SF4066

Purpose

This bill increases transfers from the General Fund in 2026 and 2027 to multiple agricultural and environmental accounts to fund disease testing, biomonitoring, research, education, and loan programs. It aims to bolster avian influenza response, pollinator research, Minnesota Grown promotion, agriculture- and water-quality initiatives, and targeted research projects. It also creates reporting requirements and directs funds to specific programs and institutions (e.g., University of Minnesota) while noting these funds supplement—not replace—existing funding.

Key Provisions

• Transfers to the agricultural emergency account for avian influenza activities

  • Transfer of 1,500,000 in FY2026 from the general fund to the agricultural emergency account (17.041).
  • Up to 750,000 of that amount may be used for testing milk, milk products, poultry products, and pet food for avian influenza before retail sale.
  • Funds may also be used for biomonitoring of avian influenza in agricultural workers, farm workers, and poultry or livestock processing employees who volunteer.
  • The University of Minnesota will receive money to develop rapid testing, quantification, and human exposure risk models for avian influenza in urban wastewater, drinking water, and wells.
  • Before using or transferring money, the commissioner of agriculture must notify the relevant legislative chairs and ranking members.

• Pollinator research funding

  • Transfer of 100,000 in FY2026 and 100,000 in FY2027 from the general fund to the pollinator research account (18B.051).
  • The Commissioner of Management and Budget must include 100,000 each year in forecasts through February 2027.

• Minnesota Grown account (promotion/grants)

  • Transfer of 186,000 in FY2026 and 261,000 in FY2027 to the Minnesota Grown account (17.102, subdivision 4) for grants.
  • Forecasts must include 186,000 (FY2026) and 261,000 (FY2027) each year.
  • Money in this account for grants remains available until 2029 if encumbered by contracts by June 30, 2027.

• Agriculture research, education, extension, and technology transfer grants

  • Transfer of 10,677,000 in FY2026 and 10,677,000 in FY2027 to the AR/EET grants program (41A.14, subdivision 3) for multiple purposes.
  • Within these funds:
  • 600,000 (FY2026 and FY2027) for the Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Stations’ agriculture rapid response fund.
  • Up to 1,000,000 (FY2026 and FY2027) for research on avian influenza, salmonella, and other turkey-related diseases.
  • 2,500,000 (FY2026 and FY2027) for grants to the Minnesota Agricultural Education Leadership Council to enhance agricultural education, with priority to Farm Business Management challenge grants; the 2028 and subsequent allocations rise to 2,250,000.
  • 350,000 (FY2026 and FY2027) for potato research.
  • 802,000 (FY2026 and FY2027) to support the Forever Green Initiative, which aims to protect natural resources and increase farm profitability through perennial and winter annual crops.
  • By February 1 of each year, the dean of the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences must report on uses and outcomes of these funds.
  • 200,000 (FY2026 and FY2027) for research on natural stands of wild rice.
  • 250,000 (FY2026 and FY2027) for the cultivated wild rice forward selection project (includes a tenure-track or research scientist position at the North Central Research and Outreach Center).
  • 290,000 (FY2026) for the University of Minnesota to support crop contamination and exposure research related to prions from animals infected with chronic wasting disease (one-time allocation).
  • 75,000 (FY2026 and FY2027) for grants to the Southwest Minnesota State University Foundation to support the Minnesota Agriculture and Rural Leadership program (one-time allocation).
  • The department may use up to 1% of these AR/EET funds for program administration costs.
  • A portion of these funds is allocated to specific subprograms while others are ongoing or one-time.

• Additional AR/EET funding forecast obligation

  • The Commissioner of Management and Budget must include a transfer of 10,352,000 each year to the AR/EET account in forecasts through February 2027.

• Agricultural and environmental revolving loan program

  • Transfer of 1,425,000 in FY2026 and 1,425,000 in FY2027 to the agricultural and environmental revolving loan account (ex. BMP loan program) for low-interest or no-interest loans.

• Grain indemnity program

  • Transfer of 500,000 in FY2026 from the grain indemnity account to the grain buyers and storage account.

• Administrative and timing notes

  • Several transfers are described as one-time allocations or contingent on forecasting; some monies are designated with specific deadlines for use (e.g., by 2029 for certain Minnesota Grown grants).
  • The bill requires administrative and reporting steps, including annual reporting to legislative chairs and ranking minority members.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Expands and formalizes state funding flows to multiple agriculture- and environment-related accounts from the General Fund, including:
  • Increased or new appropriations to the agricultural emergency account for avian influenza testing and worker biomonitoring.
  • New or increased transfers to the pollinator research account and the Minnesota Grown account for grants and promotion.
  • Expanded funding for the agriculture research, education, extension, and technology transfer grant program with detailed sub-allocations to research stations, disease research (avian influenza, salmonella, prion-related research), education leadership, Forever Green, wild rice projects, potato research, and related priorities.
  • Creation of, or increases to, funding for the agricultural and environmental revolving loan account and the grain indemnity program.
• Adds reporting and forecast requirements, increasing oversight of how funds are used and ensuring regular status updates to lawmakers.
• Writes new or revised references into multiple Minnesota Statutes accounts (e.g., Minnesota grown account, pollinator research account, Forever Green Initiative, and others) to designate intended uses and reporting obligations.
• Some allocations are time-limited or labeled as one-time, with longer-term funding contingent on forecasts and annual budget processes.

Relevant Terms

• avian influenza
• biomonitoring
• agricultural emergency account
• Minnesota Grown account
• pollinator research account
• agriculture research, education, extension and technology transfer grant program
• Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Stations
• Forever Green Initiative
• wild rice (natural stands; cultivated forward selection)
• prions; chronic wasting disease (CWD) research
• potato research
• Farm Business Management; Agricultural Education Leadership Council
• grain indemnity account
• grain buyers and storage account
• agricultural and environmental revolving loan account
• BMP loan program (low-interest or no-interest loans)
• rapid testing models
• University of Minnesota (Board of Regents involvement)
• reporting requirements to legislative chairs and ranking minority members

Relevant Terms avian influenza, biomonitoring, agricultural emergency account, Minnesota Grown, pollinator research, Forever Green Initiative, wild rice (natural stands; cultivated forward selection), chronic wasting disease, prions, grain indemnity, grain buyers and storage, agricultural and environmental revolving loan, BMP loan program, Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Stations, Agricultural Education Leadership Council, rapid testing, university of Minnesota, agricultural research education extension and technology transfer, Farm Business Management.