SB38 Summary: Department of Agriculture Appropriation (FY 2022-2023)

• Appropriates $8,778,117 for Department of Agriculture Shared Services, including salaries for 61 maximum employees and operating expenses for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023.

• Appropriates $15,300,520 for Department of Agriculture Operations, establishing 541 maximum regular employees with salaries, extra help, personal services matching, and maintenance/general operations funding.

• Appropriates additional funding for specialized programs including Livestock and Poultry Commission ($5,365,300), State Plant Board ($9,786,792), State Forestry Commission ($19,902,179), and various other agricultural programs including meat inspection, feral hog eradication ($3,000,000), and fair funding ($1,352,272).

• Authorizes 176 temporary/part-time employees as "Extra Help" when needed and provides special transfer authorities for the Livestock and Poultry Commission, State Plant Board, and State Forestry Commission upon Chief Fiscal Officer and Legislative Council approval.

• Total appropriation across all department programs and funds exceeds $73 million for personal services, operating expenses, grants, and capital outlays for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023, effective July 1, 2022.