The Assembly Committee on Health and Human Services voted unanimously May 31 to transfer authority for inspecting food establishments in counties without health districts — and other related programs — from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to the Nevada Department of Agriculture (NDA).

Deputy Director Doug Farris of the Nevada Department of Agriculture told the committee the change "streamlines regulation of food inspections by placing cottage food and farm-to-fork and other programs under one entity being the NDA." He said the bill accompanies budget authorizations already approved earlier in the legislative session and will move existing HHS inspection staff into NDA to continue the work under the Agriculture Department’s operations.

The bill, Senate Bill 466, also includes an amendment (892) that revises statutory provisions for cottage food operations and farm-to-fork events and requires NDA to review assessments for the cost of inspection services provided to counties so the department can maintain financial solvency while providing those inspections. Under Section 22, the statutory cap for cottage food operation gross annual sales is revised from $35,000 to $100,000. Section 23 allows farm-to-fork events to source meat protein from off-farm facilities that meet applicable state or federal meat inspection requirements.

A conceptual amendment developed between NDA and the Nevada Association of Counties (NACO) was discussed; committee members were told legal staff are finalizing regulatory language so solvency reviews will be determined through the regulatory process. Jennifer Berthiaume, government affairs manager for NACO, told the committee the amendment "creates coordination between counties and state agencies" and expressed NACO’s appreciation that the department and sponsors reviewed and accepted the change.

During questions, committee members asked whether the transfer would create a conflict between economic interests of producers and public-health priorities. The Director of the Nevada Department of Agriculture (present by Zoom) answered that "food safety and public safety is our number one priority at the Department of Agriculture," noting the agency’s existing work with federal partners on meat and poultry inspection and its experience managing animal disease risks. Deputy Director Farris and the director emphasized that staff currently performing inspections at HHS will move to NDA and that there will be no loss of employment as a result of the transfer.

Public testimony on the bill was limited. Bevan Lister, president of the Nevada Farm Bureau, told the committee the organization "strongly supports this change," saying it would provide producers clearer points of contact and a more straightforward licensing system for cottage and farm-to-fork operations. Joelle Gutman Dodson of Northern Nevada Public Health stated the agency has discussed the measure with NDA leadership and is "ready to work with him," offering neutral cooperation.

In work session, Vice Chair Wynne moved that the committee do pass Senate Bill 466; Assemblymember Gray seconded. The committee voted aye and the motion carried unanimously.

The department and county representatives said remaining implementation details — including how inspections will be coordinated with local health districts where they exist — will be addressed in regulation and through interagency coordination going forward.

The committee’s action sends the bill forward in the legislative process with the understanding that regulatory and administrative steps remain to implement the transfer and funding structure.