Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development- House

Yeah at. The. Good to see the familiar faces in the audience I'm looking forward to working with all you ladies and gentleman I'm not going to bashing call you by name but to look forward we're going to sit down individually and by vice chairman representative Lincoln dire are going to try to have some time to talk to all of you had a time and hear what concerns you might have and what you want to say to this. And we're going to start off today and have everyone introduce yourself just real briefly we have a few new members and we want them to know who we are and what we're about. We'll start over here with the representative Cozart and. So everybody can hear good on it representative Bruce Cozart out of hot springs in district ninety one I'm not a of nice farmer like represent Wayne. but you know I'm that's that's my dream to be. The but anyway it's good to be here I was on a couple sessions ago and moved to a state agency but I'm back so thank you. Morning hour represented McGee District fifty six in Conway. For the new people this is the best committee in the house that I promise you it is I bet this is my fifth fifth terminate one year that the seniority thing some of you all live with when you when you sign in I didn't get ACT one year but but I've been on ever since it's great committee look forward to the coming year. Ron McNair district five up in Boone County this will be my fifth term loan I my first term they asked us why we chose eye and I told him I did I didn't know anything about farming but I did all repair work I did a lot of work for farmers and I love to eat and and and and I don't need to know much because they told me what I needed to know so I'm glad to be back on. I'm representing DM Vaught and I am a farmer and everybody in my district as farmers five it's it's what we call god's country in southwest Arkansas I represent to as severe county Little River County and Howard County and I'm excited to be on this committee again. Representative Vaught is her and her husband are pre mere agricultural people bring their. End date shall I. I'm a state how well from district thirty seven this my second term on Agra Committee and my area covers a. part of Poinsett County park Cross County and part of St Francis County so I'm just glad to be here. State representative Danny Watson fourth term first term on the aggregate the co chair transportation to come over here this is a committee had been want to be on for a long time so I am not a farmer I do have timber District eighty eight represent Hempstead I live in hope hence the county Howard County and part of Texarkana it's my privilege to be on this committee that the fixed effects everybody here in the state of Arkansas I'm looking forward to it thank you. my name's Carlton weighing I represent North Little Rock and sure would this is my third term on ag and I'm thrilled to be here that we can we can do we do kind of joke because of my previous district I had the smallest geographic district in the state and so I used to say I represent all the square foot gardens in North Little Rock and sure would but during a an A. L. C. meeting they were talking about how another state had what's called a farmer card which allow them to be able to buy necessary products and and eliminate the sales tax on that so I quickly sent a text to my friends of the farm bureau and said that I would like to get one of those farmer cards and so they presented me with this farmer card oh oh oh one and so everybody else can start with number two but and what's so while I do live in the city in North Little Rock my professional life is is spent exclusively in the rural communities I work closely with our bait fish farmers which is a of four hundred dollars four hundred million dollar industry in the state of Arkansas and and that's it really is where god's country is and I'm thrilled to be a part of this committee again although we also have economic development and forestry as well. And I'm Denise Garner and I am now district twenty in Northwest Arkansas Washington County my interest in ag has been in the local at the local level of we have I have had a nonprofit but we worked on the sustainability of the food system to make sure that farmers got what they needed and restaurant owners got what they needed we have a restaurant that we have used about four hundred a local farmers At at times we've gotten to about eighty five percent local product and it times have gone down to about seventy five percent depending on what we can get but but but we got about eighty five percent right now local produce local product in our in our restaurant I'm extremely interested in that also in economic development Northwest Arkansas has around the state actually working with some women run businesses and minority run businesses so I'm certainly interested in that as well and then we also have timber and and Arkansas as well so forestry is also a big interest so I'm thrilled to be here excited to see everybody and ready to work thank you. Morning I Matthew Shepherd district ninety seven I represent elder radio and About half of Union County my district has a few forms and ranches but primary my primary motivation to be on that committee is forestry is huge in my area obviously the economic development. Wharton and also oil and gas is also one of the things This committee covers and Mary the state we certainly have well we have quite a bit oil still there so that's that's my motivation to be over here as others have said this committee is one of the best to be on and is just an enjoyable Committee this is my S. let's see six six time on ag I took a sabbatical over to city county local a couple terms ago and then have the option to chair this committee I don't know by rich by Rick will pry five terms of four terms ago so glad to be back I would also mention just. I wanna make everybody aware of the the rule that Find your head but he sent it down it's House rule sixty six. If if I'm not here it doesn't hurt your your bill so if you're not looking for eleven votes and I'm not here all you need is ten vote so just putting it out there for everybody. Occasionally will it the morning time can get pretty hectic as Speaker I know speak illness here he can attest to that and inevitably there's there's some vote that will that will fall short at some point and people and all of them I'll get a bunch of Facebook posts and messages it even though may not being here does not affect that so just want to make all the members aware that look forward to serving with you thank you. Good now we know what to say when you're not here. Harlan Breaux amend third term of of being right here in this committee and that I enjoyed grew up in the form of the got a lot of uh agriculture