Appropriations panel questions Agriculture Department trade-office travel, inflation and ombudsman funding

Lawmakers on the House Appropriations Government Operations Division pressed North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goring on the department's trade‑office travel, inflationary operating requests and a reorganization of ombudsman funding as they reviewed the department's budget materials.

Commissioner Doug Goring told the committee he has participated in seven out‑of‑country trade missions in the past 18 months and that department staff have attended about 13–14 domestic marketing trade shows over the same period. "I believe I've been on 7 out of the country trade missions in the last 18 months," Goring said, and described how the department vets markets with the U.S. Commercial Service, Foreign Agricultural Service and other partners before committing resources.

Members asked for more granular documentation. Representative Dave Bosch asked for written pre‑trip goals and post‑trip closeouts for upcoming missions so legislators can evaluate whether additional travel funding is justified. Goring agreed to provide detail on the list of upcoming missions and said the trade office would share planning materials and closeout reporting.

The committee also pressed the department on inflationary operating requests covering travel, office supplies, printing and insurance. Goring said one large driver is a near doubling of assigned vehicle rates from the Department of Transportation, and that an optional request submitted to the committee includes travel increases. "When you're looking at travel here at 750,000 that's in addition to your base travel funding," a committee member asked; Goring confirmed the additional sum would cover operational travel costs.

On staffing and budget detail, Goring said the position that covers domestic and international travel is budgeted for about $45,000 of general fund and $11,000 of federal funds (approximately $56,000 total) in the biennium; he said the trade office handles much of the legwork for companies and that travel planning can begin many months in advance.

The committee discussed a departmental reorganization of two ombudsman lines. Goring said the department proposes reducing a royalty ombudsman appropriation from $500,000 to $300,000 and merging it with the pipeline restoration/reclamation ombudsman line so the combined single appropriation would total $500,000. "We'd actually cut the overall funding from 700 to 500, but it'd be just in one line," Goring said. Committee members confirmed this is intended as an internal redesignation of lines rather than a net increase in program dollars.

Committee members also requested follow‑up materials: a breakdown of base vs. proposed travel funding, a schedule of upcoming trade missions with stated objectives, and documentation of inbound trade delegations and outcomes.

The committee recorded two basic program counts provided during the hearing: the Agriculture Department reported 20 wineries and 46 vineyards in the state, and Goring described coordination with Northern Crops Institute and other partners for trade missions and buyer education.

The committee agreed to accept Goring's offer to return with written, mission‑level detail prior to final budget decisions so legislators can better assess whether the trade‑office and travel requests provide measurable returns.