HF 479

as introduced - 81st Legislature (1999 - 2000) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

  1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to agriculture; establishing an advisory task 
  1.3             force on contract production to study the issue of 
  1.4             livestock, agricultural commodity, and specialty crops 
  1.5             produced under contract; requiring a report; 
  1.6             appropriating money. 
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  [AGRICULTURAL PRODUCER CONTRACTS.] 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [PURPOSE; LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS.] The 
  1.10  legislature finds that continuing changes in the agricultural 
  1.11  livestock, commodity, and specialty crop industries have led to 
  1.12  an ever larger portion of Minnesota farmers who produce under 
  1.13  contract for processors.  To the extent that production under 
  1.14  contract lessens competition and dulls important market signals, 
  1.15  independent producers are left at a critical economic 
  1.16  disadvantage.  The legislature finds further that the study and 
  1.17  recommendations authorized by this section will identify ways to 
  1.18  assure that competitive markets remain for producers who choose 
  1.19  not to produce under contract. 
  1.20     Subd. 2.  [CREATION; MEMBERSHIP.] (a) There is hereby 
  1.21  created a task force on contract farming with 16 members 
  1.22  appointed as follows: 
  1.23     (1) the chair of the agriculture and rural development 
  1.24  committee of the senate shall appoint one citizen member with 
  1.25  education and experience in the area of agricultural economics, 
  1.26  one citizen member who is the operator of a production 
  2.1   agriculture farm in the state, and three members of the senate, 
  2.2   at least one of whom must be a member of the minority caucus; 
  2.3      (2) the chair of the agriculture committee of the house of 
  2.4   representatives shall appoint one citizen member with education 
  2.5   and experience in the area of agricultural economics, one 
  2.6   citizen member who is the operator of a production agriculture 
  2.7   farm in the state, and three members of the house of 
  2.8   representatives, at least one of whom must be a member of the 
  2.9   minority caucus; 
  2.10     (3) the governor shall appoint two members to represent 
  2.11  processors of agricultural livestock, commodities, or specialty 
  2.12  crops; 
  2.13     (4) the Minnesota farm bureau federation shall appoint one 
  2.14  member; 
  2.15     (5) the Minnesota farmers union shall appoint one member; 
  2.16     (6) the Minnesota cattlemen's association shall appoint one 
  2.17  member; and 
  2.18     (7) the Minnesota pork producers association shall appoint 
  2.19  one member. 
  2.20     (b) All appointments must be made June 15, 1999. 
  2.21     (c) Citizen members of the task force serve without 
  2.22  compensation but may be reimbursed for expenses as provided in 
  2.23  Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059, subdivision 6. 
  2.24     (d) The first meeting of the task force must be called and 
  2.25  convened by the chairs of the agriculture policy committees of 
  2.26  the senate and the house of representatives.  Task force members 
  2.27  must then elect a permanent chair from among the task force 
  2.28  members. 
  2.29     Subd. 3.  [CHARGE.] The task force shall examine current 
  2.30  and projected impacts of livestock, agricultural commodity, and 
  2.31  specialty crops produced under contract with processors and the 
  2.32  effect of contract production on the availability or distortion 
  2.33  of valid market price information and access to competitive 
  2.34  markets for other producers. 
  2.35     Subd. 4.  [RESOURCES; STAFF SUPPORT; CONTRACT 
  2.36  SERVICES.] The commissioner of agriculture shall provide 
  3.1   necessary resources and staff support for the meetings, 
  3.2   hearings, activities, and report of the task force.  To the 
  3.3   extent the task force determines it appropriate to contract with 
  3.4   nonstate providers for research or analytical services, the 
  3.5   commissioner shall serve as the fiscal agent for the task force. 
  3.6      Subd. 5.  [PUBLIC HEARINGS.] The task force shall hold at 
  3.7   least four public hearings on the issue of agricultural 
  3.8   production under contract, at least three of which must be held 
  3.9   in greater Minnesota. 
  3.10     Subd. 6.  [REPORT.] The task force shall report its 
  3.11  findings to the legislature by March 15, 2000.  The report must 
  3.12  include recommendations for law or rule changes that would 
  3.13  ensure competition and valid market price signals to both 
  3.14  contract producers and those who choose not to produce under 
  3.15  contract. 
  3.16     Subd. 7.  [EXPIRATION.] The task force on contract farming 
  3.17  expires 45 days after its report and recommendations are 
  3.18  delivered to the legislature or on June 1, 2000, whichever date 
  3.19  is earlier. 
  3.20     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION; TASK FORCE ON CONTRACT 
  3.21  PRODUCTION.] 
  3.22     $25,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  3.23  commissioner of agriculture for staff support and other expenses 
  3.24  of the task force on contract production under section 1.  Any 
  3.25  amount of this appropriation that remains unencumbered on July 
  3.26  1, 2000, reverts to the general fund.