STATE OF MINNESOTA EIGHTEENTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-FIFTH SESSION
Committee on Agriculture, Rural Economies, and
Veterans Affairs Finance
MINUTES
Representative Al Juhnke, Chair, called the eighteenth meeting to order at 10:12AM on Tuesday, March 13, 2007 in Basement of the State Office Building.
The Committee Legislative Assistant called the roll.
Members present:
JUHNKE, Al MAGNUS, Doug
WELTI, Andy OLIN, Dave
DOTY, Al OTREMBA, Mary Ellen
FAUST, Tim PETERSON, Aaron
FINSTAD, Brad POPPE, Jeanne
HAMILTON, Rod SHIMANSKI, Ron
HANSEN, Rick
HEIDGERKEN, Bud
A quorum was present.
Representative Welti moved that the minutes of March 7, 2007 be adopted. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF308 (Olin); a bill for an act relating to agriculture; appropriating money for the control of bovine tuberculosis in cattle herds.
Representative Olin moved that HF 308 be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
Representative Olin presented HF 308. Discussion and questions followed.
Bruce Kleven, Minnesota State Cattleman's Association, and Dr. Bill Hartmann, Executive Director, Minnesota Board of Animal Health, testified on HF 308. Discussion and questions followed.
HF 710 (Peterson); a bill for an act relating to agriculture; appropriating money for sustainable agriculture demonstration grants.
Representative Peterson moved that HF 710 be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
Representative Peterson presented HF 710. Discussion and questions followed.
Thom Peterson, Minnesota Farmers Union, Jim Riddle, Member, State Organic Advisory Task Force, and Paul Sobocinski, Land Stewardship Project, testified on HF 710. Discussion and questions followed.
HF 846 (Doty); a bill for an act relating to agriculture; appropriating money for organic certification cost-share assistance and sustainable agriculture demonstration grants.
Representative Doty moved that HF 846 be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
Representative Doty presented HF 846. Discussion and questions followed.
Thom Peterson, Minnesota Farmers Union, Jim Riddle, Member, State Organic Advisory Task Force, and Paul Sobocinski, Land Stewardship Project, testified on HF 846. Discussion and questions followed.
Meg Mognihan, Organic & Diversification Specialist, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, testified on HF 846. Discussion and questions followed.
HF 769 (Hansen); a bill for an act relating to agriculture; appropriating money for agronomic research on native plants; providing for a technical advisory committee.
Representative Hansen moved that HF 769 be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Finance with a recommended re-referral to the Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development Policy & Finance.
Representative Hansen presented HF 769. Discussion and questions followed.
Representative Heidgerken moved an oral amendment to HF 769 as follows:
Page 1, line 9, delete "and" and insert a comma; after "viability" insert "and dry distiller grains"
Discussion and questions followed.
Chair Juhnke moved to incorporate an amendment to the proposed oral amendment as follows:
Page 1, line 9, delete "and" and insert a comma; after "viability" insert "and distiller grains and other bio-fuel production co-products"
THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE AMENDMENT WAS INCORPORATED.
Representative Heidgerken renewed his motion to amend HF 769, as incorporated. THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.
Representative Hansen renewed his motion that HF 769, as amended, be recommended to pass and be re-referred to the Committee on Finance with a recommended re-referral to the Committee on Higher Education & Workforce Development Policy & Finance. THE MOTION PREVAILED.
HF 104 (Sailor); a bill for an act relating to animal health; removing limits on reimbursement for certain animals killed by order of the Board of Animal Health; amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 35.09, subdivisions 1, 2a.
Representative Olin moved that HF 104 be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
Representative Sailor presented HF 104. Discussion and questions followed.
Dr. Bill Hartmann, Executive Director, Minnesota Board of Animal Health, testified on HF 104.
HF 884 (Otremba); a bill for an act relating to agriculture; appropriating money for the Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council.
Representative Otremba moved that HF 884 be heard and laid over for possible inclusion in the Omnibus Agriculture, Rural Economies, and Veterans Affairs Finance Bill.
Representative Otremba presented HF 884. Discussion and questions followed.
Jerry Schoenfeld, Minnesota Association of Ag Educators, and Julie Tesch, Executive Director, Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council, testified on HF 884. Discussion and questions followed.
Next meeting: Wednesday, March 14, 2007, 10:00AM.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:19AM.
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Al Juhnke, Chair
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Dana Wilson, Committee Legislative Assistant