Legislature(2017 - 2018)BARNES 124
05/01/2017 01:00 PM House RESOURCES
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| Audio | Topic |
|---|---|
| Start | |
| HB197 | |
| HB218 | |
| Adjourn |
* first hearing in first committee of referral
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
+ teleconferenced
= bill was previously heard/scheduled
| + | TELECONFERENCED | ||
| += | HB 197 | TELECONFERENCED | |
| += | HB 218 | TELECONFERENCED | |
ALASKA STATE LEGISLATURE
HOUSE RESOURCES STANDING COMMITTEE
May 1, 2017
1:04 p.m.
MEMBERS PRESENT
Representative Andy Josephson, Co-Chair
Representative Geran Tarr, Co-Chair
Representative Dean Westlake, Vice Chair
Representative Harriet Drummond
Representative Justin Parish [via teleconference and then
arrived as the meeting was in progress]
Representative Chris Birch
Representative DeLena Johnson
Representative George Rauscher
Representative David Talerico
MEMBERS ABSENT
Representative Mike Chenault (alternate)
Representative Chris Tuck (alternate)
COMMITTEE CALENDAR
HOUSE BILL NO. 197
"An Act relating to the duties of the commissioner of natural
resources; relating to agriculture; and relating to community
seed libraries."
- MOVED CSHB 197(RES) OUT OF COMMITTEE
HOUSE BILL NO. 218
"An Act relating to the state veterinarian and to animals and
animal products."
- HEARD & HELD
PREVIOUS COMMITTEE ACTION
BILL: HB 197
SHORT TITLE: COMMUNITY SEED LIBRARIES
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) JOHNSTON
03/24/17 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
03/24/17 (H) RES, FIN
04/10/17 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
04/10/17 (H) -- MEETING CANCELED --
04/12/17 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
04/12/17 (H) Scheduled but Not Heard
04/13/17 (H) RES AT 5:00 PM BARNES 124
04/13/17 (H) -- Continued from 4/12/17 --
04/17/17 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
04/17/17 (H) Scheduled but Not Heard
04/19/17 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
04/19/17 (H) Heard & Held
04/19/17 (H) MINUTE(RES)
04/26/17 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
04/26/17 (H) Heard & Held
04/26/17 (H) MINUTE(RES)
04/28/17 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
04/28/17 (H) -- MEETING CANCELED --
05/01/17 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
BILL: HB 218
SHORT TITLE: STATE VETERINARIAN;ANIMALS;PRODUCTS
SPONSOR(s): REPRESENTATIVE(s) TARR
04/07/17 (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS
04/07/17 (H) RES
04/12/17 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
04/12/17 (H) Scheduled but Not Heard
04/13/17 (H) RES AT 5:00 PM BARNES 124
04/13/17 (H) -- Continued from 4/12/17 --
04/14/17 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
04/14/17 (H) <Bill Hearing Postponed>
04/17/17 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
04/17/17 (H) Heard & Held
04/17/17 (H) MINUTE(RES)
05/01/17 (H) RES AT 1:00 PM BARNES 124
WITNESS REGISTER
REPRESENTATIVE JENNIFER JOHNSTON
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Speaking as the sponsor of HB 197,
explained an amendment to the committee substitute for HB 197,
Version O.
TERRANOVA TASKER, Staff
Representative Jennifer Johnston
Alaska State Legislature
Juneau, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: On behalf of Representative Johnston,
sponsor, explained the purpose of an amendment to the committee
substitute for HB 197, Version O.
ROB CARTER, Manager
Plant Materials Center
Division of Agriculture
Department of Natural Resources
Palmer, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Answered questions during the hearing of HB
197.
ROBERT GERLACH, VMD, State Veterinarian
Division of Environmental Health
Department of Environmental Conservation
Anchorage, Alaska
POSITION STATEMENT: Provided a PowerPoint presentation
entitled, "Office of the State Veterinarian," dated 5/1/17, and
answered questions during the hearing of HB 218.
ACTION NARRATIVE
1:04:54 PM
CO-CHAIR GERAN TARR called the House Resources Standing
Committee meeting to order at 1:04 p.m. Representatives Tarr,
Birch, Rauscher, Drummond, Westlake, Josephson, and Parish [via
teleconference and then arrived as the meeting was in progress],
were present at the call to order. Representatives Johnson and
Talerico arrived as the meeting was in progress.
