Legislation volume increased significantly this week as bills got put into the process and “personal-privilege” bills (bills printed as favors to individual members, often not having any chance of working through the process) were printed. Likewise, committees continued to navigate through department and commission rules. The Idaho Brand Department rules were presented and approved in the Senate Agricultural affairs committee; they will next be heard in the House Agriculture affairs committee.
CAFO Improvement Fund H466 would make a fund available to support investments in environmental projects on CAFOs to improve livestock byproduct, waste, nutrient and water management, its land application and storage systems. Currently, the Agricultural Best Management Practices (BMP) Fund, I.C. 39-3628A, supports investments in farm and ranch projects that improve water quality standards in impaired water bodies in Idaho. Confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) are not eligible for these projects because CAFOs do not directly discharge to water bodies. This legislation would make CAFO’s eligible for funds to improve their nutrient management and establish a board which awards grant for the fund that currently is proposed by the governor to be $5 million.
The past week was also higher ed week as university and college budgets were rolled out to the Joint Finance and Appropriation Committee (JFAC). Agricultural Research and Extension Education would receive a 7.7% total fund increase with the largest share of that coming from the General Fund if approved as recommended by the governor. The University of Idaho College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) were in front of not only JFAC, but both chamber’s agriculture committees as well. CALS is leading the university in nearly every category with enrollment, scholarships, and research dollars all setting the pace for the university. A potential road hazard for agricultures success in the university is the ability to attract and retain faculty and staff as the college faces around a 16% vacancy and turnover rate, about 3% higher than across state government.