At noon on Feb. 17 the state legislative session reconvened in St. Paul for the second year of their 94th session. MFU staff will be at the Capitol each day legislators are present, ensuring they’re informed by the needs and perspectives of farmers and rural Minnesotans.

The first day of the legislation session was dedicated to remembering a friend to MFU and many of our members, Speaker Melissa Hortman. In fact, many may not remember a legislative session prior to her two decades of service. She, her husband Mark, and their dog, Gilbert, were assassinated in a shocking act of political violence on June 14.

As we shared then, “few if any legislative updates have not been influenced by her leadership, which was often behind the scenes and always steady. Her strong, generous and kind leadership earned her respect and friends across the political spectrum, as did her sense of humor and humility. We will miss her leadership and her friendship greatly.”

In a joint legislative session on Feb. 17, Speaker Lisa Demuth, R-Cold Spring, reflected on her relationship with Rep. Hortman.

“We built something that has become too far and too rare in politics — we built a relationship that was rooted in respect,” she said.

Lawmakers also welcomed back Senator John Hoffman who—together with his wife Yvette and his daughter Hope—survived the same attacker. In remarks to a joint session of the House and Senate, he reflected on the work ahead.

“We have a choice to either commit ourselves to the work of the people, and I choose to recommit. In moments like this, politics must fade and humanity takes over,” he said.

Petersen testifies in ag committee

The Agriculture Committees reconvened on the second day of session. House Agriculture Co-Chairs Rep. Paul Anderson, R-Starbuck, and Rep. Rick Hansen, DFL-South St. Paul, opened their first meeting jointly.

Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) Commissioner Thom Petersen walked through the state’s $364.5 million budget. For context, that’s less than one half of one percent of the state’s near $70 billion budget. Of that, a majority is dedicated to protection services—ensuring food and feed safety, regulating agriculture chemicals, and otherwise protecting health and our environment. About a third is dedicated to promotion, which includes farmer-facing grant programs.

He also made a point of discussing the Jan. 9 letter from Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins where she announced that USDA was freezing federal funding for the state of Minnesota. About 13 percent of the state’s budget is made up of federal funds, including important work on animal health, meat inspections, and other critical programs. To-date, it is still unclear what programs are affected by the freeze.

MDA also discussed their efforts to prevent fraud in state programs, highlighting efforts to strengthen reporting, hiring a grants administrator, and cooperation with the Office of the Legislative Auditor (OLA).

They also highlighted some priorities for MDA, many of which are shared by MFU.

First, they discussed the Dairy Assistance, Investment, and Relief Initiative (DAIRI), which provides financial support for dairy farmers who enroll in the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program. On hold since it was first passed with MFU support in 2023, the program is soon to be released given that the Farm Service Agency (FSA) is now enrolling farmers in the program. Watch for an announcement from the agency.

Second, Deputy Agriculture Commissioner Andrea Vaubel highlighted programs aimed at supporting new and beginning farmers, including the state’s popular Down Payment Assistance program. Since it was created in 2023 with the leadership of then Chair Rep. Samantha Vang, DFL-Brooklyn Park, the program has helped 112 new farmers get stated in Minnesota.

Third, Commissioner Petersen highlighted the Hansen Mueller failure, the first grain buyer failure where farmers with claims are protected by the Grain Indemnity Account. So far, there have been 19 claims received for a total of $842,000 of transactions in Minnesota. While the fund reimburses farmers on a prorated basis, the state then assumes the claim of that farmer as party to the bankruptcy, allowing them to recoup money on behalf of the state.

At the time of finalizing this update, the Senate Agriculture Committee has not yet convened. That said, Chair Aric Putnam, DFL-St. Cloud, is prepared to hear two bills that reflect a top MFU priority—reauthorizing and strengthening Minnesota’s Farmer-Lender Mediation program.

“Farmers manage significant uncertainty—markets, the weather, and the cost of inputs are all well-beyond their control,” reads a coalition letter led by MFU and joined by seven other agriculture organizations. “And at present, many are facing financial challenges. As evidence of this, there were nearly 700 new requests for mediation in the first four months of this fiscal year, up from 524 in 2025 and more than double the requests in 2024.

“Acting now to extend the FLM program is one way state lawmakers can take to provide certainty,” the letter continued. “Furthermore, additional support for the program will help staff manage the increase in requests for mediation and continue to streamline the program.”

This is just a snapshot of our work in the first days of the state legislative session. If you have thoughts, questions, or concerns, please reach out at stu@mfu.org or (320) 232-3047.