HB 197-COMMUNITY SEED LIBRARIES
1:06:49 PM
CO-CHAIR TARR announced that the first order of business would
be HOUSE BILL NO. 197, "An Act relating to the duties of the
commissioner of natural resources; relating to agriculture; and
relating to community seed libraries."
CO-CHAIR TARR stated the committee substitute (CS) for HB 197,
labeled 30-LS0493\O, Wayne, 4/24/17, was adopted at a previous
the hearing of the bill on 4/26/17, and there is a forthcoming
amendment.
1:07:34 PM
REPRESENTATIVE JENNIFER JOHNSTON, Alaska State Legislature,
sponsor of HB 197, explained a forthcoming amendment would
remove concerns regarding seed sellers' names and addresses
attached to the seed packs.
1:07:57 PM
TERRANOVA TASKER, staff to Representative Jennifer Johnston,
Alaska State Legislature, further explained the amendment is in
response to concerns raised at a previous hearing about having
one's personal name and address written in a library log or on
[seed packet] labels. The amendment would also remove any
buyer/seller language to keep the recorded information
consistent with noncommercial seed-sharing. Ms. Tasker reported
a seed library in Pennsylvania keeps a check-out log with names
and phone numbers, which is not uncommon for a seed library. In
addition, Legislative Legal Services, Legislative Affairs
Agency, and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) advised
her that the removal of the personal name and address limits
some accountability.
1:09:30 PM
CO-CHAIR TARR moved to adopt Amendment 2, labeled 30-LS0493\O.2,
Wayne, 4/28/17.
[There was no Amendment 1.]
1:09:45 PM
CO-CHAIR JOSEPHSON objected for discussion purposes. He
referred to difficulties related to accountability if personal
identifiers are removed from the bill, and asked whether
personal names and addresses would still be logged by the
library [if Amendment 2 was adopted].
MS. TASKER expressed her understanding [the effect of] Amendment
2 [would be] that the seed library does not have an obligation
to keep personal information; based on how seed libraries
operate, one must be a member of the library, thus the amendment
leaves recording personal information "wholeheartedly in their
hands."
CO-CHAIR JOSEPHSON relayed he was contacted by an Anchorage
resident who said HB 197 is not necessary and regulates private
trades or exchanges.
MS. TASKER stated the bill was proposed because all seeds in the
state are treated as commercial seeds, and there is no private
seed exchange allowed by current applicable statute and code.
Therefore, the bill gives seed libraries, and others through a
personal exemption clause, the right to exchange seeds in or
outside of the community seed library, as long as the exchange
remains in the noncommercial realm.
CO-CHAIR TARR further described Amendment 2 as follows:
But it still does have the, ... deletes the language
that says, "that it's harvested from a plant grown
outside the state unless the seed is in the original
packaging into which it was imported."
CO-CHAIR TARR said Amendment 2 reflects an amendment and a
conceptual amendment that were proposed in a previous hearing.
1:14:41 PM
CO-CHAIR JOSEPHSON removed his objection to Amendment 2 and,
there being no further objection, Amendment 2 was adopted.
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON expressed support for the work done by
the sponsor.
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH questioned the purpose of changing the
requirement for seeds harvested from plants grown out-of-state.
REPRESENTIVE JOHNSTON explained seed libraries requested the
change so that the libraries could accept donations that are
received from sources such as The Home Depot.
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH asked how HB 197 would interface with
proposed [HB 19] regarding seeds treated with neonicotinoid
pesticides. He asked whether it is common for seeds offered for
sale by commercial sources to be pretreated.
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSTON said she did not know; however, seed
libraries provide a good and social function, and she assured
the committee that seed libraries would be familiar with this
issue.
CO-CHAIR TARR restated two issues are deleted by amendment to
the bill: plants grown outside the state, and seed in its
original packaging. She directed attention to language that
would be deleted from the bill on page 4, lines 12 and 13, which
read:
(1) that is harvested from a plant grown outside the
state unless the seed is in the original packaging in
which it was imported into the state;
1:19:00 PM
ROB CARTER, manager, Plant Materials Center, Division of
Agriculture, Department of Natural Resources, explained many
seeds shared through community seed libraries and amongst
individuals are difficult to produce in Alaska, such as biannual
plants that must be overwintered prior to setting seeds for
harvest. Consequently, certain seeds are imported and shared
with other growers in the state, which improves crop diversity
within regions of the state. However, during this process it is
common for seeds to be repackaged by the buyer or others, and
the requirement that seeds remain in the original package would
limit the possibility for crop diversity, which provides a
foundation for food security and production.
