Idaho Bills

Appropriates an additional $1,019,900 to the Department of Agriculture for fiscal year 2017, of which $519,900 is for the methyl bromide project; and $500,000 is for animal tracking software; and provides reappropriation authority for fiscal year 2018.

This is a supplemental appropriation bill to the Department of Agriculture for two purposes. First, it provides $169,900 from the General Fund and $350,000 from the federal grant fund for a total of $519,900 for the methyl bromide project. Activities are in response to the identification of fields and commoditiesthatexhibitelevatedlevelsofinorganicbromide,aresidueofmethylbromide. Methylbromide was used as a fumigant to treat fields infested with pale cyst nematode (PCN), a pest of potatoes identified in 26 fields in Bonneville and Bingham counties. PCN is a quarantined pest, the presence of which has impacted export market access for fresh potatoes from Idaho. Moneys will be used for commodity and water sampling, disposal of hay, grower contracts for baling hay, and a burn study with the Idaho National Laboratory. Second, it provides $500,000 from the General Fund for the development of a software program that will facilitate the electronic tracking of animal identification numbers and other data pertaining to livestock movements into and out-of the state. This software will also be able to pass information electronically to the Brand Board for its use, as well as capture relevant data from the Brand Board software. A supplemental is needed because the Division of Purchasing will not allow the distribution of the Request for Proposal (RFP) until a funding source has been approved. Because of the timing and process, JFAC provided carryover authority into FY 2018.

Appropriates an additional $1,010,000 to the Department of Agriculture for fiscal year 2017, for watercraft inspection stations; and authorizes 3 additional full-time equivalent positions.

This is a supplemental appropriation to the Department of Agriculture for fiscal year 2017 for watercraft inspectionstations. Thesestationsareusedtoinspectwatercraftforthepresenceofaquaticinvasivespecies. Last season, the Idaho State Department of Agriculture implemented an expanded level of service for the invasive species watercraft inspection stations as directed by the Legislature. The expansion, funded with one-time moneys, resulted in an increased presence throughout the state and also increased the hours that each station remained open. This expansion resulted in larger contracts for stations run by local districts and also increased costs for temporary staff to run the stations managed by the agency. This level of service could not continue without additional resources. This legislation funds three additional stations, provides funding for all 18 stations to operate from dawn till dusk, adds three full-time positions to the staff, adds funding for a new outreach program, and provides funding for county law enforcement for each station budgeted for five hours per day. The three additional stations are anticipated to be on State Highway 3 near Rose Lake, US 12 near Lenore or Lolo Pass, and on I-15 near Spencer or Dubois. The positions include an agricultural program specialist at $25 per hour in the Coeur d'Alene area and two investigator-technicians at $19 per hour, one to be located in the Magic Valley and one in Eastern Idaho. Law enforcement is calculated at 1,447 days at $50 per hour times 5 hours per day.