1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to agriculture; establishing a periodical 
  1.3             designed to promote the production and consumption of 
  1.4             natural, organic, and locally grown foods; 
  1.5             appropriating money; proposing coding for new law in 
  1.6             Minnesota Statutes, chapter 17.  
  1.7   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.8      Section 1.  [17.1017] [MINNESOTA GREEN MAGAZINE.] 
  1.9      (a) In order to provide increased public education and 
  1.10  interest in natural, organic, and locally grown foods and food 
  1.11  products, and to provide support for the development of 
  1.12  sustainable and organic farming, the commissioner shall provide 
  1.13  appropriate technical and administrative services and grant 
  1.14  funding under contract to an organization that will create, 
  1.15  publish, and distribute a periodical to complement the 
  1.16  department's Internet Web site in informing consumers and 
  1.17  producers of alternative food production and consumption 
  1.18  opportunities. 
  1.19     (b) The commissioner shall coordinate the efforts of all 
  1.20  groups interested in the issues of promoting the production, 
  1.21  marketing, and consumption of natural, organic, and locally 
  1.22  grown foods. 
  1.23     (c) The commissioner may serve as fiscal agent for the 
  1.24  organization selected to publish the periodical. 
  1.25     (d) The commissioner may accept donations and contributions 
  1.26  toward expenses of preparing, publishing, and distributing the 
  2.1   periodical, which must be deposited in the general fund. 
  2.2      Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION; MINNESOTA GREEN PERIODICAL.] 
  2.3      $250,000 in fiscal year 2002 and $250,000 in fiscal year 
  2.4   2003 are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner 
  2.5   of agriculture for administrative support and for grants to an 
  2.6   organization organized for the purpose of publishing a 
  2.7   periodical dedicated to promoting the production, marketing, and 
  2.8   consumption of natural, organic, and locally grown foods as 
  2.9   provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 17.1017.  If the 
  2.10  appropriation for the first year of the biennium is 
  2.11  insufficient, the appropriation for the second year is 
  2.12  available.  This is a one-time appropriation.