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Minnesota farm groups see some priorities addressed this session

Leading farm groups are pleased some of their priorities have been addressed in the 2017 Minnesota Legislative Session.

Minnesota Farm Bureau’s Cole Rupprecht says legislators and the Dayton administration worked until three o’clock Friday morning to finalize a special session that began Monday.

“There are several provisions within many of those bills that we are supportive of.  First off, in the tax bill, Minnesota Farm Bureau is very happy and supportive of the 40 percent credit on ag property taxes that relates to school bond debt levies.”

The Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) also supported the 40 percent ag land credit included in the tax bill, one of several pieces of legislation still unsigned by the Governor.

MFU director of government relations Thom Petersen tells Brownfield some of the other victories for agriculture happened earlier in the Session.

“The first thing we got was some premium relief for healthcare.  And then right after that we were able to have the Governor sign a bill appropriating $35 million dollars for the Rural Finance Authority, which makes loans to farmers.”

Rupprecht says Farm Bureau is disappointed one year delays were not included in the Buffer Clarification bill, but sees the eight month waiver compromise as a positive development.

Governor Dayton says he’ll make decisions on all remaining bills by midnight on Tuesday.

 

Cole Rupprecht audio:

Thom Petersen audio:

 

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