SB207 Summary

• Appropriates $17,540,782 to the Arkansas Agriculture Department for fiscal year 2015-2016, including $10,469,106 for regular salaries, $74,131 for extra help, $3,708,761 for personal services matching, and allocations for operations, travel, professional fees, boll weevil control ($30,000), and buffalo gnat control ($8,000).

• Establishes a maximum of 592 regular employees and authorizes up to 171 temporary or part-time "Extra Help" employees across the department for the fiscal year.

• Appropriates additional funds for Livestock and Poultry Commission programs totaling $8,750,270, including animal disease control ($1,138,891), egg grading ($3,926,800), swamp fever testing ($325,699), and equine infectious anemia ($474,723).

• Appropriates $24,728,526 for State Plant Board operations including administration/pest control ($9,279,780), grain warehouse inspection ($277,099), pesticide surveillance ($272,472), and apiary programs ($211,554).

• Appropriates $16,182,624 for State Forestry Commission operations, rural fire protection, urban forestry services, and specialized forestry programs funded through various state and federal sources.