more equitable return. The measure drew eight supporters and no opposition. The committee then took up SB 2317, which directs DAB to study insurance coverage for small producers and report back to the Legislature. DAB and multiple farm groups supported the bill. In response to a question about cost, DAB estimated about $250,000 would be needed, with the study likely covering crop, health, and liability insurance. The next measure, SB 2318, would establish an agriculture statistics program in statute. DAB said it strongly supported the bill and could ramp up quickly if positions were provided; the committee discussed whether a first report could be completed by year’s end if the bill became law midyear, and DAB said yes. SB 2319, which would fund and make permanent a full-time grant writer position at DAB, also drew strong support from DAB, the Hawaii Farm Bureau, Ulupono Initiative, the Hawaii Cattlemen’s Council, the local food coalition, and others, with testifiers emphasizing the position’s return on investment and success in bringing in federal funds. The committee also heard SB 2321, establishing a two-year pilot program to respond to the twoline spittlebug. DAB, ranching groups, and many others supported the bill, citing the pest’s spread and the need to act before it becomes unmanageable. A DAB pest control manager said he would need to research past response details and provide them later. Members emphasized the importance of early intervention. For SB 2323, which creates a farmland transition commission to study barriers to farmland access and recommend solutions, DAB offered comments and support for the intent, while farm groups generally supported the concept but raised concerns about the proposed age range and whether a separate commission was necessary. DAB said the Board of Agriculture likely would not have the capacity to perform the commission’s duties and estimated there would be costs to establish it, though no figure was available at the hearing. Finally, the committee heard SB 2332, which reestablishes the agriculture and food security special fund, creates a carbon emissions tax and dividend fund, gradually raises carbon-related tax rates, and provides a refundable carbon cashback credit. DAB supported the measure and deferred to Taxation on details; the Department of Taxation said it would stand on its comments, and the Attorney General’s office offered comments and recommendations. Carbon Cashback Hawaii and the County of Hawaii Department of Research and Development supported the bill, arguing it would reduce emissions, protect lower-income households, and be relatively simple to administer.
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee 3/2/26

Agriculture Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • success through agricultural education. success through agricultural education.
  • agriculture. Thank you. agriculture. Thank you.
  • for Minnesota agriculture in general. for Minnesota agriculture in general.
  • the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
  • agriculture along. agriculture along.
Bills: HF3580, HF3566
Summary: The committee first approved the minutes from the previous meeting and then heard from Minnesota FFA officers, who described FFA as a student-led agricultural education organization focused on leadership, personal growth, and career success. The students explained the three-part model of agricultural education, the size and reach of FFA in Minnesota, and upcoming events at the Capitol, including an agricultural policy experience conference and FFA Day at the Capitol. Members asked about FFA’s role in encouraging the next generation of farmers, the organization’s broader focus beyond farming to include wildlife and other natural resources careers, and the mix of rural, metro, and urban chapters. The students emphasized that FFA and agricultural educators help students discover career paths and that urban chapters are active and thriving alongside rural ones. The committee then received a presentation from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture on the Agri program. The department described Agri as a legislature-created program that uses producer-payment funds to support roughly 15 grant and cost-share programs, including newer efforts such as Protect and Prepare. Testimony stressed transparency and fraud prevention: Agri is reimbursement-based, requires detailed documentation, conducts site visits on grants over $25,000, and has identified and stopped more than a dozen fraudulent applications in the past year. The department also noted a prior legislative auditor review of two larger Agri programs and said only about one-tenth of 1% of reviewed expenditures were recommended for recovery. The department highlighted the Make It Minnesota cost-share program, which helps Minnesota food and agriculture companies attend national trade shows such as Natural Products Expo West. Testifiers then described how Agri has supported their businesses: Mark Schiller of Lon Liquor in Northfield said the program helped his microdistillery expand into milling organic flour and adding food service, while Pete Gangler of Snowpack Foods in Caledonia said Agri grants supported food safety improvements, processing capacity, and a new freezer warehouse project. The department said additional grantees would testify as well, and members asked whether the department’s fraud-prevention practices could be shared with other state agencies; staff said they already are being shared through interagency best-practice efforts.
DE

