The Legislature is taking a brief pause today from floor sessions and committee activity to enable legislators to travel home and attend precinct caucuses this evening, but activity will pick back up tomorrow afternoon.
On Thursday, the Minnesota Office of Management and Budget will present an updated state budget forecast. The November forecast projected a $2.4 billion surplus for FY24/25 but also a structural imbalance of $2.4 billion for FY26/27, meaning the actual surplus is approximately $82 million. Following the February forecast, Governor Walz will outline a supplemental budget request and lawmakers will use the February numbers plus the governor’s supplemental budget request to enact any budget measures for the remainder of the legislative session.
Last week, the Minnesota Corn Growers Association held our annual day on the hill where farmer-leaders from across Minnesota met with nearly 30 legislators, agencies, and Governor Walz to highlight our 2024 legislative priorities. In case you missed the recap with pictures, you can find it here.
One of the key issues emphasized last week by MCGA was our collaborative approaches for improved nitrogen management and how it fits within a farmer’s sustainability story. In response to an environmental group petition to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to protect drinking water in Southeast Minnesota, the House and Senate agriculture committees have begun to dig into this topic.
Last Thursday, the House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee held an informational hearing on nitrates. Committee members were provided with overviews on soils and the nitrogen cycle from Dr. Carl Rosen at the University of Minnesota. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) discussed the EPA petition and the state’s near- and long-term response. Materials from there hearing are available here.
This Thursday, the committee will continue to examine this topic with additional presentations from environmental and agriculture groups on nitrates. MCGA President Dana-Allen Tully is scheduled to testify and will be discussing activities by corn farmers and Minnesota Corn to improve nutrient use efficiency. The committee will also hear two bills. The first, HF 4135, authored by Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL- South St. Paul) would increase the current MDA inspection fee on July 1, 2025, to 70 cents/ton on all nitrogen fertilizer sold and would add new fee of 99 cents/ton enacted retroactively to July 1, 2023, and increased to $1.39/ton of all nitrogen fertilizer sold. Revenue collected under the new fee would be deposited in a private well drinking water assistance account and allocate funds for grants in Southeast Minnesota to provide aid to citizens with private drinking water wells that exceed the drinking water standard.
The second bill, HF 4044, authored by Rep. Steve Jacob (R-Winona), proposes to establish a $5 per acre property tax credit for farmers in Southeast Minnesota that are certified through MDA’s Minnesota Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program.
Overall, MCGA is supportive of public policy that will protect groundwater by incentivizing farmers with tools to help accelerate the implementation of new practices similar to what is being proposed in HF 4044 instead of HF 4135, and we will be communicating that position to policymakers. We also support using general or dedicated dollars, such as the Clean Water Fund, to target resources to where they are needed most in Southeast Minnesota to ensure access to clean drinking water for residents.
Click here to read more mncorn.org
Photo Credit: gettyimages-vladans
Categories: Minnesota, Crops, Corn