1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to agriculture; establishing a grant program for Minnesota corn and soybean 
1.3 	farmers who plant seeds that do not contain systemic insecticides; appropriating 
1.4 	money;proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 17.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [17.131] ON-FARM SEED TREATMENT EVALUATION GRANT 
1.7 	PROGRAM.
1.8 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The commissioner shall establish a grant program for 
1.9 	Minnesota corn and soybean farmers who plant corn or soybean seeds that do not contain 
1.10 	systemic insecticides.
1.11 		Subd. 2.Eligibility. (a) A farmer eligible to receive a grant pursuant to this section must:
1.12 	(1) be a Minnesota corn or soybean farmer; and
1.13 	(2) not have received a grant pursuant to this section, except for an application for a 
1.14 	grant renewal.
1.15 	(b) Qualifying acres pursuant to this section must:
1.16 	(1) be located in Minnesota;
1.17 	(2) be fully planted with corn or soybean seed during a grant year;
1.18 	(3) have been fully planted with corn or soybean seed treated with or otherwise containing 
1.19 	one or more systemic insecticides in the previous growing season, except for an application 
1.20 	for a grant renewal; and
2.1 	(4) have never been claimed as a basis for a grant pursuant to this section, except for an 
2.2 	application for a grant renewal.
2.3 		Subd. 3.Awarding of grants. (a) An application for a grant must be made to the 
2.4 	commissioner on a form prescribed by the commissioner. An applicant must provide 
2.5 	documentation demonstrating the eligibility of any acre for which a grant is sought.
2.6 	(b) The commissioner shall award grants by the end of each calendar year to applicants 
2.7 	who demonstrate their intent to comply with the program requirements.
2.8 	(c) The commissioner shall award grants on a first-come, first-served basis, provided 
2.9 	that farmers seeking a grant renewal must receive priority over first-time applicants.
2.10 	(d) The commissioner shall only consider applications requesting grant money for use 
2.11 	on a minimum of 40 but not more than 800 qualifying acres.
2.12 		Subd. 4.Grant renewal. Grants may be renewed each year for up to two successive 
2.13 	years after the initial grant year provided that the grantee has and continues to comply with 
2.14 	all program requirements. Qualifying acres on which a systemic insecticide has been used 
2.15 	during a grant year is not eligible for renewal.
2.16 		Subd. 5.Payment amounts. The commissioner shall award grantees $15 per qualifying 
2.17 	acre of corn and $5 per qualifying acre of soybean.
2.18 		Subd. 6.Program requirements. During the grant year, grantees must:
2.19 	(1) plant all qualifying acres with corn or soybean seed that do not contain a systemic 
2.20 	insecticide;
2.21 	(2) not use any other systemic insecticide treatment on qualifying acres for at least three 
2.22 	weeks after planting;
2.23 	(3) keep records demonstrating compliance with clauses (1) and (2), including:
2.24 	(i) copies or photos of seed labels;
2.25 	(ii) receipts of seed purchase with purchase dates clearly indicated;
2.26 	(iii) dates of plantings; and
2.27 	(iv) maps clearly indicating the relevant planted acres; and
2.28 	(4) make all records required under clause (3) available for inspection by the 
2.29 	commissioner as requested.
3.1 		Subd. 7.Forfeiture. Grantees shall forfeit and return to the commissioner any grant 
3.2 	payments received pursuant to this section for all qualifying acres for which the program 
3.3 	requirements were not met during a grant year.
3.4 		Subd. 8.Definitions. For the purposes of this section:
3.5 	(1) "systemic insecticide" means any chemical active ingredient intended to kill or 
3.6 	otherwise harm insect or invertebrate wildlife and designed or intended to translocate into 
3.7 	the tissues of plants, including but not limited to acetamiprid, clothianidin, dinotefuran, 
3.8 	fipronil, imidacloprid, nitenpyram, sulfoxaflor, thiacloprid, and thiamethoxam; and
3.9 	(2) "grant year" means the year with the growing season for which a grant or grant 
3.10 	renewal is sought.

3.11 	Sec. 2. APPROPRIATIONS.
 3.12 	$350,000 in fiscal year 2020 and $350,000 in fiscal year 2021 are appropriated from the 
3.13 	general fund to the commissioner of agriculture to provide for grants under Minnesota 
3.14 	Statutes, section 17.131.