1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to agriculture; setting expiration dates for 
  1.3             certain advisory committees and commissions; changing 
  1.4             membership requirements; making technical changes; 
  1.5             amending Minnesota Statutes 1996, sections 17.136; 
  1.6             17.49, subdivision 1; 21.112, subdivision 2; 28A.20, 
  1.7             subdivision 2, and by adding a subdivision; and 31.95, 
  1.8             subdivision 3a. 
  1.9   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.10     Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 17.136, is 
  1.11  amended to read: 
  1.12     17.136 [ANIMAL FEEDLOTS; POLLUTION CONTROL; FEEDLOT AND 
  1.13  MANURE MANAGEMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE.] 
  1.14     (a) The commissioner of agriculture and the commissioner of 
  1.15  the pollution control agency shall establish a feedlot and 
  1.16  manure management advisory committee to identify needs, goals, 
  1.17  and suggest policies for research, monitoring, and regulatory 
  1.18  activities regarding feedlot and manure management.  In 
  1.19  establishing the committee, the commissioner shall give first 
  1.20  consideration to members of the existing feedlot advisory group. 
  1.21     (b) The committee must include representation from beef, 
  1.22  dairy, pork, chicken, and turkey producer organizations.  The 
  1.23  committee shall not exceed 18 members, but, after June 30, 1997, 
  1.24  must include representatives from at least ~~three~~ four 
  1.25  environmental organizations, eight livestock producers, and four 
  1.26  experts in soil and water science, nutrient management, and 
  1.27  animal husbandry, one member from an organization representing 
  2.1   local units of government, ~~one member from~~ and chairs of the 
  2.2   senate~~,~~ and ~~one member from~~ the house of 
  2.3   representatives committees that deal with agricultural policy or 
  2.4   the designees of the chairs.  In addition, the ~~department~~ 
  2.5   departments of agriculture, health, and natural resources, the 
  2.6   pollution control agency, board of water and soil resources, 
  2.7   soil and water conservation districts, the federal ~~Soil~~ Natural 
  2.8   Resource Conservation Service, the association of Minnesota 
  2.9   counties, and the ~~Agricultural Stabilization and~~ 
  2.10  ~~Conservation~~ Farm Service Agency shall serve on the committee as 
  2.11  ex officio nonvoting members. 
  2.12     (c) ~~Persons who participated in activities of the feedlot~~ 
  2.13  ~~advisory group existing on and before August 1, 1994, must be~~ 
  2.14  ~~allowed to speak at proceedings of the advisory committee.~~  
  2.15  ~~These persons hold nonvoting status and are not eligible for~~ 
  2.16  ~~reimbursement of expenses under paragraph (h).~~ 
  2.17     ~~(d)~~ The advisory committee shall elect a chair and a 
  2.18  vice-chair from its members.  The department and the agency 
  2.19  shall provide staff support to the committee. 
  2.20     ~~(e)~~ (d) The commissioner of agriculture and the 
  2.21  commissioner of the pollution control agency shall consult with 
  2.22  the advisory committee during the development of any policies, 
  2.23  rules, or funding proposals or recommendations relating to 
  2.24  feedlots or feedlot-related manure management. 
  2.25     ~~(f)~~ (e) The commissioner of agriculture shall consult with 
  2.26  the advisory committee on establishing a list of manure 
  2.27  management research needs and priorities. 
  2.28     ~~(g)~~ (f) The advisory committee shall advise the 
  2.29  commissioners on other appropriate matters. 
  2.30     ~~(h)~~ (g) Nongovernment members of the advisory committee 
  2.31  shall receive expenses, in accordance with section 15.059, 
  2.32  subdivision 6.  The advisory committee expires on June 30, ~~1997~~ 
  2.33  2001. 
  2.34     Sec. 2.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 17.49, 
  2.35  subdivision 1, is amended to read: 
  2.36     Subdivision 1.  [PROGRAM ESTABLISHED.] The commissioner 
  3.1   shall establish and promote a program of aquaculture in 
  3.2   consultation with an advisory committee consisting of the 
  3.3   University of Minnesota, the commissioner of natural resources, 
  3.4   the commissioner of agriculture, representatives of the private 
  3.5   aquaculture industry, and the chairs of the environment and 
  3.6   natural resources committees of the house of representatives and 
  3.7   senate.  The advisory committee expires on June 30, 2001. 
  3.8      Sec. 3.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 21.112, 
  3.9   subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  3.10     Subd. 2.  [ADVISORY SEED POTATO CERTIFICATION TASK FORCE.] 
  3.11  The commissioner may appoint an advisory seed potato 
  3.12  certification task force.  If the task force is appointed each 
  3.13  member shall be a grower in Minnesota of certified seed potatoes.
  3.14  The ~~task force shall expire, and the~~ terms, compensation, and 
  3.15  removal of members shall be as provided in section 15.059.  The 
  3.16  task force shall expire June 30, 2001. 
  3.17     Sec. 4.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 28A.20, 
  3.18  subdivision 2, is amended to read: 
  3.19     Subd. 2.  [MEMBERSHIP.] (a) The food safety advisory 
  3.20  committee consists of:  
  3.21     (1) the commissioner of agriculture; 
  3.22     (2) the commissioner of health; 
  3.23     (3) the executive director of the agricultural utilization 
  3.24  resource institute or the director's designee; 
  3.25     ~~(3)~~ (4) a representative of the United States Food and Drug 
  3.26  Administration; 
  3.27     ~~(4)~~ (5) a representative of the United States Department of 
  3.28  Agriculture; 
  3.29     ~~(5)~~ (6) one person from the University of Minnesota 
  3.30  knowledgeable in food and food safety issues; and 
  3.31     ~~(6)~~ (7) eight members appointed by the governor who are 
  3.32  interested in food and food safety, of whom: 
  3.33     (i) two persons are health or food professionals; 
  3.34     (ii) one person represents a statewide general farm 
  3.35  organization; 
  3.36     (iii) one person represents a local food inspection agency; 
  4.1   and 
  4.2      (iv) one person represents a food-oriented consumer group.  
  4.3      (b) Members shall serve without compensation.  Members 
  4.4   appointed by the governor shall serve four-year terms.  
  4.5      Sec. 5.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 28A.20, is 
  4.6   amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
  4.7      Subd. 6.  [EXPIRATION.] This section expires on June 30, 
  4.8   2001. 
  4.9      Sec. 6.  Minnesota Statutes 1996, section 31.95, 
  4.10  subdivision 3a, is amended to read: 
  4.11     Subd. 3a.  [CERTIFICATION ORGANIZATIONS.] (a) A Minnesota 
  4.12  grown organic product that is labeled "certified" must be 
  4.13  certified by a designated certification organization.  
  4.14     (b) A certified organic product sold in this state must be 
  4.15  certified by a designated certification organization or by a 
  4.16  certification organization approved by the commissioner.  Before 
  4.17  approving a certification organization, the commissioner must 
  4.18  seek the evaluation and recommendation of the Minnesota organic 
  4.19  advisory task force. 
  4.20     (c) The commissioner shall appoint a Minnesota organic 
  4.21  advisory task force composed of members of the organic industry 
  4.22  to advise the commissioner on organic issues.  Members of the 
  4.23  task force may not be paid compensation or costs for 
  4.24  expenses.  The task force expires on June 30, 2001. 
  4.25     Sec. 7.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  4.26     This act is effective June 30, 1997.