Ag committee learns about issues it may soon face

Recurring issues the House Agriculture Policy Committee will likely be dealing with this session include biofuels, animal disease, the Farmer-Lender Mediation Act and several others.

Those issues were outlined and explained Wednesday during the committee’s first meeting.

Colbey Sullivan, from the nonpartisan House Research Department, walked members through a presentation on agriculture policy issues they may soon have to tackle. Others include food safety, the “Green Acres” program – which provides property-tax relief for some farmers where land values are quickly increasing – industrial hemp and corporate farm law.

Members had a brief discussion about disease outbreaks around the state, but with the Board of Animal Health due to present to the committee Thursday, many questions were saved until then.