1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to agriculture; changing certain livestock compensation provisions;
1.3 	amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, sections 3.737, subdivision 1; 3.7371, 
1.4 	subdivision 3.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 3.737, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Compensation required. (a) Notwithstanding section 3.736, 
1.8 	subdivision 3, paragraph (e), or any other law, a livestock owner shall be compensated 
1.9 	by the commissioner of agriculture for livestock that is destroyed by a gray wolf or is so 
1.10 	crippled by a gray wolf that it must be destroyed. ~~The~~Except as provided in this section, 
1.11 	the owner is entitled to the fair market value of the destroyed livestock as determined by 
1.12 	the commissioner, upon recommendation of a university extension agent or a conservation 
1.13 	officer. In any calendar year, a livestock owner may not be compensated for a destroyed 
1.14 	animal claim that is less than $100 in value and may be compensated up to $20,000, 
1.15 	as determined under this section. In any calendar year, the commissioner may provide 
1.16 	compensation for claims filed under this section and section 3.7371 up to a total of 
1.17 	$100,000 for both programs combined.
1.18 	(b) Either the agent or the conservation officer must make a personal inspection of 
1.19 	the site. The agent or the conservation officer must take into account factors in addition to 
1.20 	a visual identification of a carcass when making a recommendation to the commissioner. 
1.21 	The commissioner, upon recommendation of the agent or conservation officer, shall 
1.22 	determine whether the livestock was destroyed by a gray wolf and any deficiencies in the 
1.23 	owner's adoption of the best management practices developed in subdivision 5. The 
1.24 	commissioner may authorize payment of claims only if the agent or the conservation 
2.1 	officer has recommended payment. The owner shall file a claim on forms provided by the 
2.2 	commissioner and available at the university extension agent's office.

2.3 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 3.7371, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
2.4 		Subd. 3.Compensation. The crop owner is entitled to the target price or the 
2.5 	market price, whichever is greater, of the damaged or destroyed crop plus adjustments 
2.6 	for yield loss determined according to agricultural stabilization and conservation service 
2.7 	programs for individual farms, adjusted annually, as determined by the commissioner, 
2.8 	upon recommendation of the county extension agent for the owner's county. The 
2.9 	commissioner, upon recommendation of the agent, shall determine whether the crop 
2.10 	damage or destruction is caused by elk and, if so, the amount of the crop that is damaged 
2.11 	or destroyed. In any calendar year, a crop owner may not be compensated for a damaged 
2.12 	or destroyed crop that is less than $100 in value and may be compensated up to $20,000, 
2.13 	as determined under this section, if normal harvest procedures for the area are followed.
2.14 	In any calendar year, the commissioner may provide compensation for claims filed under 
2.15 	this section and section 3.737 up to a total of $100,000 for both programs combined.