The Senate Agriculture and Rural Development Committee has approved two bills to be reported to the full Senate with the recommendation that they pass.
HB 2453 would expand the list of persons the Commissioner of Agriculture may license to grow or cultivate industrial hemp.
Committee counsel said the Department of Agriculture has approved of the bill.
The bill will be referred to Senate Government Organization once reported to the floor.
HB 2552 would increase the pet food registration fee and direct that the additional money be deposited into the West Virginia Spay Neuter Assistance Fund.
The Fund has not received any regular funding since its creation, and the bill is expected to bring nearly $90,000 into the Fund.
Theresa Bruner of the Federation of Humane Organizations in WV discussed the organization’s support for the bill.
Bruner said the dog food industry would be able to afford the fee raise due to its rapid financial growth over the past few years.
Attorney Mark Harman said the pet food industry is “adamantly opposed” to the bill and that he believed there were better ways to raise the money for the Fund rather than targeting one industry.
Senator Charles Clements, R-Wetzel, amended the bill to decrease the pet food registration fees to $50 and $35, instead of $100 and $70.
The bill will be referred to Senate Finance once reported to the floor.
