2/24/04
Legislation has been introduced (Senate File 2108) that hurts Minnesota democracy, family farms and the environment. Your calls are needed by Wednesday, Feb. 25.
Sen. Jim Vickerman (DFL-Tracy), Chair of the Senate Ag Committee, has scheduled this bill for a hearing on Wed., Feb 25, at 3:30 p.m. in Room 112 of the Capitol. Senate File 2108 is authored by Sen. David Hann (R-Eden Prairie), Sen. Julie Rosen (R-Fairmont), and Sen. Steve Dille (R-Dassel).
This bill would dramatically weaken citizens’ ability to restrict factory farm expansion in their communities. The bill eliminates the right of townships and counties to apply temporary moratoriums to livestock facilities if the proposers have applied for a permit. The proposers of factory farms can easily apply for a permit before neighbors and county or township elected officials are even aware of the proposal. Current law allows local governments to enact temporary moratoriums on controversial developments, even if they have applied for a permit, while the issue is studied and local ordinances are considered. The bill also limits county and township moratoriums to only 180 days as opposed to a year in current law. It also limits the extension of moratoriums to only 180 days as opposed to 18 months for townships and one year for counties. Townships and counties cannot make good decisions with meaningful public input in such a short time.
This bill weakens the Corporate Farm Law. It removes the dairy exclusion from the definition of an “authorized livestock farm corporation” under the corporate farming law. This would allow absentee investors to own up to 25 percent of a dairy farm.
This bill appears to be designed to help promote factory farms like the 3,000-cow factory dairy farm proposed in Dodge County. The bill contains other elements that hurt family farmers. The bill does not merit a hearing, but if it is heard the entire bill should be defeated.
TAKE ACTION:
1. Call Sen. Vickerman, the Chair of the Senate Ag Committee, and tell him not to give this bill a hearing. It hurts democracy, family farms and the environment. Call him at 651-296-5650 or use the Mail Form provided at http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/sendis22_email.htm to send an e-mail.
2. Call the other members of the Senate Ag Committee and tell them to oppose this legislation (listed in order of priority).
• Sen. Dean Johnson 651-296-3826; e-mail: sen.dean.johnson@senate.mn
• Sen. Dick Day 651-296-9457; e-mail: sen.dick.day@senate.mn
• Sen. Ann Rest 651-296-2889; use the Mail Form provided at
http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/sendis45_email.htm to send an e-mail
• Sen. Rod Skoe 651-296-4196; e-mail: sen.rod.skoe@senate.mn
• Sen. Dallas Sams 651-297-8063; use the Mail Form provided at
http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/sendis11_email.htm to send an e-mail
• Sen. Steve Murphy 651-296-4264; use the Mail Form provided at
http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/sendis28_email.htm to send an e-mail
• Sen. Paul Koering 651-296-4875; e-mail: sen.paul.koering@senate.mn
• Sen. Betsy Wergin 651-296-8075; e-mail: sen.betsy.wergin@senate.mn
For a list of the full Ag Committee go to:
http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/committee/2003-2004/Agriculture/members.htm
3. Join us Wed., Feb 25, at the Capitol. There is a noon rally at the rotunda as part of the Minnesota Environmental Partnership’s (MEP) Citizens Day at the Capitol. Township and community rights is one of MEP’s priorities. The bill is scheduled for a hearing at 3:30 p.m. in Rm. 112 of the Capitol. If you plan to attend, call Bobby at 507-523-3366 or e-mail him at bking@landstewardshipproject.org.
Senate File 2108 is on-line at:
http://www.revisor.leg.state.mn.us/cgi-bin/getbill.pl?session=ls83&version=latest&session_number=0&session_year=Regu&number=sf2108
UPDATE ON HF 2021:
We recently sent out an action alert on House File 2021, which would have severely limited the right of townships and cities to protect their community from factory farms and other unwanted developments. Your calls made a big difference. The hearing room was packed with opponents to the bill and we were one vote short of killing it in committee. The worst elements of the bill were removed and we will continue to work to stop this bill as currently drafted.
