Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development - Senate

And we have a list of four five bills today coming down from the house. Who will run a bill H. B. twelve fifty one. Who. With more who I know Senator Stubblefield spoke to come run over today and for those that have not heard his brother passed away late yesterday afternoon so he's not here today. The Clerk written revealing I think I'd rather have Senator Stubblefield will good except we we will accept. Better better than the best is what I'll say reprieve human. There are if you if you would make with more introduce yourself for the record. In the. We'll be recognized yes mark with more association Arkansas counties. Okay thank you Mr chairman I think. All those great things you said about me. But of. Yeah eighty eight so it is quite a shock to most of us about the study brother passed away yeah. when not only found out about that will represented Bentley asked me with his permission if I come down here and and run these bills today a little bit the backstory on this we had a big flood. and as a result of that. Hello the governor formerly the task force and there were probably twenty five or so of us honor for representatives of four members of the legislature there and the four of us kind of got together and and came up with a package of bills that we thought would go. DO will for the state of Arkansas and I don't know the. In order they are but I know there's one of them for dissolution of of some inactive districts and the combination districts and probably the one that you're most interested in is the the authority given the authority to the levy deserves to increase funding of and I'm not getting that will get in that bill so what we will do a house bill twelve fifty one first and it has an amendment. Okay I wouldn't wear that but okay. He will within a misspelled word in it okay and I read it over the weekend and and founded and so refid Bentley was kind of amazed at the rate of pieces we put all these other eyes only. So. Anyway sure okay so if I can I know the amendment I was going to make the comment that I have a motion for approved amendment is second second all in favor say aye all right which with more you're recognized I was gonna make the comment that. Senator Caldwell the chairman he just looked bills the rates on these long caught the word whose head was missing the S. No of the. Twenty five people W. O. W. H. O. S. E. in the notice that was missing a letter but Twelve fifty one like we said the Arkansas River pressure tested there's of well I think a five hundred year flood of and so what we've done over the last twelve years since two thousand and nine the AC the farm bureau. The chemical Clark's collectors assessors treasurers and county judges have been partnering with a in our city and the legislature to improve the transparency of levy bills. Levees and let me Sir. I've been entities are not government entities there entities that landowners get together and improve the property for the betterment they assess and improve the property with levee and drainage improvements so what we've done on this. Is that reporting is that we've improved the reporting to where the the report will be filed on April first there's two reporters one of the county Clerk gets one of the county collector gets those reports as per this twelve fifty one one I'm going to a university the also go to Adam Arkansas department emergency management. And if I can build this the crux of it is that we took to the best of the collector's report in the best of the county Clerk support cross pollinated. And so that way everybody is caught. All the information so that the people that are paying the assessments can go to the county clerk's office of the county collector's office over a university or Adam and look at these reports and find out how their assessments are done and when the board meets the the board members or and and like I said we actually had some of these reports Senator English started the collector's report back in two thousand eleven a man named senator Robert Thompson start of the county Clerk report back in two thousand nine so these are improvements to the existing law of which a rather lengthy Section bill that the which I've got any questions on it for a Representative may not to probably answer but these were recommendations but taskforce at centre Stubblefield represented Bentley him Hillman and Senator Rapert wrong along with others stakeholders we've got four Bills altogether. Representative legalization arrival ask questions from committee the one. No I was just getting ready to answer some hard questions are members the anyone here have a question on this bill. Correct. Okay. Okay. No question only if. Okay anyone in the audience here speak for against the bill. No. I have a motion church samples do pass second. It is amended motion to do pass as amended and section is amended all in favor say aye. All opposed. Twelve twenty one to achieve it will fifty one passes. Or the next on the agenda is house bill twelve forty eight. Thank you Mr chairman of this is a bill that the pope will provide for consolidation of certain districts of the kind of get into the nuts and bolts of it now it that it'd First meeting I asked the question I sit them. Does anybody know how may levy district there are in the state no one knew. We finally came up with something over two hundred. Mmhm a good number of them have not had a meeting and years of the directors were gone and no no one else care parent so we felt like if there was a need for provision to consolidate districts. Ten AM would liken it to the The House gave me I got a horse through. Of. I would liken it to a chain H. the levee district was a link in that chain. And now if one of them broke then it was in effect the whole chain broke