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 March 13-17

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:

S.F. 0861(Rarick) Meat and poultry processor training grants appropriation: This bill supports our priority issue of investment into the agricultural sector by providing more opportunities for meat processing. This bill was laid over for possible inclusion into a larger omnibus package. MFBF Supports this bill; written testimony was submitted.

S.F. 1592 (Kupec) Meat and poultry processing certification navigator appropriation: This bill supports our priority issue of investment into the agricultural sector by providing more opportunities for meat processing. This bill was laid over for possible inclusion into a larger omnibus package. MFBF Supports this bill; written testimony was submitted. 

S.F. 2620 (Kupec) Meat, poultry, egg and milk processing facilities appropriation: This bill supports our priority issue of investment into the agricultural sector by providing more opportunities for meat processing. This bill was laid over for possible inclusion into a larger omnibus package. MFBF Supports this bill; written testimony was submitted.

S.F. 2681 (Kunesh) Commissioner of agriculture appropriation for grants to partner organizations to assist meat and poultry processors with hiring and training new employees: This bill supports our priority issue of investment into the agricultural sector by providing more opportunities for meat processing. This bill was laid over for possible inclusion into a larger omnibus package. MFBF Supports this bill; written testimony was submitted.

HF2718 (Cha) Grain indemnity account established, and money appropriated: This bill establishes a grain indemnity program which funds the account $5 million via the general fund. The rest of the account would be funded through a fee by the producer on a percentage of grain sold. The bill was laid over to be included in a larger omnibus package. MFBF Opposes this bill; written testimony was submitted. 

HF2076 (Pursell) Pollution Control Agency citizen membership reinstated: This bill reinstates the MCPA citizen membership board. This bill was laid over for possible inclusion into a larger omnibus package. MFBF opposes this bill; Public Policy Director Pierce Bennett provided testimony.

S.F. 1177 (Putnam) Workforce development provisions modifications; Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities appropriation for workforce for development: This bill appropriates money to the Minnesota State College and Universities for workforce development. Money from this allocation would be used to upgrade facilities in agricultural programs and supports MFBF’s priority issue regarding rural vitality. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion into a larger omnibus package. MFBF Supports this bill; Public Policy Specialist Kaytlin Bemis provided testimony.

HF2679 (Vang) Department of Agriculture, Board of Animal Health, Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, and Office of Broadband Development budgets established; money transferred to border-to-border broadband fund account; policy and technical changes made to agriculture provisions; fees modified; accounts created; reports required; civil penalties provided; and money appropriated: This bill is the Governor’s omnibus agriculture bill and addresses several of MFBF’s priority issues. The bill was passed and sent to the committee on Ways and Means. MFBF Supports this bill; written testimony was submitted.