The Senate Government Operations Division heard the Department of Agriculture’s budget presentation and questioned agency leaders about several priorities the House either left un‑funded or converted to one‑time authority.

Representative Alisa Mitskog opened a brief presentation asking the Legislature to consider $2 million in state funds to purchase protein (meat) for local food pantries. Mitskog said the funding would offset a recent federal reduction that she said removed roughly $1 million from pantry distribution channels; the program in the current biennium had paired state and federal funds to deliver protein to food banks. The commissioner told the committee the department had partnered with Great Plains Food Bank in the current biennium and that, absent federal funds, the department is presenting a state funding option to maintain local access to protein for emergency food providers.

Lawmakers also discussed an unfunded plant protection FTE the department requested. The commissioner said the position would expand plant industries work — including phytosanitary export certificates and inspection workload tied to growing exports of pulse crops and other specialty commodities — and would help with hemp facility oversight and apiarist inspections. The department said the House did not provide the requested plant protection position.

Committee members questioned a $750,000 request to cover higher state fleet rates driven by Department of Transportation motor‑pool rate changes; agency staff said DOT’s new vehicle rates increased projected motor‑pool costs substantially and the department modeled recent travel months to estimate the impact.

Other budget items discussed included specialty crop block grants (federally funded), a grape and wine grant line the House removed, a continued appropriation mechanic for livestock planning and carryover authority for COVID‑era specialty‑crop funds, and a $3 million proposal for grassland grazing grants funded from the State Infrastructure Fund (SIF). The Ag Commissioner said the grasslands work supports cross‑fencing, water projects and fire suppression efforts across the Dakota Prairie Grasslands and noted delays and seasonal federal constraints had left some projects behind schedule.

Committee members also saw written material on emerald ash borer detection and trapping and the commissioner provided a brief tally of dairy operations in the state — the department said the state has 23 dairies processing roughly 8,700 cows into four processing plants.

No formal committee votes on the Agriculture Department long sheet were taken during the session; staff and agency leaders were asked to provide follow‑up material and the committee indicated additional hearings would be scheduled.