House Agriculture & Consumer Affairs Committee, March 11, 2026

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1. 0:20:00

   Um, well good morning everyone. Uh, welcome to the, um, Ag and Consumer Affairs, uh, Committee. Uh, thank you on this, uh, committee day for being here. Uh, I'd like to ask, um, Member, um, Danny Mathis if he would open us up in a prayer. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Before we start the prayer, I'd like for us to particularly remember Miss Angie O'Steen, a member of the House, a member of this committee. Her daddy, Mr. Larry Butler, passed away, and they're having his going home service, uh, today.

2. 0:20:34

   So I want to keep her in, in our prayers and mine all day. Let's- And, um, flowers were sent to that service from this committee. Thank you. Thank you, Chair. By me. Thank you. Appreciate that. Let's pray. Father, b- uh, be with the O'Steen family and the Butler family as they go through this sad time in life, but a praise that he knew the Lord, and he's at home. Father, we just thank you for everyone here today. We thank you for the families of the representative. Keep them safe. Father, help us to make good decisions for the state on this committee of agriculture.

3. 0:21:06

   For it's in Christ's name we pray. Amen. Amen. Thank you, Representative Mathis. Um, well, um, before we get to, um, to our first bill, um, big day yesterday at, uh, State Capitol for, for agriculture. I really, uh, appreciate, um, um, Secretary Rollins being here as well as, uh, Secretary Leffler. The Governor, we... And, uh, I tell you, uh, Tyler Harper, Commissioner Harper, putting all that together and having them here was a big day for me and a big day for many of us in, in ag.

4. 0:21:41

   And, uh, a lot of good things are happening. Uh, we got a lot of challenges, uh, agriculture in this state, no doubt about it. But, uh, we got some folks, uh, out there in Washington, uh, and across the state really trying to move the needle, help with policy and, and budgets. And I just really appreciate the attention, uh, we're receiving from, uh, Secretary Rollins, uh, coming to Georgia, I think for the third time, uh, in her short tenure as, uh, Ag Secretary. So, um, appreciate all that's going on.

5. 0:22:13

   Um, um, Chairman, um, Chairman Watson says he's got to, uh, get to, uh, Senate Appropriations. You got a really great, uh, House budget that just came over, so I'm sure you don't have, uh, very many changes to it. And, uh, so I don't want you to miss, uh, going away and checking off on some things we did. So, um, SB551, um, uh, Sam, so if, uh...

6. 0:22:45

   Talk to us a little bit about this. This is just gonna be a hear, and we'll hear this twice, come back next week if we can, and, uh, try to move it. Pretty straightforward bill, though. Um- Uh, the, Mike Short. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Uh, this is, uh, Senate Bill 551, uh, LC60-0316. Um, and for those of you that don't know, we have a candling, egg candling law in the State of Georgia. Um, so under current Georgia law, if you want to, uh, sell your eggs from your chicken coop in your backyard, you have to obtain a candling license from the State of Georgia.

7. 0:23:23

   The Department of Agriculture has to offer this candling license free of charge, and, uh, they have to offer it, they, they're currently offering it e- every month. Of course, uh, when they do this class they have to have good eggs, they have to have bad eggs, and, and they're not compensated for any of this. Uh, but the bigger part of this is, uh, egg candling is not a food safety issue. It is a grading of the egg issue. So, um, we found out about this, and obviously this is, uh, an act that was put into law a really, really long time ago.

8. 0:23:57

   And, uh, things have changed, and so, um, we're just trying to allow consumers, uh, and folks at home that wanna sell their eggs to local markets across the state, and not have to just give them all to the church or give them all to their neighbors. Um, they can now, you know, come to a local farmer's market and sell them, and not have to have the burden of trying to figure out when and where they can get a, a egg candling license. Um, so we're just repealing the egg candling license in the State of Georgia so that consumers can purchase eggs directly, uh, from folks, uh, that wanna do this at home in their spare time and on the weekends, or just retired and like to have chickens running around in their backyard.

9. 0:24:38

   So, um, in the Senate we called it, uh, red tape rollback and, uh, freedom. So, um, that's what the bill does, Mr. Chairman. I'll be glad to take any questions. Uh, and also we'll say anybody that, that, that is producing more than five cases a week, um, they fall under the Food, uh, Safety Act of the State of Georgia. So that's kind of the threshold of where this would apply. And, and I feel certain that we're not, we're not after those folks. They're, they're doing business different ways. We're after the folks that in the backyard-type flock situation that just wanna sell them locally and, and they're selling them to people they know, and obviously have a lot of repeat, uh, customers.