1:21:38 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH restated his question about the
correlation between proposed bills HB 197 and HB 19, as related
to seeds that are treated with neonicotinoid pesticides.
MR. CARTER said [HB 19] relates specifically to the chemical use
of neonicotinoid pesticides and includes an exemption for plants
confined within a greenhouse, as well as for certified pesticide
applicators. He pointed out the majority of seed treatments for
crops that are traded in seed libraries - nonlarge agronomic
species such as wheat, barley, and corn - tend not to be
neonicotinoids. Mr. Carter stressed [HB 19] is specific to
treatments applied to plants or seeds in the ground, and not on
crops traded within seed libraries such as carrots and broccoli,
which are traditionally treated with a fungicide or seed
protectant.
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH posited if a seed was offered for trade at
a seed library and it was discovered the seed had been treated
with neonicotinoids, would the responsible party be the seed
library, or the individual who offered the seed to the library.
MR. CARTER opined HB 197, in its current form, places the
liability upon the library. He characterized a seed library as
a multitude of individuals hosted in a common place, and for the
integrity of the library, individuals would self-police, as no
seed library would want to jeopardize its event or its
collection. He spoke in favor of this provision of the bill.
1:26:56 PM
CO-CHAIR JOSEPHSON moved to report the committee substitute for
HB 197, Version 30-LS0493\O, Wayne, 4/24/17, as amended, out of
committee with individual recommendations and the accompanying
fiscal note. There being no objection, CSHB 197(RES) was
reported out of the House Resources Standing Committee.
1:27:32 PM
The committee took an at-ease from 1:27 p.m. to 1:31 p.m.
HB 218-STATE VETERINARIAN;ANIMALS;PRODUCTS
1:31:30 PM
CO-CHAIR TARR announced that the next order of business would be
HOUSE BILL NO. 218, "An Act relating to the state veterinarian
and to animals and animal products."
CO-CHAIR TARR said the bill was proposed in response to a
request from the Division of Agriculture, Department of Natural
Resources (DNR), to have more access to, and a closer working
relationship with, the state veterinarian.
1:32:35 PM
ROBERT GERLACH, DMV, State Veterinarian, Division of
Environmental Health, Department of Environmental Conservation,
provided a PowerPoint presentation entitled, "Office of the
State Veterinarian," dated 5/1/17. Dr. Gerlach paraphrased from
the mission statement of the Office of the State Veterinarian
(OSV) as follows [original punctuation provided] [slide 2]:
The Office of the State Veterinarian is responsible
for the prevention, control and eradication of animal
diseases in all animals in the state including
livestock and pets, safeguarding the health and food
production capacity of the State's livestock,
reindeer, and poultry and preventing the transmission
of animal diseases to humans.
DR. GARLACH directed attention to slide 3 which listed the five
program functions of OSV:
• 1. One Health concept focusing on the impact of disease,
import regulations for animals, disease surveillance and
investigation, import of veterinary biologicals, and
emergency response to an animal disease outbreak or hazard,
such as housing people with their pets and animals during
times of fire or flooding
• 2. Dairy program looks at sanitation at dairy farms and
milk facilities, to assure dairy products are safe for
human consumption
• 3. Reindeer slaughter by reindeer producers within the
state
• 4. Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA), Produce Safety
Rule which is a federal program to address the production
of safe and wholesome produce within the state
• 5. Fish monitoring program, which is looking at the impact
of disease not on just an animal, but on the impact of a
disease or environmental contaminant on the environment in
which the animals live, and how the transport of
contaminants to Alaska can impact water quality.
1:36:28 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH asked which department inspects for
paralytic shellfish poisoning.
DR. GARLACH answered the Food Safety and Sanitation Program,
Division of Environmental Health, DEC.
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH recalled previous discussions regarding
[the lack] of veterinarians available to serve rural Alaska, and
inquired as to Dr. Garlach's interaction with the [Board of
Veterinary Examiners, Division of Corporations, Business and
Professional Licensing, Department of Commerce, Community &
Economic Development].
1:37:42 PM
DR. GARLACH said OSV works with veterinarian licensing only
regarding the duties and professional responsibilities of
licensing. To address the needs of areas underserved by
veterinarian care, OSV supports the work of the National
Assembly of State Animal Health Officials to lobby for [federal]
programs by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture
(NIFA), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), so states can
recognize underserved or remote areas and offer veterinary
education loan repayment programs in the amount of $75,000 to
$100,000 to veterinarians who serve in underserved areas. Dr.
