SCR 7 – Multilateral trade agreements with U.S., Canada & Mexico
SSB 1181 – Beginning Farmer Tax Credit
SSB 1182 – IDALS department bill
COMMITTEE ACTION:
SCR 7 – Multilateral trade agreements with U.S., Canada & Mexico
SCR 7 is a resolution recognizing the importance of multilateral trade agreements between the U.S., Canada and Mexico, and urging the U.S. Congress to enact legislation to implement them.
[2/27: short form (Absent: R. Taylor)]
SSB 1181 – Beginning Farmer Tax Credit
SSB 1181 makes several changes to the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit administered by the Iowa Finance Authority. It increases the cap from $6 million per year to $12 million per year, bringing the program back to the funding level from 2013 to 2017. The tax credit is for taxpayers renting or leasing their land to qualified beginning farmers using cash rent, crop share or flex lease arrangements.
[2/27: short form (Absent: R. Taylor)]
SSB 1182 – IDALS department bill
SSB 1182 makes changes within the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Changes include:
- The name of the Weather Bureau is changed to the Climatology Bureau to reflect current practice.
- IDALS no longer must issue a report on agricultural liming material.
- IDALS rather than DNR may award demonstration grants to those who purchase motor vehicles that use alternative fuels. DNR has not issued a grant in the past ten years.
- Eliminating a provision authorizing IDALS and DNR to create one or more watershed demonstration projects.
- Authorizing IDALS to use money from the Agriculture Management Account of the Groundwater Protection Fund to support programs, projects and activities to improve surface or ground water.
[2/27: short form (Absent: R. Taylor)]