Purpose

To modify pesticide provisions in order to protect wildrice waters in Minnesota. The bill aims to reduce pesticide impacts on water quality, especially in waters that support wild rice, and to strengthen enforcement, planning, education, and coordination with state agencies and Minnesota tribal governments.

Key Definitions

• Wildrice water: any body of water identified as supporting wild rice by state lists/maps (PCA or DNR) or identified using a specified 2025 appropriation, which lies within or near Indian country and in which uncultivated wild rice grows.
• Wildrice water protection and related terms are used throughout the bill to focus on water bodies important to wild rice.

Main Provisions

• Enforcement and penalties for wildrice water impacts

  • The pesticide enforcing authority may take enforcement action under existing pesticide laws for violations that cause adverse effects to a wildrice water.
  • Violations that harm wildrice waters are not considered minor violations.
  • Any penalties collected for these violations go into the pesticide regulatory account.

• Pesticide impact on environment (comprehensive assessment)

  • The commissioner must determine the environmental impact of pesticides, including immediate and long-term effects on sediment, soil, surface water, groundwater, and wildrice waters.
  • Develop best management practices for pesticide distribution, storage, handling, use, and disposal.
  • Cooperate with other state agencies, Minnesota Tribal governments, and local governments to protect public health, wildrice waters, pollinators, and the environment.
  • May assemble a group of experts to consult on pollinator deaths/illnesses or wildrice water pollution; may include state/federal agencies, tribal governments, universities, and other professionals.
  • Up to 100,000 per fiscal year is appropriated from the pesticide regulatory account to support this expert group.

• Pesticide management plan

  • The commissioner must develop a pesticide management plan to prevent, evaluate, and mitigate pesticide presence and breakdown products in groundwater and surface waters, including wildrice waters.
  • The plan must include prevention measures, responses to detections, and steps to stop ongoing pesticide movement to water bodies.
  • A status report on the plan is due by September 1 of each even-numbered year to the Environmental Quality Board and Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, and then to the House and Senate committees with environmental, natural resources, and agriculture jurisdiction.

• Coordination and involvement

  • The plan must be coordinated with other state agency plans and through the Environmental Quality Board.
  • Involvement of Minnesota Tribal governments, the University of Minnesota Extension, farm organizations, environmental groups, industry, and tribal governments is required in plan development.

• State use of pesticides and nutrient management

  • The state should use integrated pest management (IPM) techniques for public lands (roadsides, parks, forests) and adopt planting regimes that minimize pesticide and nutrient needs.
  • Special care must be taken to ensure pesticides do not flow into wildrice waters.

• Pesticide education and training

  • The commissioner, as lead agency, must develop and oversee education and training programs on pesticide concerns, including:
  • water quality protection, wildrice water protection, pollinator protection, worker safety, disposal, drift, regulations, and current science/technology updates.
  • Educational planning committees must include industry/applicators and Minnesota Tribal governments.
  • Training materials may include updated labels and regulatory changes.
  • The commissioner may approve programs from private industry, higher education, or non-profit organizations if they meet minimum standards.
  • Training manuals and exams must be continually revised to meet or exceed federal EPA standards and state-specific information, with competency standards aligned to federal rules. Manuals and exams must emphasize pesticide management practices to prevent groundwater/surface water occurrences (including wildrice waters) and provide guidance on economic thresholds.
  • Manuals and exams, and updates to them, must be published on the Department of Agriculture website.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Establishes a new explicit definition for wildrice water and ties protections specifically to waters identified as supporting wild rice.
• Creates new enforcement provisions and penalties tied to wildrice water impacts, with penalties deposited into the pesticide regulatory account.
• Requires a formal pesticide management plan and biennial status reporting to specific state bodies and councils.
• Mandates a coordinated, inclusive process involving state agencies, tribal governments, the University of Minnesota, and other stakeholders in planning and education.
• Elevates emphasis on IPM and water-quality protections across state operations and public lands.
• Expands funding for expert consultation related to pollinators and wildrice water impacts.
• Broadens pesticide education/training to include wildrice water protection, prevention of groundwater/surface water contamination, and alignment with federal competency standards.

Practical Implications to Watch

• Increased regulatory focus on wildrice waters could affect pesticide approvals, usage practices, and on-the-ground farm/applicator behavior near wild rice areas.
• New reporting requirements will create ongoing oversight and stakeholder input, including tribal governments.
• Training and education updates may lead to more rigorous applicator certification and adherence to water-protection practices.
• Potential additional costs or funding needs for programs, expert groups, and enhanced monitoring.

Relevant Terms - Wildrice water - Wild rice - Wildlife waters protection - Pesticide regulatory account - Enforcement action (chapter 18D) - Environmental Quality Board (EQB) - Minnesota Indian Affairs Council - Minnesota Tribal governments - Pollution Control Agency (PCA) - Department of Natural Resources (DNR) - Integrated Pest Management (IPM) - Pesticide management plan - Pesticide impact on environment - Pesticide exposure and drift - Groundwater and surface water - Pollinators - Pesticide education and training - Worker protection and applicator safety - Pesticide labeling and regulatory updates - Economic thresholds - Expert group / group of experts (pollinators and wildrice water)