Environment Committee
Government Administration and Elections Committee
AN ACT CONCERNING THE GOVERNOR'S COUNCIL FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
SUMMARY: This act reshapes the Governor's Council for Agricultural Development. It establishes the membership at 15 rather than 30 members and specifies members' qualifications.
The act requires the council to recommend to the Department of Agriculture (DoAg) ways to increase the percentage of consumer dollars spent on Connecticut-grown fresh produce and other farm products. The recommendations must include ways to increase, by 2020, the amount Connecticut residents spend on locally grown farm products to at least 5% of all money spent on food.
By law, the council advises DoAg on the development, diversification, and promotion of agricultural products, programs, and enterprises and provides for an exchange of ideas among the commodity groups and organizations it represents.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2011
COUNCIL MEMBERSHIP
The act sets the council's membership at 15 instead of permitting up to 30 members. It requires, instead of allows, the governor to fill any vacancy.
Under the act, the members include the (1) agriculture commissioner, who serves as chairperson, as under existing law; (2) dean of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources at UConn or the dean's designee; and (3) Connecticut Milk Promotion Board's chairperson or the chairperson's designee. Members also include 12 appointees, as described in Table 1.
Table 1: Appointed Members
Appointing Authority |
Appointees under Prior Law |
Appointees under the Act |
Governor |
12 members from a list the Department of Agriculture prepares |
Six members actively engaged in agricultural production |
House speaker |
Two members |
One member who engages in agricultural processing |
Senate president pro tempore |
Two members |
One member who engages in agricultural marketing |
House majority leader |
Two members |
One member who engages in agricultural sales |
Senate majority leader |
Two members |
One member from a trade association |
House minority leader |
Two members |
One member from the green industry |
Senate minority leader |
Two members |
One member who actively engages in agricultural education |
By law, the council must meet at least once each calendar quarter. A member who is absent from more than two meetings per year is deemed to have resigned. Members serve without compensation or reimbursement for expenses.
OLR Tracking: JLK: TA: PF: ts