1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to agriculture; extending the Minnesota Agricultural Fertilizer Research 
1.3 	and Education Council and fee for the agricultural fertilizer research and education 
1.4 	account;amending Minnesota Statutes 2022, sections 18C.70, subdivision 5; 
1.5 	18C.71, subdivision 4; 18C.80, subdivision 2; Minnesota Statutes 2023 Supplement, 
1.6 	section 18C.425, subdivision 6.
1.7 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2023 Supplement, section 18C.425, subdivision 6, is amended 
1.9 	to read:
1.10 		Subd. 6.Payment of inspection fee. (a) The person who registers and distributes in the 
1.11 	state a specialty fertilizer, soil amendment, or plant amendment under section 18C.411 shall 
1.12 	pay the inspection fee to the commissioner.
1.13 	(b) The person licensed under section 18C.415 who distributes a fertilizer to a person 
1.14 	not required to be so licensed shall pay the inspection fee to the commissioner, except as 
1.15 	exempted under section 18C.421, subdivision 1, paragraph (b).
1.16 	(c) The person responsible for payment of the inspection fees for fertilizers, soil 
1.17 	amendments, or plant amendments sold and used in this state must pay the inspection fee 
1.18 	set under paragraph (e), and until June 30, 2024 2034, an additional 40 cents per ton, of 
1.19 	fertilizer, soil amendment, and plant amendment sold or distributed in this state, with a 
1.20 	minimum of $10 on all tonnage reports. Notwithstanding section 18C.131, the commissioner 
1.21 	must deposit all revenue from the additional 40 cents per ton fee in the agricultural fertilizer 
1.22 	research and education account in section 18C.80. Products sold or distributed to 
1.23 	manufacturers or exchanged between them are exempt from the inspection fee imposed by 
1.24 	this subdivision if the products are used exclusively for manufacturing purposes.
2.1 	(d) A registrant or licensee must retain invoices showing proof of fertilizer, plant 
2.2 	amendment, or soil amendment distribution amounts and inspection fees paid for a period 
2.3 	of three years.
2.4 	(e) By commissioner's order, the commissioner must set the inspection fee at no less 
2.5 	than 39 cents per ton and no more than 70 cents per ton. The commissioner must hold a 
2.6 	public meeting before increasing the fee by more than five cents per ton.

2.7 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

2.8 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 18C.70, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
2.9 		Subd. 5.Expiration. This section expires June 30, 2025 2035.

2.10 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 18C.71, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
2.11 		Subd. 4.Expiration. This section expires June 30, 2025 2035.

2.12 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 18C.80, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
2.13 		Subd. 2.Expiration. This section expires June 30, 2025 2035.