Nathan Garner — Nathan Garner introduced himself and spoke about regenerative agriculture, using family and farm examples to frame stewardship and legacy. He defined regenerative agriculture as a set of practices aimed at improving soil health, biodiversity, and resilience, then described how his farm adopted strip-till, precision planting, cover crops, manure and compost applications, and other soil-health practices. He compared soil samples from farmed and unfarmed fields to argue that active farming and irrigation can improve stewardship in southern Idaho, while also noting that cover crops can be costly and water-intensive. He concluded by discussing the tradeoffs of reduced tillage, including reliance on GMO technologies and Roundup, and answered questions about glyphosate availability, warning that losing it could force a return to full tillage and noting the challenge of Roundup-resistant weeds.
Casey Stevenson — Introduced as being from Rupert.
Mike Garner — Introduced as being from Declo.
Mike Garner — Identified as Nathan Garner's father and part of the family farming operation.
Mike Garner — Identified as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Amalgamated Sugar and present in the room.
Donovan Hartley — Introduced as being from Rupert.
Cody Urey — Introduced as being from Twin Falls.
Gavin Lee — Introduced as being from New Plymouth and described as fourth generation.
Karen Miller — Introduced along with her wife Laura as fourth generation from Jerome.
Gailen [questionable] — Referenced as a fourth-generation farmer; spelling is uncertain from the transcript.
Mr. Patterson — Was asked to provide pricing and break-even information for sugar beets.
Mr. Patterson — Referenced as having made a presentation earlier, which the speaker says the current point goes back to.
Mr. Nathan Gardner [questionable] — The chair introduced the next presenter, but the surname appears inconsistent with the speaker's self-identification as Garner.
Douglas Pickett — Asked what would happen to the sugar beet industry if glyphosate were not available.
Douglas Pickett — Asked what federal policy constraints or positions may be affecting the potential increase of the high-tier duty.
Jerald Raymond — Addressed as 'Mr. Chair' during the exchange.
Zach — The speaker repeatedly references Zach’s testimony to emphasize that the market situation for growers is not improving and that farm costs are rising, using Zach’s remarks as support for the broader point about current agricultural conditions.
Lori McCann — Representative McCann thanked Mr. Hancock and asked whether there could be help, incentives, or other support to encourage growers to invest more and produce more sugar beets, with the goal of reducing imports and helping local farmers.
Lori McCann — Offered to help draft wording for a joint memorial asking federal counterparts to review duties and help the sugar beet industry.
Mark Sauter — Representative Mark Sauter asked whether the Ag Committee or the legislature has ever used a joint memorial to ask federal representatives to review or evaluate a position, noting that similar approaches had been used on other issues such as grizzly bear matters and asking if the committee had done something like this before.
Jack Nelsen — Took a personal privilege to share a lighthearted anecdote about a beet grower and a former band student.
Mr. Hancock — Mr. Hancock testified in support of using real sugar, arguing that it is a healthier, more natural, and more functional alternative to sweeteners and is also better economically for Idaho. The exchange then concluded with thanks for his presentation.
Robert Beiswenger — Representative Beiswenger makes a lighthearted joke about whether the proposal can be 'sweetened' and then extends the pun by saying the room may leave on a 'high,' clarifying that he means a 'sugar high.'
Samantha Parrott — Parrott introduces herself as Executive Director of the Snake River Sugar Beet Growers Association.
Jake Hancock — Parrott says Jake Hancock from Amalgamated Sugar will discuss the market and how sugar is sold.
Jake Hancock — Referenced as the next speaker who will explain the sugar market situation.
Jake Hancock — Jake Hancock of Amalgamated Sugar was introduced and then identified himself as Vice President of Commercial and Supply Chain. He also acknowledged Mike Garner, Chairman of the Board of Directors, and began transitioning into remarks about the company and the sugar market.
Zach Patterson — Zach Patterson is introduced and then testifies as a sugar beet farmer from Paul, Idaho. He explains that rising operating costs, rents, and other pressures are squeezing margins, forcing farmers to cut expenses where they can and putting small and multi-generational family farms at particular risk. He says the sugar market decline and broader policy issues need federal attention, notes that he regularly lobbies in Washington, D.C. on sugar policy, and thanks Idaho lawmakers for maintaining an agriculture-friendly state. He also discusses current sugar beet pricing, saying prices are around $30 to $35 and that roughly $1,400 per acre is break-even only for the most efficient farmers with low debt and paid-off assets.
Nathan Garner — Introduced as being from Declo.
David Leavitt — Representative Leavitt moves to introduce RS 32944C1.