1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to agriculture; authorizing the Rural Finance Authority to issue or 
1.3 	participate in more than one methane digester loan to a farmer;amending Minnesota 
1.4 	Statutes 2016, section 41B.049, subdivisions 1, 5.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 41B.049, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Establishment. The authority shall establish and implement a methane 
1.8 	digester loan program to help finance the purchase of necessary equipment and the 
1.9 	construction or improvement of a system that ~~will utilize~~utilizes manure to produce 
1.10 	electricity.

1.11 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 41B.049, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
1.12 		Subd. 5.Loan criteria. (a) To be eligible, a borrower must be a resident of Minnesota 
1.13 	or an entity that is not prohibited from owning agricultural land under section 500.24.
1.14 	(b) State participation in a participation loan is limited to 45 percent of the principal 
1.15 	amount of the loan. A direct loan or loan participation may not exceed $250,000.
1.16 	(c) Loans under this program may be used as a match for federal loans or grants.
1.17 	(d) A borrower who has previously received a loan under subdivision 1 ~~is prohibited~~ 
1.18 	~~from receiving~~may receive another methane digester loan under subdivision 1 if the previous 
1.19 	loan has been repaid in full.