With just a few days left in the Minnesota legislative session, we need another push to ensure the state fully funds its investment in the Forever Green Initiative. Members of the Legacy Finance conference committee will begin to meet this week and need to hear from Minnesotans across the state.
This is the first time that full funding for the Forever Green Initiative — $10 million for the biennium — has been included in an omnibus finance bill. This would not have been possible without the efforts of Land Stewardship Project members, our allies, and legislative champions.
But this full funding is only included in the House Omnibus Legacy Finance Bill; the Senate’s version funds Forever Green at only $2.5 million for the biennium. We need to act now to ensure that this huge gain moves forward. Conference committee members are coming together to represent the interests of all Minnesotans, not just their own districts. Can you take just two minutes to urge them to support Forever Green funding?
Click here to contact conference committee legislators about funding Forever Green!
The Forever Green Initiative at the University of Minnesota, a land grant university, is a critical piece of the puzzle to changing the landscape in Minnesota. By developing and creating markets for cover crops and perennials, including forages for grazing, this program is helping farmers diversify the landscape, build resiliency, clean our water systems, sequester carbon, and build soil health in a profitable way. Publicly investing in this program means supporting the public good and creating an agricultural future that benefits rural communities, family farmers, and the land.
Ag organizations, environmental organizations, faith-based organizations, small businesses, and restaurants all support this critical program — read our sign-on letter here.
Please, take just two minutes to urge key legislative conference committee members to fully fund the state’s investment in the Forever Green Initiative!