(February 25, 2002) More than $121 million in proposed bonding projects cleared the House Agriculture and Rural Development Finance Committee on Feb. 22 -- about $30 million more than the governor has called for in his proposal.

A $20 million bonding request for the Rural Finance Authority topped the committee's list of recommendations. Minnesota farmers are eligible for a number of loans through the authority, including programs for livestock expansion and other farm improvements.

Other projects outlined in the recommendation, in order of priority, included: $76 million for a proposed joint laboratory to be shared by the Agriculture and Health departments in St. Paul, $14 million for a new agriculture and food sciences charter school near the University of Minnesota's St. Paul campus, $1.6 million to renovate the University of Minnesota's veterinary diagnostics laboratory, and $10 million for a new Minnesota Farmers Market Hall Project in St. Paul.

The committee forwarded its recommendation to the House Capital Investment Committee.

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