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Buffer Rule at center of two Minnesota Corn resolutions

The Buffer Rule is at the center of two resolutions proposed by the Minnesota Corn Growers Association.

Government relations chair Bruce Peterson of Northfield says during the annual meeting this week, members called for USDA to raise the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) acre cap.

“Part of that goes back to the Buffer Law and giving people options to enroll those acres in CRP if they wish.  We need to have that option for farmers, but currently we’re right up against the acreage cap.”

CRP acres have ratcheted down from 32 million in 2008 to 24 million this year and next under the current Farm Bill.

Peterson tells Brownfield another issue involving the Buffer Rule has to do with county ditches in areas mapped as a protected water course.

“You have a 16 1/2 foot buffer being it’s a county ditch, but where you have that dual classification they’re finding out that they have to have 50 feet.  So we passed a resolution saying we should only need a 16 1/2 foot buffer on those county ditches that also have that dual classification.”

Minnesota Corn Grower delegates also voted to support a property tax credit on ag land for existing and future school levies, as well as a 10 cent gas tax increase.