1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to natural resources; establishing the Minnesota Sustainable Foraging Task 
1.3 	Force; providing appointments; requiring a report.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. MINNESOTA SUSTAINABLE FORAGING TASK FORCE.
 1.6 		Subdivision 1.Membership. (a) The task force shall consist of the following members:
1.7 	(1) two members of the senate committee with jurisdiction over natural resources policy, 
1.8 	one appointed by the majority leader of the senate and one appointed by the minority leader 
1.9 	of the senate;
1.10 	(2) two members of the house of representatives committee with jurisdiction over natural 
1.11 	resources policy, one appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and one 
1.12 	appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives;
1.13 	(3) two members appointed by the Minnesota Mycological Society, of which one member 
1.14 	must be an owner of a small business;
1.15 	(4) two members appointed by the Minnesota Foraging Alliance, of which one member 
1.16 	must be from an underrepresented cultural group;
1.17 	(5) two scientists with expertise in botany, ecology, and environmental science appointed 
1.18 	by the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota;
1.19 	(6) three representatives of the Department of Natural Resources involved with managing 
1.20 	state parks, forestry, fish and wildlife, and public lands appointed by the commissioner of 
1.21 	natural resources;
2.1 	(7) one member of the Minnesota Ojibwe Tribe appointed by the Minnesota Indian 
2.2 	Affairs Council;
2.3 	(8) one member of the Minnesota Dakota Tribe appointed by the Minnesota Indian 
2.4 	Affairs Council; and
2.5 	(9) two representatives with expertise on local ecosystems, species recovery, and 
2.6 	sustainable harvesting appointed by the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota 
2.7 	Extension.
2.8 	(b) A member appointed under paragraph (a) may not be a registered lobbyist.
2.9 	(c) The appointing authorities must make the appointments by August 1, 2025.
2.10 		Subd. 2.Duties. The task force must:
2.11 	(1) gather and review data and information, including traditional ecological knowledge, 
2.12 	on the impact of foraging on species resilience, ecosystem health, and other aspects of 
2.13 	Minnesota's diverse biomes;
2.14 	(2) review existing regulations governing foraging activities on state lands;
2.15 	(3) develop recommendations for science-based, including traditional ecological 
2.16 	knowledge, foraging guidelines for state lands that balance public access with conservation 
2.17 	needs, setting limits on foraging activities only where supported by data. The 
2.18 	recommendations must be in the form of draft statutory or rule language and must be 
2.19 	consistent with Indigenous and other cultural practices and traditions;
2.20 	(4) develop recommendations for increasing public understanding of sustainable foraging 
2.21 	practices that include safety and ecological considerations;
2.22 	(5) solicit public input, when appropriate; and
2.23 	(6) develop recommendations for reduced-priced foraging permits.
2.24 		Subd. 3.Administrative support; meetings. (a) The Legislative Coordinating 
2.25 	Commission must provide administrative support and convene the first meeting by September 
2.26 	1, 2025.
2.27 	(b) The commissioner of natural resources must provide subject matter resources and 
2.28 	expertise, including information on the management of, and flora and fauna on, state lands, 
2.29 	as requested by the task force.
3.1 	(c) The task force must meet at regular intervals as often as necessary to accomplish the 
3.2 	goals enumerated under subdivision 3. Meetings of the task force are subject to the Minnesota 
3.3 	Open Meeting Law under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 13D.
3.4 		Subd. 4.Chair. The task force must elect a chair at its first meeting from among the 
3.5 	legislative members.
3.6 		Subd. 5.Legislative recommendations; expiration. By February 28, 2026, the task 
3.7 	force must submit a written report containing its findings and recommendations to the 
3.8 	commissioner of natural resources and to the chairs and ranking minority members of the 
3.9 	legislative committees with primary jurisdiction over natural resources policy. The 
3.10 	recommendations in the report must be specific and actionable. The report must detail the 
3.11 	proposals for changes or additions to statute or rules to effectuate the task force's 
3.12 	recommendations. The task force expires March 15, 2026, or upon submission of the report 
3.13 	required by this subdivision, whichever occurs later.
3.14 		Subd. 6.Compensation; expense reimbursement. Members of the task force appointed 
3.15 	under subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clauses (1) and (2), may receive per diem and 
3.16 	reimbursement for expenses as provided in the rules of their respective bodies. Other 
3.17 	members of the task force may be compensated and have expenses reimbursed as provided 
3.18 	in Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059, subdivision 3.

3.19 	Sec. 2. MORATORIUM ON FORAGING RULES.
 3.20 	The commissioner of natural resources shall not commence or complete any rule making 
3.21 	on foraging before July 1, 2027.