Each week during the Minnesota legislative session, the Minnesota Farm Bureau will highlight its work with elected officials to support our members and agriculture. While we advocate for our members on a wide variety of topics, our Board of Directors set six priority issues for the 2023 state legislative session, and our efforts to advance those issues are highlighted below.

Recap: Week of Feb.27 to March 3

Our public policy team and leadership has been connecting with elected officials and other policy influencers to share our member’s stories, and build relationships to reinforce our position as a leader in agriculture issues in Minnesota.

Here are the bills that moved through this week:

HF463 (Vang) Rural Finance Authority funding provided, bond issues, and money appropriated: This bill supports the future of agriculture by providing low interest loans to farmers in need. This bill was passed and moved onto the Ways and Means Committee. MFBF supports this bill; written testimony was submitted.

S.F. 0548 (Putnam) Rural Finance Authority funding provided, bonds issued, and money appropriated: This bill supports the future of agriculture by providing low interest loans to farmers in need. This bill was passed and moved onto the Finance Committee. MFBF supports this bill; Public Policy Specialist Kaytlin Bemis testified in support. 

S.F. 1524 (Gustafson) Agricultural Utilization Research Institute Appropriation: This bill supports MFBF’s priority issue regarding research and investment by appropriating funds to AURI. This bill was laid over for possible inclusion into a larger omnibus package. MFBF supports this bill; written testimony was submitted.

S.F. 1598 (Kupec) Digital Fair Repair Act: This bill creates a statewide right to repair law. This bill was passed and moved to the Judiciary Committee. MFBF opposes this bill; MFBF President Dan Glessing testified in opposition.

H.F. 1316 (Pursell) Soil Health Financial Assistance Program Established: This bill supports MFBF’s priority issue surrounding sustainability by creating a grant program for farmers and ranchers to buy equipment to voluntarily implement soil health practices. This bill was laid over for possible inclusion into a larger omnibus package. MFBF supports this bill; Vice President Carolyn Olson provided testimony.

S.F. 1610 (Putnam) Greater Minnesota Child Care Facility Program Appropriation: This bill supports MFBF’s priority issue surrounding rural vitality by appropriating money to rural communities for child care facilities. This bill was laid over for possible inclusion into a larger omnibus package. MFBF supports this bill; written testimony was submitted.

S.F. 1611 (Putnam) Minnesota Initiative Foundations funding provided, and money appropriated: This bill supports MFBF’s priority issue regarding rural vitality by addressing needs surrounding childcare availability. This bill was laid over for possible inclusion into a larger omnibus package. MFBF supports this bill; written testimony was submitted.

S.F. 1612 (Putnam) Child Care Providers Number Increase Appropriation: This bill supports MFBF’s priority issue regarding rural vitality by addressing needs surrounding childcare availability. This bill was laid over for possible inclusion into a larger omnibus package. MFBF supports this bill; written testimony was submitted.

H.F. 955 (Hansen, R) Financial Assurance Required for Feedlot Permits, Inventories and Reports Required and Money Appropriated: This bill requires farmers who own a feedlot to provide proof of financial assurance sufficient to pay for the feedlot and manure storage area closure requirements up front before MPCA may issue or renew the permit. This bill was laid over for possible inclusion into a larger omnibus package. MFBF opposes this bill; Director of Public Policy Pierce Bennett provided testimony.

S.F. 1879 (Putnam) Beginning Farmer Tax Credit for the Sale of an Agricultural Asset Eligibility Modification: This bill supports MFBF’s priority issue regarding new and beginning farmers by extending the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit to family members and eliminating the sunset on the tax credit. This bill was passed and moved on to the Taxes Committee. MFBF supports this bill; written testimony was submitted.

H.F. 1303 (Nelson, N) Meat and Poultry Processor Training Funding Provided, and Money Appropriated: This bill supports MFBF’s priority issue regarding investment into agriculture by providing money for meat processing grants. This bill was laid over for possible inclusion into a larger omnibus package. MFBF supports this bill; written testimony was submitted.

H.F. 1302 (Nelson, N) Funding provided to establish a meat and poultry processing certification navigator, and money appropriated: This bill supports MFBF’s priority issue regarding investment into agriculture by provided a liaison at MDA to administer the meat processing grants. MFBF supports this bill, written testimony was submitted.

H.F. 1473 (Frederick) Agricultural Utilization Research Institute Appropriation: This bill supports MFBF’s priority issue regarding research and investment by appropriating funds to AURI. This bill was laid over for possible inclusion into a larger omnibus package. MFBF supports this bill; written testimony was submitted.

S.F. 1163 (Frentz) Liquid Fuel Modernization Fee and Reimbursement Program Establishment and Appropriation: This bill supports MFBF’s priority issue for further development of renewable fuels by creating a fee for upgraded tank infrastructure to house renewable fuels. This bill was laid over for possible inclusion into a larger omnibus package. MFBF supports this bill; Public Policy Specialist Kaytlin Bemis provided testimony.