Garlach identified five underserved areas in Alaska. To qualify
for the loan repayment program, veterinarians provide services
to the identified areas, and 30 percent of their duties need to
be supporting food-producing animals. In further response to
Representative Birch, he said OSV works with agencies such as
Alaska Rural Veterinary Outreach Inc., and Alaska Native Rural
Veterinary, Inc., and also coordinates with Arctic Care 2017,
provided by the military in Kodiak, to ensure volunteers and
clinics do not negatively impact veterinarians who have
practices in underserved areas. Regarding licensing, OSV has
satisfied concerns about licensing authority for veterinarians
who may be brought into the state during an emergency.
CO-CHAIR TARR questioned what functions of OSV are more closely
aligned with agriculture and DNR, and which are more closely
aligned with DEC; she also asked if there are staffing issues.
1:43:15 PM
DR. GARLACH said his programs are focused on disease and the
impacts of disease on animal health, and on the risks of animal
disease to animal resources; programs of the Division of
Agriculture often promote the expansion of the production of
food. He characterized these activities as separate with
respect to disease and its impact on animals, their food
products, and the environmental impact. In fact, many diseases
can be spread by carcasses and animal waste, which would
contaminate the environment and impact other uses of the land.
REPRESENTATIVE WESTLAKE asked if there are policies in place to
intervene in a case similar to the anthrax that was found in
caribou in Russia.
DR. GARLACH said OSV is statutorily responsible for all animals
in the state with respect to disease. He works with other
partners such as the Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADFG) to
address concerns, for example, the interaction of wildlife with
domestic animals related to the transmission of disease
pathogens. In Russia, livestock was infected with anthrax and
drastic measures were taken to control the spread of disease.
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH asked whether veterinary biologicals
include antibiotics for domestic livestock.
DR. GARLACH advised veterinary biologicals are products like
vaccines and other disease agent biologicals that prevent and
treat disease, but they do not include antibiotics or other
drugs used in a normal veterinary practice.
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH asked if Dr. Garlach is responsible for
overseeing the use of antibiotics in domestic livestock.
1:46:41 PM
DR. GARLACH said he is responsible only in regard to new
regulations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA),
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. As part of the
Food Safety Modernization Act, the Veterinary Feed Directive
(VFD) states that any antibiotic given to livestock or to
animals that produce food for human consumption - because of the
concern of antibiotic resistance - must be accounted for by a
veterinarian when applied in feed or water. In further response
to Representative Parish, he said Alaska does not have large
livestock operations that use antibiotics for growth promotion.
In Alaska, antibiotics are used to treat disease and properly
maintain health; he pointed out he is concerned about
legislation that restricts the use of antibiotics and thereby
compromise humane care, although using antibiotics to promote
growth is inappropriate.
DR. GARLACH returned attention to his presentation and noted OSV
is responsible for a diversity of programs and initiatives; to
do so with a small staff, OSV relies on many collaborative state
partners such as the Division of Agriculture, (DNR), ADFG, the
Department of Health and Social Services (DHSS), the Department
of Military & Veterans' Affairs, and the University of Alaska
(UA). Federal partners include the following: USDA, veterinary
and wildlife services, and the Food Safety Inspection Service;
FDA; the U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI); the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department
of Commerce; the Centers for Disease Control, U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services; U. S. Customs and Border Protection,
U.S. Department of Homeland Security. Dr. Garlach said all of
these agencies allow OSV to communicate with agents in the field
and serve Alaskans and animal health; for example, the U.S. Fish
and Wildlife Service, the National Park Service, the U.S.
Geological Survey, and the Bureau of Land Management, DOI,
supported tracking mortality events that led to the discovery in
Fairbanks of the first case of avian influenza in Alaska's wild
bird population [slide 4].
1:51:35 PM
CO-CHAIR TARR inquired as to whether OSV is involved with the
Board of Game (BOG), ADFG, issue related to goats and sheep.
DR. GARLACH said subsequent to the proposal before BOG,
introduced by the Wild Sheep Foundation, he corresponded with
ADFG on regulations and facilitated a working group with members
from the Alaska Farm Bureau, Inc., sheep and goat owners and
producers, the Wild Sheep Foundation, OSV, the Division of
Agriculture, and ADFG.
