3/10/04
The bill to allow foreign investors to own Minnesota farmland has resurfaced.
Calls and e-mails in opposition to the bill are needed immediately to the Senate Judiciary Committee members and Sen. Dallas Sams.
Senate File 717, the so-called "Alien Ownership Bill," will be presented by Sen. Sams to the Judiciary Committee this Thursday, March 11 at 7:00 p.m. The bill is authored by Sen. Steve Dille and Sen. Betsy Wergin.
Senate File 717 would allow holders of E-2 non-immigrant investment visas to own Minnesota farmland. LSP supports current Minnesota law, which already allows immigrants to own farmland. Proponents are trying to revive the bill, which failed last session.
Here's what long-time LSP member and dairy farmer Bill McMillin says: "Current Minnesota law allows immigrants to own farmland and that has been good for our rural communities. This bill is about non-immigrant foreign investors. Special privileges should not be given to wealthy outside investors who can afford to buy their way in. It puts Minnesota farmers, including immigrants, at a disadvantage when we have to compete for land with large amounts of foreign capital."
The bill would allow for foreign investors to finance large-scale dairy operations. In Ohio, Holland-based investment in large-scale dairy factory farms has resulted in major environmental problems, according to the Dec. 6, 2002, edition of the Dayton (Ohio) Daily News. The paper reported that at least five Dutch-owned mega-dairies have received environmental violation notices.
TAKE ACTION
Contact members of the Senate Judiciary Committee before Thursday afternoon if possible, 4:00 pm at the latest, and tell them to oppose Senate File 717. Here is what they need to know:
• This bill is not about immigrants. Minnesota's existing laws already allow immigrants to own farmland. That is a good thing and it makes this law unnecessary when it comes to immigrants.
• The Senate Ag Committee last session did not support the 2003 version of this bill. It passed out of the Ag Committee without a recommendation.
• Foreign investors would outbid local farmers for land, driving up the price of farmland and making it even harder for beginning farmers to buy land.
• The bill fails to address how low milk prices drive farmers out of business, and could worsen the situation by increasing milk production.
• We need programs that help focus on creative ways of helping dairy farmers achieve profitability.
CALL TODAY:
• Sen. Dallas Sams - DFL: (651) 297-8063 E-mail: Use Mail Form provided at http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/sendis11_email.htm
Senate Judiciary Committee
• Chair Sen. Don Betzold - DFL: 651-296-2556 Email: sen.don.betzold@senate.mn
• Sen. Wes Skoglund - DFL: 651-296-4274 Email: sen.wes.skoglund@senate.mn
• Sen. Warren Limmer - R: 651-296-2159 Email: sen.warren.limmer@senate.mn
• Sen. Richard Cohen - DFL: 651-296-5931 Email: Use Mail Form provided at http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/sendis64_email.htm
• Sen. David Hann - R: 651-296-1749 Email: sen.david.hann@senate.mn
• Sen. John Hottinger - DFL: 651-296-6153 Email: Use Mail Form provided at
http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/sendis23_email.htm
• Sen. John Marty - DFL: 651-296-5645 Email: sen.john.marty@senate.mn
• Sen. Thomas Neuville - R: 651-296-1279 Email: sen.thomas.neuville@senate.mn
• Sen. Julianne Ortman - R: 651-296-4837 Email:
sen.julianne.ortman@senate.mn
• Sen. Ann Rest - DFL: 651-296-2889 Email: Use Mail Form provided at http://www.senate.leg.state.mn.us/members/sendis45_email.htm
The bill is available 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=sf717
For more information: Contact Bobby King at the Land Stewardship Project’s Lewiston office, 507-523-3366.