district where I'm at Carroll County as well as militant Boone County and now I'm looking forward to really getting a lot of things done especially with economic development to thank you. Representative Howard badia cover actually this district ninety five so cover Ashley County she co County nail with the redistricting I can't think of any three things that are more that could be more important to you my area of the state then add egg forestry and economic development my time away from the capital and chairman of the Crossett economic development foundation we're we work to try to bring jobs to Southeast Arkansas so it's something that's dear to my heart something that put my time and energy into and it's of a volunteer organization they're back home the other thing is forestry I'm I'm glad that we we have folks in here that address the the issue of how important for street is Senator Gilmore not form the forestry caucus something that our our former colleague and they will be well messed can Bragg spearheaded during his time here and in the house and I'm glad to have many members of this committee and that forced recall kiss and I look forward to doing great things out of this committee with with the members and glad to see Jack is our our leader hearing chairman so thank you thank you. Good morning I'm Delia hock District seventeen and western Benton county and I met my husband when we were fourteen years old and I fell in love with a dairy farmer before I knew what a dairy farm was and he came from a long line of Dutch Dutch dairy farmers we moved to northwest Arkansas on the unnamed forty seven acres we have today nineteen seventy nine when land was cheap and started our dairy farm but my grandfather. Was in northeast Arkansas with forty acres and a mule farming where my mother was born in strawberry and grew up in walnut ridge so I'm very excited about being on this committee Benton County and in particular western Benton county where I'm from is the largest cattle producing county in the state as well as the the largest poultry production in the state but I think we have a little economic development up there as well and we need to be working on more of that for a lot of folks in western Benton county so I'm really honored to be on this committee thank you. representative acre this is my first year serving I'm excited to be here I'm excited to be on this committee I represent District seventy one which is primarily the city of Maumelle so while my constituencies main concerns with forestry would be the number of trees on their golf courses thank you. They keep hitting. my professional background me my wife have thirteen independent family owned pharmacies ten of which are in rule farming communities so whether it is fish farmers in lone oak OR down it's stuck guard all the way up to a Clarendon Brinkley take it Jonesborough our business is in the business of taking care of those who take care of our farms I'm excited to be a part of this and represent them thank you. Representive RJ OFC District eighty one in sterling county ha it's Bryant's Alexander and Shannon Hills with a portion of Benton on the new seats and I'm pretty excited beer I am originally from Arkansas I came here twenty years ago from stated taxes and Group One thousand acre horse and cattle form and Truly thought I would never leave to to be a city guy now I live in a neighborhood that have we've got people within about a hundred yards of one another so it's a bit different but I'm very passionate about our farmers and and know some struggles they go through but also on top of that I've been involved with economic development and selling County to try to further grow our our county to be his ex successful as possible so honored to be here and the looking forward to a great year. Hi there kindra Mohr I'm a. District twenty three which is west Washington County so super rule area my family and I are farmers under fresh she also first term so it the one committee that I really wanted to be on is AG so super excited to be on this committee my district is very similar to representative hall clots of cattle and dairy farmers and poultry farmers so very excited to be part of this committee and us to serve. At Chad per year District twenty five east side of washing Crawford a little bit of Franklin County grip in agriculture's been part of my life five six generations so very happy to be here appreciated by. All right well thank you all up a little bit of business To get read out of the out of the way I'm going to put together a text message list for all of you I will keep you all con in contact I'll let you know when bills are coming let you know if we're going to do anything out of the ordinary you'll all get it at the same time so we're going to put together I say aye John is going to put together a list for me by the way John as our right hand guy he's the one that keep us in line there's little paper she slays me here that says no no no. So he's a. He's going to get that together for so we'll have that a couple other things a business especially for the new ones what we do here if you want to speak get one of our attention. And we will pick it in order and less allow you to speak push the button to talk and then turn it off when you're done so we don't to this room is not set up where you can have a lot of those lights glowing and the and the microphone still work so if you're if you're done talking turn it off. My able bodied vice chair Roger Lynch said we forgot to introduce ourselves. Thank you Roger and by the way I am I am thrilled to have Roger is my vice chair not only is he is he the vice chair he and I are are very good friends so we're looking forward to working together Roger would you in addition to. So I'm Roger lance this is my fourth term and I represent Lonoke County we do a lot of farming a lot of fish farming my son's farmer he does he's done twenty five hundred actually got a little problem only when I've got one point nine two million dollars to farm H. thirty one years old and I'm thinking lord I'd never be able to sleep. So input costs now are about a hundred dollars an acre for for for farmers if they're paying rent so that's that's huge that's almost doubled. Over the last two years and so we I suspect that we're going to have some business to the deal with you know around the economics of the farming and that. These input costs and supply chain issues and whatever else might come up so anyway I'm looking forward to the year no most of you now I'm sure I'll get to know the rest of you and Why we go to. introduce yourself. Hey all. I'm John Jones the legislative analyst with the bureau this will be my second session with the ag committee really enjoyed it the first time around I'm glad to be back looking forward to working with you all. Yeah he thought I had