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HF 30‑60: committee hears experts and farmers on agricultural land trends and access
Summary
HF 30‑60 would commission a study of agricultural land trends and ownership; land‑access advocates, beginning farmers and producer groups testified that data is needed to inform policy on consolidation, land prices and transitions. The committee laid the bill over.
Representative Frederick introduced House File 30‑60 to commission a report on agricultural land trends, use and transfer. Supporters said data is necessary to inform long‑term policy solutions for farmland preservation and beginning‑farmer access.
Taylor Olson, a beginning farmer and Land Stewardship Project member, urged the committee to include demographic data in any study so policymakers can better target barriers faced by new and diverse farmers. A Minnesota Farmers Union representative and other farmers described rising land prices, pressure from non‑agricultural buyers and the need for informed policy to preserve productive farmland.
Richard Severson of the Minnesota Corn Growers urged careful tailoring to Minnesota’s scale and emphasized that land‑use policy must account for local cropping systems and economic impacts. Representative Frederick said the bill provides a data point to guide future legislative choices and the committee laid the measure over for further work.
