Priority Issues
Hearing and sharing the voices of our nearly 30,000 members is essential in driving meaningful change in policy on the local, state and national levels.
Our grassroots efforts highlight concerns important to those involved in agriculture, what is needed to help them succeed, and helps set the foundation for our work on a wide variety of issues.
State Policy
Issues surfaced by our member counties help raise awareness around actionable items necessary to keep agriculture and Minnesota thriving. Based on those issues, our board of directors sets priority issues each year. While MFBF advocates on behalf of its members on a wide variety of issues, setting priority issues helps focus our efforts.
Here's a look at our 2023 priorities at the state level, and the outcomes from this session:
Beginning and Emerging Farmers
MFBF advocated for programming to help the next generation and those interested in entering agriculture:
- Beginning Farmer Tax Credit
- Farm down payment assistance grants
- Agricultural Growth Research and Innovation grants
- Farm advocate services
| House/Senate File | Bill Title | Bill Information | MFBF Supported/Opposed | Status |
| HF 463 (Vang)
SF 548 (Putnam) |
Rural Finance Authority funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated | Replenishes the bond-funded account that allows for farmers to receive low interest loans to start a farm, upgrade a farm, repair issues from natural disasters, etc. |
Supported | Passed |
| HF 2277 (Vang)
SF 1879 (Putnam) |
Beginning farmer tax credit for the sale of an agricultural asset eligibility modification | Allows for the beginning farmer tax credit to be extended to the sale of agricultural land for immediate family members |
Supported | Passed as part of the tax omnibus bill |
Clean Energy and Sustainability
MFBF helped lead the way in support of climate-smart practices that improve the state’s environment through voluntary stewardship, in addition to further development of alternative energy sources:
- Soil health grants through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture
- Soil health grants through the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources
- Biofuels infrastructure funding
| House/Senate File | Bill Title | Bill Information | MFBF Supported/Opposed | Status |
| HF 1474 (Frederick)
SF 1246 (Kupec) |
Biofuel financial assistance appropriation | Provides grants from the Department of Agriculture to fuel stations to upgrade old infrastructure to allow the sale of higher blended biofuels |
Supported | Passed as part of the agriculture omnibus bill |
| HF 1316 (Pursell)
SF 1245 (Gustafson) |
Soil health financial assistance program established | Provides grants from the Department of Agriculture to farmers to purchase equipment and other expenses to implement soil health practices on their operation |
Supported | Passed as part of the agriculture omnibus bill |
| SF 1163 (Frentz) | Liquid fuel modernization fee and reimbursement program establishment and appropriation | Would have implemented a small fee on the sale of fuel to create an account for fuel stations to upgrade old infrastructure to allow the sale of higher blended biofuels |
Supported | Failed |
Research and Investment
MFBF worked to drive the vitality of agriculture in Minnesota by supporting priorities that advance its future through research, education and innovation:
- $48M above base funding for advancements in agriculture allocated
- Agriculture Emergency Account funding
- Meat processing grants
- Wolf/livestock prevention grants
- Farm Business Management support
- International trade support
- Agriculture Utilization Research Institute Facilities funding
| House/Senate File | Bill Title | Bill Information | MFBF Supported/Opposed | Status |
| HF 1431 (Tabke) | Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council (MAELC) grant funding provided, and money appropriated | Provided funding for MAELC |
Supported | Passed as part of the agriculture omnibus bill |
| HF 1147 (Hansen, R.) | Agriculture research, education, extension and technology transfer grant program and Farm Business Management challenge grant funding provided, and money appropriated | Provided funding for Farm Business Management | Supported | Passed as part of the agriculture omnibus bill |
| HF 911 (Hansen, R.) | Board of Animal Health modified | Modified the board of animal health from 6 members to 11, including one citizen member from each congressional district, a tribal member and allowed the Governor to appoint the State Veterinarian |
Opposed | Amended and included in the agriculture omnibus bill Amendment increased the board from six members to seven, three of whom are livestock producers, three veterinarians experienced in companion animals and one tribal member experienced in animal husbandry |
| HF 1473 (Frederick)
SF 1524 (Gustafson) |
Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) appropriation | Provides funding for AURI |
Supported | Passed as part of the agriculture omnibus bill |
| HF 955 (Hansen, R.) | Financial assurance required for feedlot permits, inventories and reports required and money appropriated | Would have required feedlot permit applicants to provide financial assurance up front in case of a closure |
Opposed | Failed |
| HF 1302 (Nelson, N.)
