Agriculture

Key Senate DFLers Say Push to Secure Drought Relief for Hard-Hit Minnesota Farmers and Ranchers Crosses Finish Line, Continued Support Necessary as Producers Hit by Widespread Storm Damage

Key Senate DFLers said today that their months-long push to secure disaster relief for Minnesota farmers and ranchers hit hard by last year’s severe drought has passed the Senate and now heads to Governor Walz for his signature. This comes as recent widespread storm damage has impacted producers across Minnesota.

Drought Relief Passes Senate, Receives Unanimous DFL Support

Following Senate passage of critically important drought relief legislation that delivers $7 million in targeted grant-based relief to livestock and specialty crop producers and an additional $1.5 million in low-interest loans, Senate DFL Leader Melisa López Franzen and DFL Members of the Senate Agriculture Committee said they will continue to push to finalize the package as it heads to a House-Senate conference committee.

Senator Murphy responds to Agriculture budget bill

Yesterday on the Senate floor, the omnibus agriculture and rural development budget bill (SF 958) passed. The bill includes $40 million for border-to-border broadband expansion and an additional $80 million if federal funds become available. The bill contains no new funding to support Minnesota farmers and people living in rural places as Minnesota emerges from a year long pandemic.