so this is what brought about this bill is to consolidate some later this is a real good and some are practically nonexistent. Thank you. Okay. Question on represent Hillman. The Bill. Twelve forty eight. No question. Anyone of you noticed years before the bill or against the bill. Motion to pass second all in favor say aye All opposed. Your bill will forty eight has passed next on the agenda is house bill twelve forty nine okay I guess I kind of got ahead of myself because to me they're this whole issue is is one issue as far as I'm concerned but this is this one thing is with the dissolution of some of these inactive. Districts and and we've had some questions on this about the what what what about been paying taxes into this Labor Day shall these years now just gonna go away that's not what is was designed for these were designed for those in active districts and if if we can do away with them Thank you. The better for everybody. And then we can start a District a first one still needed. A big lead taking questions searchable. Source of members been paying dues. One of these districts that. I can't imagine about paying dues and a district it's not doing anything but if they have what happens to the money that is secondly just transferred into a district it takes over that levy. What will get the guru eleven years to sit right here beside me. Good good question center Improvement districts levee and drainage districts for like corporations and what we noticed is we kind of this pressure test work on by about the river flooding was also a legal pressure task there's two chapters which he formed drainage and levee districts chapter one twenty one and chapter one twenty three. And what this bill does is take a road map of each of these chapters and come across pollinate the get parks that feature black orchid. Sorry that I never have that owns or anyway of what happens just like a corporation when that is all in my practice helps provide that process they pay their debts and they make sure that they paid their creditors in the bonds they have to go to just like operation does and then that disperses and basically they would go back to the membership port goes to another entity selected consolidated districts so. The size of existed for about seventy years and chapter one twenty one had stuff that chapter one twenty three didn't and vice versa and really all we've done is taken part of each section and moved it over to worry about seven had a complete comprehensive ability to do the dissolution but it would be like a corporation that is all of the money either goes back to the membership or the next AT the successor entity and that would be the the crux of what you're asking for surely you would take it includes all assets and everything and when you fight bonds all fees included assets but. But you couldn't I mean I don't see for you will be fired to anyone to take it and give the what's left of the fees back to the membership in that district especially since some of have been in arrears for years whether it says pay the creditors that the text of the law I mean it's just like you corporations often if there's any excess you pay the creditors we take care of any obligations like bonds and if there's extra go back to the membership of and just to be kind of bummed about it like Senator like represent Hillman said. The entities that is all for the ones that weren't collecting days and were dormant anyway it was basically a hop the dirt that existed out there for decades and the entity existed on the books and so what happens when a faction Director had this happen you have a drainage district overlapping with the improvement district and they'll fold into one or the other and and that's what we were taught my consolidation but you pay credit first surely when we. Start forming these new districts were going to be a lot. More diligent about taking and collecting dues and and. But what do you what do you do if you've got a if you've got a landowner there. That that lady protects that simply refuses to pay days is I mean are you gonna take parties land what are you going to. But they do have a Lanny thank you have a yeah this is a the reason that the collector gets into the county Clerk okay is that they do have a lane this is an improvement district levee and drainage districts are validated to wait till somebody buys your property they don't often for close yeah well you know that yes yes. Spinel that works or thank you Mr. You cervical. With the with the bonds and that would that follows how how would that be handled. If the. New and it is not taking over. It could have on the last page page for. when the indebtedness is they pay off the bonds and other creditors as Spencer county court that basically or such in this state your answer state goes through the court Page creditors and so the bonds and other creditors would go through that and then they have to show that they paid those off. That's what Paige forced talk about sex but if there's not enough money to pay those off. First of the new. Corporate new let me just of taking over. The terriers well if there's a consolidation the new entity good afternoon corporation if you buy somebody's liquor store you not dispatches with liquor store you send the deaths along with the lab of the liabilities law with assets when you buy a corporation that's what a if it is assumed or by consolidated another entity takes over most of the dissolutions. typically where there just happened art out there there's Department. And in fact part of the what this bill does is make sure you have to point new members of the vacant board and so that they can vote as often and that is all that's mostly what happens but if there are assets they pay the creditors off bonds and then if there happens to be a merger with another entity that just