Veteran lawmakers will be missed
By Janet Kubat Willette
jkubat@agrinews.com
Date Modified: 07/01/2010 9:14 AM
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Several veteran lawmakers are retiring this year, including Sens. Steve Dille, R-Dassel, Jim Vickerman, DFL-Tracy, and Dennis Frederickson, R-New Ulm and Steve Murphy, DFL-Red Wing. In the House, Rep. Mary Ellen Otremba, DFL-Long Prairie, chairwoman of the House agriculture policy committee, is retiring.
Those legislators have been an asset for agricultural interests, Lefebvre said. Likewise, Gov. Tim Pawlenty has been supportive of agriculture and the dairy industry, he said.
Together, Dille, Frederickson, Vickerman and Murphy represent allmost 90 years of legislative experience, said Thom Petersen, Minnesota Farmers Union government relations director. They worked across party lines to support agriculture, he said. It's telling that the retirement parties for Dille and Vickerman were held together.
Rep. Doug Magnus, R-Slayton, expected to see more retirements than normal after this session. It's tough to serve when the state has financial problems and everything is in a downturn, he said, but that's when people need to step up and put their shoulder to the wheel.
It's especially important that rural Minnesotans step up since key veteran legislators are retiring. They're going to be missed, Magnus said.
"They did a lot for rural Minnesota," he said. They were common sense lawmakers who worked together for the common good of the state.
The loss of the veteran lawmakers will be felt, but Lefebvre says rural Minnesotans need to also think about redistricting just two years away. Redistricting is expected to shift more seats from rural Minnesota to urban areas. It makes it even more important that urban Minnesotans understand the value that greater Minnesota has, he said.
Too often, urban Minnesotans think greater Minnesota is where they recreate whether than realizing greater Minnesota is a source of economic wealth all its own in its timber lands, crop and pasture lands and on the Iron Range, Lefebvre said.
The next two years are important, Juhnke said. Rural legislators need to put legislation in place while they still have good numbers and a strong voice. Rural members need to think about what they want to put in place for a future beyond redistricting.
Bioenergy
The agriculture department is told to take every opportunity to apply for grants for biofuel development. section 38
It's vital to maintain enthusiam for biofuels, Magnus said. It's vital to improve the biofuels industry and make it more efficient. The state needs to continue to look at the next generation of biofuels. It's important to maintain a long-term vision, he said.
The agriculture commissioner is due to report to the Legislature by Feb. 15, 2011, on its progress.
Invasive species
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is responsible for inspecting and preventing invasive species from entering the state. Once in the state, duties are handed off to the Department of Natural Resources, who has eradication and control activities. Those lines appear to be blurry, Juhnke said, and legislators requested a report back on how the invasive species detection and control activities can be reorganized. Juhnke expects reorganizational efforts to be based on the report. It's due Sept. 1.
Tree service
A registry of tree care and tree trimming services is established.Tree care providers must register and pay a $25 application fee. In return, the agriculture commissioner is instructed to provide tree care companies with information regarding an existing or potential forest pest infestations in the state.
Propane infrastructure
Magnus said the highlight of the omnibus agriculture bill for him is a study that looks at propane and anhydrous ammonia infrastructure capacity here and within 100 miles of the state's borders for a terminal capacity report.
For the past several years, there has been such turmoil at the terminal that the governor has granted an exemption for hours of service rules, Magnus said. Federal rules require drivers to count the time sitting in line as service time and some terminals only have the capacity to load two trucks per hour.
Last year was a perfect storm, Magnus said. There were record yields and all the corn harvested needed to be articifically dried, plus a significant portion of the soybeans harvested.
Corn seed companies say corn yields will be increasing. Magnus wants to look down the road to anticipate what the situation at terminals will be in 10 years and determine how that problem can be addressed now.
The report is due to the Legislature by Feb. 1, 2011.
Eminent domain
Eminent domain was tightened this year, Petersen said. It . Legislation requires farmers be treated a little more fairly in the eminent domain process, he said. The language is found in HF1182.