TRUCK WEIGHTS
Tuesday, the House Transportation Committee held yet another hearing on HB 411 that would raise the truck weights and expand the hauling distance from the point of origin.  Agriculture and forest industry advocates spoke in favor of the bill but lawmakers also heard much opposition from state and local government interests, among others. No vote was taken. Time is growing short this session and this is a heavy lift that may need to wait for another time.

GATE
A revised version of HB 911 was passed out of House Ways and Means Sales Tax Subcommittee meeting and Friday morning. There are some favorable components to this bill, but there is still much work to be done. The revised bill still seeks the $10,000 threshold, changes the program to a three-year card (with a substantial fee increase), and adds a long list of onerous requirements on retailers .  We have expressed our support for a multi-year card but we have serious concerns with the requirements being put on retailers. We will continue to work with bill sponsor Rep. Geoff Duncan to make necessary changes as the bill moves forward.  

BUDGET
The FY 2017 Budget will clear the House today and then discussions on the $23.7 billion in spending. It still has a long way to go, but here are a few highlights for ag interests as it stands now. The Department of Agriculture would receive 200K for diagnostic vet labs and also 1M in bonds for State Farmers Market repairs and renovations. The Department would also pick up 500K in bonds for new vehicles. The Soil and Water Commission had some changes to their budget by eliminating ten vacant positions and also moving the One Georgia Grant funds used for the ag metering program to the Forestry Commission. The Georgia Young Farmer Programs in Atkinson and Toombs counties receive 244K. The Board of Regents would receive funding for some specialists positions: ruminant nutritionist, row crop physiologist, viticulturist and vegetable pathologist. There is also 720K in the budget for twelve extension agent positions , 650K for the Athens and Tifton Diagnostic labs, and 4M to Cooperative Extension Service and experiment stations for repairs and renovations. The agriculture experiment stations would pick up 1M to purchase new equipment and 2.5M was written in the budget for cabins at Rock Eagle.  Another nice add is the veterinarian loan program , signed into law a few years ago but not funded, would receive full funding of 100K. This money would be used to support five large animal food veterinarians at 20K a year. We will keep you up to date as the budget process continues.

LIVESTOCK DEALERS
Rep. Clay Pirkle advanced HB 876 through the House on Thursday and did an outstanding job in his presentation. This bill helps pave a way to better prevent livestock theft and establish a clear definition of who should be licensed as a livestock dealer along with the necessary exemptions. As is common in several areas of agricultural commerce, this bill puts in place “surety” (bond) requirements to aid in the prevention of nonpayment or contract purchase failure by a licensed livestock market operator or a livestock dealer. The bill has broad support from ag and livestock interests. It now moves to the Senate.

UAVs (Drones)
This week both bills concerning UAVs (HB 779 and SB 325) were heard in their respective committees earlier this week. No votes were taken and each of committees made it a point to say that Georgia needs to craft laws to keep up with the changing technology and remain competitive and on par with our state’s economic growth.  Privacy was a large issue with HB 779, and how an expected level of privacy would be maintained.  Senator Judson Hill, the sponsor of SB 325, has been approached by us about adding agriculture interests to the “Georgia Unmanned Aircraft Commission.” We are keeping a close eye on both bills as revisions take place. 

FOOD SAFETY/INSPECTION
HB 815 by Rep. Trey Rhodes is scheduled to be discussed this afternoon by the Senate Agriculture Committee. His bill seeks to fix a gap in Georgia meat inspection laws. The change is targeted at commercial quail production, but would require any avian species grown commercially for slaughter and preparation as human food to be inspected. It is carefully worded so that birds harvested at hunting plantations would not be included. 

VETERINARY SERVICE
HB 800 by Rep. Rick Jasperse is also on the Senate Agriculture Committee agenda for this afternoon. As a reminder, this bill would make it possible for a livestock or poultry producer to call and get medical treatment prescribed for their animals without a vet visit, if the vet has seen an illness progressing through their area affecting the production animal population. It’s a good bill with broad ag industry support.

LAND VALUATION
We have to be cautious when bills dealing with the Conservation Use Valuation Assessment (CUVA) are considered at the Capitol, but this SB 354 by Sen. Bill Jackson looks to be a good one. It seeks to help manage the CUVA renewal process for the property owners that are 65 or older. If the land has been in CUVA for two consecutive covenant periods, without lapse, the land would be allowed to remain in CUVA for an additional period. Should the owner die during this period, the CUVA covenant could be terminated without breach. It will scheduled to be heard in the Senate Agriculture Committee this afternoon.  

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