Minnesota Session Laws - 2019, Regular Session

CHAPTER 4--S.F.No. 2225

An act

relating to agriculture; expanding a disaster recovery loan program; providing a retroactive effective date;

amending Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 41B.047, subdivisions 1, 3.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 41B.047, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Establishment.

The authority shall establish and implement a disaster recovery loan program to help farmers:

(1) clean up, repair, or replace farm structures and septic and water systems, as well as replace seed, other crop inputs, feed, and livestock, when damaged by high winds, hail, tornado, or flood new text begin , or the weight of snow, sleet, or ice new text end ;

(2) purchase watering systems, irrigation systems, and other drought mitigation systems and practices when drought is the cause of the purchase;

(3) restore farmland; or

(4) replace flocks, make building improvements, or cover the loss of revenue when the replacement, improvements, or loss of revenue is due to the confirmed presence of the highly pathogenic avian influenza in a commercial poultry or game flock located in Minnesota.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 41B.047, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Eligibility.

To be eligible for this program, a borrower must:

(1) meet the requirements of section 41B.03, subdivision 1;

(2) certify that the damage or loss was (i) sustained within a county that was the subject of a state or federal disaster declaration deleted text begin or deleted text end new text begin ; new text end (ii) due to the confirmed presence of the highly pathogenic avian influenza in a commercial poultry or game flock located in Minnesota; new text begin or (iii) due to an emergency as determined by the authority; new text end

(3) demonstrate an ability to repay the loan; and

(4) have received at least 50 percent of average annual gross income from farming for the past three years.

Sec. 3.

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This act is effective retroactively from January 1, 2019. new text end

Presented to the governor March 18, 2019

Signed by the governor March 18, 2019, 1:16 p.m.