HOUSE COMMITTEE ON

AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

January 16, 2003 Hearing Room E

1:00 PM Tapes 1 - 3

MEMBERS PRESENT: Rep. Jeff Kropf, Chair

Rep. George Gilman, Vice-Chair

Rep. Kelley Wirth, Vice-Chair

Rep. Elizabeth Terry Beyer

Rep. Dave Hunt

Rep. Donna Nelson

Rep. Patti Smith

STAFF PRESENT: Ray Kelly, Committee Administrator

David Peffley, Committee Assistant

ISSUES HEARD: Organizational meeting

Adoption of Committee Rules

Informational meeting

Invited testimony

Don Schellenberg and Jean Wilkinson, Oregon Farm Bureau

Dr. John Beaulieu, Oregon Department of Geology and Mining Industries

Michael Carrier, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department

Al Elkins, Oregon Hunters Association

Jerod Broadfoot, Safari Club International

Phil Ward and Chuck Craig, Oregon Department of

Agriculture

Katie Fast, Oregon Cattlemen

These minutes are in compliance with Senate and House Rules. Only text enclosed in quotation marks reports a speaker’s exact words. For complete contents, please refer to the tapes.

TAPE/#	Speaker	Comments
TAPE 1, A
005	Chair Kropf	Chair calls the meeting to order at 1:00 PM and invites witnesses to sign up during a brief recess. Opens the organizational meeting.
042	Chair Kropf	Reconvenes meeting and welcomes the members of the committee.
ORGANIZATIONAL MEETING
060	Chair Kropf	Explains the proposed rules (EXHIBIT A), with the caveat that swearing witnesses in and taking on oath will perhaps be added to the committee rules. States a willingness to consider amendments, but not conceptual amendments. States discretion to not hear any particular legislation.
127	Rep. Gilman	MOTION: Moves to ADOPT the proposed Committee Rules.
144		VOTE: 6-0-1 EXCUSED: 1 - Rep. Wirth
151	Chair Kropf	Hearing no objection, declares the motion CARRIED.
153	Chair Kropf	Closes the organizational meeting and opens the informational meeting.
INFORMATIONAL MEETING
155	Chair Kropf	Invites committee members to introduce themselves.
157	Rep. Smith	HD 52 encompassing Hood River, East Clackamas County, East Multnomah County. States her occupation as a farmer and owner of a timber-products business. Affirms a desire to bring balance to the natural resource industries in order to restore the economy.
163	Rep. Hunt	HD 40, encompassing north-central Clackamas County. Explains job as an executive director of coalition of farmers, ports, unions, businesses, etc. working together to export Oregon products around the world. States willingness to work to facilitate business.
180	Vice-Chair Gilman	HD 55, encompassing Lake, Crook, Jackson, and Deschutes Counties. Attests to the district’s rural, agricultural base. Emphasizes the need to utilize natural resources to their full potential.
238	Rep. Nelson	HD 24 located in the Willamette Valley. Introduces the natural resource base of her constituency and her background in farming and international business. Explains that we need to build the economy through farming, forestry, and fishing and reduce regulations.
288	Rep. Beyer	HD 12, encompassing non-agricultural Springfield. States that she has very little experience in agriculture, but that her office door (H-374) is open and she wants to learn and serve the committee well.
331	Rep. Wirth	HD 16. Represents Corvallis and the mid-Willamette Valley. States that she served on the salmon committee last session.
347	Rep. Wirth	States that the sales tax is an issue important to her.
353	Chair Kropf	HD 17. Represents a rural constituency. Offers that he agrees with Rep. Hunt that the economy and agricultural and natural resources are intricately entwined. States willingness to work across ideological lines Introduces committee staff.
TAPE 2, A
024	Don Schellenberg	Associate Director of government affairs for Oregon Farm Bureau (OFB). Introduces his staff-Jean Wilkinson, Greg Addington.
044	Schellenberg	Introduces aggressive legislative agenda (EXHIBIT B). Hopes to pass legislation which is fair to both farmers and laborers. States opposition to the indexing of the minimum wage.
087	Chair Kropf	Asks whether Farm Bureau will be proposing legislation to that effect.
