With all the political talk about increased fees in the Governor's budget, the Joint Finance Committee actually cut some surcharges for state farmers.
Farmers pay the state a surcharge on the fertilizer, herbicide and pesticide they buy for their crops. The money goes into a Chemical Clean-up Fund. If approved those fees would be cut over the next two years by thirty per cent or one point eight million dollars.
Paul Zimmerman with the Farm Bureau Federation says there would still be two million dollars in the account and that's plenty to handle any potential hazardous spills.
It also keeps the legislature or governor from raiding the surplus. Something Zimmerman says has been a problem for the past decade.
Since Joint Finance approved the reduction unanimously, Zimmerman doesn't see any problems ahead either in the legislature or when the budget reaches the Governor's desk.
AUDIO: Jim Dick reports ( :57 MP3 )
