Agriculture production innovations.

WORKING DRAFT
2008
STATE OF
WYOMING
08LSO-0330

HOUSE BILL
NO.
HB0121

Agriculture production innovations.

Sponsored by:
Representative(s) Zwonitzer, Dn.,
Edmonds
,
Harvey
, Petersen, Shepperson and Throne

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to
agriculture; establishing the agricultural innovation account as specified; providing for the administration of the account;
creating the agricultural innovation oversight committee;
providing an appropriation;
and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of
Wyoming
:

Section 1.

W.S. 9
‑
12
‑
114 is created to read:

9
‑
12
‑
114.

Agricultural innovation account.

(a)

There is created an account known as the "agricultural innovation account."

Funds in the account
are continuously appropriated to the
agricultural innovation

oversight committee
created under subsection (b) of this section

and shall be expended as determined by the committee
to encourage agricultural innovations in the marketplace.

Earnings from funds in the account shall be deposited into the account.
Agricultural producers shall be encouraged to test and evaluate new methods or technologies that sustain agriculture as a viable industry in their home communities or the state of
Wyoming
as a whole.

Funds may be utilized to support producers in alternative crop production, livestock and breeding programs, agricultural products development, methods or techniques in production and other options or tools that sustain agriculture in the marketplace.

These funds may also be utilized in promotion or marketing of innovative programs to the agricultural community on behalf of the agricultural innovation oversight committee.

(b)

There is created the agricultural innovation

oversight committee.

The committee shall consist of:

(i)

The director of the department of

agriculture or his designee;

(ii)

The chief executive officer of the
Wyoming

business council or his designee;

(iii)

One (1) person representing the
Wyoming

board of agriculture appointed by the board;

(iv)

The dean of the
University
of
Wyoming

college of agriculture or his designee;

(v)

One (1) person representing livestock

interests appointed by the governor;

(vi)

One (1) person representing farming

interests appointed by the governor.

(c)

The members of the committee
who are appointed by the board or by the governor
shall be appointed for staggered terms of four
(
4) years.

Each appointed member shall be limited to

serving on the board for eight (8) consecutive years,

however, a member may be reappointed after a four (4) year

absence.

Each member shall hold office until his successor

is appointed.

Members may be
remove
d
as provided by W.S. 9
‑
1
‑
202.

(d)

The chief executive officer of the
Wyoming

business council or his designee shall serve as chair of

the committee. Each member of the committee not otherwise

in full-time employment with the state shall receive per

diem and travel expenses in the same manner and amount as

state employees while attending and traveling to and from

meetings of the committee.

The fees and expenses of the

committee shall be paid from the funds within the account.

(e)

The committee shall review applications for

funding from the account.

Any person may apply for an

award from the account for an innovative agricultural

practice as defined by
Wyoming
business council rule and

regulation.

In no event shall any amount awarded to one

(1) person exceed thirty thousand dollars ($30,000.00) in

any one (1) calendar year.

(f)

The
Wyoming
business council shall staff the

committee and shall promulgate necessary rules and

regulations for the implementation and administration of

this act.

Section 2.

W.S. 9
‑
2
‑
1704(d)
by
creating
a
new paragraph (xvii) is amended to read:

9
‑
2
‑
1704.

Reorganization plan; structure; time frame.

(d)

The entities of state government specified in this subsection are designated as separate operating agencies, which are separate and distinct from the departments and offices specified in subsection (a) of this section because of their quasi
‑
judicial responsibility or because of their unique, specialized function which precludes their inclusion in another department. This act does not otherwise apply to separate operating agencies. Separate operating agencies are as follows:

(xvii)

Agricultural innovation oversight committee
established under W.S. 9
‑
12
‑
114(b).

Section 3
.

There is appropriated three hundred

thousand dollars ($300,000.00) from the general fund to the

account established in section 1 of this act.

Any unexpended monies in the account shall not revert but shall

remain in the account to be expended for the purposes

specified in this act.

Section 4
.

This act is effective July 1, 2008.

(END)

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HB0121