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Legislation in Nebraska and Wyoming could impact agriculture, environment

Nebraska 2025 Legislative Session

Several bills before the Nebraska legislature in the 2025 session could have impacts on agricultural operations. Baird Holm LLP provides information on bills affecting agriculture, environmental and natural resources issues in their Environmental Pulse.

Four bills of note are designated for the Agriculture committee, ranging from livestock brand issues to honeybees to cultivated and manufactured food products.



LB145 (Ibach) proposes to require the Director of Agriculture to administer a noxious weed grant program to restate the department’s intent regarding appropriations for vegetation management.  The bill would appropriate six million dollars ($6,000,000) each year for the management of vegetation within the banks or flood plain of a natural stream.

LB246 (DeKay) would define “cultivated-protein food product” under the Nebraska Pure Food Act.  Then, the bill would list cultivated-protein food product as an example of adulterated food.  Finally, the bill would specify that if an entity manufactures, produces, imports, distributes, promotes, displays for sale, offer for sale, attempts to sell or sells any adulterated food in the course of business is guilty of a deceptive trade practice. 



LB658 (Andersen) would provide labeling and advertising requirements for manufactured-protein food products.  The bill would consider manufactured-protein food products designed to resemble traditional agricultural food animal products as misbranded if not labeled conspicuously.  Similarly, the bill would consider manufactured-proteins falsely advertised without distinguishing identification when sold near animal proteins.

LB646 (Ibach) would amend the Livestock Brand Act to provide an exemption for certain feedlots.  The bill would allow the branding committee under the Act to permit approved feedlots to be exempt from branding requirements. 

LB540 (Holdcroft) would change provisions of the Nebraska Apiary Act to create a Nebraska Apiary Advisory Board.  The bill would correct various beekeeping definitions of the Act and establish the required membership and appointment process of the Advisory Board.  The Advisory Board would provide feedback, identify research gaps, create actionable steps and plans, and work with the Legislature to achieve a healthy and sustainable bee population in Nebraska.  The bill also calls for a full-time educator position in the University of Nebraska Lincoln extension service to provide more resources to hobbyist and commercial beekeepers alike. 

LB638 (Ibach) proposes to change provisions of the Nitrogen Reduction Incentive Act.  The bill would require the Department of Natural Resources to apply for a grant of twenty-five million dollars ($25,000,000) from the Nebraska Environmental Trust Fund to be paid out in five installments for the purpose of supporting nitrogen-reducing projects. 

Environmental Issues

The Natural Resources Committee will consider a bill that would merge the Department of Natural Resources and Department of Environment and Energy.

LB317 (Brandt) proposes to merge the Department of Natural Resources into the Department of Environment and Energy, creating the Department of Water, Energy, and Environment. As part of the transition, the bill would name the current Director of Environment and Energy as the Director of Water, Energy, and Environment, and would name the current Director of Natural Resources as the Chief Water Officer.

The bill would transfer all employees of the Department of Natural Resources to the Department of Water, Energy, and Environment.  Further, when an entity designates the Department of Natural Resources or the Department of Environment and Energy in a contract in connection with the functions of the Department of Water, Energy, and Environment, such reference will apply to the Department of Water, Energy, and Environment. All contracts the Department of Natural Resources or the Department of Environment and Energy entered into prior to July 1, 2025 that connect to the functions of the Department of Water, Energy, and Environment will transfer to the same as well. 

Perkins County Canal Project

The Nebraska Appropriations Committee will decide the handling of certain funds pertaining to the Perkins County Canal Project in two separate bills.

LB673 (Raybould) proposes to change provisions relating to the Perkins County Canal project and provide for a transfer from the Perkins County Canal Project Fund.  The bill calls to transfer five hundred million dollars ($500,000,000) from the Project Fund to the Water Sustainability Fund by June 30, 2025. 

LB674 (Raybould) similar to LB673 above, would transfer two hundred fifty million dollars ($250,000,000) from the Perkins County Canal Project Fund to the General Fund and another two hundred fifty million dollars ($250,000,000) to the Water Sustainability Fund by June 30, 2025.

Wyoming Farm Bureau Ag Impact Bills

Brett Moline, Wyoming Farm Bureau Policy Advocacy Director said that there are several issues relevant to Wyoming agriculture that his organization is keeping an eye on during the 2025 Legislative Session.

“We’re looking for a good solution to provide property tax relief to Wyoming home owners,” he said.

Several bills dealing with this issue could come forward, as the issue requires a nuanced approach.

“There is pushback from some non-state level government entities related to funding,” Moline said. “Some counties can afford cuts and some can’t.”

Eminent Domain will be a topic of debate in several states this session, and Wyoming is no exception.

“I understand from the perspective of non-ag industries that they need to be able to get a project done, but we don’t want our landowners to get run over,” Moline said.

2024 wildfires that burned hundreds of thousands of acres of Wyoming land are cause for several other pieces of legislation that Moline said are important for landowners and ranchers, and have far reaching impacts in the state.

“We’re working to get funding available for landowners affected by last year’s fires,” he said. “Most of the time, the majority of land that burns is public land, but last year, over 70 percent of the acres that burned were private land.”

In Wyoming’s biannual budget, more funds are needed for fire fighting resources across the state.

“After 2024, those funds are gone,” Moline said. “We want to replenish those funds so that our state has the money to fight fires.”

A “Wildfire Mitigation” bill dealing with helping protect public utility companies from losing insurance will be on the table next week, Moline said.

Wyoming Farm Bureau is also supporting a bill to set up grants for landowners to deal with weeds such as cheat grass and Medusa head that will be off and running next spring on acres that burned last fall. Being prepared to deal with this situation ahead of time will have far reaching benefits beyond individual land owners, Moline said.

“Dealing with these weeds right away will have a huge public benefit,” he said. “It will have a positive impact on grazing lands, water, wildlife; whole systems will improve. What we do will help everyone.”