090	Schellenberg	Confirms the speaker’s premonition. Continues with the replacement dwellings issue, land-use planning issues, and corrections necessary to protect farm land.
112	Chair Kropf	Asks about replacement dwelling legislation, whether it is to allow granted rights.
117	Schellenberg	Confirms that the right would be transferable only to spouse or child.
121	Jean Wilkinson	A career farmer in her fourth year at OFB. States OFB’s main concerns for this session.
225	Greg Addington	Associate Director of Government Affairs Oregon Farm Bureau. States concern with forestry, fish and wildlife, and livestock issues as a resident of rural Jackson County.
241	Chair Kropf	Asks where OFB stands regarding farm truck safety inspection and regulations.
244	Wilkinson	Affirms that they’re working on that issue. Explains the federal grant waiver and its importance.
293	Rep. Hunt	Asks OFB what dialogs with the governor’s team are being done on the front end to make sure vetoes don’t happen on the back end.
300	Schellenberg	Responds that they’ve been talking with everyone they can and asserts desire to have dialog with the Governor, himself.
321	Rep. Wirth	Asks the status of those eligible for pollution control tax credit legislation.
326	Wilkinson	Acknowledges that these issues are presently being negotiated.
334	Rep. Wirth	Asks how many other states are not in compliance with the aforementioned farm-truck exemptions.
344	Wilkinson	Comments that she doesn’t know the whole list.
346	Chair Kropf	Adds that Florida is one of those states with an exemption.
357	Dr. John Beaulieu	Director of State Department of Geology (DOGAMI). Introduces Dr. Vicki McConnell, Deputy Director. States reasons for the Department of Geology and that the benefit to cost ratio is 235/1.
TAPE 1, B
005	Dr. Beaulieu	Introduces his department through: (EXHIBIT C) Mission Statement (EXHIBIT D) Water and Geology informational piece (EXHIBIT E) benefits explanation (EXHIBIT F) Legislative interests for the 72^nd legislative session.
074	Chair Kropf	Asks witness to explain the 4(d) problem.
080	Dr. Beaulieu	Explains the 4D regulations. Continues with the legislative agenda and unfinished business he still has to tend to.
131	Dr. Vicki McConnell	Comments that people are drawn to Oregon because of its unique geology.
141	Rep. Wirth	Observes that improved infrastructure is necessary in order to enjoy Oregon’s natural sights.
150	Dr. Beaulieu	Concurs with Vice-Chair Wirth. Points out specific infrastructure, partnerships, and education which have improved access to Oregon’s scenery, but that it is a 20-year plan and there is much work still to do.
190	Rep. Wirth	Asks whether our infrastructure is adequate.
198	Dr. Beaulieu	Replies that it certainly is not.
219	Michael Carrier	Director of Oregon Parks and Recreation. Introduces the commission, aims, finances, and work force of the department.
272	Carrier	Introduces (EXHIBIT G) Oregon Parks and Recreation biennial report and (EXHIBIT H) legislative aims.
296	Rep. Wirth	Addresses concerns with reduced fees for disabled access to Oregon parks.
301	Carrier	Explains the fee discount system.
329	Chair Kropf	Asks how the park system works with corrections.
334	Carrier	Responds that inmates produce very much labor for Oregon Parks and Recreation.
348	Chair Kropf	Asks about planned acquisitions and FTE requirements for the upcoming biennium.
361	Carrier	Responds that about six FTE are used for property acquisition. Points out that a key objective of Parks and Recreation is to minimize labor costs.
TAPE 2, B
005	Chair Kropf	Asks when the backlog of maintenance bills will be caught up.
014	Carrier	Responds that they are working on the backlog. States the belief that they can retire most of it by the end of the Measure 66 expiration in 2014.
033	Chair Kropf	Asks whether the SCORP funding comes from general fund dollars.
041	Carrier	Responds that SCORP receives federal land and water conservation funding along with Measure 66 funds. Restates that they have no general funds in their agencies.
044	Chair Kropf	Praises the program.
057	Al Elkins	Oregon Hunters’ Association. Introduces their organization. Summarizes issues of concern.
