Testimony of Charles Fleming
Marketing Coordinator
North Dakota Department of Agriculture
Senate Bill 2357
Senate Finance and Taxation Committee
Lewis and Clark Room
February 3, 2003

Chairman Urlacher and members of the Senate Finance and Taxation Committee. I am Chuck Fleming, Marketing Coordinator for the North Dakota Department of Agriculture and I am here today on behalf of Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson in support of Senate Bill 2357.

Commissioner Johnson is in Washington DC today attending the winter meeting of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture. But he wanted me to convey to you his support for this measure.

It is quite obvious that livestock can and should play a major role in the expansion of the North Dakota economy. It is a tremendous way to market the abundance of grains and other feedstuffs we have in the state. And that includes the large amount of co-products coming from our ag processing facilities.

Yet with all the advantages, we continue to have difficulties expanding production. There are all kinds of barriers such as lifestyle choices, poor profit margins in some years, erratic markets, and the availability of nearby processing facilities. But also big on the list is the large financial outlay to start most livestock enterprises.

We need to address all the reasons that we have not expanded the livestock industry, and one by one, help remove the barriers and obstacles.

This bill is similar to the refund offered value added facilities that is now state law. Livestock production, which actually boosts our economy more than value added facilities, can certainly use the boost that this legislation will provide.

On behalf of Commissioner Johnson, I urge passage of Senate Bill 2357.