SENATE COMMITTEE ON

 AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

 

 

January 24, 2003   Hearing Room B

8:30 am Tapes  3 - 4

 

MEMBERS PRESENT:            Sen. Frank Shields, Chair

Sen. Roger Beyer, Vice-Chair

Sen. Tony Corcoran

Sen.  Bill Fisher

 

STAFF PRESENT:                  Judith Callens, Administrator

Megan Jensen, Committee Assistant

 

MEASURE/ISSUES HEARD:            Informational Meeting

     Department of Agriculture overview

     Department of Forestry overview

 

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 3, A

012

Chair Shields

Calls meeting to order at 8:35 a.m. Opens informational meeting.

INFORMATIONAL MEETING

015

Chuck Craig

Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) Deputy Director. Discusses ODA overview.

  • Oregon Farmer’s Handbook  (EXHIBIT A)
  • Agriculture Resources Directory (EXHIBIT B)
  • 2001-2002 facts and figures (EXHIBIT C)
  • Agriculture and Fisheries Statistics (EXHIBIT D)

078

Craig

Discusses ODA organization and structure (EXHIBIT E). Discusses three concerns:

  • Find ways to continue to provide services with declining revenues
  • Strengthen efforts to expand markets
  • Develop system of pesticide reporting

125

Craig

Discusses ODA 2003 Legislative Concepts (EXHIBIT F). Comments on SB 241, which repeals sunset on quarantine civil penalty authority.

138

Sen. Corcoran

Inquires why a sunset was put on quarantine civil penalty authority.

140

Craig

Responds. Discusses legislative overview:

·         SB 242 - Requests statutory authority to inspect and certify processes used in connection with horticultural and agricultural products 
·         HB 2194 - Changes the billing period for ODA services
  • HB 2254 - Increases livestock brand renewal fee and timeline

238

Sen. Beyer

Asks about horses and mules as Oregon commodity.

248

Craig

Responds.

253

Sen. Beyer

Comments on SB 241 and support of Christmas tree farmers.

268

Craig

Responds that ODA has issued warnings instead of assessing civil penalties for Christmas tree farmers in the past. Discusses quarantine penalties.

338

Chair Shields

Asks about civil penalty procedures and policy for Christmas tree growers who do not comply.

368

Craig

Responds.

398

Sen. Beyer

Comments on putting off the sunset on civil penalty authority.

TAPE 4, A

005

Craig

Responds.

012

Ted Lorensen

Department of Forestry (ODF) Assistant State Forester. Discusses ODF overview (EXHIBIT G). Discusses fire prevention House bills:

  • HB 2196 - Provides contracting exceptions for fire fighting and emergency services
  • HB 2200 - Provides firefighter liability relief
  • HB 2201 - Provides railroad fire prevention and liability
  • HB 2202 - Establishes conditions to take action on fires on unprotected lands

130

Lorensen

Discusses Pacific Rivers Council v. Brown lawsuit against the State Forester, which claimed a violation of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Discusses state forest management.

185

Sen. Beyer

Asks how HB 2202 differs from previous session bills.

192

Lorensen

Responds that the bill scales down responsibility for land owners.

208

Sen. Beyer

Inquires how federal lands are affected under the unprotected lands plan.

214

Lorensen

Responds.

230

Chair Shields

Requests clarification on federal lands issue.

235

Lorensen

Clarifies.

255

Sen. Beyer

Comments on sensitivity of issue.

266

Lorensen

Responds.

273

Chair Shields

Inquires about changes in the fire protection plan from the past 30 years to the present.

305

Lorensen

Explains that there are many differences and discusses issues.

393

Chair Shields

Asks about the relationship between state and federal forest management.

 

TAPE 3, B

002

Lorensen

Responds.

025

Chair Shields

Invites public response at a special hearing January 31. Closes informational meeting. Adjourns meeting at 9:37 a.m.

 

EXHIBIT SUMMARY

 

A – ODA, Oregon Farmers Handbook, C. Craig, 159 pp

B – ODA, Oregon Agriculture Resources Directory, C. Craig, 143 pp

C – ODA, Oregon Agriculture: Facts and Figures brochure, C. Craig, 2 pp

D – ODA, 2001-2002 Oregon Agriculture and Fisheries Statistics, C. Craig, 88 pp

E – ODA, The Agriculture Quarterly newsletter, C. Craig, 28 pp

F – ODA, 2003 Legislative Concepts, written testimony, C. Craig, 1 p

G – Department of Forestry, written testimony, T. Lorensen, 23 pp