Intentional damage to farm equipment would be a gross misdemeanor if a bill in the Minnesota House moves forward. Representative Bobbie Harder of Henderson is carrying the bill. She cited one incident in Meeker County where a six-foot piece of steel rebar was pounded into the ground among corn stalks, making it hard to see. “When machinery is intentionally damaged during planting or harvest, we don’t just lose repair costs; we lose days we can’t get back, we lose yields, we lose income,” said Harder. “It curates specific criminal penalties for intentionally placing hard objects in crops with the intent to damage harvesting or field equipment.” The agriculture committee laid the bill over for a possible hearing in the House public safety or judiciary committees.
