Minnesota Session Laws - 1988, Regular Session

  

                         Laws of Minnesota 1988 

                       RESOLUTION 12-H.F.No. 2735 
 A resolution memorializing the President to 
immediately direct the Secretary of Agriculture to 
halt the forced movement of Farmer-Owned Reserve 
grains to commercial warehouses. 
    WHEREAS, substantial quantities of feed grains are held on 
Minnesota farms under Commodity Credit Corporation's 
Farmer-Owned Reserve program; and 
    WHEREAS, farmers who hold Farmer-Owned Reserve grains 
provide storage at a per-bushel cost far lower than that paid 
for commercial grain storage; and 
    WHEREAS, ample on-farm storage capacity is currently 
available for storage of Farmer-Owned Reserve grain; and 
    WHEREAS, many farmers depend on Farmer-Owned Reserve 
storage payments to bolster a meager farm income during times of 
economic stress; and 
    WHEREAS, farmers holding Farmer-Owned Reserve grains are 
entirely capable of maintaining the grain in excellent 
condition; and 
    WHEREAS, America's national security is better served by 
having Farmer-Owned Reserve grains held on a large number of 
farms disbursed throughout the countryside rather than 
concentrated in the facilities of multinational grain companies; 
and 
    WHEREAS, Minnesota farms consume significant amounts of 
diesel fuel; and 
    WHEREAS, Minnesota farmers require a high proportion of 
their diesel fuel during periods corresponding to periods of 
high cash demands; and 
    WHEREAS, a concentrated high farm cash demand tends to 
promote high short term indebtedness and may cause a negative 
farm cash flow; and 
    WHEREAS, the security of Minnesota's farmers may be 
jeopardized by increased cash and record keeping demands; NOW, 
THEREFORE, 
    BE IT RESOLVED by the Legislature of the State of Minnesota 
that the President of the United States immediately direct the 
Commissioner of Agriculture to maximize on-farm storage of 
Farmer-Owned Reserve grain stocks, and to establish a reserve 
grain storage payment structure that compensates farmers and 
commercial warehouses equally for their services. 
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Congress of the United 
States should immediately enact legislation prohibiting the 
Department of the Treasury from collecting exempt fuel taxes 
from farm diesel fuel consumers whether or not those taxes may 
later be refunded. 
    BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Secretary of State of the 
State of Minnesota is directed to transmit certified copies of 
this memorial to the President of the United States, the 
President and Secretary of the United States Senate, the Speaker 
and Chief Clerk of the United States House of Representatives, 
the Chairman of the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and 
Forestry of the United States Senate, the Chairman of the 
Committee on Agriculture of the United States House of 
Representatives, the Minnesota Representatives and Senators in 
Congress, the Secretary of the United States Treasury, and the 
United States Secretary of Agriculture. 
    Filed April 6, 1988