DR. GARLACH returned to the One Health concept which is an
efficient approach to animal disease and traceability. Research
in the medical and veterinary fields has shown that many
diseases and stressors that can cause diseases are shared by
animals and people, and veterinarians have more background on
this relationship; in fact, OSV can look at an outbreak - such
as pneumonia that can be transferred to wild sheep and goats -
and determine risks. He pointed out the transmission of a
disease agent, in order to transmit disease, must be in
sufficient quantity, and have other factors. [OSV] can address
health issues for animals, impacts of disease on the health of
wildlife, the safety of food products, and impacts on public
health. Dr. Garlach noted about 1,500 diseases can be
transferred between animals and humans, and stressed over 75
percent of emerging human diseases are zoonotic [slide 5].
1:56:27 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER asked whether Dr. Garlach spoke to
reversing the decision on sheep and goats.
DR. GARLACH said he is encouraging the aforementioned working
group to gather information to determine whether there is a risk
of transmitting a disease agent to wild sheep and goat
populations in the state. In further response to Representative
Rauscher, he explained the issue is complex; in fact, 20 years
ago wild sheep "die offs" were blamed on mannheimia haemolytica,
but further study revealed that to be incorrect. It is now
suspected mycoplasma ovipneumonia caused die offs in wild sheep
populations. Because Alaska has a small livestock population,
it is unknown whether mycoplasma ovipneumonia exists in Alaska's
domestic sheep and goats, or whether there is a risk to wild
sheep and goats, and he cautioned against taking action unless a
problem is identified.
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER asked what is needed to reach a
conclusion.
DR. GARLACH advised OSV has designed a study with the
Agricultural Research Service, USDA, and the Washington State
Animal Disease Diagnostic Lab, Washington State University, in
which sheep and goat producers in Alaska can voluntarily sample
their sheep. This is a blind study that identifies farms by
code to guarantee confidentiality. In further response to
Representative Rauscher, he said the study is being organized
now, and offers to participate will be presented to sheep and
goat owners beginning [mid-March 2017].
REPRESENTATIVE JOHNSON relayed she has heard concerns about
animals that are registered out-of-state as a function of OSV,
and that proprietary information on herds, and owners of herds,
could be made available to anyone under the [federal] Freedom of
Information Act[s].
2:02:57 PM
DR. GARLACH confirmed that one who imports livestock into the
state needs to have an import permit and a health certificate;
the health certificate reveals disease testing information and
the permit reveals the source of the animal and its destination.
He agreed this information is proprietary and does not need to
be made public; however, the information does need to be held by
the state should a threat occur. [OSV] proposed the state hold
the information and only share the information with partners
when it is appropriate and necessary to preserve animal
resources. In further response to Representative Johnson, he
said the information is important marketing information that
could be used by a competitor, and should be protected.
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER asked if zoonotic meant the transfer of
disease from human to animal, but not the reverse.
DR. GARLACH said zoonotic is both ways, for example, swine
influenza was transferred from people to pigs. He restated 75
percent of emerging diseases are zoonotic and can be transferred
back and forth between animals and humans. Dr. Garlach turned
attention to a graph on slide 6 illustrating the number of
permits and the number of animals imported into Alaska during
fiscal years (FY) 2014-2016; one permit is required for each
shipment of animals. He pointed out the number of poultry
shipments imported into the state has increased greatly, which
increases the risk of introducing disease. In response to the
increase, OSV has converted to an electronic records tracking
system, which was important two years ago to locate a shipment
of poultry that was imported from a farm infected with avian
influenza; the electronic system for tracking and traceability
allowed OSV to identify the destination of the poultry, contact
the farmer, test other animals on the farm, confiscate eggs, and
prevent the possible introduction of disease into the state. In
response to Co-Chair Tarr, he said the rise in imported poultry
is due to a national trend for raising backyard poultry for the
production of meat and eggs and for educational purposes.
2:10:14 PM
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH asked if [slide 6] reflected animal imports
statewide.
DR. GARLACH said yes, and added some animals are shipped to
remote areas and OSV relies on its partners to respond and serve
farmers throughout the state. In response to Representative
Rauscher, he explained the import numbers of hatching eggs and
chicks are obtained from hatcheries, and the import numbers of
other animals are provided by shippers and from Customs and
Border Protection. If a permit has not been obtained, OSV
notifies the veterinarian who issued the health certificate.
REPRESENTIVE RAUSCHER observed many animals are being imported
into Alaska.
