Agriculture Finance and Policy

FOURTEENTH MEETING

2023-2024 Regular Session - Wednesday, March 1, 2023

STATE OF MINNESOTA
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE FOURTEENTH MEETING
NINETY-THIRD SESSION

AGRICULTURE FINANCE & POLICY COMMITTEE MINUTES

Representative Samantha Vang, Chair of the Committee on Agricultural Finance and Policy Committee, called the meeting to order at 6:00 PM on March 1, 2023 in Room 10 of the State Office Building.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Members Present:
VANG, Samantha, Chair
PURSELL, Kristi, Vice Chair
ANDERSON, Paul, Republican Lead
BURKEL, John
CHA, Ethan
FREDERICK, Luke
HANSEN, Rick
HARDER, Bobbie
JACOB, Steven
NELSON, Nathan
REHM, Lucy
SENCER-MURA, Samantha
TABKE, Brad

A quorum was present.

Representative Tabke moved to adopt the February 28, 2023 minutes. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF 2043 (Pursell); Farm-to-school program established, and money appropriated.

Representative Pursell moved that HF 2043 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Representative Pursell moved the DE1 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Pursell presented HF 2043, as amended.

The following testified on HF 2043, as amended:
• Ben Doherty, Farmer, Open Hands Farm
• Aimee Haag, Farm to School Liaison, Litchfield, Dassel-Cokato, Hutchinson School Districts
• Ashley Bress, Assistant Marketer, Marketing and Development Division, Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Representative Pursell renewed the motion that HF 2043, as amended, be laid over for possible inclusion in the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF 1981 (Rehm); Good food access program funded, and money transferred.

Representative Rehm presented HF 1981.

Representative Rehm moved that HF 1981 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

The following testified on HF 1981:
• Zach Paige, Program Coordinator, Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships, University of Minnesota Extension
• Leah Gardner, Policy Director, Hunger Solutions Minnesota
• Ashley Bress, Assistant Marketer, Marketing and Development Division, Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Representative Rehm renewed the motion that HF 1981 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF 1637 (Sencer-Mura); Urban agriculture grant funding provided, and money appropriated.

Representative Sencer-Mura moved that HF 1637 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Representative Sencer-Mura presented HF 1637.

The following testified on HF 1637:
• Ashley Bress, Assistant Marketer, Marketing and Development Division, Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Representative Sencer-Mura renewed the motion that HF 1637 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF 1744 (Sencer-Mura); The Good Acre grant funding provided for the Local Emergency Assistance Farmer Fund program, and money appropriated.

Representative Sencer-Mura moved that HF 1744 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Representative Sencer-Mura presented HF 1744.

The following testified on HF 1744:
• David Van Eeckhout, Farm Program Director, The Good Acre
• KaZoua Berry, Farm Director, Big River Farms
• Jane Windsperger, Farmer & Member, Minnesota Farmers Union
• Ben Doherty, Farmer, Open Hands Farm

Representative Sencer-Mura moved the A1 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Sencer-Mura renewed the motion that HF 1744, as amended, be laid over for possible inclusion in the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

The meeting adjourned at 7:41 P.M.

__________________________________________
Representative Samantha Vang, Chair

__________________________________________
Matthew Sauser, Committee Legislative Assistant

More Info On This Meeting..

Bills Added:

HF1637 (Sencer-Mura) - Urban agriculture grant funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF1744 (Sencer-Mura) - The Good Acre grant funding provided for the Local Emergency Assistance Farmer Fund program, and money appropriated.
HF1981 (Rehm) - Good food access program funded, and money transferred.
HF2043 (Pursell) - Farm-to-school program established, and money appropriated.

Documents:

