Agriculture – Week of March 31, 2011

STAFF CONTACT:  Kerry Wright

HF 557– Pseudorabies Testing

HF 592 – Ag Education Council

HF 589 — Offenses involving agricultural operations with penalties

HF 348 – Voting Methods for Coops

HF 468 – Preferred stock for Coops

FLOOR ACTION:

SF 478 relates to the emergency feeding of livestock. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) is given authority to determine if livestock (swine, poultry, sheep and cattle) are in immediate need of feed. IDALS my file a petition with the district court where the livestock are located asking the court to issue an order if the livestock are in immediate need of feed to provide feed to the livestock and to sell or otherwise dispose of the livestock if necessary. The court may also hold a hearing to determine if the livestock are in immediate need of feed. If they are in immediate need, the court shall issue an order declaring they are in need and IDALS shall take control of the supervision of the livestock and provide feeding. The order shall also provide IDALS a lien in the livestock for the feed provided and any costs of disposing of the livestock. This lien must be filed with the Secretary of State as soon as practical but not later than 20 days. The bill renames the Manure Storage Indemnity Fund currently in the Code under Department of Natural Resources (DNR) control to the “Livestock Remediation Fund” and gives IDALS authority to access money in the fund. DNR must allocate money to IDALS if needed to pay for feed and disposition. Any money received by IDALS from the livestock less expenses is repaid to the fund. [3/30: 49-0 (Seymour excused)]

HF 348 allows cooperative association voting members to vote by alternative voting methods, such as electronic, telephonic or the Internet. [3/26: 50-0]

HF 468 relates to preferred stock issued by cooperative associations. It eliminates a requirement that the stock’s dividends cannot earn more than 8 percent per annum. [3/26: 50-0]

COMMITTEE ACTION:

HF 557 eliminates language that was needed when Iowa was trying to eradicate pseudo-rabies. It is no longer needed and now creates an unreasonable barrier to hog producers wishing to participate in multiple hog shows over the summer season. The current requirement of 30-day to 60-day isolation and retesting is expensive and not needed. It was part of 1989 comprehensive legislation. Iowa has been pseudo-rabies free since 2004. [3/30: short form]

HF 592 establishes the Council for Agricultural Education as it was repealed in 2010. The Council will consist of nine voting members appointed by the Governor, along with five persons representing all areas of agriculture and diverse geographical areas, the individual representing agriculture on the state council for vocational education, a secondary school program instructor, a postsecondary school program instructor and a teacher educator. The Council may also include these ex officio nonvoting members: state Future Farmers of America president, the current state Future Farmers Of America alumni association president, the current postsecondary agriculture students president, the current young farmers educational association president, a state consultant in agricultural education, the Secretary of Agriculture or the secretary’s designee, and two members of each house of the general assembly. The bill provides that the legislative members shall be bipartisan in composition and sets out procedures for their appointment. The bill sets out duties and procedures for the Council, including reviewing, developing and recommending standards for secondary and postsecondary agricultural education and issuing an annual report to the State Board of Education and the House and Senate Agriculture and Education committees. The term of membership for the council is three years. [3/30: short form]

HF 589 pertains to the interruption of agriculture practices, which includes animal production and crop operations. The bill applies to job applicants who are hired under false pretenses and addresses individuals who alter property, take by theft or authorize recording from the facilities. [3/30: short form]