DR. GARLACH directed attention to slide 7, and noted one of the
more disturbing outbreaks in the state is brucellosis because
each species is affected by a specific strain of brucellosis,
but the strains can be interchanged. Twenty percent of the
cases founds in humans is associated with recreational and
subsistence hunting; for example, through hunting caribou or
processing reindeer in Alaska, although it is uncommonly found
in reindeer due to herd health management. However, Alaska has
problems in domestic animals, and in wildlife, especially with
endemic rabies found in Arctic fox. If there is human exposure
to rabies, animals are tested by DHSS in Fairbanks, but the
level of risk from rabies in wild animals is unknown. He
described a program that will utilize a rapid disease test to
allow testing of wildlife and thereby try to understand the
distribution of rabies in the state. Dr. Garlach noted about 1-
4 percent of foxes trapped in the state test positive for
rabies.
2:17:06 PM
REPRESENTATIVE RAUSCHER inquired as to whether the herpes virus
in domestic rabbits is zoonotic.
2:17:32 PM
DR. GARLACH said no, and described an outbreak of an extremely
rare virus.
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND asked how rabies is transmitted from an
animal to a human.
DR. GARLACH stated rabies is transmitted either through a bite
or scratch, because the rabies virus infects the brain and
spreads to salivary glands; another pathway is through exposure
to infected tissue. In further response to Representative
Drummond, he said DHSS maintains a record of humans who have
been exposed to rabies by wild animals. In further response to
Representative Drummond, he said an error on slide 7 lists "Pet
Foods" but should list "Pets"; salmonella and chemical
contaminants sometimes transmit to domestic pets and humans
through treats and raw foods.
2:21:01 PM
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH asked for the economic impact of the
aforementioned incident that led to the destruction of
[hatching] eggs.
2:21:25 PM
DR. GARLACH said one dozen eggs that had been purchased and
shipped from Idaho were destroyed. In further response to
Representative Parish, he said if an outbreak of avian influenza
had occurred, the highest cost would have been to the family
farm and perhaps a health risk to the farmer; the response from
OSV would have been to identify the disease agent, and determine
if there has been contact with wild birds and other poultry.
2:23:27 PM
DR. GARLACH directed attention to slide 8 and said the dairy
program is required by the Grade "A" Pasteurized Milk Ordinance,
FDA, and regulates the health of the cows, as well as the
production of raw milk and pasteurized products and the testing
of equipment. He said the Alaska dairy industry is very "high-
tech" and the farmers are very competent and provide a safe
product for consumers. [OSV] is closely tied with the
Environmental Health Laboratory, Division of Environmental
Health, DEC, which conducts the testing on milk products and
brucellosis surveillance. He stressed that the state is testing
about once a month, but the farmers and processing plants test
every batch of raw milk prior to the pasteurization process.
2:26:12 PM
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH asked about the dangers of consuming raw
milk.
DR. GARLACH acknowledged there is a nationwide increasing
interest in the consumption of local products, produce, meat,
raw milk, and products made from raw milk. He reported from
1998 to 2011, a Center for Disease Control (CDC) study found of
all foodborne illnesses reported in the U.S. that were
associated with dairy products, 80 percent were associated with
raw milk products. A subsequent study from 2009 to 2014,
reported outbreaks associated with raw milk have risen from 80
percent to over 95 percent, or about 750 illnesses reported per
year, of which 22 percent required hospitalization. Dr. Garlach
explained, even with proper procedures, bacteria can be shed
directly into the milk by the cow. In further response to
Representative Birch, he said in the U.S., five diseases
associated with raw milk are Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli,
Listeria, and Cryptosporidium. In Europe, tuberculosis and
brucellosis are also found to be associated with raw milk and
raw milk products; brucellosis in humans is a devastating
disease.
2:29:00 PM
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH inquired as to field methods that would
pasteurize raw milk.
2:32:19 PM
DR. GARLACH explained pasteurization is a heat treatment and
through a specific regiment of boiling and high temperatures
kills pathogens. Grade "A" dairies use a high-pressure, short-
time-period pasteurization method to remove pathogens.
2:32:58 PM
CO-CHAIR TARR noted not all store-bought food is free of
foodborne illness.
2:33:25 PM
DR. GARLACH agreed and stated 5 percent of illnesses caused by
dairy products are through pasteurized products that are
approved. Any food product has the potential to transfer
disease and the goals of the programs through OSV are to
decrease the risk to low as possible.