in the debt liabilities it's much like a corporation. But the best that we can tell these days all non working non meeting districts don't have any assets nor debts. There it is the default. Organization set out there was no directors and and no one's collect in the the assessments on an earlier two hundred districts how many or. Will be dissolved. I want to correct a little bit or something the Arkansas River. Not have two hundred districts. The number levee districts in Arkansas told Senator Rapert probably year and a half ago only god knows how many levee districts or Arkansas of the Arkansas River has north of a hundred sixty have a lot of were made by the Cold War the state of Arkansas since nineteen twenty eight has been forming improvement districts the stock corporations and so there's a lot of hump to dart out there. The people like shall be Johnson G. A. at G. I. S. name or see you're trying to inventory and the number of that are banking or dormant is interesting but uh It PM that's what part of what this is a R. seized or tax when one refers to have the I think they spent eleven million dollars on grants of Arkansas River and hopefully we'll go to another. Area of the state and but nobody nobody to keeping those number and the district's total or left number of dissolved once you've got twenty five people working on this no no I mean district for default now nobody would know. Reform since nineteen twenty eight and some of our phone by statute some of formed by county clerks county court orders and then I and are seated inventory a few years ago and I know the Arkansas River has north of a hundred sixty seven many of the court bill but the number think about how we reverse our state Arkansas just just Arkansas River of the. North of a hundred sixty which is kind of an ambiguous number to begin with chart how many are you unable to contact anyone with I don't know I know that there's some that. Exist and some that have board members what we've been doing is if we become aware of a vacancy the county judge the speed County circuit judge your county judge and we've made it real clear over the years a county judge can to point thank you fill vacancies so we've set up I guess since last twelve years a lot of lost trying to help determine these exists and locate them and do what we can do a lot of the stuff is in a file cabinet and there's a hump Director what happened is after Katrina. Everybody that owns direct this state Arkansas had to figure after leading was functional or not or certified or not and if they're in a flood plain or not instead plates let church or not so a lot of landowners scrambled around to figure out that about a live your call so that's probably more interesting question is are you behind the Bible let your not happy districts or but that's all about the flood plain maps of there's been a lot of that going on since Katrina but I don't know of any human and knows that not that I'm more. To kind of give you an idea about how complicated this is when I was appointed to the task force I call BLR and and I'm asking the state would you copy all the statutes dealing with these levee districts and and sentiment. Well then hearing for a couple days in fact I got a phone call and I sit the most human that we're going to send you these a by email. And now what is longer in two days. And we're not really just mail me hard copy. And he said the. That will be about twenty five pounds paper. It took three emails trended to my my the statutes that deal with labor district that's how complicated this thing is. They would dish can be formed by District Court may not circuit court a county court quorum court has been. That or back to the legislature there's a lot of reform eighteen in the nineteen twenties nineteen thirties nineteen forties back to legislate something there's a and then it they all have different rules and and different ways to do things in this this is an attempt to to begin to clean up some of that it's it's. The deeper you get into it and how to another store and I'll be still for a bit of two years ago four years ago mark I got a complaint from somebody who's just been appointed to a lady Board. And he said that I can't get any information out of the prison about the finances or anything like that Hey Disick they had a annual meeting every year night lasted about ten minutes he can't find anything else okay I think you have. So what. I called the prison that I said that can you send me a copy your financial statement he said nope. And I said what he said I'm not gonna send it to you and you can't make me. So then I went to a in our city and I said can you give me a copy that I sit stand that. What the market will more. And I said. When they do some legislation on this if the if this is true and he assured me it was and that's kinda how I got into this mess and added it is a mess is not the only message state's got but is it is a big mess and I think I think these four bills will go a long way well I mentioned Senator English in two thousand eleven we made every improvement district. Subject to the FY. So it it's a it's a barrier no doubt about that. But I do think I in R. C. is catalogue NO. Everything that's filed in the county level now goes according to this that's what we're doing here it goes by an RC and Adam so if you're fine with the county Clerk and final to collector. Adam Arkansas department emerge mention I know she'll get a copy those reports so that's actually part of what we're trying to do here. Good. Let me let me. Rep I run this we have. Levee districts they're collecting money from the circuit court split money from the taxpayers I will know how many there are or how many are still functional. Yeah I don't I'm not he said to be a statement that there's people that are collect we now the ones that were collected