BILL ANALYSIS
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Sale of organic food in the US reached $20 Billion in 2005 and represents the largest growing food segment with a 23% yearly growth from 1990-2002. Almost 30% of the US population currently buys organic foods. Texas has an opportunity to capitalize on this growing market by making the state a more attractive place to produce organic food.
The purpose of C.S.H.B. 2345 is to create the Texas Organic Agricultural Industry Advisory Board that is to be appointed by the Texas Commissioner of Agriculture.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
C.S.H.B. 2345 gives the Commissioner of Agriculture the ability to create the Texas Organic Agricultural Industry Advisory Board. The board will consist of 13 members, with the majority representing the organic agriculture industry in various ways. The bill also asks that aside from those members, one member be from the Texas Cooperative Extension, one be from the Department and one member be from the public. The Commissioner will establish the terms of these board members.
C.S.H.B. 2345 sets in place that Section 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the size, composition, or duration of the board and that the service on the board by a state officer or employee is an additional duty of the member’s office or employment and that members of the board are not entitled to compensation.
C.S.H.B. 2345 also set in place the powers and duties of the board, establishes the frequency of meetings of the board, and provides that the board is administratively attached to the department and that the department will provide the board with staff necessary to carry out its duties.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2007
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
C.S.H.B. 2345 adds two members to the Texas Organic Agricultural Industry Advisory Board to make it a 13 member board, where as the original bill had a membership of 11 on the Board.
The substitute states that one member must represent the Texas Cooperative Extension and the other a technical advisor from an academic setting in the field of organic agriculture products or sustainable agriculture; or someone who has technical expertise in soil biology horticulture, or organic farming systems.