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ArkansasSB362026 Fiscal SessionSenateWALLET

AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2026-2027 FISCAL YEAR.

Sponsored By: Joint Budget Committee

Enacted

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

12 provisions identified: 12 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Scholarship funding for agriculture career students

For July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, the law provides $970,000 for agriculture internships and scholarships. It also provides $40,000 for Foresters for the Future scholarships and $30,000 for rural veterinary student scholarships. The veterinary scholarships are part of a $168,238 Veterinary Medicine budget covering staff, operations, and scholarships. Each program uses its named scholarship or Veterinary Examiners fund. These provisions do not set student award amounts or eligibility rules.

Funding for forestry and fire control

For July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, the law authorizes about $16.74 million from the State Forestry Fund. It supports forestry operations, grants, office replacement, forest planning, federal initiatives, landowner outreach, and planting aid. Another $3.75 million from the State Forestry Trust Fund covers operations, fire control, communications, and contracted help. The Registered Foresters program gets $46,393 in cash funds for staff and operations. These budgets do not set direct household payments.

Funding supports county fairs and livestock shows

For July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, the Agri Fair Fund provides about $1.66 million for fairs. About $1.10 million of that total goes to county fairs. The budget also supports named state, district, and regional fairs and livestock shows, along with staff and operations. It does not establish direct household payments.

Funding tackles farm pests and pesticides

For July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, Plant Board administration and pest control gets about $11.75 million. This Plant Board Fund budget includes $1 million for pest eradication and $394,140 for planning, education, and outreach grants. A dedicated disposal trust fund provides $1.5 million for abandoned agricultural pesticide and plant regulator disposal operations. The Feral Hog Eradication Fund provides $200,000 for efforts to eliminate feral hogs. These budgets support program work without setting direct household payments.

Grants and loans for rural firefighting

For July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, the law authorizes about $1.70 million in federal rural fire protection funding. This includes $822,563 in matching grants to buy firefighting equipment. It also authorizes $1.2 million from the Rural Fire Protection Revolving Fund for community fire protection loans. Another $70,000 in state funding covers Rural Fire Protection Program operations. The provisions do not set loan terms or individual grant limits, and they do not provide household payments.

Grants support forests and community trees

For July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, Forest Legacy gets about $7.63 million in designated federal funds. It covers operations, grants, the White River Headwaters Project, and Forest Legacy Program work. Federal funds also provide $230,000 for Southern Pine Beetle prevention grants and $40,000 for forestry pollution-control program operations. The State Forestry Fund provides about $2.07 million for urban forestry, including $82,000 in matching aid and $1.875 million for community forestry. These provisions do not set individual grant amounts.

Funding for meat inspections and grading

For July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, meat inspection gets $606,083 from the State Meat Inspection Program Fund. Another state account provides $250,000 for meat inspection staff and operations, bringing the total to $856,083. Poultry and egg grading gets about $4.69 million from its dedicated fund. That budget includes $64,500 for egg promotion. The funding supports inspection and grading services, not direct household payments.

Agriculture agency operations and watershed funding

For July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, shared services gets about $10.12 million from a state-designated account. This includes $60,000 for promotional items. Department operations gets about $16.16 million from the Department of Agriculture Fund Account, including $5,000 for boll weevil work. Another $402,682 in treasury cash funds supports operations, promotional items, and Buffalo River watershed work, including $160,682 for watershed grants and projects. These budgets fund agency services and projects, not direct household payments.

Committed water grants carry forward

Beginning July 1, 2026, the Chief Fiscal Officer must move committed state water, sewer, and solid waste funds into their revolving fund at year-end. The officer must also allow committed, certified water quality matching grants and Water Quality Technician grants to carry forward. Before June 30, 2027, the Natural Resources Commission must explain each carryforward need in writing to the state budget office. Amounts and supporting information must be reported to the Legislative Council or Joint Budget Committee. These authorities apply through June 30, 2027, and specify no additional funding amount.

Funding protects farm animal health

For July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, animal disease control gets about $1.18 million from its disease-control fund. Agricultural laboratory testing gets about $2.45 million from the Animal Health Special Revenue Fund. The equine infectious anemia program gets $439,157 from its dedicated fund. Designated federal funds provide another $688,499 for Animal Health staff and operations. These appropriations support program services, not direct payments to farmers or households.

Funding supports grain, bee, hemp oversight

For July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, the Plant Board Fund provides $348,064 for public grain warehouse inspections. It also provides $208,116 for the bee program. The Industrial Hemp Program Fund provides $99,500 for hemp program staff and operations. Another $50,500 in cash funds covers Plant Board operations, treasury transfers, and refunds, including $50,000 for refunds and reimbursements. This funding does not create a household refund right or direct payments to hemp businesses.

Marketing grants support agricultural producers

For July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027, the law authorizes about $4.51 million in designated federal agriculture marketing funds. The budget includes $854,899 for product marketing grants and aid and $5,000 for promotional items. It supports the Agricultural Product Marketing Program rather than direct household payments. The provision does not set individual grant amounts.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Joint Budget Committee

    Affiliation unavailable

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 127 • No: 1

House vote • 4/27/2026

House Vote - Monday, April 27, 2026 3:41:26 PM

Yes: 94 • No: 1

Senate vote • 4/23/2026

Senate Vote - Thursday, April 23, 2026 12:21:05 PM

Yes: 33 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Notification that SB36 is now Act 135

    4/29/2026Senate

  2. DELIVERED TO GOVERNOR.

    4/28/2026Senate

  3. Reported correctly enrolled and ordered delivered to the Governor.

    4/28/2026Senate

  4. ORDERED ENROLLED

    4/27/2026Senate

  5. Returned from the House as passed.

    4/27/2026Senate

  6. Returned To Senate as Passed.

    4/27/2026House

  7. EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED

    4/27/2026House

  8. Read the third time and passed and ordered transmitted to the Senate.

    4/27/2026House

  9. Considered in the Committee of the Whole, and recommended do pass.

    4/27/2026House

  10. RULES SUSPENDED

    4/27/2026House

  11. Read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and placed on the CALENDAR.

    4/23/2026House

  12. RECEIVED FROM THE SENATE

    4/23/2026House

  13. Ordered Immediately transmitted to the House.

    4/23/2026Senate

  14. EMERGENCY CLAUSE ADOPTED

    4/23/2026Senate

  15. Read the third time and passed.

    4/23/2026Senate

  16. Rules suspended.

    4/23/2026Senate

  17. Returned by the Committee, with the recommendation that it Do Pass

    4/23/2026Senate

  18. Re-referred to JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

    4/21/2026Senate

  19. REPORTED CORRECTLY ENGROSSED

    4/21/2026Senate

  20. Amendment # 1 read the first time, rules suspended, read the second time and adopted, ordered engrossed.

    4/21/2026Senate

  21. Withdrawn from Committee and placed on 2nd reading for purpose of amendment # 1

    4/21/2026Senate

  22. Read first time, rules suspended, read second time, referred to JOINT BUDGET COMMITTEE

    4/8/2026Senate

  23. Filed

    4/1/2026Senate

Bill Text

  • SB36 - Introduced

    4/1/2026

    PDF

  • Act Version

    PDF

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