Minnesota’s legislative session closed on Monday. This was a particularly contentious session, marked with partisan disagreements and the most closely divided legislature in state history. Though a short list of priorities were passed — including support for Hennepin County Medical Center, infrastructure, tax relief, and new fraud measures — very little got through on the agriculture front. The evenly divided House Agriculture Committee reached an impasse when DFL committee members insisted on a ban of the herbicide paraquat, while GOP committee members were staunchly opposed. Though the Agriculture Committee has historically been able to make deals even in difficult partisan environments, this year they were unable to compromise on this issue, and in a highly unusual circumstance, the committee was unable to pass an agriculture omnibus bill this session.
As this was the second year in the biennium, it was not a budget-setting year and the legislature was not required to take any budget-related action during this session. However, the inability to make an agriculture deal has real-world negative impacts: despite bipartisan support for extending their funding deadlines, without a deal $800,000 for the Down Payment Assistance Grant program and $500,000 for the Meat Processing Retain and Train program will cancel back to the general fund. There was also bipartisan support to increase funding for the Farm to Food Security program, which invests money in local communities through purchases from Minnesota farmers and puts fresh food into food security programs at this time of record need — but this priority was also left on the table.
However, a couple provisions that support the farm and food system that IATP and the MinneAg Network envision made it through the session, including lifting the cap on the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit funding for a year, and one-time funding of $10 million in support for hunger relief, split between food shelves and food banks.
Earlier this session, we were excited to hold an in-person event at the State Capitol with members of the MinneAg Network to highlight issues and efforts surrounding climate resilient agriculture in Minnesota. Around 60 MinneAg members and partners, state agency staff, and state legislators gathered to mingle and attend a panel discussion on the current state of climate resilient agriculture in our state. The panel included KaZoua Berry of The Food Group and Big River Farms, Nick Olson of Land Stewardship Project, and Brad Jordahl Redlin of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), moderated by Lisa Holm of Minnesota Farmers Union.
KaZoua Berry presents at the State Capitol
KaZoua highlighted how “Operation Metro Surge” and accompanying terror wrought by ICE will have long-standing impact, and the safety considerations needed to address the realities that immigrant farmers are still facing on their farms, at farmers markets, and in our communities. Support to address the breadth of needs for farmers includes rethinking funding infrastructure — current structures are often reimbursement-based, and inaccessible to immigrant farmers.
Nick shared about the climate resiliency cohorts the Land Stewardship Project has been hosting in partnership with the University of Minnesota Extension. These cohorts connect farmers to one another across the state, and approach climate resiliency through a variety of lenses including community, environment, people, finances, and production.
Brad highlighted the breadth of funding opportunities available through MDA, and specific climate funds that have been available to farmers for implementing key climate risk reduction efforts.
Says Laura Schreiber, Government Relations Director at the Land Stewardship Project and co-coordinator of MinneAg, “It’s really exciting when we can have a room full of people who are excited and interested, supporting a better vision through policy together.”
MinneAg is excited to support just and sustainable policies for Minnesota food and farming systems every season. All 201 seats in the House and Senate will be up for re-election this November, and next session will be a budget-setting year with new potential opportunities to further support funding for programs and policies that nourish people and the planet.
