701-566-9300Senate Bill 2020, the legislation that includes SBARE Priorities, passed by the Senate, has now been referred by the House Appropriations Committee to the full House chamber for approval. Dr. Greg Lardy, vice president for Agriculture, NDSU and his staff, along with the support of the Soybean Growers Association and others, have been working to restore budget cuts by the Senate, and further obtain some additional positions and funding. I am pleased to report significant success at this stage.
The committee approved the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute’s appropriation from the Senate in the amount of $25 million. Its studies are the basis of the legislature’s means of distributing infrastructure funding for rural roads and bridges.
The overall SBARE funding requests fared much better in the House Committee, thanks in part to supporters like the Soybean Growers Association and soybeans farmer Ryan Pederson of Rolette. Ryan gave compelling testimony to the committee on the complexities of new farming initiatives, including the need for a carbon specialist. For the Extension Services budget, the Committee added $400,000 for 2 positions, including a grape and vineyard specialist and an agronomy specialist, and $280,000 in operating expenses. The committee also added $290,000 for an Extension carbon specialist. The committee further restored the requested funding of almost $1million for payroll base and operating funds.
The Northern Crops Institute budget approved by the Senate was also approved by the House committee.
For the Experiment Station budget, the committee added back in funding of $938,000 base payroll for the Main Station, $320,000 for supplies, and then added $500,000 for deferred maintenance for the stations.
These are some very encouraging and positive funding approvals that will greatly benefit North Dakota agriculture. However, we are not across the finish line yet. If all these amended funding approvals are approved by the full House chamber, then SB2020 will go back to the Senate to concur. If the Senate does not concur with the House changes, then a conference committee of the Senate and House will have to agree on the final legislation.
Please contact your legislators and let them know you support Senate Bill 2020 with the House amendments.