Legislators this week and next week are trying to wrap up hearing their bills in committee due to the policy deadline next Friday on March 22. Legislation this week is primarily department bills that involve cleanup language or updates to definitions.  

On Tuesday, Public Policy Specialist Loren Dauer testified in the Senate Environment Committee in opposition to a bill that would require additional environmental review for feedlot construction or expansion at a specific animal unit amount. We will continue to monitor bills and let legislators know of Farm Bureau’s positions.

We hope to see you at our Day on the Hill, next week on March 19! Come share your stories and express your experiences with legislators at the Capitol.

Bills this week in committees:

HF 3821 (Sencer-Mura)/SF 4000 (Gustafson) - Expiration of provisions amendment
MFBF Position: Support
Bill Summary: This bill would extend the expiration date for the Food Safety and Defense Task Force by ten years. Under current law, the Task Force will expire on June 30, 2027.
Impact on our Members and Agriculture: The Food Safety and Defense Task Force advises the legislature and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) regarding food and food safety issues. Members include the commissioners of agriculture and health, as well as representatives of certain federal agencies, the Minnesota Grocers Association, statewide farm organizations, food and health professionals, and the University of Minnesota. Ruth Meirick, MN Farm Bureau Foundation Chair, is a member of the task force.
Action taken by MFBF: Written testimony. Notified legislators position of support.  
Status: Referred to Senate State Government Committee on 3/11/24. Laid over in House Agriculture Committee on 3/12/24.

HF 3874 (Hansen)/SF 3867 (Morrison) - Administrative penalty order authority modification for enforcing public water and drainage ditch buffer requirements.
MFBF Position: Oppose
Bill Summary: This bill would increase the maximum administrative penalty order from $500 to $10,000 for noncompliance with riparian buffer requirements.
Impact on our Members and Agriculture: This could lead to larger penalties for farmers that do not comply with the 2015 Buffer Strip law. Currently, 98% of public waterways and ditches are in compliance.
Action taken by MFBF: Notified legislators of our position. 
Status: Re-referred to House Environment Committee on 3/11/24. Re-referred to Senate Judiciary Committee on 3/14/24.

HF 4320 (Hansen)/SF 4492 (Hawj) - Feedlot permit provisions modified to require manure management plans.
MFBF position: Neutral 
Bill Summary: This bill would require a person who applies manure in a level 2 or higher drinking water supply management area (DWSMA) to follow a manure management plan and requires the plan to include the Department of Agriculture’s recommended best management practices for that DWSMA.
Impact on our Members and Agriculture: In order to help mitigate nitrate levels in the groundwater, manure applications in a level 2 DWSMA would have to follow a manure management plan. These areas are usually located around some cities across the state. Please use this MAP to see if you would be affected.
Action taken by MFBF: Discussed implications of the bill with the Department of Agriculture and Pollution Control. 
Status: Laid over in Senate Environment Committee on 3/12/24. Laid over in House Environment Committee on 3/13/24.

HF 4698 (Pursell)/SF 4234 (Putnam) - Environmental impact statement for large animal projects requirement provision 
MFBF Position: Oppose
Bill Summary: Any construction or expansion of a feedlot that has a capacity of 10,000 animal units or more requires the preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS).
Impact on our Members and Agriculture: Farmers that wish to grow their farm size would be burdened by a mandatory EIS at 10,000 animal units. An EIS requires a costly more in-depth review of the environmental impact of expanding a feedlot. This may seem high for a feedlot, but the concern is setting a precedent number of units for the future that could be lowered.
Action taken by MFBF: Coordinated with other agriculture groups. Verbal testimony (Minute 23) by Loren Dauer.  
Status: Referred to Senate Judiciary Committee on 3/12/24. Not heard in House.

HF 4654 (Vang)/SF 4703 (Hoffman) - Bird hatching ban in schools
MFBF position: Oppose
Bill Summary: This bill prohibits bird hatching projects as part of a lesson or experimental study in a class or program, including a community education program, or in any cocurricular activity or extracurricular activity. It applies to both school districts and charter schools, but not to private schools.
Impact on our Members and Agriculture: Students in the classroom would no longer have the opportunity to learn about animal husbandry and understand the miracle of life.
Action taken by MFBF: Coordinated with the MN Ag Educators Association and Ag in the Classroom for testimony. Facilitated conversations between educators and their legislators.
Status: Laid over in Agriculture on 3/12/24. Not heard in Senate.

