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SF 3479

1st Engrossment - 92nd Legislature (2021 - 2022) Posted on 05/20/2022 01:19pm

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

Current Version - 1st Engrossment

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A bill for an act
relating to agriculture; appropriating money for grants and financial assistance to
livestock farmers and crop producers impacted by drought; appropriating money
to the Rural Finance Authority revolving loan account for drought relief;
appropriating money for veterinary diagnostic laboratory equipment; appropriating
money for deer farming compensation; appropriating money for transfer to the
agricultural emergency account.

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

Section 1. new text begin DROUGHT RELIEF; APPROPRIATION.
new text end

new text begin (a) $6,500,000 in fiscal year 2022 is appropriated from the general fund to the
commissioner of agriculture for the purpose of providing grants and other forms of financial
assistance to livestock farmers and specialty crop producers impacted by the drought in
2021. For purposes of this section, "specialty crop" means an eligible crop under the United
States Department of Agriculture's specialty crop block grant program. Of the amount
appropriated in this paragraph:
new text end

new text begin (1) $5,000,000 is for livestock farmers; and
new text end

new text begin (2) $1,500,000 is for livestock farmers or specialty crop producers. Of the amount
appropriated in this clause, up to $100,000 may be used to reimburse livestock farmers for
expenses not reimbursed through the United States Department of Agriculture Emergency
Assistance for Livestock, Honey Bees, and Farm-raised Fish (ELAP) program, at a rate of
$6.60 per mile used in obtaining or transporting feed or feed ingredients up to 25 miles to
and from the farm.
new text end

new text begin The commissioner may issue payments of up to $5,000 on a first-come, first-served,
noncompetitive basis. Eligible producers must be located in counties that were designated
as a primary natural disaster area by the United States Department of Agriculture between
July 20, 2021, and December 31, 2021. Any unencumbered balance at the end of the year
does not cancel and is available until June 30, 2024. This is a onetime appropriation.
new text end

new text begin (b) $1,500,000 in fiscal year 2022 is appropriated from the general fund to the Rural
Finance Authority revolving loan account established under Minnesota Statutes, section
41B.06, for drought relief loans under Minnesota Statutes, section 41B.047. If this
appropriation exceeds the total amount for which all farmers are eligible in a fiscal year,
the balance of the appropriation is available for other programs eligible for funding under
the Rural Finance Authority's revolving loan account. Any unencumbered balance at the
end of the year does not cancel and is available until June 30, 2024. This is a onetime
appropriation.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin APPROPRIATION; VETERINARY DISEASE TESTING EQUIPMENT.
new text end

new text begin $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2022 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of agriculture for a grant to the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota to purchase
equipment for the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory to test for chronic wasting disease,
African swine fever, avian influenza, and other animal diseases. This is a onetime
appropriation that is available until June 30, 2023.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 3. new text begin APPROPRIATION; DEER FARMING COMPENSATION.
new text end

new text begin $500,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner
of agriculture to reimburse feed, veterinary, and other expenses incurred, and offset revenue
lost by owners of farmed white-tailed deer registered under Minnesota Statutes, section
34.155, due to movement bans imposed by the commissioner of natural resources in
emergency rules between December 2019 and December 2021. The commissioner may use
payments of up to $5,000 on a first-come, first-served, noncompetitive basis. Notwithstanding
Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.28, unencumbered balances under this paragraph do not
cancel until June 30, 2024.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin APPROPRIATION; AGRICULTURAL EMERGENCY ACCOUNT.
new text end

new text begin $500,000 in fiscal year 2023 is appropriated from the general fund for transfer to the
agricultural emergency account in the agricultural fund under Minnesota Statutes, section
17.041. Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 17.041, the commissioner may spend
money from the agricultural emergency account for the purposes of avian influenza testing
supplies, including but not limited to poultry drinking water tests. This authorization expires
on December 31, 2022. This is a onetime transfer.
new text end