Minnesota SF 257: Plymouth tax increment finance authority establishment

Bill Text

1.1 A bill for an act​
1.2 relating to agriculture; appropriating money for grants to Second Harvest Heartland;​
1.3 requiring reports.​
1.4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:​
1.5 Section 1. APPROPRIATION.​
1.6 (a) $1,950,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $1,950,000 in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated​
1.7 from the general fund to the commissioner of agriculture for grants to Second Harvest​
1.8 Heartland on behalf of Minnesota's six Feeding America food banks for the following​
1.9 purposes:​
1.10 (1) at least $850,000 each year must be allocated to purchase milk for distribution to​
1.11 Minnesota's food shelves and other charitable organizations that are eligible to receive food​
1.12 from the food banks. Milk purchased under the grants must be acquired from Minnesota​
1.13 milk processors and based on low-cost bids. The milk must be allocated to each Feeding​
1.14 America food bank serving Minnesota according to the formula used in the distribution of​
1.15 United States Department of Agriculture commodities under The Emergency Food Assistance​
1.16 Program. Second Harvest Heartland may enter into contracts or agreements with food banks​
1.17 for shared funding or reimbursement of the direct purchase of milk. Each food bank that​
1.18 receives funding under this clause may use up to two percent for administrative expenses.​
1.19 Notwithstanding Minnesota Statutes, section 16A.28, any unencumbered balance at the end​
1.20 of fiscal year 2026 does not cancel and is available in fiscal year 2027;​
1.21 (2) to compensate agricultural producers and processors for costs incurred to harvest​
1.22 and package for transfer surplus fruits, vegetables, and other agricultural commodities that​
1.23 would otherwise go unharvested, be discarded, or be sold in a secondary market. Surplus​
1​Section 1.​
25-00623 as introduced​11/15/24 REVISOR BD/LN​
SENATE​
STATE OF MINNESOTA​
S.F. No. 257​NINETY-FOURTH SESSION​
(SENATE AUTHORS: ABELER, Fateh, Housley, Coleman and Hoffman)​
OFFICIAL STATUS​D-PG​DATE​
Introduction and first reading​100​01/16/2025​
Referred to Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband and Rural Development​

2.1 commodities must be distributed statewide to food shelves and other charitable organizations​
2.2 that are eligible to receive food from the food banks. Surplus food acquired under this clause​
2.3 must be from Minnesota producers and processors. Second Harvest Heartland may use up​
2.4 to 15 percent of each grant awarded under this clause for administrative and transportation​
2.5 expenses; and​
2.6 (3) to purchase and distribute protein products, including but not limited to pork, poultry,​
2.7 beef, dry legumes, cheese, and eggs to Minnesota's food shelves and other charitable​
2.8 organizations that are eligible to receive food from the food banks. Second Harvest Heartland​
2.9 may use up to two percent of each grant awarded under this clause for administrative​
2.10 expenses. Protein products purchased under the grants must be acquired from Minnesota​
2.11 processors and producers.​
2.12 (b) Second Harvest Heartland must submit quarterly reports to the commissioner and​
2.13 the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction​
2.14 over agriculture finance in the form prescribed by the commissioner. The reports must​
2.15 include but are not limited to information on the expenditure of funds, the amount of milk​
2.16 or other commodities purchased, and the organizations to which this food was distributed.​
2​Section 1.​
25-00623 as introduced​11/15/24 REVISOR BD/LN​