The Minnesota House of Representatives will soon be tied 67-67. Representative-elect David Gottfried (DFL-Shoreview) defeated Republican Paul Wikstrom in the District 40B special election on Tuesday, March 11. Gottfried is expected to be seated on Monday, March 17. Under the House’s power-sharing agreement, Representative Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring) will retain her post as Speaker, while all committees will now operate with co-chairs and equal membership of each party.

Four bills passed off the House this week while four others failed. One of the bills that passed, SF 1552 (Anderson, P. H.), modifies financial reporting requirements for grain buyers. Having previously passed the Senate, the bill now goes to the Governor to be signed into law.

The Senate Agriculture Committee’s Monday hearing focused on legislation related to biofuels, while Wednesday’s bills included funding for meat processing, county agricultural inspectors, the state Horticultural Society, the Livestock Breeders Association, the Northern Crops Institute, and the Turf Seed Council. The House Agriculture Committee reviewed, debated, and voted on a budget proposal sponsored by Representative Paul Anderson (R-Starbuck), who serves as the committee chair. The bill passed the committee on a 7-6 party line vote and now heads to the Ways and Means Committee.

Bills this week:

HF 253 (Schultz)/SF 283 (Lang) - Public water inventory modifications temporary prohibition.

Summary: Places a moratorium on changes to the Public Waters Inventory until July 1, 2027 and requires a report to the legislature from the Department of Natural Resources in consultation with local governments and stakeholders. Reverts the authority in determining what is a public water from the statutory definition to inclusion on the Public Waters Inventory.

Position: Support as amended.

To our members: Farmers, landowners, and local governments deserve regulatory certainty and clarity with respect to public waters. Returning to the standard by which any public water must be reflected in the Public Waters Inventory would deliver this certainty and clarity, as opposed to the new statutory definition.

Action taken by MFBF: Provided verbal testimony in support of the bill in conjunction with other agricultural organizations.

Status: Laid over in the House Environment Committee as amended on 03/13/2025. Introduced in the Senate and referred to the Environment Committee on 01/21/2025.

 

HF 1057 (Anderson, P. H.)/SF 310 (Dornink) - Employee definition modified for the purposes of earned sick and safe time.

Summary: Exempts farms with five or less full-time employees from the Earned Sick and Safe Time law.

Position: Support as written.

To our members: An exemption for seasonal farm employees already exists. This new exemption would be particularly helpful for dairy and livestock operations, as animal care cannot be deferred. There has been confusion among employers regarding how to implement the ESST law. This exemption would provide relief to the agriculture sector, which already struggles with finding reliable, consistent labor.

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

Status: Laid over in the House Workforce Committee on 03/12/2025. Passed the Senate Agriculture Committee on 02/03/2025 and sent to the Senate floor.

 

HF 1704 (Anderson, P. H.)/SF 1866 (Westrom) - Department of Agriculture, the Board of Animal Health, the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, and the Office of Broadband Development budget established.

Summary: Sets the agriculture budget for the next two years with an increase of $18 million above base funding. In line with MFBF’s priority issues, the bill contains funding increases for the Board of Animal Health, wolf and elk depredation payments, Minnesota Agricultural Education and Leadership Council grants, and Farm Business Management grants. Within the AGRI program, there are increases for biofuel infrastructure grants and meat processing.

Position: Support as amended.

To our members: The agriculture budget comprises merely 0.5 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 cutting agriculture programs. This budget bill recognizes and respects that.

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

Status: Passed the House Agriculture Committee as amended on 03/12/2025 and sent to Ways and Means Committee. Introduced in the Senate and referred to the Agriculture Committee on 02/27/2025.

 

SF 305 (Lang)/HF 41 (Burkel) - Meat, poultry, egg, and milk processing facilities appropriation.

Summary: Provides funding for grants to start, expand, or modernize meat, poultry, egg, and milk processing facilities.

Position: Support as written.

To our members: Small and mid-sized processors are critical to meeting consumer demand for locally sourced, specialty, and value-added meat and dairy products. Providing financial support for these facilities will help diversify our processing infrastructure, strengthen our state’s food security, and create high-quality jobs in communities that depend on agriculture.

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

Status: Laid over in the Senate Agriculture Committee on 03/12/2025. Introduced in the House and referred to the Agriculture Committee on 02/10/2025.

 

SF 881 (Kupec)/HF 882 (Anderson, P. H.) - Biofuel infrastructure grants appropriation.

Summary: Provides funding for grants to gas stations to replace or upgrade equipment to be capable of dispensing biofuels.

Position: Support as written.

To our members: Expanding the use of renewable fuels is one of the fastest ways to lower emissions in our state. Biofuels benefit all Minnesotans by lowering gas prices, improving air quality, and strengthening the economy. Investing in biofuels also gives farmers the opportunity to contribute to producing cleaner-burning, higher-octane fuels that reduce greenhouse gases.

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

Status: Laid over in the Senate Agriculture Committee on 03/10/2025. Introduced in the House and referred to the Agriculture Committee on 02/17/2025.

 

SF 1507 (Dornink)/HF 43 (Anderson, P. H.) - Biofuel infrastructure grants appropriation.

Summary: Provides funding for grants to gas stations to replace or upgrade equipment to be capable of dispensing biofuels.

Position: Support as amended.

To our members: Expanding the use of renewable fuels is one of the fastest ways to lower emissions in our state. Biofuels benefit all Minnesotans by lowering gas prices, improving air quality, and strengthening the economy. Investing in biofuels also gives farmers the opportunity to contribute to producing cleaner-burning, higher-octane fuels that reduce greenhouse gases.

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

Status: Laid over as amended in the Senate Agriculture Committee on 03/10/2025. Laid over as amended in the House Agriculture Committee on 03/03/2025.

 

SF 1541 (Putnam)/HF 978 (Swedzinski) - Grain bins and related construction material, supplies and tractor tires sales and use tax exemption.

Summary: Exempts grain bins and related materials, along with tractor tires, from sales and use tax.

Position: Support as written.

To our members: By exempting grain bins and tractor tires from sales and use tax, the legislature can provide direct financial relief to farmers, allowing them to reinvest in their operations, upgrade equipment, and strengthen their farms for future generations.

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

Status: Laid over in the Senate Taxes Committee on 03/12/2025. Introduced in the House and referred to the Taxes Committee on 02/17/2025.

 

SF 1604 (Putnam)/HF 969 (Nelson) - Sales and use tax exemption provided for farm fencing and equipment.

Summary: Exempts fencing and related supplies and materials from sales and use tax.

Position: Support as written.

To our members: Like the grain bins and tractor tires exemption, this would also provide direct financial relief to farmers. There is a precedent for exempting fencing, as fencing purchased for Cervidae farms is already exempt from sales and use tax.

Status: Laid over in the Senate Taxes Committee on 03/12/2025. Introduced in the House and referred to the Taxes Committee on 02/17/2025.