Legislators hear Department of Agriculture budget as state doubles quagga mussel detection and seeks pay ladder for investigators

The Idaho Department of Agriculture told the Joint Finance‑Appropriations Committee on Friday that it has expanded invasive‑species monitoring and is seeking ongoing and one‑time funding in its fiscal 2026 request to sustain that work.

Budget analyst Frances Lippett said the departmentʼs statutory responsibilities are set out in several titles of Idaho Code and noted the agency is organized into eight budget programs with about 231 authorized full‑time positions and a long‑term staffing rate near 91 percent. Lippett also reviewed dedicated funds the department uses, including the invasive species fund and the pest control fund, and noted a requested deficiency warrant tied to pest control costs incurred in fiscal 2024.

The request to the committee centers on resources to address quagga mussel detection and response. Director Chanel Tewalt told the panel Idaho doubled its water sampling and nearly doubled watercraft inspections statewide last year after a…