House Agriculture Committee Passes 2025 Budget Bill
SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Today, the Minnesota House Agriculture Committee passed HF2446, the 2025 Agriculture Budget bill as amended. House budget targets included $17 million in additional funding for Agriculture, and HF2446 reflects the agreement negotiated between DFL and GOP members of the committee.
DFL victories in the bill include funding increases for the Minnesota Local Food Purchase Assistance Program and Farm to School and Early Care Program, addressing rising food insecurity and attempting to fill some gaps left by President Trump’s reckless cuts to the USDA. The budget increases the Down Payment Assistance Grant Program, ensuring emerging farmers have the support they need to enter a farming economy tilted towards the wealthy and big corporations.
The bill also includes DFL priorities for a comprehensive avian flu response. It increases worker protections for farm and meat processing workers and protects consumers by ensuring the testing of retail milk, poultry, and raw pet food.
“This Agriculture budget reflects the DFL’s support for locally grown food to feed our kids and families, investments in emerging farmers, and a comprehensive response to bird flu. It also takes steps to address the Trump Administration’s chaotic cuts that have put our local farmers at risk,” said Rep. Rick Hansen (DFL-South St. Paul), co-chair of the committee. “By working together, we were able to reach a bipartisan agreement while still delivering a strong agriculture budget that improves Minnesotans’ lives.”
The fiscal spreadsheet is available here, and the nonpartisan research summary is available here. The bill was referred to the Ways and Means Committee on a unanimous voice vote.
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