There was no shortage of action at the legislature this week as lawmakers raced to get bills through before first and second deadline, which is set for 5:00pm today (March 27). The simultaneous first and second deadline is for committees to act favorably on bills in the house of origin. This narrows the topics under consideration by lawmakers for the year. However, deadlines do not apply to the House committees on Capital Investment, Ways and Means, Taxes, or Rules and Legislative Administration, nor to the Senate committees on Capital Investment, Finance, Taxes, or Rules and Administration. The legislature also commences Easter/Passover break today and will return to business on Tuesday, April 7.


Farm Bureau members showed up to advocate in a strong way this week. On Monday, the inaugural class of MFBF’s LeadAg Institute visited the Capitol to meet with legislators and watch committee hearings. The group also had the opportunity to address the Senate Agriculture Committee and tell them more about Farm Bureau and the LeadAg Institute. Tuesday saw over 180 MFBF members descend on the Capitol to meet with lawmakers and celebrate National Agriculture Day. This displayed the power of our grassroots advocacy as an organization and served as a reminder to our elected officials of what farmers, ranchers, and rural communities need right now. Thank you to everyone who showed up and made their voice heard.

 

Bills this week:

HF 2113 (Robbins)/SF XXXX - Small employers exempted from requirement to provide paid leave.

Summary: Exempts employers with 15 or less employees from the Paid Family and Medical Leave law (PFML).

Position: Support as written.

To our members: A small business exemption to PFML would be particularly helpful for dairy and livestock operations, as animal care cannot be deferred. Overall, 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: Failed to pass the House Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Committee on a tied vote. Not yet introduced in the Senate.

 

HF 3236 (Burkel)/SF 3423 (Kupec) - Water appropriations permits requirements appropriation.

Summary: Modifies the application and approval process for water-use permits issued by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR). Prohibits the DNR from requiring additional conditions or testing, or from reducing the permitted amount or term when transferring a water-use permit to a new owner. Also allows water-use permit applicants to submit the results of any aquifer tests that have been completed related to the proposed water use rather than requiring an aquifer test to meet certain specifications of the DNR. In addition, the bill allows a water-use permit holder who plans to plant late summer or fall cover crops to apply for an increase in the permitted amount for additional irrigation of the cover crops when needed. Finally, the bill includes a provision requiring the DNR to refund permit application fees when permit decision deadlines are not met.

Position: Support as amended.

To our members: This legislation would provide greater regulatory clarity and certainty to irrigators and large water users, including agricultural processors and manufacturers.

Status: Laid over as amended in the House Environment Committee as amended on 03/24/2026. Introduced in the Senate on 04/24/2025 and referred to the Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee.

 

HF 3508 (Nelson)/SF 3832 (Kupec) - Eligibility for the Dairy Assistance, Investment, Relief Initiative (DAIRI) program modification.

Summary: Allows dairy farms with no or partial production history in 2022 to participate in the Dairy Assistance, Investment, Relief Initiative (DAIRI) program.

Position: Support as written.

To our members: The DAIRI program helps to incentivize and enhance the usage of the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program created at the federal level, leading to more farmers having protection in the event of low milk prices. When the legislature renewed the DAIRI program in 2023, payment amounts to farms were based off production history in 2022. Today, there are approximately 30 new dairy farms in the state that are ineligible for the program because they were not producing in 2022. This modification allows these new farms to participate in the program.

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

Status: Failed to pass the House Ways and Means Committee on a tied vote on 03/23/2026. Passed off the Senate floor on a 66-0 vote on 03/17/2026 and sent to the House.

 

HF 3692 (Smith)/SF 3583 (Putnam) - Farmer-Lender Mediation Act extension provision.

Summary: Extends the expiration date of the Farmer-Lender Mediation Act from this year to 2032.

Position: Support as written.

To our members: In an extremely challenging farm economy, it is critical for farmers struggling with debt to have options. Through FLM, farmers can renegotiate, restructure, or resolve their debt. Extending this program, which will otherwise expire this year, keeps these options on the table.

Action taken by MFBF: Provided verbal testimony in support and signed on to a joint letter of support with other agriculture groups.

Status: Passed the House Agriculture Committee on 03/25/2026 and sent to the Higher Education Committee. Passed the Senate Higher Education Committee on 03/10/2026 and sent to the Finance Committee.

