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Budget section reviews agriculture and NDSU research and extension spending changes
Summary
Legislative Council staff summarized legislative changes affecting the Agriculture Commissioner, branch research centers, NDSU extension service and main research center, including new FTEs, one‑time grants and transfers to the agriculture diversification fund.
Legislative staff summarized the legislative changes to the Department of Agriculture and related research and extension budgets, including newly authorized positions, one‑time grants and transfers to the agriculture diversification and development fund.
Grant Gator, fiscal analyst, told the committee the Agriculture Commissioner’s budget saw a net increase of one FTE and one‑time general fund items including $3,000,000 from Bank of North Dakota profits for an APUC program, $3,000,000 in grassland grazing grants, and a $5,000,000 SIF food‑distribution facility grant in House Bill 1143. He said ongoing funding included transferring administration of the farm management program (about $1,900,000 of general fund authority) from the Department of Career and Technical Education to the Agriculture Commissioner via Senate Bill 2274 (as cited in the after‑session summary).
Gator summarized research and extension changes at North Dakota State University. Branch research centers received partial funding for a grape and vineyard research specialist (no additional FTE authority) and $40,000 of general funds per center for operating expenses. NDSU Extension Service received an FTE extension carbon specialist position (approximate biennial cost $290,000). The main research center received about $1,567,000 in one‑time general fund authority for equipment storage sheds at the Dickinson Research Center and added a veterinary toxicologist FTE ($275,000 in appropriation authority). Several previously vacant FTE authorities were removed (authority for about 4.98 positions and associated funding were eliminated) because those positions had been vacant for some time.
Gator said the Agriculture Diversification and Development Fund received a $15,000,000 one‑time general fund transfer in the recent session; staff noted the fund had previously received $25,000,000 in the prior biennium and had about $10,000,000 remaining to obligate. Other one‑time items include CIF money for fair association grants and consulting funds to study irrigation expansion. Gator said the after‑session state budget actions book will include detailed schedules of these changes once it is finalized and published online.