083	Chair Kropf	Asks Oregon Hunters’ Association’s feelings on geese predation.
086	Elkins	Replies that he does not know much about the issue, but does know that the problem is real and in need of addressing.
097	Chair Kropf	Underscores that he understands problem from personal experience.
105	Jerod Broadfoot	Safari Club International. Represents hunters. States that taxes and license dollars need to be put forth to enforce game laws. Is willing to work with wildlife management to accomplish this aim.
121	Chair Kropf	Asks about current state of affairs regarding the bear and cougar issue.
131	Broadfoot	Affirms belief that bears and cougars pose a safety problem and need to be managed.
159	Elkins	Adds that safety and depravation have been a long-time concern.
171	Phil Ward	Director of Department of Agriculture. Introduces structure of the agency through (EXHIBIT I) the Oregon Agricultural Resources Directory, the Farmer’s handbook, and biennial report.
305	Chuck Craig	Deputy Director for Department of Agriculture. Introduces (EXHIBIT J), the four bills to bring to committee.
372	Rep. Hunt	Asks whether they have adequate funds to enforce statutory authority.
389	Elkins	Responds that SB 242 addresses that issue, resources are always an issue and the agency is working to come up with creative funding.
TAPE 3, A
005	Rep. Wirth	Asks how this impacts the OSUC lab.
008	Elkins	Responds as to how this fits in with the equation.
012	Chair Kropf	Adds personal expertise to issue. Adds that it’s pretty expensive.
020	Chair Kropf	Asks about the budget and staffing levels and where the budget will be in 2004-2005.
028	Elkins	Responds as to the loss of funding and positions.
032	Chair Kropf	Asks whether they plan to fill the empty position or it them blank.
035	Craig	Responds that the position was vacant, but now it’s being filled by Lisa Hansen.
038	Chair Kropf	Asks if there are any anticipated fee increases.
044	Elkins	Replies that they do not.
045	Chair Kropf	Asks where we’re at with CAFO/AFO.
048	Craig	Responds that they’re in the second phase of the permit process.
059	Chair Kropf	Asks whether they will have their comment period done.
061	Craig	Responds affirmatively.
062	Chair Kropf	Asks how industry is reacting.
063	Craig	Responds that he believes they are reacting favorably to the outreach program. Adds that there is concern over some aspects of the regulations, however.
069	Chair Kropf	Provides that he recently traveled to Japan with John Shipanski and was educated to importance of the Identity Preservation (IP) Program regarding agriculture and trade to Japan. Believes that it’s a great opportunity for the improvement of local products.
102	Rep. Wirth	Asks whether meat in Japan is labeled “Made in Oregon”
109	Elkins	States that there is no labeling law in Japan that states as such, but that we could do so and it would be of great benefit to our industries.
115	Rep. Wirth	Asks why we can’t find “labeled in Oregon” in our own stores?
118	Elkins	Replies that we have very few processing facilities.
135	Chair Kropf	Submits that he will be introducing a bill addressing Vice-Chair Wirth’s concerns. Once again speaks to the importance of IP program.
171	Katie Fast	Oregon Cattlemen. Introduction to the Cattlemen’s concerns. States that jobs are difficult to come by and that the Cattlemen will probably only introduce a couple of bills this session.
198	Chair Kropf	Adjourns meeting at 3:07.

EXHIBIT SUMMARY

A – Committee Rules, staff, 1 p

B – Oregon Farm Bureau legislative agenda, Don Schellenberg, 28 pp

C – Department of Geology and Mineral Industries (DOGAMI) Strategic Plan, Dr. John

Beaulieu, 12 pp

D – DOGAMI Water and Geology, Dr. John Beaulieu, 6 pp

E – DOGAMI written testimony, Dr. John Beaulieu, 1 p

F – DOGAMI Agency Issues, Dr. John Beaulieu, 1 p

G – Oregon Parks and Recreation Department Biennial Report, Michael Carrier, 13 pp

H – Oregon Parks and Recreation legislative concepts, Michael Carrier, 1 p

I – Oversized exhibit, Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) packet, Phil Wood, 332 pp

J – ODA 2003 legislative concepts, Chuck Craig, 1 p