money for okay. Yes obviously yeah we did not those and those reports that we've been getting to Jane English report since two thousand eleven they've been found report with the name of the board and the contact how they say yes by either. City Lauder by a courageous center center conspicuous we know those that there are some after. That are dormant. And part of what this legislation does is the figure out of the dorm of the House not follow report appointed thank members have them dissolve are not or consolidate for somebody else so that's part of what we're doing here Lester. Your question. Sturch. Thank Mr Hillman and to inform on page four and five. I'm looking at this code here and wanting to know and I may have missed this but is this then inclusive of all improvement districts like suburban improvement districts and this is all about levee and drainage districts so it just it just it made it sound deposit on proven districts or you know protection districts that were organized in and reporting to the county collector Senator. Suburban improvement districts or me just I'm sorry. I'm sorry I think you're on twelve fifty one yeah government passed them yeah we always faster service more questions for you the. Four five. You Mr starts those did those did apply to Thank you tolerate eighty eighty six separate six has been proven districts as what's going on the collector doesn't just collect only for levee and drainage that do collect for other improvement districts and they have to do the transparency report that Senator English provided by best fur. Thanks for on twelve forty nine. Well forty nine. Any other questions. Sign up for against. Okay. Motion to pass second. All in favor say aye All opposed. Four nine eight five. You get to one more bite at the apple the. Representative on house bill twelve fifty. All right this is where we get down to that updating the the ways to improve the service labor districts of the one when these were started back in twenties thirties forties fifties of the that on certain depends on where they were incorporate on certain districts they were limited to no more than twenty five cents an acre. And you can't do much I don't care how big your district is you can't you can't even motor bank or twenty five cents an acre so the four of us wrestled around with this for a long time did we want to have committed a certain Meleager certain Of a percent or whatever and finally we came up with the the the the two dollars and fifty cents an acre if you would kind of extrapolate that twenty five cents an acre from nineteen thirty that's kind of what we came up with that's how we got to that number and what this bill does it authorizes a functioning district to assess up to two dollars and fifty cents an acre on farmland and then I think there's a millage on the on the Things like houses and stuff like that if I can just to be very specific. There are two types of. Certain types of disasters but I'm was created back in nineteen thirty seven one on the nineteen forty seven those particular districts not permit chapter one twenty one one twenty three which are much more common we've already talked about but they were constrained because the legislature to him to me and and said y'all can only assess up twenty five cents so just our own other people Their districts out there that they can only assess up twenty five cents per acre which is Harry Truman FDR level. Amount so that by a figure that was a C. P. I. what would twenty five cents be worth now we're two dollars because it to make sure that all or didn't mean they're gonna jump up that high but they've got capacity to assess you know up to that much and it's very distinct districts not the more common ones but just those particular ones you and if you got flooded by the Arkansas River you can do much for twenty five cents correct really referred for that matter. Question from committee. Anyone here speak for against the bill. Luger's committee. Motion to pass certain. Senator Sturch all in favor say aye All opposed. We have no debt thank you thank you motion purchase thank you thank you and I thought this one was gonna get hung up on. Thank you members we protect you thank you. Represent of all. UP next. VOL sure he'll feel would please introduce yourself for the record and you're recognized. Senator Ricky Hill district twenty nine. Represented by district for. You're recognized. We're a committee chair limited Taylor will help fill thirteen fifteen. The. Thank you Mr chair this is basically updating and re writing of the meat inspection act modernizing it bringing the dates of up as far as the wording technology and everything else that's that's involved in it and of this basically creates a state meet inspection program which will mimic the USDA as far as the quality and everything goes is for the inspection of all worship to rounding states with the exception of Tennessee have this end up we will transfer the authority from the department of health to the department of agriculture. To oversee maintain and make sure everything stays in compliance. In this is actually what I consider a consumer bill more than a cattlemen's bill this is consumer driven. At the chemical read from it but the consumer demand to know where their food comes from has been process has been taken care of and basically of where it came from they want to know what they're getting fresh meat taken care of into this will actually apply to intrastate sales. That the the county can sail to a restaurant neighbors farmers market into the restaurants can advertise the grass fed beef antibiotic free. The grainfed beef they can do whatever they wanted to be specific to what the consumers in their area won't and that's one thing I want us to to consider on this deal you're that consumers keen so many times we forget in our