Delaware 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Agriculture Committee Meeting Jun 17th, 2026

Agriculture

Transcript Highlights:
  • The House Agriculture Committee will now come to order.
  • The Agriculture Committee meeting is called to order.
  • Our mission is to promote and protect Delaware agriculture for producers and our consumers.
  • I'm the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture.
  • But thank you, Jimmy Crone, again, Deputy Secretary of Agriculture.
Bills: SB311, HB371
Summary: The House Agriculture Committee met with a quorum present and considered three bills. Senate Bill 53 would codify and continue the Farm to Community Program if federal support is reduced or unavailable, prioritize Delaware farmers, and require reporting and transparency. Testimony in support came from the Delaware Farm Bureau, the Academy of Medicine and Public Health, and Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Jimmy Crone, who said the department supports the bill. Members raised no questions, and the committee voted to release the bill by roll call. The committee then heard Senate Bill 311, a Department of Agriculture maintenance bill updating Title 3 provisions related to plant industry and pesticides. The bill removes an outdated $100 license fee, requires certified private applicators to keep pesticide application records available for inspection, expands the definition of landscaper to include commercial entities installing their own nursery stock, and removes a good-character requirement for grain inspector applicants. With no public comment or questions, the committee voted to release the bill by roll call. Finally, House Bill 371, sponsored by Representative Vanderwyn, would streamline the Agland Preservation Act by eliminating a redundant county advisory board step for farmland preservation districts. Representative Vanderwyn and Deputy Secretary Crone explained that the advisory boards were more useful when the program was new, but now the county planning and zoning commissions and the Department of Agriculture already provide the needed review. After brief discussion, with no public comment, the committee voted to release the bill by roll call and then adjourned.
WY

Wyoming 2026 Regular Session

House Education Committee, February 25, 2026

Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • have in many communities the only place for youth clubs to be able to practice sports and do their activities
  • one of them is some good language in C that says that we're not going to require a youth club or activity
  • practice sports and do their activities practice sports and do their activities is<00:01:33.439>
  • that are not sponsored by the activities that are not sponsored by the district<00:02:51.599> that
  • <00:04:04.879> not require a youth club or activity not require a youth club or activity not
Bills: HB0023, HB0024, HB0025
WY

Wyoming 2026 Regular Session

Senate Education Committee, February 25, 2026

Education

Transcript Highlights:
  • I'll just give you a high activities.
  • I can see that activities, including but not limited to those sanctioned by the high school activities
  • activity sanctions are the high school activity sanctions are nothing<00:05:21.600> below<00:
  • activity per semester uh for uh school. activity per semester uh for uh school.
  • Um here you get all kinds of activities Um here you get all kinds of activities and<00:10:03.279
Bills: HB0023, HB0024, HB0025
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee 2/17/25

Agriculture Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • If they have an agriculture, food, or natural resource type degree, our agriculture teacher preparation
  • If they have an agriculture, food, or natural resource type degree, our agriculture teacher preparation
  • Recruitment and Retention of Agriculture Recruitment and Retention of Agriculture teachers<00:20
  • that and as we understand Agriculture that and as we understand Agriculture and<00:26:41.559>
  • had on our agriculture green team has had on our agriculture program<01:40:56.639> this<01:40
Bills: HF711, HF653
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee 3/10/25

Agriculture Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • It incentivizes value-added agriculture, and it fully funds the Minnesota Department of Agriculture.
  • <00:01:51.600> here<00:01:51.719> in kinds of of Agriculture here in kinds of of Agriculture
  • <00:04:51.080> beginning the Department of Agriculture beginning the Department of Agriculture
  • up the department of agriculture up the department of agriculture agriculture<00:11:14.360> you'll
  • agricultural inspectors and Agriculture agricultural inspectors and the<00:18:18.600> eligibility
Bills: HF1704
MN

