STATE OF MINNESOTA TWENTY-SEVENTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-FOURTH SESSION
AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT POLICY COMMITTEE
MINUTES
Representative Greg Davids, Chair of the Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, called the twenty-seventh meeting to order at 2:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 28, 2006, in the Basement Hearing Room of the State Office Building.
The Clerk noted the roll.
A quorum was not present.
Members present:
DAVIDS, Greg, Chair KOENEN, Lyle
BLAINE, Greg, Vice Chair MAGNUS, Doug
FINSTAD, Brad MOE, Frank
HAMILTON, Rod OTREMBA, Mary Ellen
HEIDGERKEN, Bud PENAS, Maxine
JOHNSON, Ruth URDAHL, Dean
JUHNKE, Al WELTI, Andy
HF3546 (Penas) Beef cattle diagnostic team pilot project established and money appropriated.
Rep. Penas explained HF3546.
Testifying on HF3546:
Dave Grafstrom Northwest Technical and Community College
A quorum was present at 2:41 p.m.
Rep. Otremba moved approval of the minutes from Wednesday, March 22, 2006. The motion prevailed.
Rep. Penas moved HF3546 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Finance. The motion prevailed.
HF3675 (Demmer) Farm enhancement loan program established, and money appropriated.
Chair Davids moved HF3675 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to Committee on Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Finance.
Rep. Demmer explained HF3675.
Testifying in support of HF3675:
Thom Petersen, MN Farmers Union
Mark Miedtke, President, Citizens State Bank, Hayfield
Jim Boerboom, Assistant Commissioner, MN Department of Agriculture
Chair Davids renewed his motion that HF3675 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Finance. The motion prevailed.
HF3376 (Magnus) Grain buyer financial statement requirements modified.
Rep. Magnus moved HF3376 be recommended to pass and be placed on the General Register.
Rep. Magnus explained HF3376.
Testifying with concerns on HF3376:
Bob Zelenka – MN Grain and Feed Association
Rep. Magnus renewed his motion that HF3376 be recommended to pass and be placed on the General Register. The motion prevailed.
Rep. Magnus withdrew HF3375 from the day’s agenda.
HF3923 (Dorman) Ethanol producer payment open appropriation restored and money appropriated.
Rep. Juhnke moved HF3923 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Finance.
Rep. Juhnke explained HF3923.
Rep. Juhnke renewed his motion that HF3923 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Environment and Natural Resources Finance. The motion prevailed.
HF3843 (Koenen) Beginning farmer program tax credits provided, and program administered by the Rural Finance Authority modified.
Rep. Koenen moved HF3843 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Taxes.
Rep. Koenen explained HF3843.
Testifying on HF3843:
Paul Sobocinski – Land Stewardship Project
Dan French – farmer, Dodge Center
Rep. Koenen renewed his motion that HF3843 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Taxes. The motion prevailed.
HF3915 (Moe) genetically engineered wild rice moratorium imposed in the event of an application for a test plot.
Rep. Moe moved HF3915 be recommended to pass.
Rep. Moe presented HF3915.
Rep Hamilton moved to orally amend HF3915 as follows:
Page 1, line 16, delete “commissioner of natural resources” and insert “agency”
In all instances after Page 1, line 16, delete “commissioner of natural resources” and insert “agency”
Page 2, line 2, delete “agency” and insert “department of natural resources”
The motion prevailed, the amendment was adopted.
Testifying in support of HF3915:
John Persell – Minnesota Chippewa Tribe
Rep. Magnus moved to orally amend HF3915 as follows:
Page 2, line delete lines 2.10 and 2.11
The motion prevailed, the amendment was adopted.
Continuing testimony in support of HF3915:
Winona LaDuke – Director, White Earth Land Recovery Project
Continuing testimony in support of HF3915:
Dennis Olson – Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
Answering questions about permitting:
Mary Hanks – MN Department of Agriculture
Paul Strandberg – MN Department of Agriculture, Office of the Commissioner
Continuing testimony in support of HF3915:
Craig Hassel - faculty member, University of Minnesota, MCT
Beverly Dergen - Director, U of M Extension Service and Director of Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station
Thom Peterson - MN Farmers Union
Linda Huhn - citizen
Testifying against HF3915:
Sarah Janacek - Monsanto
Beth Nelson – President, MN Cultivated Wild Rice Council
Chris Radatz – MN Farm Bureau
Chair Davids passed the gavel to Rep. Blaine at 5:25 p.m.
Continuing testimony against HF3915:
Daryn McBeth - Executive Director, MN Agri-Growth Council
Linda Sandvig – Medical Alley/MN Bio
Rep. Moe proposed to amend HF3915 and asked counsel to create new language to remove “Moratorium” throughout the bill.
Rep. Blaine passed the gavel back to Chair Davids at 5:34 p.m.
Rep. Moe moved to withdraw his motion that HF3915 be recommended to pass.
Chair Davids announced that the Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development will reconvene at 7:30 p.m. in Room 500S.
The meeting was recessed at 5:50 p.m.
Chair Davids called the meeting to order at 7:35 p.m.
HF3159 (Ellison) Pesticide application notice required.
Testifying on HF3159:
Paul Liemandt – Manager, MN Department of Agriculture
Chair Davids moved to amend HF3159 as previously amended on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 by removing the H3159DE1 amendment. The motion prevailed, the amendment was adopted.
Chair Davids moved HF3159 be recommended to pass, as amended, and be placed on the General Register.
Chair Davids moved to amend HF3159 as follows:
Page 1, line 9, after “farm” delete the rest of the line
Page 1, line 10, delete “adjoin the farm land”
The motion prevailed, the amendment was adopted.
Testifying against HF3159:
Bruce Kleven - Wheat Growers Assoc., Barley Growers Assoc., Sugarbeet Growers Assoc., Potato Growers Assoc., and Association of Cooperatives
Nick George – Midwest Food Processors Association
Chair Davids made committee announcements regarding April 4 and April 5 meetings.
Testifying in support of HF3159:
Sue Meyer – citizen, Browerville, MN
Patience Caso – Clean Water Action Alliance of MN
Candy Anderson – citizen, Browerville, MN
Becky Sheets – citizen, Staples, MN
Carol Ashley – citizen, Park Rapids, MN
Connie Minowa – Children’s Environmental Health Consultant, Pine Point Public School
Chair Davids renewed his motion that HF3159 be recommended to pass, as amended and be placed on the General Register. The motion did not prevail.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:22 p.m.
Rep. Greg Davids, Chair
Cris Wohlford
Committee Legislative Assistant