1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to agriculture; establishing the Agricultural
1.3 	Nutrient Task Force; requiring a report; appropriating
1.4 	money.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. AGRICULTURAL NUTRIENT TASK FORCE.
 1.7 	(a) There is created an Agricultural Nutrient Task Force
1.8 	consisting of two members of the senate appointed by the chair
1.9 	of the senate Committee on Agriculture, Veterans and Gaming; two
1.10 	members of the house of representatives appointed by the chair
1.11 	of the house Committee on Agriculture and Rural Development, and
1.12 	at least 15 public members appointed by the commissioner of
1.13 	agriculture.  The public members must be broadly representative
1.14 	of the diverse range of persons interested in and knowledgeable
1.15 	about agricultural soil nutrients and must include
1.16 	representatives of agricultural crop growers, fertilizer
1.17 	retailers, soil nutrient consultants, and agricultural soil and
1.18 	nutrient researchers.  Public members of the task force must
1.19 	serve without compensation or reimbursement of personal expenses.
1.20 	(b) The commissioner of agriculture must convene the first
1.21 	meeting of the task force and must provide office support
1.22 	services to the task force as needed.  The task force may
1.23 	determine the date, location, and agenda of additional meetings.
1.24 	(c) The task force must review and make recommendations on
1.25 	at least the following topics and practices:
2.1 	(1) the need for research, education, and training in the
2.2 	selection and application of fertilizer and soil nutrients in
2.3 	the state;
2.4 	(2) the imposition of a tonnage fee on all agricultural
2.5 	fertilizer applied in Minnesota and the designated uses of the
2.6 	proceeds from the fee; and 
2.7 	(3) the desirability of amending statutes and rules that
2.8 	apply to the selection, purchase, storage, and application of
2.9 	fertilizer and soil nutrients, including the reasonableness of
2.10 	rules for their on-farm storage.
2.11 	(d) On behalf of the task force, not later than February
2.12 	15, 2006, the commissioner of agriculture shall prepare and
2.13 	deliver to the standing agriculture policy committees of the
2.14 	senate and the house of representatives a report and list of
2.15 	recommendations for changes in statutes and rules.
2.16 	(e) The task force expires June 30, 2006.

2.17 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; AGRICULTURAL NUTRIENT TASK FORCE.
 2.18 	$....... is appropriated from the general fund to the
2.19 	commissioner of agriculture in fiscal year 2006 for support of
2.20 	the Agricultural Nutrient Task Force.  Any of this appropriation
2.21 	that remains unencumbered on July 1, 2006, cancels to the
2.22 	general fund.

2.23 	Sec. 3. EFFECTIVE DATE.
 2.24 	Section 1 is effective the day following final enactment
2.25 	for purposes of making membership appointments to the
2.26 	Agricultural Nutrient Task Force.