Barnyard event. The Legislature’s bipartisan work on a new agriculture bill was Governor Tim Walz’s main point at a signing ceremony. The bill includes funds to encourage a new generation of aspiring farmers — see the little guy in the blue parka — to get into the business
Funding for conservation, insurance, incentives
FINLAYSON, Minn.– Governor Tim Walz got out and about, 90 miles north of the Capitol to a family dairy farm in Finlayson, to sign the 2023 agriculture into law. The bill includes a $100 million investment to expand high-speed broadband, establishes a grain indemnity fund to protect grain producers, and a program to help aspiring farmers and producers succeed. Major provisions:
> Broadband. $100 million to widen high-speed broadband with funds from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
> Grain Indemnity Fund. $10 million to cover unpaid grain sales when buyers or warehouses go under financially.
> Dairy aid. $4 million for financial assistance to smaller dairy cow operations in the federal dairy risk protection program.
> Soil Health. $1.2 million to help farmers implement soil health management with specialized machinery.
> Emergency backup. $1 million to replenish the state fund for agriculture-related emergencies.
> Emerging Farmers. Enlarges the state Emerging Farmers Office to support young and immigrant farmers succeed.
> Forever Green. For a University of Minnesota initiative to produce high value commodity crops for conservation purposes.
> Emergency food aid. Funding for the Good Acre’s Local Emergency Assistance Fund to provide market-rate prices for farmers who donate to hunger-relief organizations.