Broad MDA budget bill advances; grain-fee increases draw industry opposition

Chair Anderson presented House File 2446, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s omnibus bill covering a wide range of proposals including operating adjustments, AGRI grant changes, biofuels infrastructure eligibility, urban-ag program expansion, Good Food Access revisions, Ag BMP loan changes, livestock investment grant eligibility expansion, PFAS product prohibition alignment, seed potato program statutory updates, food-licensing modernization, milk-marketing modernization, updates to bonded loan program rules, and increases to grain license and inspection fees.

MDA Deputy Commissioner Andrea Vawbel told the committee the bill includes maintaining current service levels to cover rising operating costs (salary, rent, lab rent) and said the department expects about $1,000,000 in new annual lab rent costs…