SF 2594

as introduced - 85th Legislature (2007 - 2008) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to agriculture; providing for dairy investment matching grants;
appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
chapter 17.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [17.118] DAIRY INVESTMENT MATCHING GRANT PROGRAM.
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new text begin (a) The commissioner may award a dairy investment grant of up to $40,000 to a
person who manages and milks 100 or fewer dairy cows in this state and who will spend
the grant on qualifying expenditures, provided the person makes qualifying expenditures
from other sources that will match the amount of the grant.
new text end

new text begin (b) For purposes of this section, "qualifying expenditures" means the amount spent
for the acquisition of equipment for dairy animal housing, for confinement, for animal
feeding, for production and delivery of milk and other dairy products, and for waste
management, including the following, if related to dairy animals in this state:
new text end

new text begin (1) freestall barns;
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new text begin (2) fences;
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new text begin (3) watering facilities;
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new text begin (4) feed storage and handling equipment;
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new text begin (5) milking parlors;
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new text begin (6) robotic equipment;
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new text begin (7) scales;
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new text begin (8) milk storage and cooling facilities;
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new text begin (9) bulk tanks;
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new text begin (10) manure pumping and storage facilities;
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new text begin (11) digesters;
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new text begin (12) equipment used to produce energy; and
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new text begin (13) on-farm processing and refrigerated trucks for delivery of milk and other dairy
products.
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new text begin (c) To be eligible for the dairy investment reimbursement grant, a person must
apply to the commissioner on forms prescribed by the commissioner and must include
a statement of the intended qualifying expenditures, including matching qualifying
expenditures, along with any proof or other documentation the commissioner may require.
new text end

new text begin (d) The commissioner shall review completed applications and award grants to
eligible applicants in the order in which applications were received by the commissioner.
The commissioner shall notify in writing any applicant who applies for a grant of the
decision made on the grant application and, if it is denied, the reasons for the denial.
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Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION.
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new text begin $....... of the amount appropriated to the rural finance authority for the fiscal
biennium ending June 30, 2009, for the methane digester loan program established in
Minnesota Statutes, section 41B.049, are appropriated to the commissioner of agriculture
for the dairy investment matching grant program established in Minnesota Statutes,
section 17.118. This appropriation is available until June 30, 2009.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
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new text begin Sections 1 and 2 are effective the day following final enactment.
new text end