On May 4-5, the National Agricultural Law Center (NALC) is hosting its inaugural Western Agricultural & Environmental Law Conference at the Peppermill Resort Spa Casino in Reno. The program is designed for attorneys and non-attorney agricultural professionals (i.e., lobbyists/government affairs, policymakers, farm managers and rural appraisers, lenders, students) who work in the agricultural industry western states. The program is approved for 14 hours of CLE (including 2 Ethics) as well as 14 hours of CE by the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. The May 4-5 program will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person. Three hours of free online CLE/CE will be available as part of the “Early Bird special” for those who register by April 18.  

Presenters include Christine Birdsong, Undersecretary, California Department of Food and Agriculture (keynote, moderated by Sara Wyant, Founder and Editor, Agri-Pulse Communications); Therese Ure Stix, Managing Attorney & Shareholder, Schroeder Law Offices, P.C. (Reno); Karen Budd-Falen, Senior Partner, Budd-Falen Law Offices L.L.C.; and Dennis Nuxoll, Vice-President, Federal Government Affairs, Western Growers. Sessions topics include the Endangered Species Act for lenders, landowners, and lawyers; legal and political update on the Colorado River Basin; foreign ownership of agricultural land; advising farmers, landowners, and lenders regarding Waters of the United States; and states’ approaches to dividing groundwaters. 

The NALC is headquartered in Fayetteville, Arkansas and serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information. The NALC is a key ally and resource to the nation’s agricultural community, including the Nevada Farm Bureau and other states’ farm bureaus, producers of all commodities, agribusinesses, legislators, departments of agriculture, federal and state policymakers, commodity and trade organizations, farm managers and rural appraisers, students, attorneys, and many others. The American Farm Bureau Federation, Nevada Farm Bureau, Colorado Farm Bureau, and California Farm Bureau are among the sponsors of this event. All net proceeds from the conference will be dedicated to supporting partnerships and outreach in the western states, specifically including the Western Resources Legal Center. 

The inaugural conference is part the NALC’s high priority effort to expand its partnerships and outreach to agricultural industry stakeholders in the Western states.  In addition to the conference, the NALC has established the Western Ag Industry Advisory Board. For questions about the conference, contact NALC Director Harrison Pittman at [email protected].

March 20^th is the deadline for introductions of legislation by Legislators.  At this writing we have not come across any new introductions of bills in the Nevada Assembly which we’ve added to the list of bills we are monitoring in that body. 

Since our last report of new legislation, these bills of interest to Nevada Farm Bureau have been added to the list of Senate Bills:

SB 244 Is proposed by Senator Julie Pazina of Las Vegas and if enacted would provide $1.5 million in each year of the next biennium for the cost of creating and maintaining programs for school gardens.  Based on the language of the bill, the program would be a very comprehensive program that would incorporate various elements of subject matter with hands-on applications for the operation of growing and selling food products raised in a school garden.  The measure has been sent to the Senate Finance Committee for consideration.

SB 258 Is another of the number of water bills which has been introduced this session.  This bill is proposed by Senator James Ohrenschall of Las Vegas and seeks to establish a longer-term temporary permit process as well as creating a domestic well program that would limit the amount of water from such a well at a half an acre foot of water per year.  The “conservation” domestic well would also include a requirement for a meter to be connected to the well.  There is already a program, under state law, where in the event of a curtailment of water rights in a groundwater basin that domestic wells would be allowed to continue to pump with the half-acre limit and a meter requirement.  This bill has been sent to the Senate Natural Resources Committee for attention.

SB 259 Senator Marilyn Dondero Loop of Las Vegas has introduced this bill with a number of other Senators.  It proposes to authorize certain wineries to sell wine at one other location other than its premises.  Basically, the bill removes a limitation set forth in existing law restricting the amount of wine sold by such a winery at a location other than on its premises to not more than 50 percent of the total volume of wine sold by the winery.  It has been submitted to the Senate Commerce and Labor Committee for action.

SJR 6 Proposes to amend the Nevada Constitution to provide for annual legislative sessions.  It is sponsored by Senator Pat Spearman of North Las Vegas.  If the Resolution is passed in this session and the session to be held in 2025, it would go to the voters for their consideration.  Based on the language of the proposal, the Legislature would meet for 90 days on odd-numbered years, starting the first Monday of February.  This session would be considered as the budget year.  The even-numbered years would have a 60-day session, also starting on the first Monday of February.

Nevada’s Cooperative Extension has launched their 2023 certification program for beginning farmers and ranchers.  The five-week course got underway on March 15^th with a Zoom session which provided an overview of small acreage production including identifying a producer’s resources, understanding their jurisdictions, and setting goals.  Going forward, this is the schedule for dates and details to be covered:

March 22, 2023 – 6 to 8 p.m. Course 2 via Zoom: Understanding crops and soil will focus on plant needs and considerations in determining the best plants for your land space. This will include an overview of water, how plants grow, nutrients and day length requirements, different crop requirements, and soil basics. 

March 29, 2023 – 6 to 8 p.m. Course 3 via Zoom: Understanding livestock production will focus on livestock needs and requirements to include the Quality Assurance Program, animal health considerations, and meat vs other animal products (eggs, wool, dairy, and bees, honey, and wax).  

April 5, 2023 – 6 to 8 p.m. Course 4 via Zoom: Investigate the different small acreage markets from specialty crops to hay and livestock, and how to market your products. Options that will be discussed include farmstands, direct market, sale yards, the NV Grow Program, social media, and USDA vs. Custom Exempt.  

April 12, 2023 – 6 to 8 p.m. Course 5 via Zoom: Farm Financial Management in the Twenty-First Century will focus on financially building your farm, building business skills and assets, estate planning, and balance and cash flow basics. UNR students will provide financial analysis of different agricultural ventures.

For more information on the program, contact Staci Emm, Extension educator for Mineral County, at [email protected] or 775-475-4227; Lindsay Chichester, Extension educator for Douglas County at [email protected] or 775-782-9960; Kaley Chapin, outreach specialist, at [email protected] or 702-467-2668; or Jamie Lee, program officer, at [email protected] or 775-426-8299.