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2022 Minnesota Legislative Session Wrap-up — Maybe?

More Undone than Done, but Some Key Wins LSP is Eager to Build on

By Amanda Koehler
May 25, 2022

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During an LSP virtual town hall meeting, Member Christina Traeger, owner of Rolling Hills Traeger Ranch and Grillin Meats, secured Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s support for investments in local meat processing.

LSP member Liz Dwyer, a livestock and CSA farmer, testifying in a Senate hearing about the urgent need for drought relief for specialty crop farmers.

The 2022 Minnesota legislative session held incredible promise in the form of a historic budget surplus that had the opportunity to deliver tangible progress on the biggest challenges we face. For example, the Minnesota House Climate Action Caucus, chaired by Rep. Patty Acomb (DFL-Minnetonka), began the session with a bang, proposing a $1 billion investment in climate solutions, including $100 million for agriculture.

Unfortunately, the end of this legislative session left more undone than done. In numerous budget areas, members of the Senate Majority refused to negotiate or delayed so much that an agreement came too late. Luckily, one of the few omnibus bills that crossed the finish line was the budget for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). Bills that included funding for the Board of Water and Soil Resources, Soil and Water Conservation Districts, and the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program did not make it across the finish line in time.

We are hoping the Legislature will come back together to do its job and deliver the funding people and the land need and deserve. However, Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller has made it clear that the Senate Republican Caucus has no interest in doing so.

It’s not too late to demand that lawmakers come back to the table. You can take just two minutes to contact Senator Miller here.

What was on the table
and what passed?

Governor Tim Walz and the House of Representatives originally proposed robust budgets for the MDA of over $70 million and $60 million, respectively. The Senate, however, spent most of the historic budget surplus on tax cuts that would mostly benefit the rich, leaving just $5 million for their agriculture budget bill.

Door-hangers with LSP policy priorities and the LSP soil health cost-share petition were distributed to each Legislator in the final week of the legislative session.

Land Stewardship Project members and supporters worked hard to push Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller (R–Winona) to agree to a budget for the MDA that was closer to the size of the House proposal. Dozens of LSP members who are Sen. Miller’s constituents attended a virtual in-district meeting, wrote letters-to-the-editor, and were featured in local newspaper advertisements, — yet he prioritized tax cuts that would primarily benefit the rich and set the joint agriculture budget at just $15 million.

Although Senate leadership squandered an opportunity to fully meet the needs of farmers, our food system, and rural communities in the agriculture budget (and by failing to pass other budget bills), the final agriculture proposal did include some key funding that we are eager to build upon in 2023.

Key wins in the agriculture budget include $500,000 for soil health grants for farmers, directing the state to create a soil health action plan, and notable investment for livestock processing grants and education.

 

Below is what was proposed and what eventually passed for the 2022-2023 and 2024-2025 fiscal years:

Newspaper ad featuring LSP member and dairy farmer Bonnie Haugen urging Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller to pass a robust ag budget.

Summary

We’re facing compounding challenges that Land Stewardship Project members have testified to, written letters-to-the-editor on, met with their Legislators about, and took actions around: the climate crisis and extreme weather, consolidation in the meat supply chain, skyrocketing land costs, barriers to processing and markets for emerging crops, and more. What is clear is that the Governor and the House Majority, overall, proposed strong budgets for people and the land, while the Senate dismissed these real challenges threatening their communities to prioritize tax cuts for folks who don’t need them. And then they decided to not finish the job by leaving several budget bills on the table.

The Speaker of the Minnesota House, Representative Melissa Hortman (DFL–Brooklyn Park), and Gov. Walz are ready and willing to come back to the table to finish what was left undone. Senate Majority Leader Miller said the Senate Republican Caucus was not interested in a special legislative session and House Minority Kurt Daudt (GOP– Crown) said he wants to “sleep on it” for seven months.

Additionally, the legislative process has become increasingly opaque over time. Individual legislators were largely not in the loop during end-of-session negotiations unless they were committee chairs, making constituent and organizational engagement even more difficult. Numerous members of the Senate Majority also refused to meet with LSP members who are their constituents, despite repeated requests.

They also cobbled together massive omnibus bills with multiple agency budgets in each. If one part of the budget was agreed upon, but others weren’t, they didn’t pass any of it. We strongly believe that leadership from both parties and each body must make a commitment to transparent and public lawmaking and negotiating. Our democracy should be accessible, responsive, and effective.

Regardless of if the Legislature comes back together to finish the job, LSP will be working to create a holistic, member-developed state policy platform to aggressively organize around. We’re ready to get to work to make sure 2023 has a very different result than the 2022 legislative session. In addition, we’re planning on bringing back the Family Farm Breakfast and Day at the Capitol – stay tuned!

More Information

  • Governor Walz’s Supplemental Budget Proposal 
  • Legislative Spreadsheet that Shows House & Senate Final Proposals for Ag & Drought Relief
  • Final Ag & Drought Relief Bill

LSP policy manager Amanda Koehler can be reached via e-mail or at 612-400-6355.

LSP virtual town hall with Senate Majority Leader Jeremy Miller.

