AN ACT FOR THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE - PROMOTION BOARDS APPROPRIATION FOR THE 2025-2026 FISCAL YEAR.

HB 1153 is a funding bill that allocates state resources to six agricultural promotion boards for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. It provides specific appropriations for the Arkansas Beef Council ($1.07 million), Arkansas Catfish Promotion Board ($120,000), Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Promotion Board ($2 million), Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board ($6.98 million plus $15 million cash), Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board ($8.6 million), and Arkansas Wheat Promotion Board ($444,494). The funds cover operating expenses, research, development, and promotion activities for these industry-specific boards. This is a procedural appropriation bill, not a policy change, directly affecting the boards and the agricultural sectors they represent (beef, catfish, corn, rice, soybeans, wheat).