HF895 - Agriculture Finance Bill Summary

• Appropriates $48,056,000 for fiscal year 2018 and $47,910,000 for fiscal year 2019 to the Department of Agriculture and related agencies for agriculture-related programs and operations.

• Establishes a Farm Safety Working Group to advise the commissioner and legislature on farm safety issues, with representation from state agencies, universities, farm organizations, and agricultural stakeholders.

• Increases certificate fees from $75 to $125 for food export certificates issued by the Department of Agriculture and creates a pollinator habitat and research account in the agricultural fund.

• Modifies tractor rollover protection structure grant eligibility and reduces the administrator promotion budget from 20% to 6% of program dollars for the rollover protection program.

• Amends crop and fence damage compensation procedures for elk-caused damage, including clarifying claim forms and expanding fence damage compensation limits to $1,800 per claimant per fiscal year.