1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to agriculture; creating the dairy farming 
  1.3             task force; appropriating money. 
  1.4   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.5      Section 1.  [DAIRY FARMING TASK FORCE.] 
  1.6      Subdivision 1.  [PURPOSE.] Minnesota has experienced a 
  1.7   dramatic downturn in milk production and the number of milk 
  1.8   producers is threatening the long-term viability of the dairy 
  1.9   industry in the state.  The purpose of this section is to 
  1.10  improve the climate for operating dairy farms of all sizes and 
  1.11  types in Minnesota.  The study, legislative report, and 
  1.12  legislative recommendations authorized in this section will 
  1.13  increase the understanding by public officials and the general 
  1.14  public of the challenges and opportunities that exist for 
  1.15  Minnesota's dairy industry and provide public officials with 
  1.16  recommendations to improve the climate for dairy farming.  The 
  1.17  goal of the task force is to provide a strategic plan for 
  1.18  Minnesota's residents and public officials to make Minnesota the 
  1.19  number one dairy state in the nation. 
  1.20     Subd. 2.  [CREATION MEMBERSHIP.] (a) A dairy farming task 
  1.21  force is created with 14 members appointed as follows: 
  1.22     (1) the chairs of the agriculture and rural development 
  1.23  committees of the senate and house of representatives, or their 
  1.24  designees; 
  2.1      (2) two members of the house of representatives appointed 
  2.2   by the speaker of the house; 
  2.3      (3) two members of the house of representatives appointed 
  2.4   by the minority leader of the house; 
  2.5      (4) two members of the senate appointed by the subcommittee 
  2.6   on committees of the senate; 
  2.7      (5) two members of the senate appointed by the minority 
  2.8   leader of the senate; 
  2.9      (6) one member with education and experience in the area of 
  2.10  agricultural economics appointed by the governor; 
  2.11     (7) two members who are operators of dairy farms in 
  2.12  Minnesota, one of whom represents small dairy farms and one of 
  2.13  whom represents large dairy farms, appointed by the governor; 
  2.14  and 
  2.15     (8) one member representing Minnesota's dairy processors 
  2.16  appointed by the governor. 
  2.17     (b) Each of the appointing authorities must make their 
  2.18  respective appointments by July 1, 1999. 
  2.19     (c) Citizen members of the task force may be reimbursed for 
  2.20  expenses as provided in Minnesota Statutes, section 15.059, 
  2.21  subdivision 6. 
  2.22     (d) The chairs of the house and senate agriculture and 
  2.23  rural development committees are co-chairs of the task force. 
  2.24     Subd. 3.  [CHARGE.] The task force shall study the impact 
  2.25  of current and projected trends in dairy farming on Minnesota's 
  2.26  dairy farmers and processors and provide a strategic plan to 
  2.27  make Minnesota the number one dairy state in the nation.  The 
  2.28  report must include: 
  2.29     (1) the impact of current trends on the economic, social, 
  2.30  and environmental conditions in rural Minnesota; 
  2.31     (2) the impact of the current laws on dairy farming in 
  2.32  Minnesota; 
  2.33     (3) the impact of current dairy farming trends on the 
  2.34  long-term viability of the dairy processing industry in 
  2.35  Minnesota; 
  2.36     (4) legislative recommendations to provide for the 
  3.1   financial success and long-term sustainability of dairy farming 
  3.2   in Minnesota; and 
  3.3      (5) legislative recommendations on how state government can 
  3.4   better assist Minnesota's dairy farmers develop and use 
  3.5   appropriate technologies, including the upgrade of milking 
  3.6   facilities, rotational grazing, and other sustainable methods. 
  3.7      Subd. 4.  [RESOURCES, STAFF SUPPORT; CONTRACT 
  3.8   SERVICES.] The commissioner of agriculture shall provide 
  3.9   necessary resources and staff support for the meetings, 
  3.10  hearings, and activities of the task force and for its report.  
  3.11  The task force may contract, through the commissioner of 
  3.12  agriculture, with nonstate providers for research or other 
  3.13  services to the task force.  The commissioner shall be the 
  3.14  fiscal agent for the task force. 
  3.15     Subd. 5.  [PUBLIC HEARINGS; TOURS.] The task force shall 
  3.16  hold at least five public hearings in the agricultural regions 
  3.17  of Minnesota on the challenges and opportunities for Minnesota's 
  3.18  dairy farmers, and to address the specific charges under 
  3.19  subdivision 3.  At each of the hearing locations, the co-chairs 
  3.20  and the commissioner of agriculture shall provide for tours of 
  3.21  local dairy facilities ensuring that all aspects of the dairy 
  3.22  industry are presented to the task force members. 
  3.23     Subd. 6.  [REPORT.] Not later than February 15, 2000, the 
  3.24  dairy farming task force shall report to the legislature on the 
  3.25  findings of its study.  The report must include recommendations 
  3.26  on improvements in state laws and rules that are in the best 
  3.27  interest of Minnesota's dairy industry, environment, social 
  3.28  climate, and family farming operations. 
  3.29     Subd. 7.  [EXPIRATION.] The dairy industry task force 
  3.30  expires 30 days after its report and recommendations are 
  3.31  delivered to the legislature or May 1, 2000, whichever is 
  3.32  earlier. 
  3.33     Sec. 2.  [APPROPRIATION; DAIRY FARMING TASK FORCE.] 
  3.34     $50,000 is appropriated from the general fund to the 
  3.35  commissioner of agriculture for the dairy farming task force 
  3.36  established in section 1.  This appropriation is available until 
  4.1   June 30, 2000. 
  4.2      Sec. 3.  [EFFECTIVE DATE.] 
  4.3      Sections 1 and 2 are effective the day following final 
  4.4   enactment.