Agriculture

The following write-ups are produced and maintained by Minnesota House Research Department, with some links provided to other sources.

Farming, Food Safety, & Invasive Species

• Corporate Farm Law
• Farm Wineries
  A 5-page information brief that explains how farm wineries are regulated and the state's role in promoting and funding them. June 2012.
• Food Safety System: An Overview
• Genetically Engineered Crops
• Invasive Species
• The Minnesota Farmer: Demographic Trends and Relevant Laws
  A discussion of the changing demographics among farmers and how lawmakers have addressed these issues. The second publication in A Changing Minnesota series, a joint project with the State Demographic Center. September 2015.
• A Minnesota Lawmaker's Guide to the Agri-Environmental Policy Landscape
  A 32-page information brief identifying, classifying, and summarizing major state and federal agri-environmental laws. August 2015.

Renewable Energy

• Fixed and Variable Subsidies for Renewable Energy Producers: Two Policy Options
• Designing Incentives for Renewable Energy Producers: Fixed v. Variable Subsidies
  A 25-page policy brief that compares two incentives for producers of renewable energy. January 2007.
• Biofuel Use Mandates

Financing for Farmers

• Rural Finance Authority
• Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Feedlots

The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) regulates animal feedlots in Minnesota.

• Minnesota Rules, Chapter 7020
  The rules governing feedlot regulation.
• Feedlot Fact Sheets
  Provided by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

Statistics & Economics

The U.S. Department of Agriculture maintains statistics on agriculture in Minnesota. Information is available in various forms. The University of Minnesota maintains data on farmland values.

• Minnesota Agricultural Statistics Service
  This site provides various publications for state and national statistics.
• Land Economics Data from the University of Minnesota
  This site provides data from the University of Minnesota.