SF 4066
Introduction - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026)
Posted on 03/03/2026 09:31 a.m.
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A bill for an act
relating to agriculture; increasing the transfer to the Minnesota grown account;
amending Laws 2025, chapter 34, article 1, section 6.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
Laws 2025, chapter 34, article 1, section 6, is amended to read:
Sec. 6. TRANSFERS.
(a) The commissioner of agriculture, in consultation with the commissioner of
management and budget, must transfer $1,500,000 in fiscal year 2026 from the general fund
to the agricultural emergency account established under Minnesota Statutes, section 17.041.
(b) Of the amount transferred to the agricultural emergency account under Minnesota
Statutes, section 17.041, up to $750,000 may be used for the following purposes:
(1) to test milk, milk products, poultry products, and pet food before retail sale for the
presence of avian influenza;
(2) to transfer money to the commissioner of health for biomonitoring for the presence
of avian influenza in agricultural workers, farm workers, and poultry or livestock processing
employees who volunteer to participate; and
(3) to transfer money to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to develop
rapid testing, quantification, and human exposure risk assessment models for avian influenza
in urban wastewater treatment processes, drinking water treatment processes, and public
and private wells.
Prior to using or transferring money under this paragraph, the commissioner of agriculture
must communicate the intended use and the estimated amount of money to the chairs and
ranking minority members of the house of representatives and senate committees with
jurisdiction over agriculture finance.
(c) The commissioner of agriculture, in consultation with the commissioner of
management and budget, must transfer $100,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $100,000 in fiscal
year 2027 from the general fund to the pollinator research account established under
Minnesota Statutes, section 18B.051. The commissioner of management and budget must
include a transfer of $100,000 each year from the general fund to the pollinator research
account established under Minnesota Statutes, section 18B.051, in each forecast prepared
under Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.103, from the effective date of this section through
the February 2027 forecast.
(d) The commissioner of agriculture, in consultation with the commissioner of
management and budget, must transfer $186,000 in fiscal year 2026 and deleted text begin $186,000deleted text end new text begin $261,000new text end
in fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to the Minnesota grown account under Minnesota
Statutes, section 17.102, subdivision 4. The transferred money may be used as grants for
Minnesota grown promotion under Minnesota Statutes, section 17.102. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.28, the appropriations encumbered under contract on or
before June 30, 2027, for Minnesota grown grants in this paragraph are available until June
30, 2029. The commissioner of management and budget must include a transfer of deleted text begin $186,000deleted text end new text begin
$261,000new text end each year from the general fund to the Minnesota grown account established under
Minnesota Statutes, section 17.102, subdivision 4, in each forecast prepared under Minnesota
Statutes, section 16A.103, from the effective date of this section through the February 2027
forecast.
(e) The commissioner of agriculture, in consultation with the commissioner of
management and budget, must transfer $10,677,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $10,677,000 in
fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to the agriculture research, education, extension, and
technology transfer account under Minnesota Statutes, section 41A.14, subdivision 3, for
purposes of the agriculture research, education, extension, and technology transfer grant
program under Minnesota Statutes, section 41A.14. The commissioner of agriculture shall
transfer money each year to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota for purposes
of Minnesota Statutes, section 41A.14, subdivision 1, clauses (1) and (2), and must
supplement and not supplant existing sources and levels of funding. The commissioner may
use up to one percent of this transfer for costs incurred to administer this program. Of the
amount transferred for the agriculture research, education, extension, and technology transfer
grant program under Minnesota Statutes, section 41A.14:
(1) $600,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $600,000 in fiscal year 2027 are for the Minnesota
Agricultural Experiment Station's agriculture rapid response fund under Minnesota Statutes,
section 41A.14, subdivision 1, clause (2);
(2) up to $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 and up to $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2027 are for
research on avian influenza, salmonella, and other turkey related diseases and disease
prevention measures;
(3) $2,500,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $2,500,000 in fiscal year 2027 are for grants to
the Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council to enhance agricultural education
with priority given to Farm Business Management challenge grants. This allocation is
$2,250,000 in fiscal year 2028 and each year thereafter;
(4) $350,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $350,000 in fiscal year 2027 are for potato research;
(5) $802,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $802,000 in fiscal year 2027 are to fund the Forever
Green Initiative and protect Minnesota's natural resources while increasing the efficiency,
profitability, and productivity of Minnesota farmers by incorporating perennial and winter
annual crops into existing agricultural practices. By February 1 each year, the dean of the
College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences must submit a report to the
chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over
agriculture finance and policy and higher education detailing uses of the money in this
clause, including administrative costs, and the achievements this money contributed to;
(6) $200,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $200,000 in fiscal year 2027 are for research on
natural stands of wild rice;
(7) $250,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $250,000 in fiscal year 2027 are for the cultivated
wild rice forward selection project at the North Central Research and Outreach Center,
including a tenure track or research associate plant scientist;
(8) $290,000 in fiscal year 2026 is for the Board of Regents of the University of
Minnesota for purposes of research on crop contamination and exposure to prions deposited
by animals infected with chronic wasting disease. This is a onetime allocation; and
(9) $75,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $75,000 in fiscal year 2027 are for grants to the
Southwest Minnesota State University Foundation to support the Minnesota Agriculture
and Rural Leadership program. This is a onetime allocation.
The commissioner of management and budget must include a transfer of $10,352,000 each
year from the general fund to the agriculture research, education, extension, and technology
transfer account under Minnesota Statutes, section 41A.14, subdivision 3, in each forecast
prepared under Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.103, from the effective date of this section
through the February 2027 forecast.
(f) The commissioner of agriculture, in consultation with the commissioner of
management and budget, must transfer $1,425,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $1,425,000 in
fiscal year 2027 from the general fund to the agricultural and environmental revolving loan
account established under Minnesota Statutes, section 17.117, subdivision 5a, for low-interest
or no-interest loans issued through the agriculture best management practices loan program
under Minnesota Statutes, section 17.117. The commissioner of management and budget
must include a transfer of $1,425,000 each year from the general fund to the agricultural
and environmental revolving loan account under Minnesota Statutes, section 17.117,
subdivision 5a, in each forecast prepared under Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.103, from
the effective date of this section through the February 2027 forecast.
(g) The commissioner of agriculture, in consultation with the commissioner of
management and budget, must transfer $500,000 in fiscal year 2026 from the grain indemnity
account under Minnesota Statutes, section 223.24, subdivision 1, in the agricultural fund
to the grain buyers and storage account under Minnesota Statutes, section 232.22, subdivision
3, in the agricultural fund.
new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end
new text begin
This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end