ST. PAUL – House and Senate resolutions to delay the adoption of a new nitrogen rule, which would further regulate the use of fertilizer, have been formally published.
The new ruling put forward by Gov. Mark Dayton’s administration impacting the application of fertilizer has raised significant concerns in the agriculture community. While formal implementation the rule is not scheduled to occur until 2020, the Legislature invoked Section 14.126 of state law, effectively pausing the rule to allow the next Legislature to further examine the issue during the 2019 session.
“There are still major concerns that need to be addressed on this issue and it would be helpful to have time during the 2019 session to shine a light on those things,” said Rep. Chris Swedzinski, R-Ghent. “People see the lack of oversight on the nitrogen rule brought forward by the governor’s administration and just want to be heard before we get too far down the wrong path. Farmers are good stewards of the land, yet this is another one of those top-down government pushes where people in Greater Minnesota are left wondering how metro bureaucrats can be so out of touch.”
The resolutions may be found on pages 1,544-1,545 at this link.
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