After several days of debate, senators advanced a bill from general file March 11 that would increase the checkoff levied on dry beans.<\/p>\n
The current checkoff rate on dry beans is 10 cents per 100 pounds of beans, which was set in 1987. LB242, introduced by Gering Sen. John Stinner, would increase the checkoff to 15 cents beginning Aug. 1, 2015, and authorize the Dry Bean Commission to adjust the checkoff to a maximum of 24 cents.<\/p>\n
Stinner said the increase would further research and promotion efforts by the commission.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe checkoff was developed to help the commission in research, education, marketing and promotion efforts designed to expand the value of dry beans,\u201d he said. \u201cThe assessment should be increased to offset the declining purchasing power of the existing checkoff.\u201d<\/p>\n
LB242 also would repeal a provision that allows dry bean producers to apply for a refund of their checkoff paid within 30 days of the sale of dry beans.<\/p>\n
An Agriculture Committee amendment, which failed on a 19-18 vote, would have reduced the amount of checkoff revenue the commission could spend on federal lobbying from 25 to 15 percent and reinstated the refund provision removed from the original bill.<\/p>\n
O\u2019Neill Sen. Tyson Larson supported the amendment.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we have appointed boards where people don\u2019t have the option to vote [for or against] those members, it\u2019s important that producers who may or may not agree with what the board is doing have a way to voice their dissent,\u201d he said. \u201cThe only real way to do that is through the refund provision.\u201d<\/p>\n
Venango Sen. Dan Hughes supported the bill but opposed the amendment, saying that members of the commission understand that they are accountable to dry bean producers.<\/p>\n
\u201c[LB242] provides the commission a much better opportunity to budget and plan so they\u2019ll know how much money they\u2019ll have to work with,\u201d he said. \u201cIf any board is going to spend up to 25 percent of their budget on any given thing, it\u2019s going to be important. We need to give them that flexibility.\u201d<\/p>\n
Upon the failure of the committee amendment, Larson introduced a series of amendments and motions to delay a vote on the bill. None were adopted.<\/p>\n
On March 11, Stinner introduced an amendment, adopted 44-0, which contained only the lobbying adjustment from 25 to 15 percent of revenue.<\/p>\n
Wahoo Sen. Jerry Johnson supported the Stinner amendment.<\/p>\n
\u201cI believe this is a great compromise made by the representatives that support the Dry Bean Commission,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Senators advanced the bill to select file on a 37-1 vote.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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