Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

COMMITTEE ON JOINT AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

Date:12/10/2013
ATTENDANCE
Time:10:08 AM to 12:09 PM
Becker
X
Brophy
A
Place:HCR 0107
Buck
X
Coram
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Garcia
A
Senator Schwartz
Guzman
E
Harvey
A
This Report was prepared by
Jones
X
David Beaujon
Lebsock
X
McLachlan
X
Mitsch Bush
A
Rankin
X
Roberts
X
Saine
A
Scott
X
Sonnenberg
E
Tochtrop
E
Vigil
E
Fischer
X
Schwartz
X
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
Call to order and announcements
OSPB Presentation
Department of Agriculture SMART Act Presentation		-
Briefing only
Briefing only


10:09 AM -- Call to order and announcements

Senator Schwartz called the meeting to order. Representative Fischer introduced Representative KC Becker who was recently appointed to fill the vacancy of Representative Claire Levy. He also announced upcoming meetings of the Colorado Ag Water Alliance and the Colorado Ag Council.



10:13 AM -- OSPB Presentation

Erick Scheminske, Deputy Director, Office of State Planning and Budgeting, discussed changes to the SMART Act pursuant to HB 13-1299 (Attachment A). Under the new law, executive agencies are annually required to present a performance plan and regulatory agenda to joint legislative committees between November 1 and the first day of the legislative session. Previously, these oversight hearings were held during the legislative session. The SMART Government Act also requires state agencies, beginning July 1, 2014, to develop a performance plan. As defined in the law, a performance plan is a document prepared by the department as part of a performance management system which incorporates the impact of management strategies and continuous process improvement activities on the costs and efficiency of delivering goods and services to taxpayers and customers of state government. The performance plan serves as a guide to the department's major functions and as a tool to evaluate performance goals over time.

131210 AttachA.pdf131210 AttachA.pdf

10:20 AM

Mr. Scheminske discussed the benefits of the performance management system and identified performance plan components including a description of the department's major functions; performance measures for these functions; performance goals that correspond to the department's performance measures; a narrative description of the strategies necessary to meet the performance goals; and a summary of the department's most recent performance evaluation. Mr. Scheminske responded to questions from the committee about the role of department liaisons. Under the act, the chair of the SMART Act hearing must appoint two members of the joint committee, one from each political party, to serve as liaisons with each department assigned to the committee. Liaisons are to communicate with the department regarding the department's performance management system and performance plan.

10:26 AM -- Department of Agriculture SMART Act Presentation

John Salazar, Commissioner of Agriculture, described the Department of Agriculture's Fiscal Year (FY) 2013-14 budget that includes an appropriation of $42.6 million and 274.1 FTE. He identified department staff in attendance at the meeting and discussed the major duties of each division of the department (Attachment B). He also discussed flood recovery measures for agriculture including Colorado Water Conservation Board grants for water diversion structure replacement. He identified flood impacts to farms and agricultural lands and discussed the economic benefits of department programs including marketing of Colorado agriculture products and programs to increase exports markets. He also identified the department's priorities for FY 2013 and assessed progress against the strategies outlined in the 2013 strategic plan.

131210 AttachB.pdf131210 AttachB.pdf

10:45 AM

Commissioner Salazar responded to questions from the committee about net farm income that is estimated to be $1.59 billion in 2013 and he identified income sources that are included in the net farm income statistic (Attachment C).

131210 AttachC.pdf131210 AttachC.pdf




10:49 AM

Tom Lipetzky, Director of Markets, identified the department's priorities for FY 2013 and assessed progress against the strategies outlined in the 2013 strategic plan. He also discussed the department's vision and mission that are identified the performance plan including consolidation of department offices and creating broader public understanding of the agriculture industry (Attachment D).

131210 AttachD.pdf131210 AttachD.pdf

11:00 AM

Commissioner Salazar discussed the department's office consolidation project and measures to address the concerns of the Capital Development Committee about this project. Mr. Lipetzky discussed state and federal programs to increase Colorado agriculture exports. Commissioner Salazar discussed the role of the Department of Agriculture and the agricultural community's role in the development of the State Water Plan. He also discussed the role of the State Insectary in the development of biological control agents including the tamarisk beetle that is used to control tamarisk in Colorado river basins.

11:20 AM

 Mr. Lipetzky discussed programs to promote agritourism and identified the economic benefits of such programs. He also identified efforts to create broader public understanding of the agriculture industry. Commissioner Salazar discussed efforts to increase State Fair revenue and reduce the fair's costs. Mr. Lipetzky identified strategic objectives for major programs, including measures to control animal diseases and to increase marketing and value-added processing opportunities for Colorado's food and agriculture industry.

11:37 AM

Jeff Stalter, Budget Director, described the FY 2014-15 budget request of the Department of Agriculture that includes an appropriation of $42.6 million and 274.1 FTE. He identified funding priorities of the department including a capital request for $700,000 for eLicense, $250,000 General Fund request for 4-H and Future Farmers of America programs at the State Fair, and a base budget reduction request of $321,558 for the office consolidation project. He also responded to questions from the committee regarding funding for inspections of pet animal care facilities and other programs.

11:50 AM

Ron Carlton, Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture, described the department's 2014 legislative agenda that includes a proposed change to the regulation of sodium hypochlorite (bleach) at water treatment facilities. He also responded to questions from the committee about the activities of the Food Systems Advisory Council and measures to address food safety.

12:01 PM

Jenifer Gurr, Chief Administrative Officer, identified regulations adopted by the department in 2013 and discussed the department's 2014 regulatory agenda that includes 16 rulemaking hearings to revise existing rules.


12:03 PM

Commissioner Salazar discussed the department's program to regulate industrial hemp production and grants for noxious weed control measures.

12:07 PM

Senator Schwartz requested that members of the joint committee contact her if they want to be legislative liaison for the Department of Agriculture. Representatives Coram, Lebsock, Buck, and Rankin offered to be the legislative liaison for the Department of Agriculture. Senator Schwartz will consult with members of the committee prior to appointing the legislative liaisons to the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Natural Resources.

12:09 PM

There was no public testimony. The committee adjourned.