HF 2516

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 03/08/2016 04:14pm

A bill for an act
relating to agriculture; establishing a tractor rollover protection pilot grant
program; appropriating nonstate money received by the commissioner of
agriculture; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 17.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

[17.119] TRACTOR ROLLOVER PROTECTION PILOT GRANT
PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.

Grants; eligibility.

(a) The commissioner must solicit funds from
nonstate sources and award cost-share grants to Minnesota farmers who retrofit eligible
tractors with eligible rollover protective structures. Grants are limited to 70 percent of
the farmer's documented cost to purchase, ship, and install an eligible rollover protective
structure. The commissioner must increase the grant amount over the 70 percent grant
limitation requirement if necessary to limit a farmer's cost per tractor to no more than $500.

(b) A rollover protective structure is eligible if it meets or exceeds SAE International
standard J2194.

(c) A tractor is eligible if the tractor was built before 1987.

Subd. 2.

Promotion; administration.

The commissioner may spend up to 20
percent of total program dollars each fiscal year to promote the program to Minnesota
farmers. The commissioner must minimize administrative costs by cooperating with the
New York Center for Agricultural Medicine and Health to administer the grant program.

Subd. 3.

Nonstate funds; appropriation.

The commissioner must solicit
contributions from nonstate sources for this program. Funds received under this
subdivision are appropriated to the commissioner for purposes of this section.

Subd. 4.

Expiration.

This section expires on June 30, 2019.