At the Capitol: March 4-8
Published
3/8/2024
Week of March 4-8
This week, the legislature and the agriculture committees heard a wide range of bills. March 22 is both the 1st and 2nd legislative deadline, which means if a bill wishes to become law, it must be heard at least once in committee in both the House and Senate before the deadline. With the deadline approaching, legislators will be working hard to try and have their bill get a hearing in committee. Minnesota Farm Bureau staff will continue to monitor and update you on bills that move through the legislative process.
On Tuesday in the House Agriculture Committee, public policy specialist Loren Dauer testified in support of HF 3763 which would secure base funding for the Agricultural Growth, Growth, and Innovation Program (AGRI).
Bills this week:
HF 3763 (Vang)/SF 3955 (Putnam) - Base funding for agricultural growth, research, and innovation program increased.
MFBF position: Support
Bill Summary: This bill would increase the FY 2026-2027 base funding level for the Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation Program (AGRI) by $1.288 million per year. With this increase, the AGRI base for FY 2026-2027 would equal the FY 2024-2025 AGRI base of $17.582 million per year.
Impact on our Members and Agriculture: AGRI is an umbrella program established by the legislature in 2009 to promote the advancement of the state’s agricultural and renewable energy industries. Recent AGRI funding recipients include beginning farmers, livestock producers, dairy farmers, meat processors, schools that purchase local foods, gas stations that sell ethanol-gasoline blends, companies producing biochemicals, and county fairs.
Action taken by MFBF: Verbal testimony.
Status: Passed House Agriculture Committee and re-referred to the House Ways and Means Committee on 3/5/24. Not heard in Senate.
HF 4703 (Pfarr)/SF 4026 (Draheim) - Cell-cultured meat and cell-cultured poultry definition.
HF4144 (Franson)/SF 4291 (Westrom) - Cell-cultured products and products derived from insect protein regulations provision (G.R.O.S.S. Act).
MFBF position: Support prohibiting the use of commonly known and industry recognized “meat” terms in the labeling and advertising of all lab-grown and plant-based alternatives.
Bill Summary: Cell-cultured meat and cell-cultured poultry defined, food labels to identify product containing cell-cultured meat or cell-cultured poultry required, and definition of meat food product and poultry food product amended.
Impact on our Members and Agriculture: Creates transparency and reduces confusion for consumers when purchasing meat products and where they come from.
Action taken by MFBF: Written Testimony, notified legislators.
Status: Both bills were laid over in Senate Agriculture Committee on 3/4/24.
HF 2602 (Brand)/SF 2584 (Dibble) - Clean Transportation Standard Act establishment and appropriation.
MFBF position: Supportive if biofuels are a part of the solution to reduce carbon in transportation fuels.
Bill Summary: The bill directs the commissioner of transportation to establish a clean transportation fuel standard that requires a reduction in aggregate carbon intensity for transportation fuels supplied to Minnesota.
Impact on our Members and Agriculture: Greatly expand the financial opportunities for farmers to participate in biofuel generation.
Action taken by MFBF: Coordinated with MN Biofuels Association and other agriculture organizations for testimony.
Status: Laid over in Senate Transportation on 3/4/23. Not heard in House.
HF 4044 (Jacob)/SF 4241 (Drazkowski) - Property tax credit established for acres certified under Minnesota agricultural water quality certification program, and money appropriated.
MFBF position: Support
Bill Summary: This bill would create a $5/acre state-paid agricultural water quality property tax credit for agricultural land that is certified under the Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program and located in Dodge, Fillmore, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmstead, Wabasha, or Winona County.
Impact on our Members and Agriculture: Provide financial incentives to farmers that participate in an agricultural water quality program.
Action taken by MFBF: Verbal testimony, notified legislators.
Status: Laid over in House Agriculture Committee on 3/5/24. Laid over in Senate Taxes Committee on 3/7/24.
HF 4533 (Burkel)/SF 4214 (Putnam) - Avian influenza prevention program grant establishment and appropriation.
MFBF position: Support
Bill Summary: The bill establishes a grant program for poultry producers to install deterrents to keep wild birds away from their flocks to prevent the spread of avian influenza.
Impact on our Members and Agriculture: This would assist our poultry farmers in combating HPAI and prevent economic damage from the disease.
Status: Laid over in Senate Agriculture Committee on 3/4/24. Not heard in House.
HF 4110 (Hemmingsen-Jaeger)/SF 4070 (McEwen) - Commercial applicator license core examination materials provided in Spanish requirement provision.
MFBF position: Neutral
Bill Summary: The bill requires that the commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture provide the pesticide commercial applicator license core examination materials in Spanish
Status: Laid over in Senate Agriculture Committee on 3/4/24. Not heard in House.
HF 3616 (Franson)/SF 4288 (Westrom) - Agricultural cooperatives reporting of certain financial information to members requirement provision.
MFBF position: Neutral
Bill Summary: The bill modifies reporting requirements for agricultural cooperatives. Under the current statute, cooperatives are required to submit a report to the members at the annual meeting. The report must include the financial condition of the cooperative at the end of the fiscal year.
Status: Passed Senate Agriculture Committee and re-referred to Senate Judiciary Committee on 3/7/24. Not heard in House.
HF 4497 (Frederick)/SF 3913 (Gustafson) - Agricultural land trends report requirement and appropriation.
MFBF position: Neutral
Bill Summary: The bill would require the commissioner of the Department of Agriculture to prepare a report on agricultural land trends.
Status: Laid over in Senate Agriculture Committee on 3/6/24. Not heard in House.
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 House Agriculture Committee on 3/7/24. Not heard in Senate.