10. 0:25:18

    So again, that's what the bill does. I'd be glad to take any questions. Thank you. Uh, we do have a couple questions. Uh, Representative Cameron, right in front. Good morning, Mr. Chairman. Uh, good morning, uh, Senator. This is a great bill. I've been engaging the, uh, the Department of Agriculture probably for six to eight months on this, because I have a lot of small farmers in Walker, Dade County, and even Catoosa County, which is out of my district, and there's farmer's markets. And a lot of people like to raise a few dozen eggs and take them to the farmer's market on Saturday morning.

11. 0:25:50

    And, uh, I think this is a great bill, and I fully support what you're doing. And I thank you for doing it. Thank you. Appreciate it. Representative Dunahoo

12. 0:25:58

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Senator, thank you for bringing this bill. We, uh... I notice there's no charge on it, so I do like that. But, uh, me and my wife candles, and every once in a while you'll be surprised what you find when you're candling. But, uh, we sell not a lot, about 10 to 12 dozen a week, but we have people continuously wanting them when the chickens don't wanna cooperate. But thank you for bringing it, and thank you for not putting a charge on it. Rep- uh, Chairman Leverett.

13. 0:26:29

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman. So, what, w- would you still... I mean, will there still be people who use candling? I mean, you would still do it for grading of eggs, I guess. Yes. If I was, uh, doing this on a regular basis, that, you know, that's part of your, uh, quality control as a producer of eggs, um, I would think, you know, folks would, would wanna do that. But they just won't have to have the license from the State of Georgia. So I think what's happening in areas is folks are trying to, to sell them on that local farmer's market, and the Department of Agriculture is, is finding them and telling them to leave because they don't have a candling license.

14. 0:27:05

    And then they try to find out when they can get a candling license, and it may be several months before they can get a candling license in their area. Um, and so it's just a burden, you know, on the, the producers, a burden on the department, and so we're just trying to, to solve that. But, uh, that would be a, uh, something I would... If I was in that, you know, I would be candling on my own, just not without a, you know, license. So you wouldn't have to get a license anymore. I know one of my l- technical schools was interested in teaching that because a lot of people wanted to learn it- Wanted to learn it ...

15. 0:27:37

    and, and there was a bit of a backlog. So, so in other words, we're not really doing away with it, we're just doing away with the whole involvement of the Department of Ag and having to license and spend all that, all that time and resources on it. That's correct. Okay. Thank you. Representative Stinson. Um, thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you, Senator Watson, for your work on this bill. But I'm just curious to know, um, you've mentioned that this has been around for a long time. Did some- What, what happened to cause this legislation now? I'm just curious to know.

16. 0:28:07

    But I appreciate your work on the bill. Uh, honestly, we, um, um, we opened up a small retail store to sell our, our produce, um, back home, to get them away from the, the packing shed, and, and, uh, obviously we do direct-to-consumer beef. And so we opened up a retail store, and everything we sell in our store is 100% Georgia grown. We try to find all the, the, the Georgia grown product we, that we can. And so, obviously with produce and beef and milk and cheese and all that stuff, folks started asking about eggs.

17. 0:28:38

    And so we started checking into it, and we found out that we needed to have a candling license. And so then we, we went to the department to, you know, try to see how to do all of that and, and obviously one thing led to another, and we realized all of this was, was going on. And then we started hearing more, more complaints, and the department had obviously been having trouble because it's a, a burden to them because, you know, it's, it's a free, free class that they teach. Um, and so it's just been... It was difficult for everybody all the way around. So that's kinda actually how it came about, so, uh, but anyway.

18. 0:29:10

    Senator- But we'll take, uh- ... thank you ... one more question. Thank you. Representative Taylor. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. And that, I think I'm, excuse me, bouncing off of my colleague. What was the purpose of implementing the candling license in the beginning? Oh, gosh, I don't know. It's a, it's a very, very old, uh, law. Um, and again, it's a, it's a grading issue. So I mean, I guess, uh, a long time ago, and even today, if you candle eggs, you're just checking to see if the egg's fertilized or not and, and if it's a good egg, bad egg. And, and so that's just really the whole purpose of it.

