Bill > HF2683

This bill establishes a Biofertilizer Innovation and Efficiency Program aimed at improving water quality by encouraging Minnesota farmers to reduce their use of commercial nitrogen fertilizers. The program will provide annual payments of at least $5 per acre to farmers who demonstrate a reduction in commercial nitrogen fertilizer use by either 15% or 30 pounds per acre by utilizing alternative biofertilizer products such as soil amendments, nitrogen-fixing fertilizers, or biological nitrogen sources. To qualify, farmers must be Minnesota residents operating farmland in the state, submit a crop nutrient management plan, and enroll a minimum of 40 acres. The Department of Agriculture will administer the program, review and potentially adjust the payment rates annually, and conduct a comprehensive review every two years to assess the minimum fertilizer reduction rate and explore new qualifying technologies. The bill defines commercial nitrogen fertilizer as a fertilizer with a nitrogen content of at least 25 percent and appropriates $1,500,000 in fiscal year 2026 to establish and run the program, with any unspent funds remaining available until June 30, 2027. The commissioner of agriculture is required to adopt rules to implement the program in consultation with natural resources experts and soil and water conservation districts.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://www.revisor.mn.gov/bills/bill.php?b=House&f=HF2683&ssn=0&y=2025