Senate Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee Reports

Reports provided by PA Legislative Services

The SENATE AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE met 3-29-06 to consider the following bills:

• HB 1580 Phillips - (PN 2302) Amends Title 3 (Agriculture) further providing for the regulation of Cervidae livestock operations. "Cervidae livestock operation" is redefined as a normal agricultural operation which contains behind fences privately owned members of the Cervidae livestock family involved in the production, growing, breeding, using, harvesting, transporting, exporting, importing or marketing of Cervidae species or products. The term would not include an animal slaughter facility or a menagerie. The legislation states Cervidae livestock operations are normal agricultural operations and the facilities and equipment of the facilities are considered to be agricultural facilities and equipment and subject to such regulations and rights of the Department of Agriculture. The legislation then outlines three classes of licenses for Cervidae livestock operations (hobby, breeding and ranch) and states each operation must be licensed. Licensing procedures are outlined. (Prior Printer Number: 1981) - The bill was unanimously reported as amended by A06070 (Waugh), which removes the three classes of licenses, retaining one license for all Cervidae livestock operations. Language permitting the interstate and intrastate movement and commerce of cervids is added for clarification and uniformity with other requirements under Title 3.

• HB 671 Reichley - (PN 3531) Amends the Agricultural Area Security Law by requiring county boards to monitor and enforce agricultural conservation easements, including the payment of legal costs associated with defending an agricultural conservation easement. The bill also amends the standards, criteria and requirements established by the state board for state board approval of county programs for purchasing agricultural conservation easements to include odor management. (Prior Printer Number: 764) - The bill was unanimously reported as amended by A07004 (Waugh), which adds provisions of SB 940 stating that up to $200,000 may be used for the Land Trust Reimbursement Program, and adds provisions of SB 723 stating that the State Agricultural Land Preservation Board can purchase agricultural conservation easements with a county and a local government unit to the bill.