1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to agriculture; establishing a youth in agriculture grant program; 
1.3 	appropriating money;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 
1.4 	17.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [17.1075] YOUTH IN AGRICULTURE GRANT PROGRAM.
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have 
1.8 	the meanings given.
1.9 	(b) "Eligible youth" means young people ages eight to 18 who have written consent 
1.10 	from a parent or guardian to participate in the youth in agriculture grant program.
1.11 	(c) "Livestock" means cattle, sheep, swine, horses, ponies, donkeys, mules, hinnies, 
1.12 	goats, buffalo, llamas, or poultry.
1.13 		Subd. 2.Grants. (a) The commissioner of agriculture, in cooperation with University 
1.14 	of Minnesota Extension, must implement a youth in agriculture grant program through the 
1.15 	Rural Finance Authority. The commissioner may award grants of up to $2,500 to eligible 
1.16 	youth to purchase livestock or equipment to be used by the youth to produce an agricultural 
1.17 	crop. Before receiving a grant, eligible youth must develop an agricultural business plan 
1.18 	approved by the youth's local University of Minnesota Extension office and complete 
1.19 	livestock quality assurance training or other applicable training as identified and approved 
1.20 	by the youth's local University of Minnesota Extension office. As a condition of receiving 
1.21 	a grant, for the first 12 months the youth must meet at least monthly with local University 
1.22 	of Minnesota Extension staff or another person approved by local University of Minnesota 
1.23 	Extension staff.
2.1 	(b) The commissioner must not require youth who receive a grant under this section to 
2.2 	repay any part of the grant if the youth's approved business plan cannot be fully implemented 
2.3 	due to a hard freeze, natural death of livestock, or other factors that are beyond the youth's 
2.4 	control as determined by the commissioner in consultation with the youth's local University 
2.5 	of Minnesota Extension office.
2.6 	(c) The commissioner may award up to three grants to a single recipient, with no more 
2.7 	than one grant awarded to a recipient each grant cycle.

2.8 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
 2.9 	$....... in fiscal year 2024 and $....... in fiscal year 2025 are appropriated from the general 
2.10 	fund to the commissioner of agriculture to award youth in agriculture grants under section 
2.11 	1.

2.12 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.