04/04/2007 01:00 PM House RESOURCES

HB 132-AGRICULTURE DAY                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:04:50 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR GATTO announced  that the first order  of business would                                                               
be HOUSE BILL  NO. 132, "An Act designating the  first Tuesday of                                                               
May as Alaska Agriculture Day."                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Sandra Wilson, Intern to Representative  Carl Gatto, Alaska State                                                               
Legislature,  presented  the  sponsor  statement for  HB  132  on                                                               
behalf of Co-Chair  Gatto.  She said that HB  132 would designate                                                               
the first Tuesday  of every May as Alaska Agriculture  Day.  This                                                               
bill is meant to educate people  on what agriculture means to the                                                               
state, and  to give recognition to  the farmers and those  in the                                                               
industry who feed  us and provide more than  $50 million annually                                                               
to the  economy of  the state.   It will  allow schools  a bigger                                                               
chance to educate  students on modern agriculture and  what it is                                                               
to our society and our economy, she explained.                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR GATTO  added that HB  132 gives children another  day to                                                               
focus on.  An activity could  be for kids to begin growing plants                                                               
three  months in  advance and  then prepare  the ground  to plant                                                               
them on Agriculture Day.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
1:07:01 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR GATTO  called for public  testimony, then  closed public                                                               
discussion after ascertaining there was no further testimony.                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON  noted that discussions are  underway about                                                               
moving   the   state's   shellfish   hatcheries   and   shellfish                                                               
mariculture  into  the  Division of  Agriculture,  Department  of                                                               
Natural  Resources  (DNR).    He  said  he  is  not  offering  an                                                               
amendment, but that  he thought it an appropriate  topic to bring                                                               
up for the record because all farming should be recognized.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CO-CHAIR  JOHNSON  inquired  whether   this  would  include  fish                                                               
farming.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  SEATON  countered  that   it  would  include  all                                                               
farming that is permitted in Alaska.                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
1:08:22 PM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE SEATON  moved to  report HB  132 out  of committee                                                               
with  individual  recommendations  and  the  accompanying  fiscal                                                               
notes.   There being no objection,  HB 132 was reported  from the                                                               
House Resources Standing Committee.                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE GUTTENBERG  expressed his support for  HB 132 upon                                                               
arriving immediately after the vote.