SARL Members and Alumni

Iowans flooded the Capitol Monday to oppose a pair of bills aimed at limiting the ability of governments and private organizations to purchase new land for conservation and public use. [node:read-more:link]

Legislation that proposes new restrictions to the commonwealth's open records law would make Kentucky one of only a handful of states that prevents nonresidents from obtaining public documents there, according to national experts. [node:read-more:link]

South Dakota is following the national trend when it comes to the shortage of large animal veterinarians. However, the state is also trying to be proactive in addressing the problem and that was a part of the focus of the recent James Bailey Herd Health Conference in Brookings.Farquer said he believes vet schools need to get back to finding people that grew up in rural areas and want to return there. [node:read-more:link]

Increasing demand for renewable energy in Oregon has spurred a proposal to exempt most such projects from compulsory review by a statewide siting panel. [node:read-more:link]

Senate Bill 96 increases the penalty for intentionally injuring or killing search-and-rescue dogs and horses employed by police and fire departments.43 Florida K-9s have died in duty over the years, according to Officers Down Memorial Page records.Currently, it's a third-degree felony to hurt or kill a police search-and-rescue or fire dog or horse. If SB 96 passes it would become a second-degree felony. That would possibly triple the prison time from a possible maximum of five to 15 years. [node:read-more:link]

A high-profile energy bill passed the Senate late Wednesday night after a procedural fight sparked by a Republican lawmaker’s lengthy filibuster.Sen. [node:read-more:link]

On a 36-22 margin Monday night the House rebuffed a bid by a Globe rancher to legally limit the use of the words “meat’’ and “milk’’ when offering foods for sale in the state.Republican Rep. David Cook told colleagues he was mainly concerned about efforts to actually grow animal protein in laboratories. Cook said if those prove commercially successful the manufacturers should not be able to pass those off as something that actually came from what at one time was a living, breathing animal.Ditto poultry. [node:read-more:link]

 A bill authored by State Sen. Jean Leising (R-Oldenburg) that would help address an animal importation issue facing Indiana today passed the Senate by a unanimous vote. Senate Bill 533 would require a person who transfers a domestic dog or cat from a foreign country to Indiana to provide an electronic or paper copy of the animal’s veterinary inspection or official health certificate to the recipient of the animal.According to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), globally, dogs remain the principal source of human rabies infections. [node:read-more:link]

The California Department of Food and Agriculture has mailed more than 19,000 ballots to state cattle producers, urging them to vote on a referendum asking whether or not to establish the California Cattle Council.  If approved, the Council would perform research aimed at the development of best management practices to improve sustainability and efficiency; assist with regulatory compliance; and develop consumer education programs for California beef.
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 Marie-Claude Bibeau was shuffled Friday and became Minister of Agriculture and Agrifood, which was prompted as Lawrence MacAulay became Veteran’s Affairs Minister to replace Jody Wilson-Raybould.

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