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Committee adopts technical amendment for retailer incentive bill, refers it back to Agriculture
Summary
Senate File 18‑40, a bill to provide payments to agricultural retailers to promote nutrient‑reducing practices, received a technical amendment clarifying data classification for grant records and was re‑referred to the Senate Agriculture Committee.
Senate File 18‑40 would establish a program that provides payments to agricultural retailers and co‑ops to certify and support growers using nutrient stewardship practices, with payments for certification, per‑acre payments for approved practices and grants for education.
Proponents said the program aims to certify retailer locations under a 19‑standard nutrient stewardship certification and to incentivize adoption of practices such as strip‑tilling, cover crops and precision fertilizer application. Lee Helgen of Minnesota Crop Production Retailers said the program would pay a one‑time about $5,000 certification payment per retail location plus up to $0.50 per documented acre for approved practices, and funds for grower outreach.
The committee discussed a data‑privacy provision in subdivision 5 that would keep farm‑level practice data nonpublic. Counsel said the bill sets up grants and the amendment (A2) aligns data classification with current law that covers grant data and clarifies that personal data about individuals should be classified as private data on individuals. The committee adopted the A2 amendment by voice vote and then recommended the bill pass and be re‑referred to the Senate Committee on Agriculture.