19. 0:29:43

    Um, but it's been around forever, and I think they... I don't, you know, I was just reading about it a little bit, but I think it's called candling because when they originally did it, they did it with a candle, and that was the only way they had to, to shine the light up into the egg so that you could see inside the shell. Um, and that's why it's called candling. So that's how long ago it's been go- ... it's been going on. So yes, so it is an age-old art. So we are assuming that these, those who are doing, raising the eggs and, and with the chickens are just gonna automatically do that, that, that process of grading.

20. 0:30:14

    Uh, that's, it's gonna be a quality control issue for the, for the folks at home that wanna do this. Obviously- Yes ... if you're a large scale, five cases or more a week- Right ... you're, you're, you're gonna apply to the, the food, state food safety laws. They're in a different category, and so they do things different at that level. Okay. Thank you. Very interesting history. Thank you. Chairman Meeks. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Is this a proper time I'd, uh, make a motion to pass? Um, I, I think this would be a proper time. I was planning on, uh, holding this bill over, but I think, uh- I think we're all g- uh, short on time.

21. 0:30:45

    And, um, uh, if it's okay with, uh, uh, with Chairman Watson, I think, uh, we'll move this bill if it's the will of the committee. I think I hear- heard a second. Uh, any other discussion or questions? We got-

22. 0:31:04

    Chairman Corbett. I do, I do have one, one comment or one, one question for, for the author. And I know it's, it's, it has plagued this committee and many others throughout history. Uh, and, and he seems to be, uh, you know, Chairman Watson seem very knowledgeable on this egg issue. Can he tell us which came first, the chicken or the egg?

23. 0:31:24

    Uh, well, I mean, uh-

24. 0:31:31

    I'm gon- I, I mean, I'm gonna say the, the, uh, the, the chicken. Um- But I don't, I don't know. I hadn't, I hadn't done that, uh, that, uh, much research on it, Mr. Chairman. I wasn't really concerned about that question, but- Well, maybe, maybe he needs to come back next meeting and have the answer for us. Yeah. Yeah.

25. 0:31:53

    Any other questions, uh, for the author of the bill? Uh, hearing none, I'll call for a vote. All in favor say, "Aye."

26. 0:32:02

    Any opposed? Hearing none, uh, bill passes as LC60, um, 0316, uh, Senate Bill 551.

27. 0:32:15

    All right. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

28. 0:32:17

    On to, uh, House Rules.

29. 0:32:19

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman, members of the committee.

30. 0:32:20

    You're welcome. All right. Next, um, got my great friend who's, uh, Chairman Goodman from over in the Senate. The dynamic duo of peaches and blueberries.

31. 0:32:35

    Got my blueberry juice.

32. 0:32:36

    Yeah, and I, and I wore my blueberry tie this morning, and, uh- Blueberry ... and, uh, so, uh, hope this is a good bill.

33. 0:32:44

    Well, you, you are-

34. 0:32:45

    I don't know

35. 0:32:46

    ... a friend of everything, Mr. Chairman. It's, but b- but if anything-

36. 0:32:48

    I don't know if you're gonna have as good of luck as Chairman Watson this morning.

37. 0:32:51

    Well, I was thinking perhaps we need to add the, the question of, uh, where- whether or not it was the chicken or the egg that came first. Maybe we need to add that to our joint House and Senate study committee. I don't know but-

38. 0:33:01

    That would, that would be something good to study.

39. 0:33:04

    No, uh, thank you for allowing me to bring this bill, um, Mr. Chairman. You and I, I, I think they came and talked to, to both you and I about this. Um, one, uh, we got to see so many friends up here. Uh, all this bill does is, um, the Georgia Development Authority, which is in Monroe, Georgia, um, obviously is an entity that was set up, um, around 1954, '55, um, when there were funds that were left over from the New Deal, the Rural Rea- Rural Rea- Rehabilitation Act.

40. 0:33:36

    And the federal government, um, said that they would, uh, refun- they would return those funds to the state if the state would set up a appropriate entity to be able to administer those funds. And so at the time, they set it up as the Georgia Livestock Development Authority, and that rocked along to about 1960. And in 1960, the legislature, um, decided that they wanted to allow the, uh, this entity to start doing, uh, loans for, uh, infrastructure in communities. Well, so this is kind of a mistake that we're correcting that is 66 years old, but they changed the name.

41. 0:34:09

    They took the, the, the agricultural connotation out of it and changed it to the Georgia Development Authority. Well, they didn't realize that they a- there was already an entity set up for, for doing that, which is what GDFA is today. And so, uh, the Georgia Development Authority came to myself and, and, uh, Chairman Dickey, and they asked us to put the agriculture back in the name because they're getting calls from mayors and county commissioners trying to borrow money to do infrastructure projects, and that's simply all this bill is.

