Georgia General Assembly Passes Agriculture Related Bills
Legislative Summary of 2008 Session
The Georgia General Assembly adjourned its 2008 session on April 4. Commissioner Tommy Irvin and Deputy Commissioner Terry Coleman would like to thank the legislators for their leadership in helping to pass this legislation. A short summary of these bills, along with their sponsors, is provided below. As of press time, all bills are awaiting the Governor’s signature.
H.B. 649 – (Rep. Tommy Smith): Allows blueberry growers to vote on the establishment of a commission within the guidelines of the Georgia Agricultural Commodities Promotion Act.
H.B. 393 – (Rep. Ron Stephens): Allows for the licensing of farm wineries within the state when at least 40 percent of the agriculture product used in the wine is grown in Georgia; it also allows for farm wineries to make retail sales and offer tasting rooms at the winery.
H.B. 1061 – (Rep. Ron Stephens): Allows for wineries to ship up to 12 cases of wine per year directly to
H.B. 1081 – (Rep. Larry O’Neal): Makes a small change in the Conservation Use Value Assessment which will prevent land being excluded from CUVA based on restrictive covenants unrelated to the program.
H.B. 1088 – (Rep. Butch Parrish): This bill authorizes the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Transportation to work together to promote agri tourism within the state. Agricultural-based businesses can apply to the Department of Agriculture, meeting specific requirements, and receive directional road signs leading the public to these attractions.
H.B. 1178 – (Ellis Black): This bill extends the exemption from sales taxes for fuels used in swine facilities to June 30, 2010.
H.B. 1211 & 1276 (Richard Royal): Allows for forestland owners to enter their land into a strict 15-year covenant that would tax their property at its current use instead of fair market value. The bill will be presented to voters in November as a constitutional amendment if the law is signed by the Governor.
H.B. 1281 – (Terry England) Prohibits local governments from imposing more stringent restrictions on outdoor water use during periods of drought than those imposed by the state; also sets a mechanism for local governments to appeal to EPD to opt out of state restrictions.
H.B. 1303 – (Rep. Mike Coan): Prohibits the requirement of additional food nutrition information at food service establishments by any county board of health or other political subdivision such as a municipality, county, local government authority, board, or commission.
H.R. 1032 – (Rep. Terry England): This resolution will create a committee to study the issues concerning the sale of un-pasteurized milk.
H.R. 1484 – (Rep. Barry Fleming) Urges the United States Congress to reject plans to close the USDA/ARS Research Station in Watkinsville.
H.R. 1607 (Rep. Allen Freeman) Creates a study committee to consider the needs and challenges associated with biofuels production and utilization in
S.B. 342 – (Senator Chip Pearson) Lays the ground work for the Georgia Soil and Water Conservation Commission to receive federal grants to assist in funding public water reservoir projects.
S.B. 344 – (Sen. Dan Moody): This legislation would modify or remove certain agricultural boards and commissions if they have become inactive, obsolete or unnecessary.
S.B. 364 – (Sen. John Bulloch): Removes the term “ratites” from livestock and meat classification, and reclassifies ratites as poultry; it was changed to correspond with Federal Code.
S.B. 429 - (Sen. John Bulloch): This piece of legislation would allow current Georgia Department of Agriculture livestock investigators to prevent, detect, and respond to acts of bioterrorism, other terrorist acts or threats, or natural disasters affecting or potentially affecting plants, animals, products, or facilities that are subject to regulation by the department.
S.B. 515 – (Sen. John Bulloch): Increases the Georgia Seed Development Commission Board to 11 members consisting of the following: two farmers appointed by the Governor; one farmer appointed by the Lt. Governor, one farmer appointed by the Speaker of the House; the Commissioner of Agriculture; one farmer appointed by the Commissioner of Agriculture; one appointment by both the House and Senate Agriculture Committee representing the seed or turf industry or a farm related organization; UGA CAES Dean; a CAES seed breeder appointed by the Dean; and the UGA CAES Associate Dean for Research. The Senate Agriculture Committee has already appointed Jimmy Clements.
Commissioner Irvin and Deputy Commissioner Coleman would like to express a special thank you to Chairman John Bulloch and members of the Senate Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee and Chairman Tom McCall and members of the House Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Committee for all of their support on ag-related issues during the session.
Print this