SAINT PAUL, Minn. – Today, the Minnesota House of Representatives passed its Agriculture budget bill to strengthen farming and food production in Minnesota. The legislation funds the operations of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), the Board of Animal Health, and the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute. Additionally, the bill makes new investments in high-speed broadband across the state, which were originally introduced by Rep. Rob Ecklund (DFL – International Falls).
“Robust investments in high-speed broadband are some of the most urgent steps we can make to protect rural communities and economies. In addition to the funding for our state’s farmers and food production industries, this bill contains important funding to help Minnesotans get online,” Rep. Ecklund said. “Over the last year, students, families, and businesses have come to depend on internet access more than ever. In this legislation, House DFLers are continuing our strong track record of investments to ensure all Minnesotans have the fast, reliable internet access they deserve.”
With a vision to encourage more Minnesotans to explore farming, the legislation includes funding for an Emerging Farmer Office at the MDA, Farmland Access Teams, and Urban Youth Agriculture. The bill also requires the MDA to help farmers finance new cooperatives that process or market agricultural products or services. The legislation also funds farmer and rural mental health outreach, investments to expand access to biofuels, additional funding for meat and poultry processors, an exemption from state regulation for small meat processors (with annual sales less than $20,000) who process fowl and game for hunters, an extension in the Farmer-Lender Mediation Act, and two new members on the Board of Animal Health: one veterinarian and one person who has knowledge of animal health and is a member of a federally recognized tribe located in Minnesota.
The bill also invests $30 million over the next two years in the state Border to Border Broadband Grant Program. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Minnesotans have had an unprecedented reliance on broadband for distance learning, working from home, and accessing telehealth services. The funding would be used to meet state speed and connectivity goals in unserved and underserved parts of the state. In 2019, lawmakers put into law the goal of every household and business having access to broadband internet of at least 25mbs/3mbs by 2022. As of January 2021, 83% of households in rural areas have access meeting this benchmark.
The $30 million investment would supplement funding Minnesota will receive under the American Rescue Plan eligible toward broadband expansion which Congress recently passed and President Biden signed into law. State officials are still determining how much money could be available, including investments from the Economic Development Administration under the U.S. Commerce Department, Federal Communications Commission’s Emergency Connectivity Fund, the Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, and the Local Assistance and Tribal Consistency Fund.
A spreadsheet of the investments contained in the bill is available here. Video of the House Floor session is available on House Public Information Services’ YouTube page.