HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE
REP. JULIE ALEXANDER
CHAIR
COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES
Tuesday, June 23,
2020
8:15
AM
Room 352, House Appropriations, State Capitol
Building
The House Committee on Agriculture was meeting jointly with the House Committee on
Commerce and Tourism.
The House Committee on Commerce and Tourism was called to order by Representative
Marino.
The House Committee on Agriculture was called to order by the Chair Alexander.
The Chair requested attendance be called:
Present: Reps. Alexander, Mueller, LaFave, Hoitenga, Eisen, Wendzel, Elder, Coleman,
Garza, Witwer.
Absent: Rep. Cynthia Johnson.
Excused: Rep. Cynthia Johnson.
Chair Alexander laid the following before the committee:
The COVID-19 Impact on Michigan Food and Beverage.
Amy Drumm, representing the Michigan Retailers Association, and Sean Kennedy,
representing Country Market and Polly's Country Market, provided testimony on the
COVID-19 Impact on Michigan Retailers. Questions and discussion followed.
Kelly Turner and Kevin Storm, both representing Wather Farms, provided testimony on the
COVID-19 Impact on Michigan Potato Growers. Questions and discussion followed.
John McNamara, representing the Michigan Restraunt and Lodging Association, provided
testimony on the COVID-19 Impact on the Michigan Restaurant and Lodging Industry.
Questions and discussion followed.
Geoff Hansen, representing the Michigan Greenhouse Growers Council, and Chris Schwartz,
representing Schwartz Greenhouse, provided testimony on the COVID-19 Impact on
Michigan Greenhouse Growers. Questions and discussion followed.
Rob Anderson and Rebecca Park, both representing the Michigan Farm Bureau, provided
testimony on the COVID-19 Impact on the Michigan Agriculture Industry. Questions and
discussion followed.
Representative Marino adjourned the House Committee on Commerce and Tourism at 9:58
A.M.
Representative Eisen moved to adopt the meeting minutes from February 26, 2020. There
being no objection, the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
The Chair laid SB 850 before the committee:
SB 850
(Sen. Lauwers)
A bill to create an industrial hemp program; to
authorize certain activities involving industrial
hemp to require the registration of persons
engaged in certain activities; to provide for the
sampling and testing of industrial hemp; to
provide for the collection of fees; to create certain
funds; to provide for the powers and duties of
certain state departments and officers and state
agencies and officials; to prohibit certain acts; and
to prescribe civil sanctions.
Jill Larder, representing Senator Lauwers office, joined by Nathan Kark, Maria Tyszkiewics,
Gina Allessandri, and Craig VanBuren, all representing the Michigan Department of
Agriculture and Rural Development, testified in support of SB 850. Questions and discussion
followed.
The following people submitted a card in support of SB 850, but did not wish to speak:
Rebecca Park, representing the Michigan Farm Bureau.
Representative LaFave moved to refer Senate Bill No. 850 to the Committee on Ways and
Means. The motion prevailed 10-0-0:
FAVORABLE ROLL CALL
Yeas: Reps. Alexander, Mueller, LaFave, Hoitenga, Eisen, Wendzel, Elder, Coleman,
Garza, Witwer.
Nays: None.
Pass: None.
Representative Elder moved to excuse Representative Cynthia Johnson from the meeting.
There being no objection the motion prevailed by unanimous consent.
There being no further business before the committee, Rep. Julie Alexander adjourned the
meeting at 10:11 AM.
Representative Julie Alexander, Chair
Dakota Soda
Committee Clerk
dsoda@house.mi.gov