Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee

What do you feel are the five issues that are most important to the agricultural and/or rural communities?

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Agriculture is one of Pennsylvania's leading industries, and because of this I am proud to serve as the Chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee.  This page is devoted to keeping you informed of what the Committee has been doing, along with general happenings within the agricultural industry.

Throughout the listening sessions held last year by the Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee, which I chair, we heard many comments and concerns regarding agricultural workforce availability. As a result, my committee held a joint hearing with the Senate Labor and Industry Committee on this very topic in the fall to glean more information and suggestions from the men and women who make their living from agriculture. I am pleased to see that this year’s Pennsylvania Career Guide, a valuable source of information and resources compiled by the Departments of Education and Labor and Industry, focuses on agriculture and food production as a 'most important industry.'  The inclusion of agriculture in this year’s Career Guide is a direct result of the action taken by my committee and is evidence that these concerns are being heard and addressed seriously by our Commonwealth.

Hearings and Meetings

December 15, 2009 - Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee hearing to consider the nomination of Russell C. Redding

• Agenda and Testimony

• - (running time 1 hour 11 minutes)

December 9, 2009 - Committee Hearing on Milk Pricing Transparency

• Agenda and Testimony

• Hearing Notice

• - Part 1 - (running time 1 hour 30 minutes)
  - Part 2 - (running time 1 hour 30 minutes)
  - Part 3 - (running time 26 minutes)
  - (running time 3 hours 25 minutes)

August 19, 2009 – Public Hearing of the Senate Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee on 'The Farm Bill: Year One Update and a Look Ahead' at Penn State’s Ag Progress Days. - CANCELLED DUE TO SENATE SESSION

• Agenda

• MAP

July 29, 2009 - Public Informational Hearing on the Pennsylvania green industry and "Green Infrastructure" at the Penn Atlantic Nursery Trade Show (PANTS) - CANCELLED

• Agenda

July 18, 2009 - Public Hearing on the Re-Nomination of Luke Brubaker to the Pennsylvania Milk Marketing Board

• Agenda

June 9, 2009 - To consider bills

• Agenda

March 31, 2009 - Governor's 2009-2010 Proposed Budget

• Agenda

• 

September 24, 2008 - Committee Meeting on HB 2525 (revision to Dog Law)

• Video of Hearing - (running time 28 minutes)

September 23, 2008 - Agriculture & Rural Affairs – HB 2525 (revising Dog Law)

• Video of Hearing - (running time 10 minutes)

September 17, 2008 - Public Hearing on Senate Bill 1493 – Nutrient Credit Trading

• Agenda
• Video of Hearing - Part 1 (running time 1 hour 5 minutes)
  Video of Hearing - Part 2 (running time 1 hour 6 minutes)

November 28, 2007 - Committee Meeting to consider bills

• Agenda

November 14, 2007 - Committee Meeting to consider bills

• Agenda

October 23, 2007 - Joint Public Hearing on Agriculture Workforce Availability Agenda

• Agenda and Testimony

September 18, 2007 - Public Hearing of the Senate Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee on the production and sale of raw milk and its products

• Agenda and Testimony

June 27, 2007 - Committee Meeting to consider bills

• Agenda

May 22, 2007 - Milk Pricing and Dairy Policy in Pennsylvania - Information Hearing of the Senate Agriculture & Rural Affairs Committee

• Agenda and Testimony

May 8, 2008 - Committee Meeting to consider bills

• Agenda

March 13, 2007 - Public Hearing to Consider the Nomination of Mr. Dennis Wolff for Reappointment as Secretary of Agriculture

• Agenda and Testimony

News

May 6, 2008 - Senator Brubaker Holds Agriculture Committee Meeting
- Sen. Waugh
- Sen. Greenleaf

November 14, 2007 - Senator Brubaker holds Agriculture Committee Meeting

October 24, 2007 - Senate Ag Committee holds hearing on agricultural workforce availability

September 18, 2007 - Senate Ag Committee holds hearing on raw milk

June 28, 2007 - Senator Brubaker holds Agriculture Committee meeting

June 25, 2007 - 2007 Listening Sessions - Summary of Suggestions, Considerations and Concerns (PDF)

June 8, 2007 - Senate Agriculture and Rural Affairs Committee Encourages Federal Dairy Policy Reform

May 1, 2007 – Senator Brubaker's May TV show highlighting the Building a Vision for Rural Pennsylvania series.

Agriculture Links

Department of Agriculture