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 27-31

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. 1955 (Putnam) The Senate Agriculture bill was heard, amended, and passed out of committee on a bipartisan basis with an 8-0 vote plus one abstaining. Among other things, this bill contains money for the voluntary soil health grant program, the AGRI program, biofuel infrastructure grants, funding for the agriculture emergency account, and meat processing in a variety of ways. Public Policy Specialist Kaytlin Bemis provided testimony to highlight key pieces of MFBF policy. 

H.F. 2278 (Vang) The House Agriculture bill was heard, amended, and passed out of committee and voted on party line votes. Among other things, this bill contains money for the voluntary soil health grant program, the AGRI program, biofuel infrastructure grants, funding for meat processing in a variety of ways, and creates a proposal to regulate treated seed.  Public Policy Specialist Kaytlin Bemis provided testimony to highlight key pieces of MFBF policy. 

H.F. 2310 (Hansen) The House Environment and Natural Resources bill was heard, amended, and passed out of committee and voted on party line votes. Overall, this bill supplements budget appropriations for the Pollution Control Agency, Department of Natural Resources, Board of Water and Soil Resources and other organizations. Public Policy Specialist Kaytlin Bemis testified on this bill, highlighting key pieces of our policy specifically opposing the creation of a drainage registry information portal, the need for financial assurance for feedlot permits, the creation and establishment of the MPCA citizens board, and provisions surrounding regulation of treated seed.  

Easter and Passover break will begin on April 4, and the Legislature will be in recess through April 10. Committees and legislative activities may resume on Tuesday, April 11.