SF 1592 (Kupec) |
Funding provided to establish a meat and poultry processing certification navigator, and money appropriated | Provides funding to create a new meat processing liaison position at the Department of Agriculture to help new and existing meat and poultry processors get started, expand, grow or transition to new business models |
Supported | Passed as part of the agriculture omnibus bill |
| HF 1303 (Nelson, N.)
SF 861 (Rarick) |
Meat and poultry processor training funding provided, and money appropriated | Provides funding for meat and poultry processing training grants |
Supported | Passed as part of the agriculture omnibus bill |
| SF 2620 (Kupec) | Meat, poultry, egg and milk processing facilities appropriation | Provides funding for grants through the Department of Agriculture to facilitate the start-up, modernization or expansion of meat, poultry, egg and milk processing facilities |
Supported | Passed as part of the agriculture omnibus bill |
| SF 2681 (Kunesh) | Commissioner of Agriculture appropriation for grants to partner organizations to assist meat and poultry processors with hiring and training new employees | Would have provided grants through the Department of Agriculture to partner organizations to assist small to medium-sized meat and poultry processors with hiring and training new employees |
Supported | Failed |
| HF 2861 (Vang) | Minnesota dairy farmer grants funding provided, and money appropriated | Provides funding for the Dairy Assistance, Investment, Relief Initiative (DAIRI) program to provide grants to farmers who enroll in coverage under a federal dairy risk protection program |
Supported | Passed as part of the agriculture omnibus bill |
Rural Connectivity
MFBF understands access to reliable and affordable broadband is a key component of a strong rural community, yet much of the state does not have this access. Its advocacy work helped lead to the following investments:
- $100M for statewide broadband coverage
- Border-to-border broadband grants
- Low-density broadband program funding
| House/Senate File | Bill Title | Bill Information | Supported/Opposed | Status |
| SF 1955 (Putnam) | Investment into broadband including border-to-border broadband grants and the low density broadband program | Provides funding to the Office of Broadband for expanding broadband service to unserved and underserved areas |
Supported | Passed as part of the agriculture omnibus bill |
Healthcare Accessibility
MFBF has long prioritized the affordability and accessibility to healthcare and health insurance, including mental health resources, and emphasized the following issues during session:
- Farm safety health and wellness grants
- Mental health outreach and counseling
| House/Senate File | Bill Title | Bill Information | Supported/Opposed | Status |
| SF 1955 (Putnam) | Funding for farm safety health and wellness grants as well as mental health outreach and counseling
| Provides funding for mental health outreach and support to farmers, ranchers and others in the agricultural community including a 24-hour hotline, stigma reduction and education |
Supported | Passed as part of the agriculture omnibus bill |
Rural Vitality
MFBF acted on issues that strengthen and support communities and economic development for all Minnesotans:
- Grain Indemnity Fund
- Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council funding
- Rural Finance Authority funding
- Greater Minnesota housing infrastructure grants
- Workforce development grants through Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
| House/Senate File | Bill Title | Bill Information | Supported/Opposed | Status |
| SF 234 (Draheim) | Housing infrastructure grants pilot program and appropriation
| Provides grants to rural cities to help with workforce housing development |
Supported | Passed as part of the housing omnibus bill |
| SF 0973 (Weber) | First-tier valuation limit modification for agricultural homestead
| Increases the first-tier valuation limit for agricultural homestead to $3.5 million for 2024 |
Supported | Passed as part of the taxes omnibus bill |
| HF 1074 (Brand)
SF 1611 (Putnam) |
Minnesota Initiative Foundations funding provided, and money appropriated
| Provides funds to the Minnesota Initiative Foundations to make subgrants to partners for work on child care primarily in rural communities |
Supported | Passed as part of the jobs and economic development omnibus bill |
| HF 1180 (Brand)
SF 1610 (Putnam) |
Greater Minnesota childcare facility program funding provided, and money appropriated
| Would have provided grants through the Department of Employment and Economic Development for development of greater Minnesota Childcare Facilities |
Supported | Failed |
| SF 0331 (Hoffman) | Certain property authorization to be eligible for green acres tax
| Allows for property that was formerly allowed in the green acres program to qualify again if it qualified in 2012 |
Supported | Passed as part of the taxes omnibus bill |
| SF 1612 (Putnam) | Childcare providers number increase appropriation | Provides grants to local communities to increase the number of quality childcare providers to support economic development |
Supported | Passed as part of the jobs and economic development omnibus bill |
| SF 1177 (Putnam) | Workforce development provisions modifications; Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities appropriation for workforce development
