HF2784

Purpose of the Bill

The purpose of this bill is to introduce a requirement for an annual report to the Minnesota legislature about the state's beginning farmer loan program. This report is intended to help the legislature understand the impact of these loans on new farmers and to ensure the program is meeting its goals.

Main Provisions

• The bill mandates an annual submission of a report, starting December 1, 2025, from the relevant authority to the Senate and House committees responsible for agriculture.
• The report must include background information on beginning farmers in Minnesota.
• It will detail the number and monetary amount of loans issued under the program.
• The report must cover the geographic distribution of these loans by county.
• It will specify how many loan recipients are emerging farmers, as defined by existing Minnesota law.
• The bill requires information on borrowers who faced limited land access or market access when their loan was issued.
• The report requires disaggregated data about the gender, race, and ethnicity of borrowers.
• The report must also include information on loan applications that were not approved by the authority.

Significant Changes

This bill introduces a new requirement to Minnesota Statutes, specifically amending section 41B.039. It adds a subdivision that obligates the creation and submission of this detailed annual report. There are no changes to the existing loan programs themselves, only the reporting requirements.

Relevant Terms

• Annual report
• Beginning farmer loan program
• Emerging farmers
• Geographic distribution
• Disaggregated data
• Limited land access
• Limited market access