1.1                          A bill for an act
  1.2             relating to agriculture finance; providing additional 
  1.3             funding for manure methane digester loans; 
  1.4             appropriating money. 
  1.5   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.6      Section 1.  [APPROPRIATION; LIVESTOCK MANURE METHANE 
  1.7   DIGESTER LOANS.] 
  1.8      $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2002 and $1,000,000 in fiscal 
  1.9   year 2003 are appropriated from the general fund to the 
  1.10  commissioner of agriculture for purposes of making additional 
  1.11  loans for the development of methane digester facilities 
  1.12  associated with livestock feedlots for the production of energy. 
  1.13  These additional funds are to expand the shared savings loan 
  1.14  program under Minnesota Statutes, section 17.115, to include a 
  1.15  program of revolving loans for demonstration projects of farm 
  1.16  manure digester technology.  Notwithstanding the limitations of 
  1.17  Minnesota Statutes, section 17.115, subdivision 2, paragraphs 
  1.18  (b) and (c), loans under this program are no-interest loans in 
  1.19  principal amounts not to exceed $200,000 and may be made to any 
  1.20  resident of this state.  Loans under this program may be used as 
  1.21  a match for federal loans or grants.  Money repaid from loans 
  1.22  must be returned to the revolving fund for future projects.  
  1.23  This is a one-time appropriation.