House file 2446 advances from Agriculture Committee after public testimony and technical amendments

The Agricultural Finance and Policy Committee adopted the DE4 amendment to House File 2446 and voted to re‑refer the bill to the House Ways and Means Committee after a hearing that included public testimony from farmers, food‑bank leaders, industry representatives and state agency officials.

The committee, chaired by Chair Hansen, heard testimony supporting the bill’s operating adjustments for the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, increases to the agriculture emergency account and funding for meat inspection, farm safety and local food purchasing. Tom Peterson, Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, told the committee he “really appreciated the process” and said the bill includes several of the governor’s recommendations, including “operating adjustment to maintain services for MDA” and a “4,000,000 increase” to the agriculture emergency account.

The bill’s authors and supporters pointed to several provisions that backfill federal cuts and support agricultural infrastructure and markets. Hunter Peterson, public policy specialist for the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation, said the DE4’s investments in the Board of Animal Health, the Ag Emergency Account and AgriProtect grants will “ensure Minnesota is…