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Fiscal office briefs committee on three main budget effects of agriculture bill; hemp‑fee revenue uncertain
Summary
Joint Fiscal Office staff told the Agriculture, Food Resiliency, & Forestry Committee the bill would likely reduce Act 250 permit revenue by expanding on‑farm exemptions, produce a de minimis increase from pesticide exam fees, and create highly uncertain hemp product fees that could bring minimal revenue under current law but materially more if federal interstate commerce rules change.
Joint Fiscal Office staff briefed the Agriculture, Food Resiliency, & Forestry Committee on the fiscal impacts of a pending agriculture bill, identifying three primary effects: a potential loss of Act 250 permit revenue, a small change to pesticide examination fees, and uncertain new fees for hemp processors and hemp‑derived products.
"Overall in the bill, we're seeing three fiscal impacts," the Joint Fiscal Office staff member said, outlining the areas of change and the uncertainty around their size and timing. The fiscal office recommended legislators consult the fiscal note tab on the General Assembly website for bill‑specific fiscal documents and to contact JFO if they think a bill should have a fiscal note but none is posted.
Why it matters: the committee is weighing policy choices that shift which activities require Act 250 review, alter regulatory fee timing, and add product fees in a…
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