The Minnesota Senate approved a bipartisan agriculture policy bill Thursday that includes several provisions authored by Senator Bill Lieske (R-Lonsdale) to make it easier for small farms and vendors to sell food products at community farmers markets. 

“This is a big win for our local growers and the countless Minnesotans who enjoy getting their fresh produce directly from producers at Minnesota’s thriving farmer’s market industry,” Sen. Lieske said. “Food safety is paramount but the old rules created excessive red-tape small farmer vendors everywhere. This strikes a common-sense balance.” 

One of Sen. Lieske’s measures authorizes vendors at farmers’ markets to offer small samples of their products, provided ingredients and potential allergens are displayed. Raw animal, poultry, or fish products cannot be offered as samples due to contamination risks, but cooked versions can be prepared and served on-site. Any animal and poultry products must hail from USDA or state-inspected slaughterhouses to protect safety and health. 

The bill also includes a proposal from Sen. Lieske requiring people who find a lost animal to alert the owner or report it to local authorities. There is currently no law on the books that forces a person who finds a lost animal to give it back to the owner or notify someone they found it because Democrats deleted it last session. 

“This is a bigger issue than you might imagine,” Sen. Lieske said. “About ten million pets go missing every year in the U.S., and tragically, around 35% never return home. Online lost pet posts are often met with comments encouraging finders to keep the animal or give it away, based on assumptions about its care. My sincere hope is that repairing this law will help more families be reunited with their missing pets.” 

This bill overhauls the financial reporting requirements for grain buyers and storers in Minnesota. It establishes three tiers based on the annual purchase amount, with varying degrees of financial statement review or auditing mandated for each tier. Smaller operations with under $7.5 million in annual purchases need a financial report prepared by an independent accountant. Mid-sized operations between $7.5-$20 million require a reviewed or audited financial report, while large operations over $20 million must submit an audited financial report annually.  

OTHER PROVISIONS 

• Prohibits agricultural contracts from preventing producers from disclosing terms after July 2024 
• Revises fertilizer labeling requirements to include product volume 
• Requires the agriculture commissioner to establish means to anonymously report farm law violations 
• Requires a workgroup and report on cooperatives’ financial reporting