Bill > HSB338

Introduced Session

This bill relates to and makes appropriations for FY 2025-2026 involving state government entities associated with agriculture, food regulation, natural resources, and environmental protection, including the department of agriculture and land stewardship (DALS), department of natural resources (DNR), Iowa state university of science and technology (ISU), and state university of Iowa (UI). DALS. The bill appropriates moneys from the general fund of the state (GF) to DALS for general operations, ISU’s midwest grape and wine industry institute, dairy regulation, the local food and farm program, agricultural education, foreign animal disease preparedness and response, the farmers with disabilities program, loess hills development and conservation, southern Iowa development and conservation, grain regulation, the choose Iowa fund, the choose Iowa food purchasing program (codified in the bill), and grain and livestock market reporting. The bill also appropriates moneys to DALS from pari-mutuel wagering winnings for administration and enforcement of horse and dog racing, from the renewable fuel infrastructure fund for motor fuel inspections, and from the Iowa skilled worker and job creation fund for the butchery innovation and revitalization program. DNR. The bill appropriates moneys from the GF to DNR for general operations, floodplain management and dam safety, forestry health management, and state park operations and maintenance. The bill also appropriates moneys to DNR from the state fish and game protection fund for various activities, from the groundwater protection fund for DNR’s groundwater H.F. _____ protection activities, and from the special snowmobile fund for snowmobile programs. ISU. The bill appropriates moneys from the GF to ISU for the veterinary diagnostic laboratory, management of private forests, and livestock disease research. The bill also appropriates moneys from the Iowa nutrient research fund to ISU for the veterinary diagnostic laboratory. UI. The bill appropriates moneys from the GF to UI for the center for agricultural health and safety and to support a groundwater planning and resource assessment project administered by the Iowa geological survey. ENVIRONMENT FIRST FUND. The bill appropriates moneys from the environment first fund (EFF) to DALS for the conservation reserve enhancement program, watershed protection, the conservation reserve program, soil and water conservation, and the water quality initiative fund; to DNR for state park maintenance and operations, the geographic information system, water quality monitoring, the public water supply system account, regulation of animal feeding operations, floodplain management and dam safety, and ambient air quality; and to UI for Iowa geological survey operations and water resource management. RESOURCES ENHANCEMENT AND PROTECTION. Current law provides for an annual appropriation from the GF to the Iowa resources enhancement and protection (REAP) fund through FY 2025-2026. The bill extends this appropriation through FY 2030-2031. For FY 2025-2026, the bill appropriates moneys from the EFF to the REAP fund in lieu of the standing GF appropriation. The bill also allows certain moneys in the open spaces account of the REAP fund to be used by DNR for state park maintenance, development, operations, and facility refurbishment. ANIMAL DISEASE PREPAREDNESS AND RESPONSE. The bill adds to the purposes for which moneys may be appropriated from the foreign animal disease preparedness and response fund to include supporting activities related to animal health and H.F. _____ disease response that strengthen the state’s overall ability to prevent, prepare for, and respond to emerging or reemerging animal diseases. The bill strikes the current provisions of the brucellosis and tuberculosis eradication fund, renames and repurposes the fund to the Iowa animal disease prevention fund to develop, establish, and implement an animal disease prevention strategy, and transfers all remaining moneys to the amended fund. The bill appropriates moneys from the Iowa animal disease prevention fund to DALS for purchasing and maintaining equipment to further the implementation of the foreign animal disease preparedness and response strategy, assisting in the development of vaccines against foreign animal diseases by a company based in Iowa that develops livestock and other animal vaccines, livestock security grants, and upgrading information technology used by DALS. The bill appropriates moneys from the Iowa animal disease prevention fund to ISU for purposes of assisting the college of veterinary medicine veterinary diagnostic laboratory in installing and moving equipment into its refurbished facility and for animal disease research. PROCEEDS FROM SALES OF TIMBER AND REAL PROPERTY —— EXPENDITURES FOR STATE PARKS. The bill directs moneys generated from the sale of timber, real property, and structures in state parks to be deposited in the state conservation fund (SCF). The bill appropriates moneys generated from such sales to DNR to be used for purposes of the SCF at the specific state park from which the moneys were generated. MISBRANDING DAIRY PRODUCTS. The bill prohibits the misbranding of certain food products that are manufactured to resemble dairy products and that are not derived from milk but rather from manufactured plants or other organic materials. The bill does not require a regulatory authority to determine if any food product located on the premises of a food processing plant is misbranded during routine inspections, H.F. _____ but does require inspection of misbranding when a credible complaint that a food product is misbranded as a dairy product is received. The bill directs the department of inspections, appeals, and licensing (DIAL) to adopt and administer rules to enforce these provisions. The bill defines “fabricated dairy product” as a food product that has one or more sensory attributes that resemble a dairy product but that, in lieu of being derived from milk, is derived from manufactured plants or other organic materials. The bill explains that a food product is misbranded if the food product is a fabricated dairy product, is offered for sale or sold by a food processing plant, and the label on food packaging includes an identifying dairy term, with certain exceptions. The bill prohibits a food processing plant from offering for sale or selling food that is misbranded as a dairy product. The bill provides that if a regulatory authority has reason to believe a food processing plant is offering for sale or selling a food product that is misbranded as a dairy product, the regulatory authority may issue a stop order, prohibiting the food processing plant from offering for sale or selling the food product until the regulatory authority determines whether the food product is misbranded. If the regulatory authority determines the food product is misbranded, the bill provides the authority to the regulatory authority to issue an embargo, requiring disposal of all misbranded food product. The bill provides that DIAL, the attorney general, or the county attorney for the county in which the food product is offered for sale or sold may enforce any stop order or embargo. A food processing plant that violates the bill is subject to a civil penalty of not more than $500 for each violation, and not more than $10,000 total for violations arising out of the same transaction or occurrence. The bill provides that each day constitutes a separate offense. The civil penalties shall be imposed by DIAL and any moneys collected are deposited into H.F. _____ the general fund of the state. The bill allows DIAL to hire additional full-time workers subject to approval by the director, with limitations. The bill prohibits a regulatory authority from suspending or revoking a license issued to a food processing plant for offering for sale or selling a food product that is misbranded as a dairy product and explains that a license issued to a food processing plant under Code section 137F.4 also covers the operation of a food processing plant under new Code chapter 137H.

AI Summary

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Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 1043. (on 05/09/2025)

Official Document