HF 324

Introduction - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006)

Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00 a.m.

A bill for an act
relating to agriculture; eliminating the commodity
checkoff fee for producers of cultivated wild rice
processed by certain first purchasers; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 17.59, subdivision 1.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 17.59,
subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Checkoff fees.

new text begin (a) Except as provided in
paragraph (b), new text end for the purpose of providing funds to defray the
necessary expenses incurred by the commissioner and the council
in formulating, submitting to referendum, issuing, administering
and enforcing a promotional order, the promotional order shall
provide for checkoff fees in amounts sufficient to defray such
expenses, and shall indicate the maximum checkoff rate which
shall not exceed one percent of the market value of the year's
production of participating producers. Any increase in the
maximum checkoff provided for in the promotional order must be
within the limit herein prescribed and must be approved by the
majority of voting participating producers in a referendum held
for that purpose after reasonable notice of such proposed
increase.

new text begin (b) A producer of cultivated wild rice is exempt from the
checkoff fee if the first purchaser is a qualified business as
defined in section 469.310, subdivision 11, that is located in a
job opportunity building zone or an agricultural processing
facility zone as designated under section 469.314.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end