With the start of May, there are just over two weeks until the end of the legislative session. Supplemental budget bills continue to move forward despite contentious developments in the Senate. The agriculture bills are primed for floor votes, the Senate tax bill has been released, and as always, MFU’s legislative team is working hard to ensure that our grassroots priorities are reflected in a final deal.

First, and broad context for these final weeks, first-term Sen. Nicole Mitchell, DFL-Woodbury, was arrested and charged with burglary when she entered her stepmother’s home last week. This—and the reality that the Senate DFL have a one-seat majority in the Senate—led Republican leaders to call for her resignation.

“This is a tragic situation, and there are still questions that need to be answered,” said Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy, DFL-St. Paul, of the charges. “The legal investigation is ongoing, and last week, we referred her case to the Senate Subcommittee on Ethical Conduct. While the case is under review both in the Senate and in the courts, Senator Mitchell will be relieved of her committee assignments and removed from caucus meetings.”

The fact that this is coming in the final weeks of session, that the Senate DFL is empowered by a one-seat majority, and the nature of the charges, could make this more disruptive to legislative work than the arrests of five other sitting lawmakers who were charged with crimes while in office. Some predicted gridlock. That said—and after some days with little action—omnibus budget bills continue to move forward.

Agriculture omnibus bills

Chair Aric Putnam’s, DFL-St. Cloud, and Chair Samantha Vang’s, DFL-Brooklyn Center, supplemental agriculture omnibus bills have both been combined with those for commerce and energy (SF4942 / HF4975). We can call that a ‘super omnibus,’ though since it’s not a budget year all the bills are much smaller.

Since our last update, Vang led an amendment to her bill to make two changes. First, she removed a provision MFU opposed that would have rededicated interest from the grain indemnity fund. And second, she removed a ban on hatching waterfowl in classrooms.

On April 19, both Vang and Putnam joined our MFU legislative call where members were able to discuss their proposals and thank them for investing in meat processing, farm to school programs, support for beginning farmers and for defending the grain indemnity fund.

MFU President Gary Wertish shared support for continued funding for the Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Account (AFREC), which Vang’s proposal cuts in order rededicate funding from existing fertilizer fees to address nitrate contamination in private wells. He shared how research has informed the way he and his son use fertilizer on their farm, improving their management and reducing potential for runoff. This could prove to be the most significant and contentious sticking point between the two proposals.

To learn more about both agriculture proposals, you can read our last update.

Clean water proposals

Important to the conversation about soil health and managing nitrates in southeast Minnesota, Chair Leon Lillie’s, DFL-North St. Paul, legacy funding proposal passed out of the House on a broad bipartisan vote (118-13). His proposal largely maintains the Clean Water Council’s (CWC) recommendations for funding the nitrate response at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, at the Minnesota Department of Health, and the AgBMP loan program, which helps farmers implement new soil health practices.

“We were proud to help the Clean Water Council shape their supplemental funding recommendations through our representative (Peter Schwagerl, Big Stone County) on the Council,” said Wertish in a letter to Lillie’s committee. “We believe this is a balanced proposal that will address the timely challenges and accelerates on-the-ground action to promote water quality.”

Senate Chair Foung Hawj’s, DFL-St. Paul, proposal for the Clean Water Fund cuts funding for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s response in order to fund a 50-year water plan at the University of Minnesota. MFU has been in conversation with both chairs working to ensure that funding for on-the-ground practices, as recommended by the CWC, are prioritized when the bills meet in conference committee.

Tax bill released

While most committees had to release their spending proposals two weeks ago, the tax committees are not bound by committee deadlines. Senate Tax Chair Anne Rest, DFL-New Hope, released her tax bill earlier this week, which included proposals supported by MFU.

First, her bill includes Putnam’s proposal to expand the agricultural homestead tax credit to small farmers (SF4828). This proposal would build on the work MFU supported to expand the upper limit of ag homestead by also allowing those who operate on less than 11 acres to benefit, provided that they earn at least $5,000 in gross income from the farm.

Second, she included Sen. Grant Hauschild’s, DFL-Hermantown, bill to provide an additional $2 million to Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDS).

“SWCDs are being asked for a lot,” said Wertish in his written testimony. “That’s because they employ the trusted, local, boots-on-the-ground experts that provide technical assistance, demonstrate new practices and connect farmers with state and federal resources.”

Other policy issues

As I’m writing this, Senate Finance Committee Chair, John Marty, DFL-Roseville, cast the deciding vote with Republicans on his committee to strip the MinnesotaCare Public Option out of Chair Melissa Wiklund’s, DFL-Bloomington, Health Finance Omnibus (SF4699). We’ll continue working to find a path forward for this policy.

On more positive news for our priorities, Rep. John Huot’s, DFL-Rosemount, proposals to expand veterinary technician’s scope of practice in Minnesota passed off the House floor on Monday night as part of a scope of practice omnibus. Despite contention over medical scope of practice items that were not included in the bill, the proposal (HF4247) earned broad bipartisan support (92-37). This was an important topic highlighted during our Lobby Day Drive-in, reflecting the shortage of large animal veterinarians in greater Minnesota.

On the federal level, there’s news on a potential Farm Bill with both chairs releasing new details on their proposals. Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow unveiled a near 100-page summary and House Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn “G.T.” Thompson released his own title-by-title summary. National Farmers Union’s Government Relations team is pouring through these details

As always, if you have questions, comments, or concerns about MFU’s legislative work, contact Stu at (320) 232-3047 (C) or stu@mfu.org.