News

Buffer Clarification Bill would make law workable for Minnesota farmers

The president of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association says legislation intended to further clarify the Buffer Law would provide a system farmers can work with.

Harold Wolle of Madelia tells Brownfield the current rule incorrectly classifies a number of private ditches in the state as public waters because they drain more than two square miles, requiring a 50 foot buffer.

“If a ditch looks like a ditch and acts like a ditch it should be buffered like a ditch.  And our public ditches need a 16 1/2 foot buffer, so I think these private ditches that are classified as public waters really should only have a 16 1/2 foot buffer as well.”

He says the Buffer Clarification bill working its way through the Legislature not only provides that, but also extends compliance deadlines for public waters to November 2018.

“Public waters need to be buffered by November of this year.  And with the alternative practices that are available; and all of those practices aren’t defined yet by BWSR (the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources); it’s going to take some time to work through those and determine which ones are appropriate for the different streams and rivers that are out there that need a 50 foot buffer by them.”

Wolle urges Minnesota legislators and Governor Dayton to work together to clarify and fix the problem provisions of the current Buffer Law and allow enough time to effectively implement it.