culture that the consumer drivers what goes on what we're trying to do here we're trying to give the consumers what they're asking for and what they want the the farmers market that's a great place for say we all we all see them flourish over the years No Representative authorizing bills for for farmers markets before in this will allow us to sell beef chickens what we want to to the farmers market. In the. They give the consumer what they want. We really wanted that. Can help and how it's been handled. What does that do for the farmers. It allows somebody former to be vertically integrated. That they can from from birth to the table. The allows him to do that. It allows them to share in the processing profit so many times the up the processors the the profit on that part of it is astronomical compared water producers are getting so this will allow them to share into that to allow them to to make the profits of they want to. Will offer fish products to them the bottom line is more dollars for the cattle farmer three former if they wanna racing some chickens in the backyard or whatever have a process that spanned. We we go forward on this deal. In a letter represent about the clarify some of this we've already started this with the cares Act they gave ten point four million dollars to to upgrade the processing facilities that we have in Arkansas this will allow us to week expand those the the grants were awarded two thirty east thirty three processing facilities across the state. That total being again at fifteen point four million we hate to see that money wasted out here that would not be a good sign for us to be due diligence with the money. And so estate need the inspection program gives us opportunity provide for new producers processors restaurant owners. While injecting cash into a rule markets and communities which will in turn increase our tax revenues for those areas and I'll be glad to turn this over to represent about that are kind of expense more on the details. Thank you Mr chair thank you Committee if you look you have a little sheet I think you all should have the sheet maybe on your desk on it because I'm always worried about funding and funding is going to affect our budget and we lose money in the state of Arkansas because we don't do our own processing in our own state someone give you a quick example of something that happened in the beginning of the pandemic. At a cattle rancher who sent eight truckloads of cattle to Oklahoma City and one by one each one of those truckloads had to come back because there was no way for them to even take care of the processing needs that were needed during that time if we learned a lot during the pandemic it would be that are grocery stores lose made very quickly right thank you went to Walmart even Walmart didn't have hamburger meat I had response that could no longer serve hamburgers as crazy as that sounds. During the pandemic because the meat was not available for them to actually add to actually get a hold of it so this would help with those kind of problems to and if you look on here I think it's maybe the third paragraph down it talks about the revenue that we lose. And it'll talk about that would be revenue that we could actually used to pay for this program and other programs in our state if we kept it here within our state which is an astronomical number when you look at that we lose four hundred five million dollars. Just in processing fees. That's a lot of money that our state is missing out on just because we don't have the process processing capability here this wasn't I mean this wasn't part of this is about one school a law that did this for us and they did on hamburger meat so they didn't lack is very very conservative in the numbers that they used it use like grass fed which that meat is much higher than me it's just like you go to the grocery store and get that's not a specific specific oriented. This will also so if you don't know this one thing that really toward my heart that made me want to do this besides the fact that we had people who couldn't get their meat process right now you're having to sell caps that's not even born yet get them on the list to get a processed so you're talking two years out there trying to figure out how many cameras are going to have process just in case you don't know how backed up we are on meat processing in our state but the thing is you senator leading wanted to go to his local. Senior citizen center and give me to get me out of his freezer he can't do that. This bill will allow that he will be able to have that state made inspected meets and he could have thank happen now down to his local senior citizen center and have them say that meet their which is a big deal spans senior citizen centers need money and food all the time right or how about your local shelter or your local church that has food lines this would be something that would benefit them also so anyway I think it's a great deal I think it's a great thing for Arkansas I think that we could actually grow our numbers in beef cattle here even with this bill so with that I'll take any questions several. Thank you Mr. Reversing the vote here we can pay for these inspectors I've looked at. At you will. I know that we did one time money to get this started your one time money is not going thank you why not write me a second I was going to try to answer it for you so if you look at the funds actually bring in from the sales. Yeah but it's good to pay for it so it's going. Are you going is the birthdays you're going to probably. The ag department to send out an inspector to inspect this makes what I'm guess road I'm going down so they will have inspectors at the other don't have it but hello we go who's going to pay for that inspector to be either. The state. It'll be moneys we are so we're we're gonna