Minnesota Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Aric Putnam expects ag spending to be reduced this year due to the economic landscape. Policy priorities are still getting attention. “There’s some basic stuff that the Department of Ag would like to see us fix a little bit. Then a couple other things that we’re putting in there because we think they’re important and don’t cost a lot of money, like an extension of the Farmer-Lender Mediation Program.” Putnum also hopes to remove the cap un the Beginning Farmer Tax Credit. “It is really, really important to a lot of people. I think only 42 percent of people who needed it last year were able to avail themselves of it.”
