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 2022 state legislative session, and our efforts to advance those issues are highlighted below. 

Recap: Week of March 7 -11, 2022 

During the week, our public policy team and leadership connected 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.

MFBF President Dan Glessing and Director of Public Policy Amber Glaeser were in Washington D.C. this week. President Glessing attended an American Farm Bureau Board of Directors meeting. Amber met with Rod Snyder- EPA Senior Ag Advisor to the Administrator as well as staff from the International Trade Commission.

While in D.C., President Glessing and Amber met with elected officials including Senators Klobuchar and Smith, and staff from the offices of Representatives Craig, Emmer, and Fischbach.

Farm Bureau priority issues continue to advance at the state capitol this week (please note this is not an inclusive list of bills supported by MFBF, just legislation that had action taken this week.):

S.F. 3479 (Westrom) Rural Finance Authority revolving loan account for drought relief appropriation. MFBF supports this bill; it passed out of the Senate Ag Committee and heads to Senate Finance. This bill supports MFBF’s leadership in providing drought relief for Minnesota farmers and ranchers. 

S.F. 3375 (Rarick) Definition for the exemption of farm machinery modification to include fencing material; exemption provision for certain farm fencing construction materials. MFBF supports this bill; Public Policy Specialist Kaytlin Bemis testified in support in Senate Taxes. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion in a future omnibus package. This bill supports MFBF’s leadership in providing drought relief for Minnesota farmers and ranchers.

H.F. 3169 (Olson) Greater Minnesota childcare facility program funding provided, and money appropriated. MFBF supports this bill; MFBF Submitted written comments when it was heard in House Capital Investments this week. This bill supports our 2022 priority issue to support and strengthen our rural communities.

S.F. 3671 (Coleman) Spousal portability of a deceased spouse's unused exclusion amount provision. MFBF supports this bill; it was laid over for possible inclusion in a future tax bill. This bill supports our 2022 priority issue of investing in the future of agriculture.