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Buffer Law leaves farmers looking for answers

A law intended to protect water by mandating buffers has many Minnesota farmers looking for answers as implementation deadlines near.

Two years ago, Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton proposed mandatory 50 foot buffers around every public water in the state.

In the Legislative Sessions that followed, lawmakers have attempted to clarify the Buffer Rule…passing legislation last year that removed private ditches from the law’s jurisdiction.

Waseca County ditch inspector Russ Guse says the Buffer Rule has been reopened this session with compliance dates for public waters this November and public drainage systems the following year.

“They gave us the deadline and told us what we need to do, but there’s no rules or regulations that are finalized.”

He tells Brownfield affected farmers are constrained by the uncertainty of the Buffer Rule.

“A lot of farmers plan one or two growing years out with their fertilization programs (and) chemicals.  You can’t grow grass on ground that has a chemical put down in the fall, possibly.”

Other implications of the Rule include taking acres out of production, the cost of planting and maintaining buffers, and securing grass seed—which Guse says is in short supply.