HF 4323 (Vang)/SF 4225 (Putnam) - Minnesota Rural Finance Authority provisions modifications.
MFBF Position: Neutral
Bill Summary: This bill modifies (1) financial statement requirements for grain buyers and grain warehouse operators, and (2) certain definitions that apply to grain warehouse operators licensed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) under the Grain Storage Act.
Status: Laid over in Senate Agriculture Committee on 3/13/24. Laid over in House Agriculture Committee on 3/7/24.

HF 4082 (Hansen)/SF 4223 (Seeberger) - Pesticide product discontinuing and canceling provisions modified.
MFBF Position: Neutral
Bill Summary: This bill establishes a process that would apply when a company that registers a pesticide with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) subsequently elects to immediately cancel the registration.
Status: Laid over in Senate Agriculture Committee on 3/13/24. Laid over in House Agriculture Committee on 3/7/24.

HF 4699 (Pursell)/SF 4224 (Putnam) - Pesticide provisions amended.
MFBF Position: Neutral
Bill Summary: This bill would modify pesticide applicator licensing programs administered by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA).
Status: Laid over in Senate Agriculture Committee on 3/13/24. Laid over in House Agriculture Committee on 3/7/24.

HF 3823 (Hansen)/SF 4391 (Kupec) - Fertilizer definitions modifications.
MFBF Position: Neutral
Bill Summary: This bill would modify certain definitions, standards, and label requirements contained in the state’s Fertilizer, Soil Amendment, and Plant Amendment Law.
Status: Laid over in Senate Agriculture Committee on 3/13/24. Laid over in House Agriculture Committee on 3/7/2024.

HF 3815 (Cha)/SF 4302 (Kupec) - Grain indemnity provisions modified.
MFBF Position: Neutral
Bill Summary: This bill modifies (1) financial statement requirements for grain buyers and grain warehouse operators, and (2) certain definitions that apply to grain warehouse operators licensed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) under the Grain Storage Act.
Status: Laid over in Senate Agriculture Committee on 3/13/24.Laid over in House Agriculture Committee on 3/7/24.

HF 4322 (Vang)/SF 4011 (Putnam) - Sustainable aviation fuel definition amended.
MFBF Position: Neutral
Bill Summary: Under current law, one eligibility criterion is that the sustainable aviation fuel must be derived from biomass (e.g., crops, trees, wood and wood waste, plants, etc.) H.F. 4322 would expand eligibility to include sustainable aviation fuels made from certain gaseous carbon oxides or from green electrolytic hydrogen.
Status: Laid over in Senate Agriculture Committee on 3/13/24 Referred to House Environment Committee on 3/7/24

HF 4164 (Rehm)/SF 4542 (Kunesh) - Pest control provisions modified. 
MFBF position: Neutral
Bill Summary: This bill would modify license renewal and financial responsibility requirements that apply to pesticide applicators licensed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA).
Status: Laid over in Agriculture on 3/13/24 Laid over in Agriculture on 3/7/24

HF 4110 (Hemmingsen-Jaeger)/SF 4070 (McEwen) - Commercial applicator license core examination materials provided in Spanish requirement provision.
MFBF Position: Neutral
Bill Summary: This bill would require the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) to make the core commercial pesticide applicator license exam available in Spanish no later than January 1, 2025. It would also require MDA to notify applicants that the exam may be taken in Spanish.
Status: Laid over in House Agriculture Committee on 3/14/24.Laid over in Senate Agriculture Committee on 3/4/24.

HF 4844 (Hansen)/SF 4897 (Hawj) - Fur farm data classified, domestic hog release prohibited, agency jurisdiction clarified, civil penalties established, outreach required, voluntary fur farm registration repealed, fur farm licensing provisions modified.
MFBF position: Neutral  
Bill Summary: The bill clarifies the responsibilities of the DNR, Department of Agriculture (MDA), and the Board of Animal Health (BAH) for managing feral pigs and mink.
Status: Referred to House Agriculture Committee on 3/13/24. Not heard in Senate.

HF 4625 (Hansen)/SF 4934 (Kunesh) - Report on state agency nitrogen fertilizer purchases required and reduction goal established.    
MFBF position: Neutral 
Bill Summary: This bill would establish a goal that by January 1, 2030, state agencies will reduce their purchase of nitrogen fertilizer by 25 percent. Each year, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency would report to the legislature the amount of nitrogen fertilizer purchased by state agencies and strategies for achieving this nitrogen fertilizer reduction goal.
Impact on our Members and Agriculture: This would only apply to the state departments.
Status: Referred to House Environment Committee on 3/14/24. Not heard in Senate.