Note: this column originally ran in the Faribault Daily News. http://www.southernminn.com/faribault_daily_news/opinion/article_524b785e-5728-5c72-bd0c-da9db4418234.html
Working for greater Minnesota and our agriculture economy
It’s hard to believe, but August is already over and the Minnesota State Fair is wrapping up. I hope you had an opportunity to drive up to the cities and take in the fair’s hundreds of attractions and dozens of events.
The fair’s marquee attraction is the food, but it also showcases something that is an integral part of our everyday lives: agriculture. For many metro residents, the fair is their only exposure to Minnesota’s agriculture economy each year.
Though the number of attractions and exhibits has grown dramatically, agriculture is still the backbone of the fair – just as it is the backbone of our state’s economy. When our agriculture industry is healthy, it’s good for the entire state. After last session, Minnesotans can be confident our ag economy will be secure for years to come.
Our approach to agriculture this year focused on stability, growth, and driving new innovation. We prioritized increasing agricultural research and development, strengthening and growing family farmers, and increasing the value of crop yields.
Above all, we wanted our agriculture budget to be a true compromise, so we included virtually all of the governor’s requests.
For years, the top issue facing farmers has been buffer strips. Farmers are justifiably frustrated by the new law and the way Gov. Dayton’s administration managed it. This year, we made it a point to clarify and improve the buffer law, so it’s fairer for farmers, property owners, and local governments. We created an implementation deadline waiver, empowered Soil and Water Conservation Districts to come up with alternative practices, and narrowed the definition of “public waters.”
The second issue I heard about often was Palmer amaranth, which is a weed that devastates crops. The weed is still quite new to Minnesota, so it was important we acted quickly to prevent it from spreading. We dedicated new funding to help the state partner with local governments to combat the threat of these noxious weeds, and required seed mixes follow a strict verification process to guarantee they don’t end up here by mistake.
A big part of strengthening our agriculture economy is tax relief and reform. We created a beginning farmer tax credit to help new farmers get up and running. Ag land owners will see property tax relief thanks to reductions in the unfair burden farmers pay for school referendums. And increases to the estate tax exemption will help people pass down more of their income and property to their sons and daughters.
We funded the Rural Finance Authority to help farmers secure specialized, low-interest loans, and updated the Farmer-Lender Mediation Act to help farmers manage debt payments.
Finally, we cut back on government red tape by placing a moratorium on MnDOT’s new ditch mowing restrictions and rolling back the state’s onerous “verification of need” language on pesticide use.
A thriving ag industry is not just critical to our way of life; it’s critical to the health of the entire state. One important benefit of having so many Greater Minnesota senators and representatives is that those of us who reside outside the metro have a much stronger voice. As a result, the legislature delivered fantastic results for Greater Minnesota and our agriculture economy this year.