Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of this bill is to amend the Minnesota statutes regarding the payment provisions for food certificates issued by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. These certificates are necessary for the exportation of Minnesota’s processed and manufactured foods.

Main Provisions

• Fee Structure: A fee of $125 will be charged for each certificate issued by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. These certificates are important for facilitating the movement and export of food products from the state.
• Types of Certificates: The bill applies to various types of certificates, such as:
  • Certificate of free sale
  • Certificate of export
  • Certificate of sanitation
  • Sanitary certificate
  • Certificate of origin
  • Health and sanitation certificates
  • Certificates guaranteeing purity or free trade
  • Letter of plant certification

Payment and Billing Procedures

• Payment Timeline: Payment for a certificate can be made at the time of the request or must be settled within ten days after billing.
• Enforcement Penalties: Failure to pay the fee within 15 days of the billing date results in the prohibition of future certificate issuances until outstanding fees are paid.
• Deposit of Fees: All fees collected will be deposited either into the food certificate account or another designated account within the agricultural fund if expenses for the certificate are covered by that account.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• This bill modifies the billing and payment procedures for food certificates, emphasizing timely payments and enforcing penalties for delays to streamline the process and ensure timely collection of fees.

Relevant Terms

food certificates, export, processed foods, manufactured foods, certificate of free sale, certificate of export, sanitation certificate, purity certificate, billing procedures, fee payment, Minnesota Department of Agriculture.