STATE OF MINNESOTA THIRTY-SECOND MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-SIXTH SESSION
COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, RURAL ECONOMIES AND VETERANS AFFAIRS FINANCE DIVISION
Chair, Representative Al Juhnke
MINUTES
Representative Juhnke, Chair of Committee on Agriculture, Rural Economies and Veterans Affairs Finance Division, called the meeting to order at 10:37 AM, March 2, 2010 in Room 5 of the State Office Building.
The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.
Members present:
Juhnke, Chair
Magnus, Lead
Anderson, P.
Brown
Doty
Eken
Falk
Faust
Hosch
Otremba
Shimanksi
Torkelson
Welti
Members excused:
Hamilton, Vice Chair
A quorum was present.
Representative Magnus moved that the mintues for February 24, 2010 be adopted. THE MOTION PREVAILED AND THE MINUTES WERE ADOPTED.
Patrick Lunemann, Minnesota Milk Producers, testified on the current conditions in the dairy industry and the positive impacts of the Dairy Profitability Enhancement Program and the Livestock Investment Grant Program on the industry.
Greg Jans, Minnesota Milk Producers, testified on the need for a dairy research facility in Minnesota and suggested its possible inclusion in the 2012 bonding bill.
Dr. Trevor Ames and Dr. James Linn, University of Minnesota, provided an update on the dairy programs at the University and detailed how the programs support the dairy industry.
Tom Marzinke, Brook Hackett, Stephanie Plaetz, and Brant Groen, Ridgewater College, provided an overview of the Dairy Management program and testified on the need for a dairy research center.
David Ward, Cooperative Network, testified on the future of the dairy industry and how cooperatives play a role in the industry.
Ember Reichgott Junge, Luther Social Services, and Michael Pugliese, Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs, provided a report on the C.O.R.E. program and the need for more funding.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:59 AM.
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Representative Al Juhnke, Chair
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Julia Miller, Committee Legislative Assistant