Category: Blog
Tags: 100% Soil Healthy Campaign • drought relief • emerging farmers • local meat processing • Minnesota Legislature • regional food systems • soil health

Upcoming Events

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February 2023

Thursday February 2 – Saturday February 4

GrassWorks Grazing Conference
GrassWorks Grazing Conference
Thursday February 2 – Saturday February 4

See https://grassworks.org/events/grazing-conference for details.

Thursday February 2

1:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Winona County Well Testing Screening
Winona County Well Testing Screening
Thursday February 2
1:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Supporting farmers who are using sustainable practices keeps our drinking water clean. On Thursday, Feb. 2, the Minnesota Well Owners Association and the Minnesota Ground Water Association will be holding a free well water testing screening clinic in western Winona County.

To participate, collect a cup (8 ounces) of water from
your well in a clean plastic or glass container and bring it to the Saint Charles Community Center. Results will be provided to you within 20 minutes.

For more information, check out this flier.

MNWOO StCharlesClinic.pdf
5:30 pm – 8:30 pm
LSP Farm Transition Planning Course: Session 2
LSP Farm Transition Planning Course: Session 2
Thursday February 2
5:30 pm – 8:30 pm

…Are you a farm family or landowner thinking about the future or next steps for your farm?

…Are you interested in planning for the next generation of farmers on your land?

…Do you have a spouse/partner helping to make these decisions? Are you both on the same page?

…Are you ready to begin the planning process but don’t know where to start?

THE WORKSHOPS WILL FOCUS ON: 

  • Values and Vision;  
  • Financial,  tax, and legal considerations; 
  • Options for farm transitions; 
  • Resources to guide the planning process,
  • Communication tools. 

YOU WILL COME AWAY WITH:

  • Tools to use that will help gain clarity around your future planning
  • Next steps toward creating a farm transition plan
  • Ideas and advice from other farmers and professionals 
  • Networks and support to continue to share and learn
  • Individualized support

Session One: Thursday, Jan. 26: The focus will be on values and vision. In addition, we will be getting to know one another, discussing expectations for the course, and understanding where folks are in the transition planning process.

Session Two: Thursday, Feb. 2: The focus will be on financial planning. Presenter Joy Kirkpatrick, a Succession Outreach Specialist for the University of Wisconsin Center for Dairy Profitability, will share her 29 years of experience working with farm families as they assess their financial needs for retirement and how that impacts their farm transition.

Session Three: Thursday, Feb. 9: The focus will be on legal issues in planning a farm transition. Jason Wagner, an attorney with Wagner Oehler Ltd., will share his experience and knowledge regarding legal aspects that need to be considered when planning a farm transition.

Session Four: Thursday, Feb. 16: The focus will be on communications and intergenerational considerations which are critical to a successful farm transition and that are often overlooked.

Session Five: Thursday, Feb. 23: The focus will be on long -term care issues. Kate Graham, an attorney with an elder law focus, will share her knowledge and experience of what needs to be considered when planning long-term care and how a farm transition can be impacted.  

Session Six: Thursday, March 2: The focus will be on integrating all that has been discussed and sharing resources (people, organizations, and materials) that are available to help continue the farm transition planning process. The goal is for each family to create individual next steps to continue the farm transition planning process once the course is over.

To register, click here.

Friday February 3

9:00 am – 10:30 am
2023 Minnesota Legislative Priorities Overview
2023 Minnesota Legislative Priorities Overview
Friday February 3
9:00 am – 10:30 am

Join public officials, partners, and members of the Land Stewardship Project to hear about LSP and LSP partner organizations’ priorities for the 2023 Minnesota legislative session. 
 
Presentation at noon and an optional Q + A portion at 1 p.m. You can register here.
 
Questions? Contact LSP Policy Manager Amanda Koehler at akoehler@landstewardshipproject.org or 612-400-6355.

Monday February 6

8:30 am – 1:30 pm
Crop, Livestock & Soil Innovation Conferences Workshop
Crop, Livestock & Soil Innovation Conferences Workshop
Monday February 6
8:30 am – 1:30 pm

The Land Stewardship Project is a co-sponsor of the 2023 I-90 & Highway 14 Tour CLASIC. Network, learn, and get inspired with area farmers and regional farming innovators as we discuss current trends for improving productivity and profitability in crop and livestock operations utilizing soil-healthy practices. The Crop, Livestock, and Soil Innovation Conferences (CLASIC) is made up of two tours in Minnesota, traveling along Interstate 90 and Highway 14, consisting of several stops.

Click this link for more details and a complete listing of workshops. Each venue’s program is unique and varied — be sure to check them all out and register for multiple events.

The speaker for the Feb. 6 event will be Dean Sponheim, a fourth-generation farmer from Mitchell County, Iowa. He began strip-tilling in 1999, aerial applying cover crops in the fall of 2012, and started a cover crop seed business in 2014 and no-tilling corn and soybeans in 2019.

To register for the Feb. 6 workshop, click here.

View Full Calendar

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  • ‘Exploring Conservation on Rented Farmland’ Online Workshop Jan. 24 January 3, 2023
  • Our Minnesota Food & Farm Campaign Platform December 22, 2022
  • Changes Ahead for LSP in 2023 December 18, 2022

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