ST. PAUL, Minn. – On Monday, the Senate Agriculture, Broadband, and Rural Development Committee held a confirmation hearing for Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen.
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.
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.
Following the Senate Finance Committee advancing a recovery package for Minnesota farmers and ranchers impacted by last year’s historic drought conditions, DFL Members of the Senate Agriculture Committee said they strongly support the increases made to grant-based relief
DFL Members of the Senate Agriculture Committee unanimously supported legislation to deliver new grant-based and recovery loan relief to Minnesota farmers and ranchers impacted by historic drought conditions in 2021. Senate DFLers continue to call for immediate passage of this relief by early next week.
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.