| Provides funding for Minnesota State Colleges and Universities to agricultural facilities for upgrading learning facilities and expanding programs |
Supported | Passed as part of the higher education omnibus bill |
| SF 333 (Dahms) | Portability of the deceased spousal unused exclusion amount provision
| Conforms to federal tax law and allows a surviving spouse to use the deceased spouse’s unused exemption amount on estate taxes |
Supported | Failed |
| HF 2718 (Cha) | Grain indemnity | Establishes a grain indemnity account through the Department of Agriculture to provide reimbursement for a farmer if an elevator were to go insolvent. The bill funds the account at $10 million, with the fee kicking on when the account reaches below $8 million. |
Opposed
As written, advocated for an up front opt-out option for farmers that was not included | Passed as part of the agriculture omnibus bill |
Additional Agriculture Issues
| House/Senate File | Bill Title | Bill Information | Supported/Opposed | Status |
| HF 127 (Burkel)
SF 878 (Green) |
Wolf and elk depredation payments appropriation
| Provides depredation payments to farmers who receive damage by wolf and elk |
Supported | Passed as part of the agriculture omnibus bill |
| SF 1598 (Kupec) | Digital Fair Repair Act | Requires an original equipment manufacturer to generally make available documents, parts, and tools for diagnostic, maintenance, or repair purposes |
Opposed
As written, advocated for an agriculture exemption, which was included | Passed, agriculture was exempted out of the final bill |
| HF 1317 (Hansen, R.) SF 1339 (Kunesh) |
Terms defined; use, storage, disposal and sale of pesticide-treated seed regulated; label statements for pesticide-treated seed required; consumer guidance required; rulemaking required; and money appropriated
| Requires the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Minnesota Department of Agriculture and the University of Minnesota to develop rulemaking on the usage and disposal of pesticide-treated seed |
Opposed | Passed as part of the environment and energy omnibus bill |
| HF 2354 (Pursell) SF 2679 (Xiong) |
Drainage registry information portal established, and money appropriated
| Creates an online database of all petitioned drainage repairs |
Opposed | A report must be submitted by the Drainage Work Group on the drainage registry portal and outlet adequacy to the legislature by February 2024 |
| HF 2076 (Pursell)
SF 1937 (Hawj) |
Pollution Control Agency citizen membership reinstatement | Reinstates the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency citizen board to override the decisions of the commissioner at the Pollution Control Agency if desired |
Opposed | Failed |
| HF 2761 (Hansen, R.) | Monitoring of biofuel, air emissions, wastewater, and coproducts for presence of chemicals required; voluntary biomonitoring of biofuel plant employees provided; and money appropriated | Requires ethanol and biofuel plants to monitor wastewater, air emissions fuel and certain coproducts for the presence of neonicotinoid pesticides and PFAs. It would give the Department of Health authority to monitor workers at these plants for occupation exposure to neonicotinoid pesticides and PFAS | Opposed | Failed |
| HF 2472 (Hansen, R.) | New program for systemic pesticide-treated seed established, new account in agricultural fund established, and money appropriated | Requires a verification of need from the Department of Agriculture before a farmers can plant pesticide-treated seed | Opposed | Failed |
| HF 2387 (Hansen, R.) | Fur farmer registration requirements modified, commercial permits for restricted species eliminated, and feral pigs and mink report required | Requires the Commissioner of Natural Resources and Board of Animal Health to give policy recommendations for managing mink to further prevent negative impacts on the environment and human health | Opposed | Passed as part of the environment and energy omnibus bill |
| HF 11550 (Hansen, R.) | Registration for pesticides containing perfluoroalkyl or polyfluoroalkyl substance prohibited | Prohibits any pesticides containing perfluoralkyl and polyfluroalkyl substances (PFAS) unless MDA determines the use of the chemical is essential | Opposed | Passed as part of the agriculture omnibus bill |
National Policy
Nationally, the Minnesota Farm Bureau will work to support the following principles in guiding the development of programs in the next Farm Bill:
- Maintain funding commitments to current farm programs;
- Maintain a unified farm bill which includes nutrition programs and farm programs together; and
- Prioritize funding for risk management tools which include both federal crop insurance and commodity programs.
Farm Bureau works on additional federal legislative and regulatory issues that affect farmers and ranchers including:
- Agricultural Labor: Pass meaningful legislation that helps farmers and ranchers meet their labor needs specifically through updates to the H2A program.
- Regulations: Address specific regulatory challenges impacting farmers and ranchers including the Navigable Waters Protection Rule, Endangered Species Act and Renewable fuels.
- Supply Chain: Support infrastructure investments and other opportunities that will support long-term growth in production, processing, trade and distribution.
- Trade: Protect and expand trade opportunities for U.S. agriculture through existing trade partners and new trade relationships.
Learn more about federal issues on the AFBF website.