SF 3915
Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)
Posted on 02/27/2026 10:18 a.m.
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A bill for an act
relating to agriculture; modifying pesticide provisions to protect wild-rice water;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 18B.01, by adding a subdivision;
18B.03, by adding a subdivision; 18B.04; 18B.045; 18B.063; 18B.305.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 18B.01, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:
new text begin Subd. 33. new text end
new text begin Wild-rice water. new text end
new text begin
"Wild-rice water" means any body of water:
new text end
new text begin
(1) identified as supporting or capable of supporting wild rice on any list, inventory, or
map maintained by the Pollution Control Agency or the Department of Natural Resources;
new text end
new text begin
(2) that lies within, or abuts and flows into, Indian country, as defined in United States
Code, title 18, section 1151; or
new text end
new text begin
(3) identified using the appropriation in Laws 2025, First Special Session chapter 1,
article 2, section 2, subdivision 3, paragraph (z), as a water in which uncultivated wild rice
grows.
new text end
Sec. 2.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 18B.03, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:
new text begin Subd. 6. new text end
new text begin Wild-rice waters enforcement. new text end
new text begin
The commissioner may take enforcement
action under chapter 18D for a violation of this chapter or any rule adopted under this chapter
that results in adverse effects to a wild-rice water. Violations that result in adverse effects
to a wild-rice water are not minor violations for purposes of section 18D.301, subdivision
2. The commissioner must deposit any penalty collected under this subdivision in the
pesticide regulatory account in section 18B.05.
new text end
Sec. 3.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 18B.04, is amended to read:
18B.04 PESTICIDE IMPACT ON ENVIRONMENT.
(a) The commissioner shall:
(1) determine the impact of pesticides on the environment, including the new text begin immediate and
biocumulative new text end impacts on new text begin sediment, soil, new text end surface waternew text begin ,new text end and groundwaternew text begin , including wild-rice
water,new text end in this state;
(2) develop best management practices involving pesticide distribution, storage, handling,
use, and disposal; and
(3) cooperate with and assist other state agenciesnew text begin ; Minnesota Tribal governments, as
defined in section 10.65;new text end and local governments to protect public health, new text begin wild-rice waters,
new text end pollinators, and the environment from harmful exposure to pesticides.
(b) The commissioner may assemble a group of experts under section 16C.10, subdivision
2, to consult in the investigation of pollinator deaths or illnessesnew text begin or the pollution of wild-rice
waternew text end . The group of experts may include representatives from local, state, and federal
agencies; new text begin Minnesota Tribal governments; new text end academia, including the University of Minnesota;
the state pollinator bank; or other professionals as deemed necessary by the commissioner.
The amount necessary for the purposes of this paragraph, not to exceed $100,000 per fiscal
year, is appropriated from the pesticide regulatory account in section 18B.05.
Sec. 4.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 18B.045, is amended to read:
18B.045 PESTICIDE MANAGEMENT PLAN.
Subdivision 1.
Development.
The commissioner shall develop a pesticide management
plan for the prevention, evaluation, and mitigation of occurrences of pesticides or pesticide
breakdown products in groundwaters and surface watersnew text begin , including wild-rice waters,new text end of the
state. The pesticide management plan must include components promoting prevention,
developing appropriate responses to the detection of pesticides or pesticide breakdown
products in groundwater and surface waters, new text begin including wild-rice waters, new text end and providing
responses to reduce or eliminate continued pesticide movement to groundwater and surface
waternew text begin , including wild-rice waternew text end . By September 1 of each even-numbered year, the
commissioner must submit a status report on the plan to the Environmental Quality Board
new text begin and Minnesota Indian Affairs Council new text end for review and then to the house of representatives
and senate committees with jurisdiction over the environment, natural resources, and
agriculture.
Subd. 2.
Coordination.
The pesticide management plan shall be coordinated and
developed with other state agency plans and with other state agencies through the
Environmental Quality Boardnew text begin and with Minnesota Tribal governments, as defined in section
10.65, and the Minnesota Indian Affairs Councilnew text end . In addition, the University of Minnesota
Extension Service, farm organizations, farmers, environmental organizations, deleted text begin anddeleted text end industrynew text begin ,
and Minnesota Tribal governmentsnew text end shall be involved in the pesticide management plan
development.
Sec. 5.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 18B.063, is amended to read:
18B.063 STATE USES OF PESTICIDES AND NUTRIENTS.
new text begin (a) new text end The state shall use integrated pest management techniques in its management of
public lands, including roadside rights-of-way, parks, and forests; and shall use planting
regimes that minimize the need for pesticides and added nutrients.
new text begin
(b) The state must take particular care to ensure that pesticides do not flow into wild-rice
water.
new text end
Sec. 6.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 18B.305, is amended to read:
18B.305 PESTICIDE EDUCATION AND TRAINING.
Subdivision 1.
Education and training.
(a) The commissioner, as the lead agency, shall
develop, implement or approve, and evaluate, in consultation with University of Minnesota
Extension, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system, and other educational
institutions, innovative educational and training programs addressing pesticide concerns
including:
(1) water quality protection;
(2) endangered species protection;
(3) new text begin protection of wild-rice waters;
new text end
new text begin (4) new text end minimizing pesticide residues in food and water;
deleted text begin (4)deleted text end new text begin (5)new text end worker protection and applicator safety;
deleted text begin (5)deleted text end new text begin (6)new text end chronic toxicity;
deleted text begin (6)deleted text end new text begin (7)new text end integrated pest management and pest resistance;
deleted text begin (7)deleted text end new text begin (8)new text end pesticide disposal;
deleted text begin (8)deleted text end new text begin (9)new text end pesticide drift;
deleted text begin (9)deleted text end new text begin (10)new text end relevant laws including pesticide labels and labeling and state and federal rules
and regulations;
deleted text begin (10)deleted text end new text begin (11)new text end current science and technology updates; and
deleted text begin (11)deleted text end new text begin (12)new text end thresholds and guidance to reduce the impacts of insecticide on pollinators.
(b) The commissioner shall appoint educational planning committeesnew text begin ,new text end which must include
representatives of industry deleted text begin anddeleted text end new text begin ,new text end applicatorsnew text begin , and Minnesota Tribal governments, as defined
in section 10.65new text end .
(c) Specific current regulatory concerns must be discussed and, if appropriate,
incorporated into each training session. Relevant changes to pesticide product labels or
labeling or state and federal rules and regulations may be included.
(d) The commissioner may approve programs from private industry, higher education
institutions, and nonprofit organizations that meet minimum requirements for education,
training, and certification.
Subd. 2.
Training manual and examination development.
The commissioner, in
consultation with University of Minnesota Extensionnew text begin , Tribal colleges,new text end and other higher
education institutions, shall continually revise and update pesticide applicator training
manuals and examinations. The manuals and examinations must be written to meet or exceed
the minimum competency standards required by the United States Environmental Protection
Agency and pertinent state specific information. Pesticide applicator training manuals and
examinations must meet or exceed the competency standards in Code of Federal Regulations,
title 40, part 171. Competency standards for training manuals and examinations must be
published on the Department of Agriculture website. Questions in the examinations must
be determined by the commissioner in consultation with other responsible agencies. Manuals
and examinations must include pesticide management practices that discuss prevention of
pesticide occurrence in groundwater and surface water of the state, new text begin including wild-rice
waters, new text end and economic thresholds and guidance for insecticide use.