Following the third committee deadline last week, legislative activity this week shifted toward floor session in both chambers. Despite many debates and floor votes on bills this week, the path for most bills remains unclear with only three weeks left before adjournment. Typically, by this point the House and Senate establish budget targets which dictate the amount of funding each committee receives. However, this has not occurred yet this year.

 

While floor votes and debate will continue to dominate the agenda next week, the outcome of this session will come down to what the Governor and legislative leaders are able to agree to. While meetings between the Governor and legislative leaders have commenced, there is much work to be done over the next several weeks for anything major to be accomplished.

 

One bright spot on the floor this week was House passage of SF 3832, authored by Representative Nathan Nelson (R-Hinckley) and Senator Rob Kupec (DFL-Moorhead). This bill makes adjustments allowing new dairy farms to participate in the Dairy Assistance, Investment, and Relief Initiative (DAIRI) that incentivizes farms to sign up for the federal Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program. After previously passing the Senate, the bill now goes to the Governor who is expected to sign it into law. Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation is thankful to Rep. Nelson and Sen. Kupec for their bipartisan work on this issue.

 

Bills This Week:

 

HF 3508 (Nelson)/SF 3832 (Kupec) - Eligibility for the Dairy Assistance, Investment, Relief Initiative (DAIRI) program modification.

Summary: Allows dairy farms with no or partial production history in 2022 to participate in the Dairy Assistance, Investment, and Relief Initiative (DAIRI) program.

Position: Support as written.

To our members: The DAIRI program helps to incentivize and enhance the usage of the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program created at the federal level, leading to more farmers having protection in the event of low milk prices. When the legislature renewed the DAIRI program in 2023, payment amounts to farms were based off production history in 2022. Today, there are approximately 30 new dairy farms in the state that are ineligible for the program because they were not producing in 2022. This modification allows these new farms to participate in the program.

Action taken by MFBF: Provided verbal testimony in support of the bill.

Status: Passed off the House Floor on a 129-4 vote on 04/20/2026 and sent to the Governor. Passed off the Senate floor on a 66-0 vote on 03/17/2026 and sent to the House.

 

SF 4561 (Putnam)/HF 4350 (Hansen, R.) - Omnibus Agriculture policy bill.

Summary: As amended, contains a number of policy provisions that include defining and labeling cell-cultured food, removing the redundant fencing requirements for farmed Cervidae, defining agrivoltaics, and various changes to noxious weed and veterinary laws.

Position: Support as amended.

To our members: MFBF strongly supports the provisions relating to cell-cultured food and farmed Cervidae fencing.

Status: Passed off the Senate floor on a 67-0 vote and sent to the House. Passed the House Agriculture Committee on 03/25/2026 and sent to the House floor.

 

SF 5073 (Putnam)/HF 4885 (Hansen, R.) - Supplemental agriculture finance omnibus bill.

Summary: As amended, contains a number of provisions including funding for AURI’s legal costs, extending the Farmer-Lender Mediation Act, combining agency reports, making changes to seed potato law, and broadening the agroforestry loan program.

Position: Support the provision for AURI’s legal costs and extension of the Farmer-Lender Mediation Act.

To our members: MFBF is pleased to see the assistance for AURI and the Farmer-Lender Mediation Act extension move forward and hope to see them make it across the finish line this session.

Action taken by MFBF: Signed on to a letter of support with other agricultural organizations in support of the Farmer-Lender Mediation extension.

Status: Amended into a larger supplemental finance bill and laid over in the Senate Finance Committee on 04/24/2026. Introduced in the House and referred to the Rules Committee on 04/09/2026.

 

The MFBF public policy team and leadership are keeping track of everything that happens at the Capitol. Throughout the session, we will continue to provide updates and insight into our work on behalf of our members.