STATE OF MINNESOTA TWENTY THIRD MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES EIGHTY-NINTH SESSION
AGRICULTURE FINANCE & POLICY JOINT COMMITTEE
MINUTES
Representative Hamilton, Chair of the Agriculture Finance Committee, called the meeting to order at 10:16 A.M. on March 16th, 2016, in Room Five of the State Office Building.
The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.
Members present:
HAMILTON, Rod, Chair
KIEL, Debra, Vice Chair
ANDERSON, Paul
BENNETT, Peggy
BLY, David
CLARK, Karen
DANIELS, Brian
ECKLUND, Rob
FABIAN, Dan
GRUENHAGEN, Glen
HANSEN, Rick
JOHNSON, Clark
LUECK, Dale
METSA, Jason
MILLER, Tim
POPPE, Jeanne
PIERSON, Nels
SUNDIN, Mike
Members excused
ANDERSON, Mark
APPLEBAUM, John
A quorum was present.
Doctor Marin Bozic, Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota College of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and Patrick Lunemann, President of Minnesota Milk, gave a presentation on the dairy industry and the University of Minnesota dairy industry study. Doug Heintz, a diary producer, gave a video presentation of the Minnesota dairy industry.
The committee presented a resolution to Al Withers for his contributions to Minnesota agriculture.
Whitney Place, Director of Government Affairs for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), introduced Curt Zimmerman of the Ag Marketing & Development Division at MDA. Curt Zimmerman gave a presentation of the MDA Livestock Industry Study.
Rep. Hansen gave an informational presentation of House File 2408. There was no action taken on the bill. Tim Power of the Minnesota Nursery and Landscape Association and Jeff Hafner, Director of Municipal Consulting for Rainbow Treecare provided testimony on the bill.
Curt Zimmerman and Sheryl Meshke, Chair of the Minnesota Diary Authority, gave a presentation of the MDA Dairy Research, Education and Outreach Authority Report.
The meeting was adjourned at 11:59 A.M.
Representative Rod Hamilton, Chair
Nick Lunneborg, Committee Legislative Assistant