Ag policy law tweaks number of provisions, adds emerging farmer support

Myriad changes sought by Gov. Tim Walz and the Agriculture Department are part of a new law.

The omnibus agriculture policy law affects, in part, laws governing perishable farm product purchases, state loan programs, farm safety, grain buyers, hemp processing, agriculture education and pet food.

Rep. Jeanne Poppe (DFL-Austin) and Sen. Bill Weber (R-Luverne) sponsor the law that takes effect Aug, 1, 2020, unless otherwise noted.

The law eliminates licensing and bonding requirements for wholesale purchasers of perishable farm products, which is expected to reduce fees by about $140,000 per year. It also extends the default payment deadline a wholesaler has to pay the seller after receipt of perishable products from 10 to 30 days if no date is specified in a contract. (Art. 1, Secs. 4, 20-21)

An emerging farmer working group is created to advise the agriculture commissioner and Legislature “regarding the development and implementation of programs and initiatives that support emerging farmers in this state.” The group must include, to the extent possible, young people, urban farmers, women, veterans, people with disabilities, American Indian or Alaskan Natives and people of color. A report is due the Legislature by Jan. 15 each year. The group expires Aug. 1, 2025. (Art. 4, Sec. 2)

Also created is a Seed Program Advisory Committee “to advise the (agriculture) commissioner concerning responsibilities under the seed regulatory program. The committee must evaluate species for invasiveness, difficulty of control, cost of control, benefits, and amount of injury caused by each species. For each species evaluated, the committee must recommend to the commissioner whether a species should be listed as a prohibited noxious weed seed or restricted noxious weed seed or not be listed. … The committee must also advise the commissioner on the implementation of the Minnesota Seed Law.” (Art. 2, Sec. 14)

Among other provisions, the law also:

• doubles the maximum loan amount under the Rural Finance Authority’s Pilot Agricultural Microloan Program from $10,000 to $20,000;

• modifies the membership of the Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council;

• requires a person obtain a hemp license from the Department of Agriculture before growing hemp for research purposes and processing industrial hemp for commercial purposes;

• classifies data received from hemp license applicants and licensees as private;

• gives veterinarians acting in good faith, and in the normal course of business, immunity from civil or criminal liability when they report suspected animal cruelty to law enforcement;

• makes the Association of American Feed Control Officials’ Model Pet and Specialty Pet Food Regulation the pet food and specialty pet food rules in Minnesota;

• increases the maximum temperature egg retailers can hold eggs at from 41 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit;

• lets a person donate or give away custom-processed, non-inspected deer, wild game and fowl;

• modifies a 2019 law to specify that a $5 million appropriation for innovative soybean processing and research is to be used at the Ag Innovation Campus in Crookston;

• requires the department to report to the Legislature by Jan. 15, 2021, specific policies and needed infrastructure to meet the state’s existing petroleum replacement goal and to utilize biofuels to achieve the state’s existing greenhouse gas reduction goals;

• requires the Agriculture Department to work with the Farm Safety Advisory Committee to develop recommendations to best provide financial and technical workplace safety assistance to farmers, and report to the Legislature by Jan. 15, 2021;

• establishes a zero tolerance for prohibited noxious weed seeds in screenings, agricultural seeds and grains used as animal feed; and

• makes technical changes and conforming updates to seed and noxious weed laws, including regulatory categories and management plans for noxious weeds. (Art. 2, Secs. 1-4, 6, 14; Art. 3, Secs. 1-10, 17; Art. 4, Secs. 15, 18-19, 21, 23, 25-26, 33-36)

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HF4285* / SF4223 / CH89