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Legislative News and Views - Rep. Mike Sundin (DFL)

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Legislative Update – February 18, 2022

Friday, February 18, 2022

Dear Neighbors,

I hope you and your family are doing well. Here’s an update from the State Capitol.

Delivering Drought Relief for Farmers

This week, I chaired a hearing of the House Agriculture Committee where we approved an assistance package for livestock farmers and specialty crop producers harmed by the drought of 2021. The legislation includes $5 million worth of grants and other direct financial assistance, as well as an additional $5 million for the Rural Finance Authority’s revolving loan account targeted toward drought relief. 

During an incredibly tough time for farmers who are dealing with a variety of increased costs and other lingering difficulties due to the pandemic, we developed this relief package by listening to farmers and delivering what they need to recover from last year’s harsh drought. I’m particularly proud of the way this legislation targets support to smaller family operations, specialty crop producers, and emerging farmers. I recognize this funding won’t make farmers and livestock producers whole, but it will go a long way to helping them move past these challenges and ensure Minnesotans can access healthy, nutritious food for their families.

Bonus Pay for Frontline Workers

Frontline workers, who didn’t have the option to work from home during the pandemic’s worst days, certainly deserve our thanks and gratitude, but they deserve much more. Last session as part of our bipartisan two-year state budget, lawmakers dedicated $250 million toward extra pay for frontline workers. Ultimately though, a working group made up of members of the House, Senate, and Governor Walz’s administration couldn’t agree upon eligibility and the particular amounts to award.

Recognizing last year’s amount is inadequate to recognize the incredible sacrifices of frontline workers, this year, House DFLers are working to deliver payments up to $1,500, totaling $1 billion. Workers who faced the pandemic head-on, like our healthcare and long-term care workers, educators, first responders, corrections officers, food service workers and others, deserve urgent action to get these checks to the workers. The House Workforce and Business Development Committee approved the plan last week, and the House Ways and Means Committee will consider the legislation Monday.

Combating CWD and Other Animal Diseases

Also this week in the House Ag. Committee, I chaired a hearing focused on addressing Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) and other concerning animal diseases in Minnesota. CWD is a fatal neurological disease spreading among Minnesota’s wild white-tailed deer population, Additionally, African Swine Fever and Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza are also becoming increasingly worrisome for pork and turkey producers, respectively. Our committee considered legislation to invest $1.5 million in the U of M’s Veterinary Diagnostic Lab (VDL) to increase their testing capacity.

CWD’s spread among Minnesota’s wild deer herd can be directly linked to deer farms. To strengthen oversight, last year lawmakers developed concurrent authority for the Board of Animal Health (BAH) and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). During a status update from experts at the DNR and BAH about the arrangement, committee members learned there is a 30% violation rate at deer farms highlighting the need for stronger protections. We discussed legislation enacting stronger safeguards against CWD at deer farms. New requirements would include live-animal testing of farmed deer, with further testing requirements for animals testing positive, and under certain circumstances following positive tests, a requirement to depopulate. In Minnesota, deer hunting is a cherished tradition. To ensure these traditions can be passed down from generation to generation, we must take bold action to prevent the spread of CWD.

Stay in Touch

To stay up to date with what’s happening at the State Capitol, the Minnesota House Public Information Services office has a variety of timely, non-partisan resources. You can subscribe to Session Daily which provides regular updates of legislative activity, watch live and archived floor sessions or committee meetings on YouTube, and check out informative publications with information about the legislature and our state government. 

It’s extremely important to me to receive input and ideas from those I have the honor to represent. Please don’t hesitate to contact me with your viewpoints, feedback, or if I can ever be of assistance. My email address is rep.mike.sundin@house.mn and phone number at the Capitol is 651-296-4308. Feel free to be in touch any time.

Sincerely,

Sundin e-sig

Mike Sundin