1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to agriculture; changing well water testing 
  1.3             requirements for certain grade A milk producers; 
  1.4             amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 32.394, 
  1.5             subdivision 11. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 32.394, 
  1.8   subdivision 11, is amended to read: 
  1.9      Subd. 11.  [WAIVER OF RULES; WATER WELL DISTANCE 
  1.10  REQUIREMENT.] A dairy farmer who wishes to be permitted to 
  1.11  produce grade A milk may not be denied the grade A permit solely 
  1.12  because of provisions in rules adopted by the commissioner of 
  1.13  health requiring a minimum distance between a water well and a 
  1.14  dairy barn.  To be eligible for a grade A permit, the following 
  1.15  conditions must be met: 
  1.16     (1) the water well must have been in place prior to January 
  1.17  1, 1974; 
  1.18     (2) the water well must comply with all rules of the 
  1.19  commissioner of health other than the minimum distance 
  1.20  requirement; and 
  1.21     (3) water from the well must be tested at least once every 
  1.22  six months in compliance with guidelines established by the 
  1.23  commissioner of agriculture unless the water from the well meets 
  1.24  water quality requirements for two consecutive years, in which 
  1.25  case the water must be tested only once every 12 months until 
  2.1   the water fails to meet water quality requirements during one of 
  2.2   the tests.