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Minnesota House of Representatives

Agriculture Finance and Policy

ELEVENTH MEETING

2025-2026 Regular Session - Wednesday, March 19, 2025

STATE OF MINNESOTA ELEVENTH MEETING
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES NINETY-FOURTH SESSION

AGRICULTURE FINANCE AND POLICY COMMITTEE MINUTES

Representative Rick Hansen, Co-Chair of the Committee on Agriculture Finance and Policy, called the meeting to order at 1:00 P.M. on Wednesday, March 19, 2025, in Room G3 of the Minnesota State Capitol Building.

The Committee Legislative Assistant noted the roll.

Members Present:
HANSEN, Rick (DFL Co-Chair)
ANDERSON, Paul (GOP Co-Chair)
SMITH, Andy (DFL Co-Vice Chair)
HARDER, Bobbie (GOP Co-Vice Chair)
AGBAJE, Esther
BURKEL, John
FREDERICK, Luke
GANDER, Steve
GOTTFRIED, David
JACOB, Steve
LAWRENCE, Bryan
LEE, Fue
NELSON, Nathan
VANG, Samantha

A quorum was present.

Representative Frederick moved to approve the minutes from March 17, 2025. THE MOTION PREVAILED.

HF44 (Curran); Food manufacturers and brand owners required to report ortho-phthalate testing results of packaged food products to the commissioner of agriculture.

Co-Chair Hansen moved that HF44 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Co-Chair Hansen moved to adopt the A1 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Curran presented HF44, as amended.

Testifying:
• Lori Olinger, Coalition of Plastic Reduction
• Hannah Resendiz Olson, Health Professionals for a Healthy Climate
• Avonna Starck, Clean Water Action
• Darin Broton, Minnesota AgriGrowth Council
• Andrew Morley, Minnesota Chamber of Commerce
• Dr. Michael Hansen, Consumer Reports, Senior Scientist
• Dr. Zeke McKinney
• Karen Lunde, Executive Director, Fair Trade Minneapolis
• Tom Johnson, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Co-Chair Hansen renewed the motion that HF44, as amended, be laid over for possible inclusion in the Agriculture Finance and Policy omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF2102 (Lee, F.); Local food purchasing assistance program funding provided, and money appropriated.

Representative Lee moved that HF2102 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Representative Lee moved to adopt the A1 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Lee presented HF2102, as amended.

Testifying:
• Jane Windsperger, Minnesota Farmers Union
• Arlene Jones, Sprout Food Hub
• Amanda Nigon-Crowley, The Village Agriculture Cooperative
• Andrea Vaubel, Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Representative Lee renewed the motion that HF2102, as amended, be laid over for possible inclusion in the Agriculture Finance and Policy omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

HF2279 (Vang); Office of Broadband Development renamed to Office of Broadband Development and Digital Equity, duties and reporting requirements modified, state's broadband goals expanded, multifamily dwelling grant program established, and definitions amended.

Representative Vang moved that HF2279 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Representative Vang moved to adopt the A1 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Vang moved to adopt the A2 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Representative Vang presented HF2279, as amended.

Testifying:
• Mika Baer, Hennepin County Office of Broadband and Digital Inclusion
• Philip Essington, Hennepin County Office of Broadband and Digital Inclusion
• Bree Maki, Office of Broadband Development

Representative Vang renewed the motion that HF2279, as amended, be laid over for possible inclusion in the Agriculture Finance and Policy omnibus bill. The bill was laid over.

Co-Chair Hansen recessed the meeting at 2:18 P.M.

Co-Vice Chair Smith assumed the gavel and reconvened the meeting at 2:34 P.M.

HF2280 (Hansen, R.); Beginning farmer program provisions modified, grain buyer provisions modified, commissioner of agriculture permissions granted to protect public health against fertilizer and fertilizer by-products, and biodiesel fuel mandate reporting provision repealed.