42. 0:34:38

    Great explanation. Uh, anything with agriculture in it, I'm all for.

43. 0:34:43

    I am too, Mr. Chairman.

44. 0:34:45

    Um, any questions from the committee? Wow, no questions.

45. 0:34:52

    I just wanna, I-

46. 0:34:52

    Well-

47. 0:34:52

    ... I just hope that the members of your committee will vote to correct this great travesty- ... that was done 66 years ago.

48. 0:34:59

    It's not every day the wrong is righted. Uh, Representative Cox.

49. 0:35:03

    Proper time, I'd like to make a motion.

50. 0:35:05

    That would be a good time, uh, as got a motion, got a s- second. Any other discussion? Hearing none, all in favor, signify it by saying aye.

51. 0:35:17

    Aye.

52. 0:35:18

    Opposed? Hearing none, uh, Senate Bill f- 435, LC600242 passes on to Rules.

53. 0:35:29

    Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and I, I believe you're gonna carry it in your chamber, aren't you?

54. 0:35:33

    Oh, I'd be honored to.

55. 0:35:34

    Well, I'd be grateful for you, friend.

56. 0:35:37

    Um, and then good luck with, uh, the other bill, the Study Committee bill.

57. 0:35:41

    Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

58. 0:35:42

    Uh, we will s- stop it-

59. 0:35:43

    We'll see where it goes. It, it, it truly makes no difference to me if it-

60. 0:35:46

    We, we might try to put it back in this committee so at least- We, we got a pretty good record of passing things in this committee. I don't know about, uh, special rules, but, uh, we're-

61. 0:35:54

    Well, maybe you can get it put in here, but it, it doesn't matter to me if it has a S or an H in front of it, as long as we get it passed.

62. 0:36:00

    That's correct.

63. 0:36:01

    Yeah.

64. 0:36:03

    Anybody got a- I do. I have two things. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I wanna make sure that the bills go that smooth in the Senate.

65. 0:36:10

    Oh, that's right.

66. 0:36:10

    That would be nice. And the second part is we know that the chicken came and the rooster came second.

67. 0:36:18

    I'm glad that you have clarified that. That is, uh-

68. 0:36:21

    Make sure you join us for dinner.

69. 0:36:23

    I would not.

70. 0:36:24

    So then you remember my mom said you were coming.

71. 0:36:26

    Okay.

72. 0:36:26

    I will. I will. Good deal. Thanks.

73. 0:36:28

    Where's it at?

74. 0:36:29

    Um.

75. 0:36:41

    Okay, uh, we got one more piece of business. Uh, we'd planned on, uh, hearing SB33 this morning, and it is still a process, uh, in the works, um, some changes, uh, uh, that's our Senator Kilpatrick's, uh, hemp bill. Um, so be on the lookout for that, uh, at our next meeting, uh, for discussion. Um, I was notified by the Georgia Seed Development, uh, Commission, uh, that they have a vacancy, uh, on that, um, board.

76. 0:37:13

    And, uh, we're needing, um, an appointment from this committee, um, and, um, looking for a replacement. Um, Chairman Meeks, would you say a word or two about, um, Georgia Seed Development?

77. 0:37:28

    Yes, sir. Absolutely, Mr. Chairman. Uh, for members of the committee, uh, many of you may be aware of the Georgia Seed Development Commission. It is the organization that is responsible for overseeing the plant material, uh, production, uh, in Georgia. Uh, it's nonprofit, self-sustaining. Uh, years ago, the General Assembly, when it was created, really designated the Georgia Development, uh, s- Georgia Seed Commission as the recipient of the breeder material, uh, coming from UGA. Um, so it is, uh, it's a great organization that really helps move along the, um, the new varieties that are coming through, either from turf grass, uh, I mean, the, the host of seed that are p- that are, uh, um, that are researched there at University of Georgia and, uh, to help move that on to production.

78. 0:38:13

    So, you know, they take the seed, uh, that is, uh, that's harvested from t- from, uh, uh, uh, Research plots and move that foundation seed along, uh, to bring it on to, uh, to the market for producers. So that's what the, uh, uh, the development, the Seed Development Commission does, Mr. Chairman. If there's any questions, I'm happy to, to try to answer them.

79. 0:38:34

    Um, thank you for that. And, uh, Vice Chair, um, um, Campbell, uh, provided, uh, a name, I think the resumes are in your packet, of, uh, Bill Bullard. You wanna say a word or two about, uh, Bill?