 

HF 3898 (Falconer)/SF 3915 (Kunesh) - Wild-rice water pesticide protection provisions modifications.

Summary: Adds specific consideration for the protection of wild-rice waters in pesticide enforcement, pesticide best management practices, pesticide management plans, state use of pesticides, and pesticide education and training.

Position: Oppose as written.

To our members: Minnesota already has robust laws in place to protect waters from pesticide contamination. This legislation would add further unnecessary regulations and risks complicating or narrowing farmers’ ability to use key crop protection tools.

Status: Laid over as amended in the House Agriculture Committee on 03/25/2026. Introduced in the Senate on 02/26/2026 and referred to the Agriculture Committee.

 

HF 3957 (Vang)/SF XXXX - Minnesota Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council grant program authority modified.

Summary: Removes the Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council’s (AFREC) authority to select and fund research proposals. Under the bill, AFREC would merely make recommendations to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over agriculture, who would make the final project selections.

Position: Oppose as written.

To our members: AFREC is funded by farmers and led by farmers, researchers, and experts. The dollars that farmers pay into the program through the fertilizer tonnage fee go toward practical research that enables better decisions on the farm, improve soil health, and protect water quality. This bill risks politicizing a project selection process that has worked best when it is driven by agricultural expertise and real-world need.

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

Status: Failed to pass the House Agriculture Committee as amended on a tied vote. Not yet introduced in the Senate.

 

HF 4085 (Anderson, P.H.)/SF 4263 (Kupec) - Biofuel sales volume incentive program establishment.

Summary: Creates a five cent per gallon incentive payment to eligible gas stations for sales of E15.

Position: Support as written.

To our members: MFBF strongly supports the promotion and expanded use of grains for fuel, including government incentives to encourage the production and use of renewable fuels. When more retail stations offer higher ethanol blends, it helps create stronger and more reliable in-state demand for homegrown biofuels. That in turn supports the broader agricultural economy and reinforces an important value-added market for Minnesota agriculture.

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

Status: Laid over in the House Agriculture Committee on 03/25/2026. Laid over as amended in the Senate Agriculture Committee on 03/18/2026.

 

HF 4388 (Nelson)/SF 3686 (Westrom) - Rotational grazing pilot program establishment and appropriation.

Summary: As amended, creates a rotational grazing pilot program using dollars from the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund.

Position: Support as amended.

To our members: MFBF supports voluntary, incentive-based approaches to conservation practices, including rotational grazing. Rotational grazing can improve pasture management, maintain vegetative cover, reduce erosion and soil compaction, and help protect surface and drinking water sources, all while supporting working livestock operations.

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

Status: Failed to pass the House Agriculture Committee on a tied vote on 03/23/2026. Passed the Senate Agriculture Committee on 02/25/2026 and sent to the Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee.

 

SF 4160 (Hoffman)/HF 3965 (Tabke) - Prohibit the sale and use of paraquat dichloride.

Summary: Bans the sale and use of paraquat.

Position: Oppose as written.

To our members: Paraquat is federally classified as a restricted-use pesticide, meaning it may only be used by certified applicators. The EPA also requires paraquat-specific training in addition to standard applicator certification, as well as additional safety requirements including specialized labeling and closed-system packaging. With these guidelines and regulations already in place, MFBF opposes additional state and local regulations that would prevent farmers from using a crop protection tool that has already been approved by the federal government.

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

Status: Laid over in the Senate Agriculture Committee on 03/23/2026. Laid over in the House Agriculture Committee on 03/11/2026.

 

SF 4446 (Hawj)/HF 4149 (Heintzeman) - Soil and water conservation provisions modification.

Summary: Makes a number of changes to the state’s soil and water conservation district (SWCD) statutes. Senate version amended to reinstate some wetland exemptions similar to those that existed prior to 2024 changes to the Wetland Conservation Act (WCA).

Position: Support the Senate provision regarding wetland exemptions.

To our members: Under current law, land can be actively farmed for years and still get pulled into a complicated wetland replacement process. That creates uncertainty, added cost, and delays for farmers who are simply trying to manage land that has long been part of their operation. The provision added to the Senate bill would provide farmers another pathway forward to recognize cropping history on farmed wetlands.

Status: Passed the Senate Environment, Climate, and Legacy Committee as amended and sent to the Senate floor on 03/24/2026. Passed the House Environment and Natural Resources Committee on 03/24/2026 and sent to the House floor.

 

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.