Ag Cmte 3-1-2023 Agenda.pdf - 2/24/2023
HF 1744 -- TGA LEAFF Fact Sheet.pdf - 2/24/2023
HF 1744 -- LEAFF (Support).docx - 2/27/2023
HF 1744 LOS MCFM.pdf - 2/27/2023
HF1744 LOS MaritaB.pdf - 2/27/2023
HF1744 LOS TFG.pdf - 2/27/2023
HF1744 Mhonpaj Lee.pdf - 2/27/2023
HF 1744 -- Krikava (Supports).pdf - 2/27/2023
HF 1744 -- Friends of the Mississippi River (Supports).pdf - 2/27/2023
HF 1744 -- Amendment A1.pdf - 2/27/2023
HF 2043 -- Renewing the Countryside (Supports).pdf - 2/27/2023
HF 1744 -- Eeckhout.pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 2043 -- Mpls Public Schools Culinary & Wellnewss Services (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 2043, 1744, 1981, 1637 -- Roots Return Heritage Farm, LLC (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 2043 -- Jeff Diamond (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 2043 -- Thousand Hills Lifetime Grazed (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 2043 -- Northwestern MN Juvenile Center (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 2043 -- Northwestern Juvenile Center (Garden).jpg - 2/28/2023
HF 2043 -- Northwestern Juvenile Center (Roasted Vegetables).jpg - 2/28/2023
HF 2043 -- Northwestern Juvenile Center (Squash).jpg - 2/28/2023
HF 1981 -- Minnesota Grocers Association (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 1744 -- Bemidji Community Food Shelf (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 1744 -- Farmer Yi Her (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 1744 - Latino Economic Development Center (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 1744 -- Rice COunty Farmers Union (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 2043 -- ISD 51 Foley Public Schools (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 2043 -- Loon Organics (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 2043 -- Amendment DE1.pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 1637 -- MN Farmers' Market Assoc (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 1744 -- MN Farmers' Market Assoc (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 1981 -- MN Farmers' Market Assoc (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 2043 -- MN Farmers' Market Assoc (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 2043 -- MN Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics.pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 2043 -- Cannon Falls Schools (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 1744 -- Second Harvest Heartland (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 2043 -- Institute for Agriculture & Trade Policy (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
MDA Farm to School Grants Impact Evaluation II.pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 2043, 1981, 1637, 1744 -- Organizations in Support.pdf - 2/28/2023
MDA Farm to School Grants Impact Evaluation.pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 1981 -- Aitkin Farmers' Market Food Hub (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 1744 -- May Yer Thao (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 1744 & 2043 -- Village Agriculture Cooperative (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 2043, 1744, 1981, 1637 -- Land Stewardship Project (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 1744 -- Sprout MN (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 1744 -- New Millennium Academy (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 1637 -- HRD Summary.pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 2043 -- HRD Summary.pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 1981 -- HRD Summary.pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 1744 -- MN Farmers Union (Supports).pdf - 2/28/2023
HF 1744 -- HRD Summary.pdf - 3/1/2023
2-28-2023 Ag Minutes.pdf - 3/1/2023

Audio:
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House TV Video:
View Archive

00:40 - HF2043 (Pursell) Farm-to-school program established, and money appropriated.
28:13 - HF1981 (Rehm) Good food access program funded, and money transferred.
50:39 - HF1637 (Sencer-Mura) Urban agriculture grant funding provided, and money appropriated.
1:03:31 - HF1744 (Sencer-Mura) The Good Acre grant funding provided for the Local Emergency Assistance Farmer Fund program, and money appropriated.
Runs 1 hour, 39 minutes.

Show Full Schedule Agenda:

H.F. 2043 (Pursell) Farm-to-school program established, and money appropriated.
H.F. 1981 (Rehm) Good food access program funded, and money transferred.
H.F. 1637 (Sencer-Mura) Urban agriculture grant funding provided, and money appropriated.
H.F. 1744 (Sencer-Mura) The Good Acre grant funding provided for the Local Emergency Assistance Farmer Fund program, and money appropriated.

HANDOUTS: Handouts MUST BE IN PDF FORMAT and emailed to the committee administrator by 12 p.m. (noon) the business day before the hearing. If you are bringing hard copies, bring 40 copies. Note: submitted written testimony is public and will be included in the official committee record. It may be posted to the committee webpage if received by deadline.
TESTIFYING: Testimony is limited. The number of testifiers and length of time permitted is at the discretion of the chair, and is subject to change. Please plan accordingly. If you would like to testify, please email the committee administrator by 12 p.m. (noon) the business day before the hearing.
DOCUMENTS: Meeting documents may be found on the Agriculture Finance and Policy webpage.
ACCESSIBILITY: To learn more about requesting an accommodation, please visit the FAQs for Disability Access. If you have further questions on accommodations or accessibility, please contact the Committee Administrator.

*Agenda items (including bills) may be added or removed, and/or order may change.