The Department of Agriculture and Forestry told the House Appropriations Committee on Monday that its FY26 executive budget recommendation totals about $95.9 million and includes an annual operating request and several targeted additions, most notably a $5 million ask for additional fire suppression equipment.

House Fiscal analyst Paige Filia presented the department's executive review, saying the agency's recommended FY26 budget is about $95,900,000 and that funding sources include statutory dedications (about 40.5 percent) and state general fund (about 36.8 percent). Filia said the department has 586 authorized TO positions and that the largest program share goes to management and finance.

Commissioner Mike Strang told the committee the department 'wears many hats' and stressed the importance of replacing aging firefighting equipment acquired years ago. 'In the budget we will be asking for an additional $5,000,000 for fire suppression equipment,' he said, noting purchases take one to two years to be delivered and many existing units require cannibalizing parts to stay operational.

Why it matters: the department described firefighting as a high-cost, surge operation. Strang said large wildfire responses can cost millions per day and that some one-time costs in FY25 (including wildfire reimbursements) have reduced federal carryforward into FY26, changing the budget picture. He and staff also stressed the need for mechanics to keep the fleet operational and are seeking additional T.O. positions for fleet mechanics.

Officials told the panel the department currently advances roughly $145,000 per month to local soil and water conservation districts and has not been reimbursed by the Natural Resources Conservation Service for three months. Strang said that lapse could affect about 80 soil-and-water personnel and the federal reimbursement stream covers roughly $100'$140 million in program activity per year.

The committee's members pressed about operational details and seafood safety testing. Strang said the department is sampling crawfish and shrimp and has completed 59 of 79 planned tests; 'The test samples that we have have been negative for these 3 antibiotics,' he told the committee while noting testing capacity is limited by available funding (roughly $131,000 per year in the current mix of task force and industry dollars).

Other details: Filia's presentation showed a $19.5 million drop in 'other charges' largely tied to one-time wildfire-related expenses in FY25, and the department reported 19 vacancies as of Dec. 30, 2024. Commissioner Strang said the department budgets about 66.2 percent of expenditures for salary and related benefits and that forestry staffing includes 181 TO positions.

The hearing produced no formal committee action. Members said they will continue follow-up on the soil-and-water reimbursement issue and staffing requests.

Sources and evidence spans: opening budget presentation by House Fiscal; Commissioner Strang's remarks and members' questions about equipment, mechanics, soil-and-water reimbursements, and seafood testing were recorded during the Department of Agriculture and Forestry segment of the Appropriations Committee hearing on March 31, 2025.