Co-Chair Hansen moved that HF2280 be laid over for possible inclusion in the Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee omnibus bill.

Co-Chair Hansen moved the A1 amendment.

Co-Chair Hansen presented the A1 amendment.

Testifying:
• Tom Johnson, Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
• Andrea Vaubel, Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Co-Chair Hansen renewed the motion to adopt the A1 amendment. THE MOTION PREVAILED. THE AMENDMENT WAS ADOPTED.

Co-Chair Anderson requested a division.

The result of the division is as follows: 7 AYES and 7 NAYS. THE MOTION DID NOT PREVAIL.

Co-Chair Hansen withdrew HF2280.

The meeting was adjourned at 2:55 P.M.




Representative Rick Hansen, Co-Chair




Grace Johnson, Committee Legislative Assistant


More Info On This Meeting..
Bills Added:
  • HF44 (Curran) - Food manufacturers and brand owners required to report ortho-phthalate testing results of packaged food products to the commissioner of agriculture.
  • HF2102 (Lee) - Local food purchasing assistance program funding provided, and money appropriated.
  • HF2279 (Vang) - Office of Broadband Development renamed to Office of Broadband Development and Digital Equity, duties and reporting requirements modified, state's broadband goals expanded, multifamily dwelling grant program established, and definitions amended.
  • HF2280 (Hansen) - Beginning farmer program provisions modified, grain buyer provisions modified, commissioner of agriculture permissions granted to protect public health against fertilizer and fertilizer by-products, and biodiesel fuel mandate reporting provision repealed.
  • HF2281 (Hansen) - Livestock market agency and dealer licensing provisions modified, farmers' market or community event food sampling and demonstration provisions modified, food certificate payment provisions modified, and obsolete provisions repealed.
Documents:
Audio:
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House TV Video:
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00:57 - HF44 (Curran) Food manufacturers and brand owners required to report ortho-phthalate testing results of packaged food products to the commissioner of agriculture.
40:07 - HF2102 (Lee, F.) Local food purchasing assistance program funding provided, and money appropriated.
58:58 - HF2279 (Vang) Office of Broadband Development renamed to Office of Broadband Development and Digital Equity, duties and reporting requirements modified, state's broadband goals expanded, multifamily dwelling grant program established, and definitions amended.
1:34:04 - HF2280 (Hansen) Beginning farmer program provisions modified, grain buyer provisions modified, commissioner of agriculture permissions granted to protect public health against fertilizer and fertilizer by-products, and biodiesel fuel mandate reporting provision repealed.
Runs 1 hour, 54 minutes.

HF44 (Curran) Food manufacturers and brand owners required to report ortho-phthalate testing results of packaged food products to the commissioner of agriculture.
HF2102 (Lee, F.) Local food purchasing assistance program funding provided, and money appropriated.
HF2279 (Vang) Office of Broadband Development renamed to Office of Broadband Development and Digital Equity, duties and reporting requirements modified, state's broadband goals expanded, multifamily dwelling grant program established, and definitions amended.
HF2280 (Hansen) Beginning farmer program provisions modified, grain buyer provisions modified, commissioner of agriculture permissions granted to protect public health against fertilizer and fertilizer by-products, and biodiesel fuel mandate reporting provision repealed.
HF2281 (Hansen) Livestock market agency and dealer licensing provisions modified, farmers' market or community event food sampling and demonstration provisions modified, food certificate payment provisions modified, and obsolete provisions repealed.

TESTIMONY AND MATERIALS SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Individuals wishing to testify or submit written testimony or handouts for the hearing must e-mail the committee administrator (Peter.Strohmeier@house.mn.gov) by 1 p.m. the day prior to the hearing. Handouts must be in PDF format with OCR capability. In-person testimony may be limited due to committee time constraints.

AMENDMENT DEADLINE: Amendments must be e-mailed to the committee administrator by 1 p.m. the day prior to the hearing.