take general revenue money out we hope that we want if you will. It should pay for itself three times over sure there would or could it I'm asking a question about how certain limit living room just second on come back to you all right Jeff you'll come to the table your dollar talking back and forth when we don't allow that up to. If if you will in addition cell for the record you're recognized. My name is Jessica Clouser Burke I am with Arkansas farm bureau so Senator sample to speak to your question there's a fifty percent cost share program with the US department of agriculture so you have seven hundred fifty thousand dollars to go into this program you get it started and then the Arkansas department agriculture will submit this state program for approval USDA and receive up to fifty percent reimbursement from the federal government and you couple that with the sales at into local communities you couple that with restaurant sales you couple that with at school sales you're you're going to see this program in our view. Pay for itself you have twenty seven states in this country that have a state inspection program you have other states one in state inspection and there's a right right now as well this is not just unique to Arkansas. Searchable. I understand everything you're saying still it got down to who's going to pay for it I mean I understand that you said that there were going to get a grant from USP you to pay for Hey so. How are we going to pay for Jorge I mean there's not anything in here that says if they're one dollar for the calories. Going to the ag department or anything else to cover the cost of that process so. Are we can find for which that's that's my question and that's what part of this government plan and I are operate on. Intercept one though under we're going from there. going to this program should sustain itself if it works in Texas Oklahoma anywhere else why would it not work here you're at what is our food supply chain work to as the let let me here add to what senator. Sample is saying Centerville there's nothing that you all presented this is the we're going to assess the meatpacker or the rancher or the transporter or anybody else use you talk about the sales that will be out there yet you have not stated that increase sales are not necessarily increase revenue to the state your second Senate one will be to the. The the sold I mean that that's that that's what I I'm trying to lecture sample trying to pick up on third you will what what do you want it right there yes of Page fifteen line twenty to the department may collect fees for services required to perform this subchapter related inspection of animals that give that page in line is Page fifteen line twenty two. I think that may answer or not I'm not sure if that's your question if if that would in an armory of look this thing over okay but. That may. In there it says the department may. I mean this section that money should be a shell. Page fifteen line twenty two. The also Page fifteen line twenty six in the Senate shall set thank you shall never. Thank you. To be clear on that line The department may collect fees for services required to be performed under this subchapter and it goes in further not regulated under the federal meat inspection act under the federal meat inspection act it is the duty of the government to safeguard the food supply for consumers to uphold the integrity to ensure that consumers are eating a safe and wholesome product that is the purpose of government in from farm bureaus perspective it is the duty of the government to in to provide that service for consumers ma'am I'm not arguing the fact about this I'm just trying to tell you and and realize we're going how we're going to fight for this I liked programs don't get me wrong but it's but shall with the our budgetary problems and we have a right now I worry about an eighty dollar cost to the state as far as is I mean if if we can have if you can convince me that this is not going to cost. Generals general revenues our our big. To the I'm pretty sure they're going to set it if you'll go back to where he was talking a minute ago the secretary of the department of agriculture's shall set by rule the inspection fee in an amount sufficient to recovery of the department's cost of providing services as described. Representative I've been here for a long time and that pretty sure didn't work. The I mean it it says they shall do it that's what I'm saying is I can walk. Page fifteen line twenty six and twenty seven but I mean are they gonna or they don't charge twenty dollars for the construction dollar amount we. Before going into this and like I say all like the bill I just wanna know that we're not going to take an obligate state. For general revenue when we don't have to when it can be included in this bill. That's where I'm going that's where my would you like to say pay for it. What. You don't run into the. I need to know who he would like to see. Thank for it. Who owns the consumers complain for them in that story free enterprise works okay. How you wanted it to be worded will not mark the center I can't I'm not used to getting questions from person at school. Sorry. I was kind of been serious our state not how you wanted it to be worded Sir the. seventy three I'm for sure you will. Thank you Mr and I hate to put it on the spot we do have the sector bag back there Again I hate to put him on the spot but perhaps the heating vent on state. Her ward you would come to the table please. In addition for the record please you're recognized. Yes Sir West for from the Arkansas department of agriculture and and I think there are excellent questions regarding the funding and we've been we've been working through some of these aspects that I do think that there would have to be some up some initial up front cost