MS SB2896

Appropriates $9,578,641.00 from the State General Fund and authorizes $7,076,477.00 in special source funds for the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce for fiscal year 2015 (July 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015).

Authorizes 230 permanent full-time positions, 2 permanent part-time positions, 19 time-limited full-time positions, and 0 time-limited part-time positions for the department.

Provides $1,000 salary increases for full-time employees (pro-rated for part-time) who have not received raises since July 1, 2010 and earn less than $30,000 annually.

Appropriates $1,100,000.00 for the Beaver Control Program, with funding from the Mississippi Department of Transportation, private fees, and the State Forestry Commission.

Establishes performance measures for Plant Industry, Museum, Regulatory, Marketing, Administration, Livestock Theft, Farmer's Market, and Seed Testing Lab operations, with specific targets to be reported in the fiscal year 2016 budget request.