Agriculture

LB 375 creates a grant program to help Nebraska grocery stores in smaller communities expand access to nutritious food. It provides funding for specific "new investments" like technology upgrades, transitioning to cooperative business models, or improving supply chains, primarily targeting stores in towns under 40,000 residents or Nebraska’s 90 least-populated counties. To qualify, stores must meet eligibility criteria including demonstrating community need, having a self-sustaining plan, and committing to match at least half the project cost. Grants must be spent within three years, and the program requires annual reporting on funded projects and outcomes.

Nebraska Legislative Bill 794 reorganizes the Nebraska Department of Agriculture's responsibilities by amending key statutes. It eliminates the Healthy Soils Task Force and outdated funding mechanisms related to the Fertilizers and Soil Conditioners Administrative Fund, while clarifying the Department's existing duties. The bill specifically repeals outdated sections (2-401 through 2-404) and streamlines provisions in Sections 2-406 and 81-201 of Nebraska law. These changes directly affect the Department of Agriculture, removing specific advisory structures and administrative requirements without creating new programs or funding. The bill focuses on administrative efficiency rather than new policy initiatives.

LB 1187 adjusts fees for physical and electronic inspections under Nebraska's Livestock Brand Act, directly affecting livestock owners, inspectors, and entities like banks or dairies that request inspections. It sets a physical inspection fee of $0.85 per head until June 30, 2023, then increases to a maximum of $1.10 per head starting July 1, 2023. Similarly, electronic inspections will cost $0.85 per head until June 30, 2023, then up to $1.10 per head. The bill eliminates a separate mileage charge and replaces it with a $30 surcharge to cover inspector travel costs, while removing outdated provisions.

LB 815 imposes a 9.5-cent-per-gallon tax on diesel fuels, effective January 1, 2019, which must be paid by fuel producers, suppliers, and distributors. It changes the rules for refunding motor fuel taxes and eliminates the Ethanol Production Incentive Cash Fund, which previously provided financial support to ethanol producers. The bill also modifies or removes several provisions from the Ethanol Development Act that governed ethanol-related tax programs. Additionally, it repeals multiple sections of existing law related to fuel taxes and ethanol incentives.

LB 394 updates Nebraska's Weights and Measures Act by adopting current federal standards from National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) handbooks, effective January 1, 2019. It directly affects businesses using commercial weighing/measuring devices (like grocery stores, gas stations, and pharmacies) by requiring compliance with updated federal rules on device accuracy, labeling, and pricing displays. Key provisions include adopting NIST Handbook 44 for device standards, revising registration fees for personnel, and adding rules for permanently closed businesses. The bill aligns state enforcement with federal practices without changing core consumer protections.