your when you're talking about food safety a state means action program it requires people to do it we we don't have available staff currently so so we do have we do currently have a governor's letter they actually went through joint budget this morning to add add some additional personnel and and a line item for the funding so essentially you're and in conversations were have been with all of our partners with farm bureau a cattlemen's everyone that's been involved from the beginning with this program is that you you almost have to you were and in effect have to started out as a pilot program where you've got your between the twenty twenty one session and twenty twenty three session some start up costs let's let's get it started initiated there there does have to be rulemaking there has to be there has to be plan submitted to USDA for their approval so the the rulemaking would identify what there's feet those inspection fees would be and and that would come back to to the legislature for for their review and approval of those before it was finalized and submitted to USDA so it it's very much a there's a lot of steps in the process but we from our perspective if if we had two years to to start it did go in with you even if it was just your we we think we could start with one person to to relieve. Really I probably GSTN GS eleven position I could come in and start the program start the rules start to plan the USDA by two years from now we we've we've got a better grasp of how many facilities will be inspected and hopefully have some facilities that that are you're getting approvals to do and be under state inspection program by the twenty twenty three session we've we've answered all these questions and said here's here's what we are here's what we've got to have for this program to continue to grow continue to provide benefits to start okay to producers as well as the consumers in the state. Senate Walsh. Thank you Mr I'd have similar questions to senator sample I would suggest that we table this. To the next meeting and get those answers that we're seeking and then come back. For the. Thank you and I'm glad that. A sector of said what he said because I know starting a programs on the starting a business there's always an experience and that and it's pretty good experience so I would like coming you know if you can tell you can give us some information on what you like to start because because testing equipment is very expensive and you're gonna have to buy some real expensive equipment and you're not going to use it that often until you get into full swing on this and so you've got some you've got some big expense there with with setting up a lab and hiring people and the so I'm like Senator Wallace I I I I I like to tell you can see you come back with some figures for so that we will know exactly how many. So we'll have a I have a better idea of what this is going to cost rather than well we expect. So that the. Thank you thank you sure. If if you will respond just real quickly it and I think those are great points are and and we have been we we've been having conversations with USDA and other states that have I mean section program so the laboratory that that's that's certainly a big question there but what we've we found out that some of you especially as first initial phases a lot of that we can contract out with Missouri or Oklahoma to to get us through the initial phases you know and and my perspective what we do have a governor's letter governor's been involved with a lot of these discussions as well you know what we were asking for seven hundred fifty thousand total over two year period I think that number you know that that's a that's a just a square number two to try to get this you know through the two years and and start being able to get facilities inspected with a personnel out our origin summary is that we would have we would have to R. one individual from the beginning that GSTN level position to run the program to start the rules start to put the plans with USDA towards the end of that is when we would bring on the inspectors additional lab personnel whatever we would need towards the end of that but but I'd certainly be happy to share the governor's letter that went to the Joint Budget this morning but but what we're working to other really all the all the questions you're asking yes Sir. Sturch. Thank Mr Isaac to answer my question about the amount that they requested so is that this is all gonna be general revenue additional generator you're not gonna join but it within your existing budget or anything like that. That's that's correct and so that dollar figure is is general revenue but we we don't think that we would have to use all of that within that first two year period really after we we think over the first two years the biz the biggest expense is going to be the one personnel position that waited to start gets a role in your but it gives us the question if we get into this time next year things are moving faster USTA's approve the plan we can still start allowing for the inspection before we get to the twenty twenty three in session verification instructor ward is seven fifty thousand dollars generate new in addition to the budget you submitted during budget hearings this call in addition it is yes or. Thank you. Sturch Mr. You will. What I originally had a lot of questions about this bill which I think you've been alleviated The help that I actually read Page fifteen what we're sitting here You mentioned you know set up a lab in contracting with other states would with the health department's lab not be up to standards to do this type of working with that be away to contract with them for cost savings and things of that nature and have you all thought about the. Excellent excellent question we have so the the requirements under the the