H.B. 508 Summary

• Establishes a qualified feed developer grant program with grants not exceeding $750,000 per feed mill project or $200,000 per developer per year, with funds disbursed as dollar-for-dollar matches to other funding and reimbursement of up to 50% of verified costs of goods sold.

• Appropriates unspecified general revenues for fiscal years 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 to reimburse qualified livestock and aquaculture producers for feed costs and to reimburse feed developers, with up to $15,000 authorized for program administration.

• Requires the Department of Agriculture to conduct a survey identifying, assessing, and validating locally sourced feed ingredients available for feed developers.

• Authorizes cultivation of industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L. with not more than 0.3% delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol) for research purposes by institutions of higher education, registered seed breeders, or those growing approved seed cultivars, subject to registration and board certification.

• Appropriates unspecified general revenues for Department of Agriculture staff positions to implement the feed developer grant program and administer industrial hemp registration and testing.