Friends and neighbors,
Two bills I authored this year were included in the Senate’s agriculture budget proposal that will help farmers and ranchers in our area deal with growing challenges.
- First, it provides funding to reimburse farmers and ranchers for livestock and crop losses caused by wolves and elk. These programs have run out of money in recent years, leaving producers stuck waiting for help. The budget raises the wolf depredation fund to $225,000 annually and elk compensation to $205,000 annually. This is really important for northern cattle producers and ranchers who have been facing rising claims, delayed reimbursements, and wolf and elk populations that threaten their livelihoods.
- Second, I secured $40,000 per year over the biennium for the Minnesota Turf Seed Council, a research organization based in Roseau. These funds will support research into turfgrass breeding, pest control, and sustainable seed production practices. This work is critical for farmers and the long-term health of the turf and forage seed industries. It is also an investment that will keep Minnesota on the cutting edge of crop science and innovation.
Contact Me
As always, if you have any questions, ideas, or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact me anytime. Your feedback is extremely important to me, and I encourage you to share your input.
You can send me an email at Sen.Mark.Johnson@mnsenate.gov or call my Capitol office at 651-296-5782. It’s a great honor to serve as your State Senator.
Finally, if you don’t already follow me on Facebook, please give my page a ‘Like’. This is a great way to stay on top of the latest news from the Capitol! Visit my page here: https://www.facebook.com/Senator.Mark.Johnson/.
Sincerely,