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Walz signs Minnesota Ag Omnibus Bill into law

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has signed the Ag Omnibus Bill into law.

The legislation funds the Department of Agriculture, Board of Animal Health, and the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute.

Minnesota Farmers Union vice president Anne Schwagerl says legislators were able to come together during a unique session.

“In a time when we’re seeing kind of some bleak headlines, it’s nice to see that bipartisanship still exists and that lawmakers from both sides of the aisle can still work together.”

Minnesota Farm Bureau director of public policy Loren Dauer tells Brownfield the organization has been focused on a strong, robust ag budget.

“Some specific policies within the Department of Agriculture, we were looking at some wolf and elk depredation payments, we were having conversations around the AGRI program (and) some of the individual pay-through organizations like AURI and MAELC.”

Minnesota Ag Commissioner Thom Petersen says the bill will also provide food to those in need, support mental health and farm safety resources, and protect natural resources.