missed loss but place on the list the. another thing that I want to tell you specially the freshmen the new ones have you got your electronic devices yet your laptop C. okay you will be getting a and that's where the bills will all come to you they'll be no paper bills for you to look they'll come in advance on your electronic device and you all know that that's that's how that will be okay and if you have any questions contact either Roger or myself or John and our names will all be on that list that we're going to send around two U. K. there's a couple more things that I want to tell you that. I want you to be patient with me but this is what I'm gonna do. And. The Speaker may suck all the air out of the room when I get done here but. When we If there is a controversial bill. And I ask for a vote. And the yeas and nays. Are close I'm going to make a call. I'm asking you do not roll call me. No I'm here and I've got a reason let me take the flak. If you roll call it you're going to put everyone of your peers. In the line of fire. Following now if you are doubly triply superb jim dandy passionate about it you do what you think you got to do. But you will not see any smiles coming from me. Okay it you're right to call it I'm not telling you can't I'm just telling you. I read you don't. If you as a member of this committee bring a bill and go to the end of the table I'm gonna give you every opportunity to pass that bill. If I think it's week and if I read this room and I think that is not going to pass I will give you an opportunity. To pull it down. Work to committee and come back another time okay. This is an organizational meeting you need to know where I am so that that's where I am. All right. Okay what else of my for get in here we have to have a quorum to start sometimes my eyes don't work so it may be a week one but we will start on time we're gonna meet right here in room one thirty eight this will be our room. there are waters and sodas in refrigerator around the corner and there's a restroom back there that is just for us So. told you about the agendas will be two days in advance. Hi. I think that's just about everything that is relevant you gotta have a forgot anything. It is this your cell off where you're from. I'm Jack Fortner I'm the chairman I'm from district ninety no I from district for now I was ninety nine for a long time I'm district number four that is the beautiful White River Norfork buffalo river area it is clear up to the top part of my district I go into Missouri on a ferry come back into Arkansas. I've got I've got the distinct pleasure of having of a part of my district at their address is pro tem Missouri that's our mailing address and you try to deal with those issues. I And the cattle I have the raised cattle because of the the time it took to be down here and that I'm Running solo right now I sold all my cattle kept all my land because it wasn't fair for my neighbors to deal with them in those you that have cattle know that you have cattle can they're going to be down they're going to get out they need attention and is not right to have your friends neighbors and relatives take care but I will when I finish this gig I will be a cattleman again but for now the two dogs in a chicken and a cat I have a cat and I don't like cats but this cat. He he or she came to my barred. And that cat comes up to me and goes. And I throw rocks at it I should add it with my BB gun in that cat have a understanding. I don't like it it doesn't like me but it stay in and that's okay so I've got a cat too I guess. All right did I forget anything else your Jack the car all and I'm. Roger what speed I am Jack the car guy much like Carlton we are media sensations we are Who. Are you a paid broadcaster. No more. What. I bet. Your contact. I bet I bet the guy that owns your station didn't tell you Jack you don't have a radio voice but you have a memorable voice I think that was a problem so all right up yes Mister McNair. We're getting. Yes I will pay for it right yes. New you do do not. What I'm good at it. Know what it is. Nope not at not at all that's a good that is a good question I will send that to you as informational if I want a response I will ask you for. Okay any other questions that was a good one any other questions. All and we are going to. We are going to go into our agricultural community. We are going to visit some of these places that we are talking about to get to know a better of got a couple invitations already we're going to go as a group we can do that and we're going to tour plants to better understand the people that were voting on and for and their lives and their issues and then there are going to be there is a couple meals. that we're going to partake of and so we're we're gonna have a good time together all right. I spoke with Act freeze he was importer Rico he's the vice chair of farm bureau also has killed. I saw Jamie Anderson last night of an assessment form please he's real receptive to this. Coming down in business in their their business so I'm sure that the the farmers will maybe go probably facing role farms some of these maybe Hall for. Yeah we will refer to. Leding. We'll probably get one of our guys out makers. All right any any other questions comments. Does any of the issue public this is because our do you have anything you'd like to know okay in any. Anybody else out there would would you like to say anything to the body. Surely if you want to go ahead we're ready. Okay. Descent right down and recognize yourself. Or introduce yourself all recognized sure thank you Mr chairman jim Hudson to staff for the Parma commerce is we'll say welcome to Committee thank you for your service to the state anything that I can do for you personally is to help you know with legislative process will be able to do that as well obviously Warren from this committee on a regular basis just helping support economic development initiatives department commerce were split three three different committees will always make sure were present here so do reach out and doing for you we have a new secretary secretary Hugh McDonald for Parma commerce tremendous individual very excited about serving with him and so looking forward to a great opportunities for our state so thank you Committee. Thank you anyone else like to say work. It is next to. Introduce yourself introduce yourself in case they don't know yet. Any call the Arkansas State yeah. Our primary. All right thank you it yes. Thank you and I would encourage the a freshman everyone to to take advantage of these us little Suarez it's an opportunity it's to be relaxed and to learn people and that's what we're about we're in the people business so. Anyone else. Yeah. All right. Is there anything else. All right if there's no further business we're going to call this meeting adjourned.