STATE OF MINNESOTA TWENTY-SECOND MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee
MINUTES
Representative Anderson, Chair of the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee, called the meeting to order at 1:00PM, on March 9th, 2026, in Room G3 of the State Capitol Building. A quorum was present.
The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.
Members present:
ANDERSON, Paul (GOP Co-Chair)
HANSEN, Rick (DFL Co-Chair)
HARDER, Bobbie (GOP Co-Vice Chair)
SMITH, Andy (DFL Co-Vice Chair)
AGBAJE, Esther
BURKEL, John
FREDERICK, Luke
GANDER, Steve
GOTTFRIED, David
JACOB, Steve
LAWRENCE, Bryan
LEE, Fue
NELSON, Nathan
VANG, Samantha
Representative Jacob moved the minutes of March 4th, 2026 be approved. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF 3692 (Smith) Farmer-Lender Mediation Act extended.
Representative Smith moved HF 3692.
Testifiers:
• Mary Nell Preisler, Director, Farmer-Lender Mediation, University of Minnesota
Extension
• Thom Petersen, Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Agriculture
• Hunter Pederson, Public Policy Specialist, Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation
• Stu Lourey, Government Relations Director, Minnesota Farmers Union
Chair Anderson laid over HF 3692.
The following individuals gave the update from the University of Minnesota on the Agriculture Research, Education, Extension and Technology Transfer (AGREETT) grant program:
• Bev Durgan, Dean, University of Minnesota Extension
• Laura Molgaard, Dean, University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine
• Brian Buhr, Dean, University of Minnesota College of Food, Agriculture, and
Natural Resource Sciences
• Paul Hugunin, Director, Agriculture Marketing and Development Division, Minnesota Department of Agriculture
• Tina LeBrun, Executive Director, Minnesota State Southern Agricultural Center of Excellence
The following individuals gave the presentation on the Forever Green Initiative at the University of Minnesota:
• Dr. Mitch Hunter, Co-Director, Forever Green Initiative, University of Minnesota
• Ariel Kagan, Director of Climate and Working Lands Program, Minnesota Farmers Union
• Paul Novotny, Farmer and business owner
The meeting was adjourned at 2:41PM.
Representative Paul Anderson, Chair
Isabelle Warwas, Committee Legislative Assistant