Minnesota 2025 1st Special Session

House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee 3/12/25

Agriculture Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • The hour of 1 o'clock having arrived, the Committee on Agriculture Finance and Policy is called to order
  • This bill is language given to us by the Department of Agriculture.
  • of Agriculture it allows the MDA to of Agriculture it allows the MDA to accept<00:01:08.520> a
  • So agriculture is challenging this year.
  • We make priorities that we've kind of gotten off the topic of helping agriculture.
Bills: HF1704, HF2052
MN

Minnesota 2025-2026 Regular Session

House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee 3/23/26

Agriculture Finance and Policy

Transcript Highlights:
  • finances for people in agriculture. finances for people in agriculture.
  • and out of the agriculture experience and out of the agriculture experience and the<00:45:02.400
  • um you know various agricultural um you know various agricultural industries<01:04:38.720> including
  • Their member companies produce non-agricultural specialty fertilizers.
  • > which<01:20:16.960> provides active ingredient that which provides active ingredient
HI

Hawaii 2026 Regular Session

WLA Public Hearing 02-04-2026

Water, Land, Culture and the Arts

Transcript Highlights:
  • So again, rodeos are much stronger agriculture activities and there are benefits to doing events that
  • And we believe this is a bonafide agriculture event and activity, and we ask for the committee and the
  • <01:04:14.160> activity<01:04:14.640> that Farm Fair, an agriculture activity that
  • > activities<01:04:48.799> and much stronger agriculture activities and much stronger agriculture
  • <01:05:11.280> and<01:05:11.520> we agriculture event and activity. and we agriculture
Summary: The committee heard testimony on Senate Bill 2603, which would designate the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra as the state orchestra of Hawaii. Testimony was uniformly supportive from the Attorney General’s office, the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Retail Merchants of Hawaii, Hawaii Youth Symphony, the Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, the Hawaiian Steel Guitar Association, and others. Supporters emphasized the bill’s value to arts education, cultural vitality, and the visitor economy. The chair noted there were also many written testimonies submitted, and the bill was left without questions or action in the excerpt. The committee then took up Senate Bill 2083, which would create a state-owned historic properties preservation plan working group within DNR. The State Historic Preservation Division supported the bill and said it would help create a statewide database and better planning for state-owned historic properties, while noting its current review work is reactive and project-by-project. The committee asked about duplication and existing consultation processes; SHPD said it already reviews state projects under existing law and has in-house architectural staff. The measure was then set aside after brief discussion, with no vote shown in the excerpt. Next was Senate Bill 2341, which would authorize phased review of certain private-property projects and change SHPD’s review deadlines. SHPD and the Office of Planning and Sustainable Development supported the bill, saying it could encourage more proactive, programmatic review and that the current average review time for simple projects is about 56 days. Several opponents, including Sierra Club of Hawaii, Bianca Isaki, Malama Kane Lua, and Tara Roas, argued phased review would delay projects, create conflict, and weaken historic preservation protections, especially for iwi kūpuna and burial sites. Committee members raised concerns about whether the bill conflicted with prior court decisions and asked SHPD for its view; SHPD said it was not a legal question for them and suggested a programmatic alternative. The bill was not voted on in the excerpt. Finally, the committee began hearing Senate Bill 2306 on administrative fees for the Bureau of Conveyances. HGEA opposed the measure, focusing on a provision allowing the special fund to be used for qualified contractors, while the Bureau of Conveyances supported the bill as a fee correction that would equalize recording fees between systems. The bureau said specialized technical work sometimes requires outside contracting and that it could consider a contract period; the chair and members discussed the HGEA concern and asked whether the issue could be addressed. No final action was shown in the excerpt.