SF 2824

1st Engrossment - 86th Legislature (2009 - 2010) Posted on 03/15/2010 11:48am

A bill for an act
relating to agriculture; establishing a variable rate fertilizer application
equipment grant program; 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 [17.119] VARIABLE RATE FERTILIZER APPLICATION
EQUIPMENT GRANT PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For the purposes of this section, the terms defined in
this subdivision have the meanings given.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Eligible person" means a partnership, corporation, cooperative, or other legal
business structure that applies fertilizer to agricultural land for hire.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Eligible equipment" means variable rate fertilizer application machinery or
equipment that is capable of applying three or more products simultaneously at variable
rates.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Grant program; administration. new text end

new text begin The commissioner of agriculture shall
administer a grant program to partially reimburse an eligible person for the purchase of
eligible equipment. Before receiving a grant, an eligible person must submit an affidavit
on a form provided by the commissioner of agriculture certifying that the eligible person
or the eligible person's agent will use the eligible equipment to fertilize at least 5,000
agricultural acres in this state in each of the following five years. A grant may not exceed
ten percent of the amount paid by the eligible person to purchase the eligible equipment.
If eligible grant applications exceed available funds, the commissioner of agriculture may
develop and employ an equitable lottery system to select grant recipients.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION; VARIABLE RATE FERTILIZER APPLICATION
EQUIPMENT GRANT PROGRAM.
new text end

new text begin $2,000,000 is appropriated in fiscal year 2011 from the clean water fund to the
commissioner of agriculture to award grants under section 1.
new text end