Legislature(2007 - 2008)CAPITOL 106
03/27/2007 05:00 PM House ECONOMIC DEV., TRADE, AND TOURISM
| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB132 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| *+ | HB 132 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, INTERNATIONAL
TRADE AND TOURISM
March 27, 2007
5:35 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Carl Gatto
Representative Andrea Doll
Representative Bob Lynn
Representative Kyle Johansen
Representative Mark Neuman
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Mike Doogan
Representative Vic Kohring
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 132
"An Act designating the first Tuesday of May as Alaska
Agriculture Day."
- MOVED HB 132 OUT OF COMMITTEE
PRESENTATION BY ALASKA STATE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: OVERVIEW OF
ECONOMIC ACTIVITY
- HEARD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 132
SHORT TITLE: AGRICULTURE DAY
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) REPRESENTATIVE GATTO
02/14/07 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
02/14/07 (H) EDT, RES
03/27/07 (H) EDT AT 5:00 PM CAPITOL 106
WITNESS REGISTER
VICTORIA NAEGELE, Volunteer Director
Alaska Agriculture in the Classroom;
Information Specialist
Alaska Association of Conservation Districts
Palmer, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Testified in support of HB 132.
ACTION NARRATIVE
CHAIR MARK NEUMAN called the House Special Committee on Economic
Development, International Trade and Tourism meeting to order at
5:35:25 PM. Representatives Gatto, Lynn, Johansen, and Neuman
were present at the call to order. Representative Doll arrived
as the meeting was in progress.
HB 132-AGRICULTURE DAY
5:35:55 PM
CHAIR NEUMAN 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."
5:36:24 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO, sponsor of HB 132, Alaska Agriculture Day,
presented the bill. Representative Gatto informed the committee
that HB 132 declares the first Tuesday in May as Alaska
Agriculture Day.
CHAIR NEUMAN asked about the proposed events on Agriculture Day.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO replied that schools will be involved
through field trips to operational farms in their communities.
In addition, school activities may include starting seeds in the
classroom and planting seedlings on Agriculture Day. Children
will then be encouraged to continue exploring horticulture at
home. Representative Gatto noted that Alaska has very few young
people who want to work in farming, or perhaps as veterinarians,
in the future.
5:38:15 PM
CHAIR NEUMAN noted that agriculture adds $50 million annually to
the state's economy.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO added that the $50 million estimate does
not include private gardens and may be a low estimate.
5:38:57 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN commented that Alaska has many great natural
resources. He opined that agriculture is a forgotten and small
resource, but it can become more significant to the economy with
support.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO shared his vision of children learning to
recognize the origin of the food purchased in retail stores.
CHAIR NEUMAN stated that he works extremely hard to obtain more
recognition of the value of Alaska's agriculture.
5:40:31 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JOHANSEN commented on the need to encourage youth
to be involved in agriculture, and asked what agriculture means
to the community of Palmer.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO replied that Palmer is "cosmopolitan" by
Alaska standards, although farmers and their equipment are
commonly seen downtown. The Mat-Su valley is recognized as the
historical site of the beginning of agriculture in Alaska during
the rural colonization in the 1930s. Exhibits at the Palmer
Museum recreate the lives of the colonists, and the community
celebrates its history with fairs and parades. Representative
Gatto continued to say that Palmer is a recognized farming area
and agriculture is a large part of the community.
CHAIR NEUMAN noted that the University of Alaska experimental
farm has been severely depleted due to the lack of funding.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO explained that the University of Alaska
sold a portion of its property to support the university. He
expressed his belief that much of the farmland will be replaced
by residences. However, the opportunity still exists to
purchase the agricultural rights to the land to prevent changes
in land use.
CHAIR NEUMAN stated that he strongly supports the preservation
of farmland.
5:45:58 PM
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO relayed that there is a golf course nearby,
also.
REPRESENTATIVE JOHANSEN asked if land-loss is a trend in the
Palmer area.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO answered yes; there is a very strong trend
toward converting farmland to homes.
CHAIR NEUMAN expressed his concern that fertile land is sold for
home sites.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO asked about the availability of farmland in
Juneau.
5:47:52 PM
REPRESENTATIVE DOLL shared her understanding that Juneau
farmland was mostly dairy land, and that the dairy is no longer
there.
REPRESENTATIVE GATTO opined that loss of agricultural land
occurs statewide.
CHAIR NEUMAN commented that a state economist observed that the
loss of agriculture can not be recovered.
5:48:59 PM
VICTORIA NAEGELE, Volunteer Director, Alaska Agriculture in the
Classroom; Information Specialist (Alaska AITC), Alaska
Association of Conservation Districts (AACD), began her
testimony by giving a brief history of Alaska Agriculture Day.
Alaska AITC is a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)
program funded by the Alaska Farm Bureau and the AACD. Alaska
Agriculture Day was first observed in 2006, after passage of a
legislative resolution. This bill will make the first Tuesday
in May a permanent and official observation and will give Alaska
Agriculture in the Classroom and other organizations a
recognized occasion to celebrate the state's agricultural
history and its potential. Ms. Naegele informed the committee
that activities in 2006 included school presentations by 4-H
Clubs and an open house at the Palmer Future Farmers of America
club. In addition, money was raised for scholarships and school
events were held around the state. This year there will be a
literacy project. Ms. Naegele concluded by calling the
committee's attention to the importance of reconnecting Alaska's
students with the sources of their food, fiber, and shelter.
She urged the committee to support HB 132 and overall efforts to
support agricultural literacy in Alaska.
5:51:39 PM
CHAIR NEUMAN asked what Southeast committee members can do to
promote agriculture in their communities.
MS. NAEGELE replied that while there is a limited amount of
agriculture in Southeast, it is important for children to know
about industry and agriculture in other parts of the state.
CHAIR NEUMAN closed public testimony.
5:52:59 PM
REPRESENTATIVE LYNN 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
Special Committee on Economic Development, International Trade
and Tourism.
5:53:19 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Special Committee on Economic Development, International Trade
and Tourism meeting was adjourned at 5:53 p.m.
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