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Minnesota Farm Bureau pleased with omnibus ag budget bill

Minnesota Farm Bureau is pleased with the omnibus agriculture, broadband, and rural development bill that’s headed to the desk of Governor Walz.

Public policy specialist Kaytlin Bemis tells Brownfield there’s funding for soil health grants, biofuels infrastructure, meat processing, and positive tweaks to language involving pesticide restrictions.

“Nothing was included on treated seed. There were a few provisions about PFAS in pesticides, but we’re hoping that will get sorted out (since) it doesn’t come into effect until 2032.”

The bill also includes a state-funded Grain Indemnity Fund.

“The Checkoff fee wouldn’t click on until the fund reaches below $8 million, so we probably wouldn’t see that fee for quite some time.”

Bemis says the legislative leadership has been willing to listen and many of Minnesota Farm Bureau’s policy priorities have seen favorable outcomes.