Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

HF 2816

as introduced - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 03/13/2012 01:17pm

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.

Current Version - as introduced

Line numbers 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6
1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18
1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19

A bill for an act
relating to natural resources; requiring state lands to be made available for
grazing; requiring outdoor heritage fund projects to protect grazing lands;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 97A.056, by adding a subdivision;
proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 84.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [84.972] GRAZING.
new text end

new text begin The commissioner of natural resources shall enter into agreements with area
livestock owners to graze at least 5,000 additional acres of land administered by the
commissioner each year. By January 15, 2013, and each year thereafter, the commissioner
shall submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house of
representatives and senate committees and divisions with jurisdiction over natural
resources and agriculture that provides:
new text end

new text begin (1) the total number of grazing agreements that have been entered into;
new text end

new text begin (2) the locations of the lands under grazing agreements;
new text end

new text begin (3) the total number of acres under grazing agreements; and
new text end

new text begin (4) the total number of new acres under grazing agreements added in the prior
fiscal year.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 97A.056, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:


new text begin Subd. 12. new text end

new text begin Pasture land protection; report. new text end

new text begin (a) For the purposes of this subdivision,
"pasture" means any land that had fencing designed to contain livestock at the time of
acquisition or that had been actively grazed anytime during the ten-year period prior
to acquisition.
new text end

new text begin (b) A recipient of money appropriated from the outdoor heritage fund that is used to
acquire, in fee, more than 20 acres of pasture, as defined in paragraph (a), shall maintain
any existing fencing on the land and install new perimeter fencing using funds from
the outdoor heritage fund appropriation, unless perimeter fencing capable of containing
livestock for grazing is already present. The recipient shall enter into an agreement or
agreements with an area livestock owner or owners to provide sufficient grazing of the
pasture to enhance wildlife habitat and control invasive species. If pasture subject to
this paragraph is determined to be unsuitable for grazing, the recipient must identify
alternative pasture land and enter into an agreement with an area livestock owner or
owners that provides alternative pasture for grazing at a ratio of three acres of alternative
pasture for every one acre of pasture purchased with outdoor heritage funds. If necessary,
the recipient shall install perimeter fencing on the alternative lands.
new text end

new text begin (c) By January 15, 2013, and each year thereafter, the commissioner of natural
resources, in consultation with the Board of Water and Soil Resources and the
Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, shall submit a report to the chairs and ranking
minority members of the house of representatives and senate committees and divisions
with jurisdiction over the outdoor heritage fund and agriculture detailing the total number
of acres of pasture land that was acquired in fee or through easement with funds from
the outdoor heritage fund.
new text end