Today the Minnesota Senate passed a comprehensive agriculture budget bill to support agriculture, rural development, and rural COVID-19 recovery. The legislation is focused on helping Minnesota farmers while spurring innovation in the agriculture industry and provides resources for broadband expansion throughout the state. 

“There are few things more important to this state’s success than a strong, thriving agriculture economy,” said Senator Scott Newman (R-Hutchinson). “Ag is the lifeblood of our state, and I am proud to support this bill that prioritizes farmers in the fields so they can continue doing their incredible, important work.”

The legislation helps our agricultural community recover from the pandemic by strengthening our Ag sector supply chains and invests in helping more meat processing facilities expand and grow. Ultimately these investments will provide more jobs, improve our processing efficiency, and provide more purchasing options for consumers. The Senate Agriculture Budget gives historic funding to the Border-to-Border Broadband Grant program at $40 million over the next two fiscal years. This funding will develop permanent broadband infrastructure in unserved and underserved areas. This significant funding from the legislature matches the critical need that has become apparent in the wake of Covid-19. Furthermore, the bill provides a $3.5 million grant to improve biofuel infrastructure by allowing gas stations to sell higher blends of biofuels. This investment helps Minnesota continue to lead the nation in pioneering clean homegrown fuels, like E-15. Additionally, the budget includes grants for farm safety equipment and allows the creation of a grain storage facility safety curriculum. Mental health outreach on farms and additional mental health services are also included, which continues funding for the existing 24-hour crisis hotline.