Senate committee hears bill to expand Governor’s Council on Agriculture, add young-farmer and livestock representation

The Senate Agriculture Committee heard testimony on SB 211, a bill to increase the Governor’s Council on Agriculture from seven members to nine and to require that at least one new seat be held by a farmer 40 or younger and at least one be filled by a livestock producer or poultry grower.

The sponsor described the bill as a request from the Delaware Farm Bureau and said the Delaware Chicken Association supports it. The sponsor said the committee adopted an amendment clarifying the livestock-producer provision from 'one member' to 'at least one member.'

Supporters urged the committee to approve the change as a way to broaden perspectives on a statewide advisory body. "They are roughly 10% of our state's, farm demographic," said Sydney Gosling in support of adding younger farmers to the council, arguing younger and beginning farmers face distinct challenges including access to land, capital and credit. Holly Porter, executive director of the Delmarva Chicken Association, said industry producers account for a substantial share of Delaware agriculture, stating that "77% of our cash farm income is directly from, the chicken industry" and noting there are "over 500 chicken growers" in the state. Eric Romero, who identified himself as a veteran entering the livestock industry, said the change would help newer entrants and veteran farmers transitioning into agriculture: "I'm a veteran and I also, am working to get into the livestock industry itself."

Senators asked clarifying governance questions. Senator Scola urged the sponsor to address staggered terms when enlarging the council, warning that without transitional term assignments "there probably should be 3 terms ending each year" to avoid multiple expirations in a single year. Senator Wilson endorsed the bill as a tool to "promote agriculture throughout the state."

The transcript records that the committee moved to circulate the bill for signatures; no roll-call or formal committee vote on SB 211 is recorded in the transcript. The meeting concluded after a motion to adjourn was moved and seconded and the chair announced the meeting was adjourned.

The transcript does not specify the next formal procedural step for SB 211 or any floor action timetable. Several numeric claims supplied in testimony (for example, the percentage of cash-farm income attributed to poultry and an asserted loan-amount figure mentioned in a speaker's remarks) were stated by witnesses during testimony and were not verified on the record during the hearing.