Legislators returned to the Capitol this week after the Easter/Passover recess. The House and Senate both began voting on budget proposals this week. Once a budget bill has passed both chambers, a conference committee is formed to work out the differences between the two versions and create a final budget bill that is identical in both chambers. However, conference committees cannot accomplish this until topline budget numbers between the House and the Senate, known as joint budget targets, are agreed to. The House, Senate, and Governor are have not yet found agreement on joint targets. Any budget work that is unfinished at the May 19 adjournment date would need to be completed in a special session.

On Wednesday evening Governor Walz delivered the State of the State address to a joint session of the Legislature. His remarks focused on the impact of work done over the last two years, his proposed budget, and the impending deficit, with an emphasis on working together. He also leveled criticism at federal leadership, including the Trump administration, for their approach to governing over the past several months.

The Senate Agriculture Committee held an informational hearing on several bills this week and the House passed their agriculture budget bill, HF 2446 (Anderson, P. H.), just shy of a unanimous vote. The Senate is expected to take up their agriculture budget bill on the floor early next week.

Bills this week:

HF 2563 (Vang)/SF 2865 (Hawj) – Omnibus Legacy appropriations.

Summary: Appropriates dollars from the arts and cultural heritage fund, the parks and trails fund, the outdoor heritage fund, and the clean water fund.

Position: Support specific provisions as written.

To our members: This bill includes arts and cultural heritage funds for FFA and county fairs, as well as clean water funds for the AgBMP loan program, the Agricultural Water Quality Certification program, technical assistance, conservations equipment grants, and expansion of the state weather station and soil temperature network.

Status: Passed the House Ways and Means Committee and sent to the House floor on 04/09/2025. Scheduled for a floor vote today. Passed the Senate Finance Committee as amended on 04/22/2025 and sent to the Senate floor.

 

HF 2446 (Anderson, P. H.)/ SF 2458 (Putnam) – Omnibus agriculture finance and policy bill.

Summary: Sets the budget for the Department of Agriculture, the Board of Animal Health, and the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute. The Senate version of the bill decreases the overall agriculture budget by $313,000 in fiscal years 2026-27 but increases it by $2.9 million in fiscal years 2028-29. In line with MFBF’s priority issues, the Senate bill contains funding increases for the Board of Animal Health, the agricultural emergency account, wolf and elk depredation payments, Minnesota Agricultural Education and Leadership Council grants, and Farm Business Management grants, among other programs.

On the House side, the bill increases the overall agriculture budget by $17 million in fiscal years 2026-27 and maintains that increase in fiscal years 2028-29. Much like the Senate version, it contains funding increases for the Board of Animal Health, the agricultural emergency account, wolf and elk depredation payments, Minnesota Agricultural Education and Leadership Council grants, and Farm Business Management grants, among other programs.

Position: Support both versions of the bill as amended.

To our members: The agriculture budget comprises 0.25 percent of the entire state budget while accounting for a disproportionate amount of the state’s economic activity. With Minnesota’s tight fiscal situation, we will not balance the budget by drastically cutting agriculture programs. This budget bill recognizes and respects that and provides strong investment in programs important to Minnesota farmers and ranchers.

Status: Passed the House floor by a vote of 130-3 on 04/24/2025 and sent to the Senate. Passed the Senate Finance Committee as amended on 04/10/2025 and sent to the Senate floor.

 

SF 2772 (Rasmusson)/HF 2316 (Anderson, P. H.) – Special agricultural homestead requirements modifications.

Summary: Allows property owners with special agricultural homestead status to live in a county that borders the county in which the property is located.

Position: Support as written.

To our members: Special ag homestead helps keep farms and ranches in the family when the owner moves off the property. In many cases, farmers must move off the farm to be closer to medical care as they age. This bill would provide greater flexibility than current law, which allows them to move three townships away from the property.

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

Status: Laid over as amended in the Senate Taxes Committee on 04/24/2025. Laid over in the House Taxes Committee on 03/19/2025.


SF 3083 (McEwen)/HF 2761 (Hansen, R.) – Pesticides from treated seeds addition to the Commissioner of Agriculture's pesticide management plan requirements.

Summary: Requires the Commissioner of Agriculture to add pesticide-treated seeds to the pesticide management plan in coordination with units of local government and public health agencies, creates a definition of “systemic pesticide” and a new program regulating treated seeds that requires verification of need to use seed treatments.

Position: Oppose as written.

To our members: All crop protection tools, including seed treatments and pesticides, are stringently regulated by the federal government under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA). Seed treatments are an important tool as farmers continue to grow a safe and sustainable supply of food, fuel, and fiber—they allow farmers to target pests directly and precisely, providing critical early season protection and minimizing the need for additional pesticide applications later in the growing season. The verification of need requirement would significantly disrupt farmers' ability to make timely and economically sensible decisions.

Action taken by MFBF: Provided written testimony in opposition to the bill.

Status: Heard on an informational basis in the Senate Agriculture Committee on 04/21/2025 with no action taken. Introduced in the House and referred to the Agriculture Committee on 03/24/2025.

 

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.