1.1A bill for an act1.2relating to agriculture; establishing a variable rate fertilizer application 1.3equipment grant program; appropriating money;proposing coding for new law 1.4in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 17.1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:1.6    Section 1. [17.119] VARIABLE RATE FERTILIZER APPLICATION 1.7EQUIPMENT GRANT PROGRAM.1.8    Subdivision 1.Definitions.(a) For the purposes of this section, the terms defined in 1.9this subdivision have the meanings given.1.10(b) "Eligible person" means a partnership, corporation, cooperative, or other legal 1.11business structure that applies fertilizer to agricultural land for hire.1.12(c) "Eligible equipment" means variable rate fertilizer application machinery or 1.13equipment that is capable of applying three or more products simultaneously at variable 1.14rates.1.15    Subd. 2.Grant program; administration.The commissioner of agriculture shall 1.16administer a grant program to partially reimburse an eligible person for the purchase of 1.17eligible equipment. Before receiving a grant, an eligible person must submit an affidavit 1.18on a form provided by the commissioner of agriculture certifying that the eligible person 1.19or the eligible person's agent will use the eligible equipment to fertilize at least 5,000 1.20agricultural acres in this state in each of the following five years. A grant may not exceed 1.21ten percent of the amount paid by the eligible person to purchase the eligible equipment. 1.22If eligible grant applications exceed available funds, the commissioner of agriculture may 1.23develop and employ an equitable lottery system to select grant recipients.2.1    Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; VARIABLE RATE FERTILIZER APPLICATION 2.2EQUIPMENT GRANT PROGRAM.2.3$2,000,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2011 from the clean water fund to the 2.4commissioner of agriculture to award grants under section 1.