CO-CHAIR TARR observed Alaska residents can access raw milk
through herd-sharing, and asked whether there have been
illnesses reported from products in Alaska.
DR. GARLACH stated the sale of raw milk is not allowed in
Alaska, but state regulations allow a person who owns an animal
to use its milk, and thus people can buy shares in a cow or a
goat, and obtain a certain amount of product from that animal.
In Alaska, there have been three known outbreaks associated with
cow-share operations. He then directed attention to slide 9,
and explained OSV manages a reindeer slaughter program which
provides regulatory oversight of the commercial slaughter and
processing of reindeer, to ensure wholesomeness and quality of
reindeer for commercial sale within the state. Meat inspection
in Alaska is within the purview of USDA since 1999.
2:36:25 PM
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH asked if OSV has jurisdiction over reindeer
horns.
2:36:31 PM
DR. GARLACH said antlers come under the purview of OSV if there
is a disease associated with the reindeer from which growing
antlers were harvested - due to the presence of blood and
tissue. Growing antlers are desired products for certain Asian
markets; antlers used for artifacts are outside of his
authority. Furthermore, an antler exported out-of-state is
under the authority of USDA.
2:37:24 PM
DR. GARLACH continued to slide 10 and informed the committee the
FSMA Produce Safety Rule is a new program established by DEC and
housed within OSA. The Produce Safety Rule is a federal
regulation formulated by FDA which is designed to address
foodborne outbreaks of illness related to produce. In response
to the regulation, the Division of Environmental Health, DEC, is
working to ensure produce produced in Alaska, by farms who
market quantities over $250,000, is safe and meets certain
quality standards. Although most producers in Alaska do not
reach this criterion, smaller farms can participate and benefit
from the program by meeting the quality standards that are set
and advertised. Currently, to support this program, OSV is
working with the Division of Agriculture, and the Cooperative
Extension Service, University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF), to
inform farmers, and he described other ongoing activities
related to education, outreach, and technical assistance, all
with a local focus. In response to Representative Parish, he
said FDA fully funds the administration of the program by a
grant through DEC in a manner similar to other food safety
programs.
2:43:06 PM
REPRESENTATIVE WESTLAKE expressed support for OSV programs that
provide technical assistance and implement standards specific to
the different regions throughout the state.
DR. GARLACH said the last OSA program to review is a fish tissue
monitoring program that was established in 2001 to address
concerns raised by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
regarding Alaska's recommendations for the consumption of Alaska
fish. Because the state seeks scientific data to justify its
recommendations, OSA monitors fish for contaminants, mercury,
and persistent organic pollutants such as polychlorinated
biphenyls (PCBs); in fact, 90 species of fish and shellfish have
been sampled, and 10,000 samples have been analyzed. He
reported that testing has shown extremely low levels of
contamination, therefore, DHSS can issue recommendations for
unrestricted consumption of many species of fish in the state.
He said Alaskans are free to make their own decisions about the
amount of fish they want to eat. Dr. Garlach cautioned there
are restricted amounts for the consumption of salmon shark, and
pike from certain areas, which have elevated levels of mercury.
In addition, after the [tsunami and nuclear disaster in
Fukushima, Japan] in 2011, OSA worked with FDA and tested for
radiation contamination in Alaska fish utilizing a portable
gamma lab housed with the Environmental Health Laboratory, DEC.
Using the portable gamma lab, the state can test and measure
contaminants in Alaska fish and transmit the data to the FDA lab
for evaluation and reporting; the portable lab allows the state
to respond rapidly to an event, and he noted Alaska was a pilot
program for the portable gamma lab. Another emerging
contaminate issue is with arsenic in shellfish, which has
affected Alaska's international trade partners. He stressed the
importance of being able to respond rapidly to contaminates, and
further described the processes of testing and developing
recommendations for the state. Dr. Garlach concluded Alaska's
low levels of contamination support the marketing of Alaska's
seafood as beneficial to one's health [slide 11].
2:49:49 PM
REPRESENTATIVE BIRCH inquired as to whether OSV is monitoring a
problem related to warming waters that has led to an affliction
of the salmon in the Yukon River.
DR. GARLACH said Ichthyophonus is a parasite that affects king
salmon; NOAA and ADFG are monitoring and researching the
problem, as is the University of Alaska (UA).
