1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to higher education; authorizing grants for agricultural growth, research, 
1.3 	and innovation programs; appropriating money for agriculture-related programs, 
1.4 	grants, and activities;amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 41A.12, 
1.5 	subdivisions 2, 4.
1.6 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.7 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 41A.12, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
1.8 		Subd. 2.Activities authorized. (a) For the purposes of this program, the 
1.9 	commissioner may issue grants, loans, or other forms of financial assistance. Eligible 
1.10 	activities include, but are not limited to, grants to livestock producers under the livestock 
1.11 	investment grant program under section 17.118, bioenergy awards made by the NextGen 
1.12 	Energy Board under section 41A.105, cost-share grants for the installation of biofuel 
1.13 	blender pumps, and financial assistance to support other rural economic infrastructure 
1.14 	activities.
1.15 	(b) $1,000,000 of the amount appropriated in each fiscal year to the agricultural 
1.16 	growth, research, and innovation program is reserved for rental subsidy grants to owners 
1.17 	of agricultural land:
1.18 	(1) to expand access to rental land; or
1.19 	(2) to lower rental costs for school districts that provide agricultural education and 
1.20 	community-oriented agricultural programs.

1.21 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 41A.12, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
1.22 		Subd. 4.Sunset. This section expires on June 30, 2015 2025.

1.23 	Sec. 3. APPROPRIATION; ONLINE COURSE CREATION.
 2.1 	(a) $100,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $100,000 in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated 
2.2 	from the general fund to the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and 
2.3 	Universities for developing online courses in farm business management and farm and 
2.4 	ranch management at colleges that currently offer those programs.
2.5 	(b) Institutions developing courses under this section shall focus on introductory 
2.6 	coursework, and must coordinate with one another to offer complimentary courses 
2.7 	and avoid duplication. The appropriation may not be used to develop courses already 
2.8 	available through another state college or university. Institutions receiving funds from 
2.9 	this appropriation must have one course developed and ready for student enrollment 
2.10 	within one year of receiving funds.

2.11 	Sec. 4. APPROPRIATION; MINNESOTA AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION 
2.12 	LEADERSHIP COUNCIL.
 2.13 	(a) $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated 
2.14 	from the general fund to the commissioner of agriculture for grants to the Minnesota 
2.15 	Agricultural Education Leadership Council to:
2.16 	(1) increase student awareness of the courses created using the funds appropriated 
2.17 	in section 3 among high school students eligible to take such courses through the 
2.18 	postsecondary enrollment option in Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.09; and
2.19 	(2) establish a regional agriculture educator advisor program to provide in-person 
2.20 	contact for students participating in the postsecondary enrollment option in Minnesota 
2.21 	Statutes, section 124D.09, to ensure that the students are eligible for Future Farmers 
2.22 	of America participation.
2.23 	(b) The appropriations in this section are added to the base for the Minnesota 
2.24 	Agricultural Education Leadership Council.

2.25 	Sec. 5. APPROPRIATION; AGRICULTURE EDUCATOR GRANTS.
 2.26 	(a) $1,500,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $1,500,000 in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated 
2.27 	from the general fund to the commissioner of agriculture for grants to the Minnesota 
2.28 	Agricultural Education Leadership Council. The Minnesota Agricultural Education 
2.29 	Leadership Council must develop criteria and award grants to agriculture educators 
2.30 	licensed under Minnesota Statutes, chapter 122A, for activities that advance the agricultural 
2.31 	education of students but are not compensated by the agriculture educator's employer.
2.32 	(b) The appropriations in this section are added to the base for the Minnesota 
2.33 	Agricultural Education Leadership Council.

3.1 	Sec. 6. APPROPRIATION; COLLEGE AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION 
3.2 	PROGRAMS.
 3.3 	(a) $500,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $500,000 in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated 
3.4 	from the general fund to the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and 
3.5 	Universities to create and develop a teacher preparation program leading to licensure in 
3.6 	agricultural education at Southwest Minnesota State University.
3.7 	(b) $500,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $500,000 in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated 
3.8 	from the general fund to the University of Minnesota to create and develop a teacher 
3.9 	preparation program leading to licensure in agricultural education at the Crookston campus.
3.10 	(c) An institution receiving funds under this section must consult with existing 
3.11 	programs in agricultural education at the University of Minnesota during the process of 
3.12 	creating such a program.
3.13 	(d) An institution receiving funds under this section shall provide the committees of 
3.14 	the legislature with primary jurisdiction over agriculture policy, K-12 education policy, 
3.15 	and higher education policy and finance with a report on the institution's progress in 
3.16 	creating an agricultural education licensure program and increasing the number of students 
3.17 	receiving a teaching license in agricultural education. Each institution must submit a 
3.18 	report as required under this section by February 15, 2016, and by February 15, 2017.