Lawmakers, growers spar over plan to fold plant board, forestry and natural resources into a single Department of Agriculture

A Senate committee reviewed House Bill 11-17 in a lengthy session that brought agency staff and agricultural industry representatives together to debate a proposed reorganization that would place the State Plant Board, Forestry Commission, Livestock and Poultry Commission and other entities under a cabinet-level Department of Agriculture.

The bill’s sponsors and staff said the measure is intended to reduce silos and improve coordination without adding recurring state funding. Amy Fletcher, chief transformation officer for Governor Hutchinson, told the committee the transformation “has no additional funding” and that agencies would “have to operate on the budgets that you all are approving.” Secretary Wes Ward of the Arkansas Agriculture Department said much of the language reflects existing authority and that the statutory changes are largely intended to consolidate code provisions for clarity.

Industry witnesses and several senators pushed back. Larry Giroux of the Arkansas Agricultural Alliance said the alliance had four main concerns: “How will this new structure help Arkansas agriculture?” potential costs and staffing for a much larger agency, preservation of special…