USDA requirements for state approved plan has specific requirements that you have to test for we we did check our sins department help is not do it so it so as a person of them having to encourage additional expense to start their own laboratory process at least in the beginning phases it's it's easier to use Missouri or Oklahoma somebody who's already got a program already doing that exact test we can send them the samples I was from the beginning phases out on a lot cheaper basis probably at a at a much reduced discounted price through it through a sister statement inspection program to cover those. Just follow create that and I think You know seeing maybe also plan on that would help alleviate a lot of the concerns being. Address here today so I'm glad that you all are having forced foresight to to do some of the things. Sure seven zero four. No I was gonna second Senator Wallace is motion. what we're dealing problems pulling the bill down for the day to the sector warning issue question are you there how long you think it'll take you to get this information gathered your compact third you'll come back next Tuesday. What we actually have a have a conversation with the USDA FSIS this afternoon you know I got off I think we've got most of the information okay together it's just a matter we will play it by ear get teacher we will play beer we will. Revolt will decide whether not to do third year and leave to appeal. I can't hear you honey you the to my journal for witness ago and speaks and she's here that's absolutely fine that would be the sector ward for you leave the center back will have a question you may have it for you. Okay. Thank you can can you. Can you provide us the cost of the lab as well because of understanding the seven hundred fifty thousand for two years. Does include setting up a lap that is accurate that's correct yes it does not work cost what I kind of want to see is in twenty twenty three how much relief back at this table as for. To continue of programs should be self funded by that point absolutely very good record okay represent vote you will come back to them to. If it's okay with you Mister chair I would like to ask miss Michelle shot to come testify. Thank you for allowing her to testify even though we're going to pull it down sure does take for her to. You don't need to that the thank you we we live in strange between co would going whether thank you Sir well we're all year if you would please introduce yourself during my phone interview show for the record and you're recognized. Thank you Mr chairman and committee for the opportunity to speak here today my name is Michelle show opened with the Arkansas hunger relief alliance the director of IT sourcing and logistics. The Arkansas hunger relief alliance is the state association for hunger relief. The statewide voice for those organizations and our cans and suffering from food insecurity. According to feeding America's twenty eighteen map the meal gap seventeen point three percent of the people in our state of food and secure. That is over five hundred and twenty one thousand of our friends neighbors and constituents federal not always sure with they will get their next meal. And because statistics are always about the past let me paint a story for you. No statistics are from twenty eighteen in response to this need the alliance network distributed more than sixty five million pounds of food. In this state in twenty nineteen. In twenty twenty the distribution reached over ninety five million pounds. What does that say for the need in our state this distribution is not just here there it is in every Arkansas county Arkansas beef project. This program it's one of a kind in the country. It was difficult to build but we were always for to continue and not give up because of a phone call we received from an Arkansas state senator. He was absent after a conversation with the constituent he learned that she split her pills cut her medication and have to save money to buy ground beef once a month. Today we work with the beef industry many of our friends are right here in this room and we received donations of live animals and have recently started purchasing cattle to have processed into ground beef something a family could make a good meal with. You see pertains in fresh produce are the two things highest in demand at a food pantry and the things that cost you the most at the grocery store. With recent cattle purchases I began to call USDA processors in the state to secure appointment for processing this was back in October and November they were booked through twenty twenty two. H. B. thirteen fifteen is a good thing for Arkansas we've made a great start with Kerry's Act dollars to help build capacity of some Arkansas processors let's not stop halfway the economic development benefits of this bill easily seen helps producers it helps processors it helps meet the demand for local products it keeps revenue and tax dollars in the state and it helps the under served it helps us all. Thank you for allowing me to be here today. Don't leave just yet the revision question anyone ever question. No questions thank you very much for your time thank you. Okay. Do you. Whirlpool bill down Mr chairman. Okay they will get back as there's just some questions that need to be entered in one week get a little more information I'll play for anyone in this room that opposes the bill no finished sample along with myself that only tax revenue Committee in we've we've got real problems if you're between co would weather and other other issues it did so we wanted to confirm that we've got the money there to do what we wanted to good purpose that okay thank and and we'll play it by ear at twelve we come back Thursday or Tuesday the oldest let me know when it will put religion thank. No other question where you're.