The Minnesota House Environment and Natural Resources Committee approved the drought assistance bill for Minnesota farmers and ranchers. A plan for the DNR to spend $13 million to plant tree seedlings and improve water efficiency is tied to the agriculture package. Representative Dale Lueck of Aitkin said farmers and ranchers need help now, while the tree situation can be reviewed again this spring. “I don’t think the governor’s office or apparently your office (DNR) gets it: I’m deeply disappointed that we caballed this thing together and the ag bill wasn’t completed a long time ago.” South St. Paul Representative Rick Hansen sponsored this bill. “If we’re both being impacted by the drought, whether it is DNR or ag, we’re in this together so I don’t understand why one band-aid is good and the other isn’t.” The drought assistance bill now goes to the House Ways and Means Committee. It has not yet been addressed in the Minnesota Senate.
News Categories
Latest RRFN Podcasts
Subscribe to RRFN
Get a weekly digest from RRFN to stay up-to-date on all the latest news in agriculture.