80. 0:38:49

    Yeah. Well, I've, I've known Bill a long time, and, uh, he-

81. 0:38:52

    He's a great guy

82. 0:38:53

    ... very, uh, been in the peanut business, in the seed business. I'm sorry. Can you just, like, pull it close?

83. 0:38:59

    Yeah, push it.

84. 0:39:01

    Oh, okay. Uh, I've known Bill a long time. Just a few things. You- you've got the write-up on him, what we do on the, up here. Just a few things on that, that he's, uh, was in the peanut business for 40 years. He, he ran the seed program for Bert's Own for 29 years. Uh, he- he's farmed, he's, uh, farmed the family farm all through the years, and you'll see listed a whole, whole lot of organizations that he's been on their board and all, very heavily in the seed business, and just an excellent, excellent guy.

85. 0:39:33

    And, uh, we recommended that we, we put him in this spot in the Georgia Seed, uh, to, uh, Georgia Seed Development.

86. 0:39:43

    Uh, are there any, uh, other nominations anybody, uh, would, would maybe, um, wanna do? I'm sorry I'm kinda springing this on y'all, but, um, Representative Reese.

87. 0:39:54

    Mr. Chairman, quick question. Um, i- in the bio it says Mitchell County. Is that Mitchell County, Georgia?

88. 0:39:58

    Yeah.

89. 0:39:59

    It is? Okay. So, so he's farming here in our state?

90. 0:40:02

    Yeah.

91. 0:40:02

    'Cause I see he has some very impressive credentials-

92. 0:40:05

    Yeah

93. 0:40:05

    ... um, throughout the southeast, Alabama, Florida, working with the region-

94. 0:40:08

    That's right

95. 0:40:09

    ... which is important for Southwest Georgia because it's anchored right there by Florida and Alabama, so you have to have those relationships across the Chattahoochee and across the state line. So thank you for the recommendation. Seems strong to me.

96. 0:40:21

    Okay. Thank you.

97. 0:40:21

    And i- if it's o- if, if it needs to come from our committee, I'll move it, Mr. Chairman.

98. 0:40:26

    Okay. Thank you, Representative. I've got a motion. Any other discussion about, uh, Mr. Bullard? Um, hearing none, um, all in favor of recommending, uh, Bill Bullard, or nominating Bill Bullard, uh, would you say aye?

99. 0:40:40

    Aye.

100. 0:40:41

     Opposed? Um, that will be our, um, appointment. Um, that is just about all we have to do. As many on this committee know, we had a great, uh, House-Senate ... Uh, I meant to do this before Chairman Goodman left. Um, had a great, um, ag show off, uh, team, livestock team at the, uh, fairgrounds this year. We did not win the trophy. The Senate, uh, won it for the third straight year, but we did have Representative Reese won the, uh, grand champion, first place with it, although our team did not come in first.

101. 0:41:20

     And, um, Angie O'Steen was on that, uh, thing. I was gonna do a little presentation in the House tomorrow, but I'll put that off until she gets back. Uh, but she was part of our team. Uh, who else? Chas Cannon was on that team. Uh, who else? Um, somebody else.

102. 0:41:42

     Bethany Ballard.

103. 0:41:43

     Bethany Ballard. So, um, anyway, um, we're gonna c- we're gonna try to have the trophy and do a little something for, uh, Representative Reese, uh, about, uh, about that. Um, R- Representative Huddleston.

104. 0:41:59

     Thanks, Mr. Chairman. I'd like to make an announcement if that's okay. Uh, help spread the word, tomorrow morning is gonna be the Georgia Cattlemen's Association Biscuit Day. I think we're gonna have to kinda battle some wet weather, but we are gonna be on Mitchell Street as we normally are, but we also got Room 216, uh, for, like I said, coming in. So just help spread the word, being that today's a committee day, and like I said, everybody's looking forward to coming up and visiting tomorrow, so we look forward to having you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

105. 0:42:27

     Chairman Corbett.

106. 0:42:29

     Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Announcement as well, the Rural Caucus will be meeting at lunch today. Uh, you have any bills you'd like to come discuss that's in your committee, uh, come, come talk to us. Come have lunch with us. Thank you.

107. 0:42:41

     Uh, are there any other announcements or statements from the committee? Anybody got anything? Well, thank y'all, uh, for being here this morning. Thank y'all for those two bills. And, uh, be on the lookout for another committee meeting, uh, next week. So y'all have a great day. Thank you.