CO-CHAIR TARR gleaned from the presentation that the important
work of OSA is focused on disease prevention. In some other
states, the state veterinarian is housed within Agriculture, and
she asked how OSA could support the future of agriculture in
Alaska.
DR. GARLACH restated OSA works with the College of Natural
Science and Mathematics, Department of Veterinary Medicine, UAF,
the Cooperative Extension Service, UAF, the Alaska Farm Bureau,
Inc., the Alaska Farmers Union, and the Division of Agriculture
to provide educational materials to producers to help them raise
healthy animals and avoid disease. He opined veterinarians are
a valuable resource for the state, and OSA encourages
veterinarians to practice in Alaska through the aforementioned
veterinary loan repayment program.
CO-CHAIR TARR questioned whether members of OSA staff assigned
to the Environmental Health Laboratory could be assigned within
the Division of Agriculture, "so that ... [its] mission could be
more fully supported."
DR. GARLACH reviewed his job description and that of the
assistant state veterinarian. His assignments and those of
other OSV staff encompass many other programs such as
inspections, fish monitoring work, the produce food safety and
dairy programs, and the administration of federal grants. He
agreed a veterinarian assigned to the Division of Agriculture
would be an asset for outreach and education for the division
and for OSV.
CO-CHAIR TARR asked if Dr. Garlach envisions adding a position
similar to the wildlife veterinarian within ADFG, but retaining
OSV within DEC.
2:56:15 PM
DR. GARLACH was unsure, and restated his belief that
veterinarians are a key component to the One Health concept,
which addresses how aspects of health are interrelated. He
described the structure of the state veterinarian's office in
Pennsylvania.
REPRESENTATIVE PARISH asked where he would find information
about contamination from heavy metals present in Alaska fish.
DR. GARLACH advised DHSS recently reopened studies of the risks
and benefits of consuming marine mammals, and pointed out marine
mammals carry different risks as they have a variety of food
sources and methods of feeding; in addition, marine mammals may
have higher levels of contamination because they are at the top
of the food chain.
REPRESENTATIVE DRUMMOND asked if the UAF veterinary medicine
program serves in partnership with an outside veterinary school.
DR. GARLACH said veterinary students take their first two years
at UAF and then finish their last two years at the University of
Colorado. During their studies at UAF, veterinary students are
of great benefit to Alaska in the field of veterinary research.
[HB 218 was held over.]
3:00:43 PM
ADJOURNMENT
There being no further business before the committee, the House
Resources Standing Committee meeting was adjourned at 3:00 p.m.
| Document Name | Date/Time | Subjects |
|---|---|---|
| HB218 Supporting Document - DEC Duties and OSV Programs 5.1.17.pdf |
HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM |
HB 218 |
| HB218 Supporting Document - OSV Overview 05.01.2017.pdf |
HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM |
HB 218 |
| HB197 Ammendment 2 to CS 4.28.17.pdf |
HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM |
HB 197 |
| HB 197 Sponsor Statement.pdf |
HRES 4/10/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/12/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/17/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/19/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/28/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM |
HB 197 |
| HB197 Version J 4.5.2017.pdf |
HRES 4/10/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/12/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/17/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/19/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/28/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM |
HB 197 |
| HB197 Sectional Analysis ver J 4.6.2017.pdf |
HRES 4/10/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/12/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/17/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/19/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/28/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM |
HB 197 |
| HB197 Fiscal Note - DNR-PMC 4.7.17.pdf |
HRES 4/10/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/12/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/17/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/19/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/28/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM |
HB 197 |
| HB197 Supporting Document - Article. Seed Bill 4.9.17.pdf |
HRES 4/10/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/12/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/17/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/19/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/28/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM |
HB 197 |
| HB197. Version O.pdf |
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/28/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM |
HB 197 |
| Explanation of Changes. HB197. Version O.pdf |
HRES 4/26/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 4/28/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM |
HB 197 |
| HB197 Ammendment to CS 4.26.17.pdf |
HRES 4/28/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM |
HB 197 |
| HB197 Opposition Document - Letter of Opposition 4.27.17.pdf |
HRES 4/28/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM |
HB 197 |
| HB218 Sponsor Statement 4.11.17.pdf |
HRES 4/17/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM |
HB 218 |
| HB218 Version A 4.16.17.PDF |
HRES 4/17/2017 1:00:00 PM HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM |
HB 218 |
| HB197 Supporting Document - Letter of Support 5.1.17.pdf |
HRES 5/1/2017 1:00:00 PM |
HB 197 |