NEWS RELEASE
Rep. Andy Smith
Minnesota House of Representatives
District 25B – 651-296-9249 – rep.andy.smith@house.mn.gov
5th Floor, Centennial Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Marlee Schlegel
651-296-9873 or marlee.schlegel@house.mn.gov
April 24, 2025
Rep. Andy Smith to Secure Major Funding for Southeastern Minnesota Groundwater Protection
SAINT PAUL, Minn. - Today, the Minnesota House passed the 2025 Agriculture Budget Bill. A provision of the legislation, authored by Rep. Andy Smith (DFL – Rochester), will expand groundwater protection and soil health initiatives across southeastern Minnesota. The legislation builds upon the highly successful Olmsted County groundwater protection and soil health initiative by implementing similar grant programs to eleven southeastern Minnesota counties: Dodge, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Mower, Olmsted, Rice, Steele, Wabasha, and Winona.
"There is nothing more universal than the need for clean water," said Rep. Smith. "Yet the water we and our families drink in southeaster Minnesota has seen a steep rise in harmful nitrate levels. This legislation empowers farmers to adopt innovative practices that protect our drinking water while maintaining economically viable operations. At a time where tariffs and cuts to the USDA are sewing uncertainty and instability for farming communities, this is an actionable step to directly support farmers and rural communities. Additionally, since we’re looking to set it up as a grant program rather than a tax rebate, it would get funds to farmers up front rather than making them wait for tax rebate reimbursement.”
The House Agriculture Budget Bill directs the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to conduct an evaluation of the Olmsted County groundwater protection and soil health initiative, in the hopes of funding grants to expand the program in the future. The Olmsted County program plans to provide grants to local Soil and Water Conservation Districts (SWCDs) to help farmers implement practices that reduce nitrate leaching, increase nitrogen retention, and limit soil erosion. Specific initiatives include integrating small grains and alternative crops into traditional farming systems, expanding haying and grazing acreage, and implementing cover crop programs.
The Olmsted County pilot program, which serves as the model for this expansion, has already demonstrated significant success. In its initial phase, 52 producers enrolled more than 6,500 acres in cover crops.
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