Minnesota foraging task force convenes, elects leaders and hears DNR briefing as it prepares Feb. 28, 2026 report

Sen. Susan Pa, the bill’s chief author, opened the inaugural meeting of the Minnesota Foraging Task Force by saying the group was created by the Minnesota Legislature to “balance conservation and access” and to produce specific, actionable recommendations for state lands.

The task force, which includes state legislators, DNR staff, university researchers and representatives of the foraging and conservation communities, elected Pa as chair and Representative Roger Scraba as vice chair in a roll-call vote. Peter Martignacco formally nominated Pa for chair. Staff announced the roll-call outcome: 13 members recorded votes in favor and two members were recorded absent; staff said they will publish official minutes and the roll-call record on the task force website.

Nick Nero, a nonpartisan research analyst with the Legislative Coordinating Commission, told members the panel’s statutory charge includes gathering scientific and traditional ecological knowledge, reviewing regulations for foraging on state lands, developing science-based guidelines that balance access and conservation, soliciting public input and proposing lower-cost permit options. “What your work will boil down into, ultimately, is a report that is due Feb. 28, 2026,” Nero said.

Jessica Thiele, Forestry Division planner for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, gave a detailed briefing on DNR-managed land types and current foraging rules. Thiele summarized where small, personal-use harvests of berries, mushrooms, nuts and seeds are allowed without permits (for example on many state forests, WMAs and AMAs) and when a special product permit is required—for larger amounts, cutting trees or other commercial collection. She noted special product permits are obtained from the DNR forestry office near the harvest site and that permit fees start at $25 and are aligned with market values.

Thiele also reviewed site-specific restrictions: some Scientific and Natural Areas prohibit collection except where the designation order specifically allows berry or mushroom picking; wild rice requires a separate harvesting license when applicable; and MnDOT discourages roadside collection for safety and contamination concerns. She warned that noncompliance on state lands could be a misdemeanor and that some SNA violations carry fines up to $300.

Members used the presentation to press staff for clarifications the committee will need to draft recommendations. Questions centered on how the task force should define “foraging” (whether to include nonnative species, animals such as snails, and what constitutes a “small amount” for personal use), how the DNR distinguishes native from invasive species for permitting, and whether permit payment options (currently checks or money orders for some permits) create accessibility barriers for some users.

Multiple members urged inclusion of tribal governments and traditional ecological knowledge; staff said two tribal appointments (one Ojibwe and one Dakota) were pending from the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council. Members also asked staff to compile comparative state practices and statutes from other states, and to prepare a clear list of applicable Minnesota statutes and DNR rules to reduce public confusion about where and how people may legally forage.

Staff and facilitators outlined a public-input plan that combines brief in-meeting public comment slots and several public listening sessions (mostly online, with one or two in person), and they will poll members about meeting cadence and field trip dates. Facilitators said meetings will be recorded and posted to the task force website; members will receive optional one-on-one interviews with facilitators to share goals and expertise.

Pa closed by encouraging members to email staff with additional suggested topics and resources. The task force will use the next meetings to define scope and drafting questions—particularly the definition of foraging, boundaries for personal use, and how to account for native versus nonnative species—so it can meet the statutory requirement to deliver specific, implementable recommendations to the DNR and the Legislature by Feb. 28, 2026.