HF4350 (Legislative Session 94 (2025-2026))
Agriculture policy provisions modified.
Related bill: SF4561
AI Generated Summary
Purpose
- To modify Minnesota agriculture policy and expand measures related to farming, land use, and plant management.
- To create a framework for integrating farming with solar energy on the same land (agrivoltaic system) and to strengthen how noxious weeds and certain plants are categorized, inspected, and controlled.
- To update definitions and rules around composting, plant amendments, and plant biostimulants, and to adjust food-licensing provisions with possible delegation to local health boards.
Key new definitions and terms
- Agrivoltaic system: the simultaneous integration of farming and solar energy generation on the same land.
- Cultivated variety or cultivar: a named plant variety that is clonally propagated to keep genetic uniformity.
- Plant variety: a precisely defined group of plants within a species with common characteristics.
- Propagate: to cause or continue growth by sexual or asexual means, including germination, regeneration of vegetative parts, or moving plants from one location to another.
- Propagating parts: all plant parts capable of producing new plants (including seeds).
- Reasonable grounds: evidence such as reports, complaints, observations, or history suggesting the presence of noxious weeds.
- Noxious weed categories: a new framework dividing noxious weeds into five categories (see below).
Main provisions and objectives
- Creation of Noxious Weed Categories (18.771)
- Category a) For designation under noxious weed rules, five categories: 1) Prohibited eradicate 2) Prohibited control 3) Restricted 4) Specially regulated plants 5) County noxious weeds
- Prohibited eradicate: must be eradicated on all lands; propagating parts cannot be transported or imported except as allowed.
- Prohibited control: must be controlled on all lands; transporting or propagating parts are tightly restricted or prohibited.
- Restricted: generally cannot be propagated or imported without a permit; could be widely distributed but subject to permit and possible phaseout.
- Specially regulated plants: may be native or nonnative but with economic value and potential harm; require specific management plans and agency safeguards.
- County noxious weeds: designated by individual counties with local enforcement, approved by the state; counties develop their own lists and enforcement.
- Expanded enforcement and agency roles
- County agricultural inspectors and county-designated employees gain authority to enforce the noxious weed provisions, with procedures for public notification and reporting.
- Entry on land for inspections requires contact with landowners first where possible; if contact is not possible, inspectors may enter under defined conditions, and must provide inspection reports within five business days.
- Noncompliance by inspectors triggers enforcement steps and potential recovery of costs to the municipality if duties are not performed.
- Transport, possession, and permits for noxious weed propagating parts (18.82)
- Transporting propagating parts on public roads or possessing them without a permit is restricted, with permits issued by the commissioner, inspectors, or county agents.
- Permits must include containment measures to prevent escape, destination and destruction plans, and compliance requirements for transport vehicles and handling.
- Permits may allow research, education, and outreach uses with specific containment and destruction protocols.
- Permits last up to one year and are subject to inspection and potential revocation.
- Appeal processes exist for permit revocation and notices, handled by county appeal committees and, if needed, district court.
- Entry, reporting, and penalties
- Landowners must be contacted prior to inspections; inspection reports must be provided to landowners within five days.
- Unlawful acts section prohibits hindering inspectors, noncompliance with noxious weed rules, or selling/providing material without a permit.
- Failure of local weed inspectors to perform duties can trigger corrective actions and cost recovery through the municipality.
- Appeals and governance
- Special committees (appeal committees) are established in counties to hear appeals related to control orders and permit revocations, with membership including local officials and landowners.
- The state statutes outline the process for appeals and potential district court review.
- Related agricultural policy provisions
- Definitions and rules around compost and composting (18C.132), including compost quality and the reduction of pathogens and weed seeds.
- Plant amendments and plant biostimulants (new 18C.005 subdivisions) defined, along with soil amendments, to clarify what is regulated and how they are used.
- Food handling and licensing
- Licensing for food manufacturing, processing, selling, handling, or storing requires a license from the commissioner, including a nonrefundable application fee and specified license periods.
- Provisions for special event food stands, mobile units, and custom exempt licenses.
- Delegation option: the commissioner may delegate licensing and inspection duties for retail food handlers to community health boards in some cases.
Significant changes to existing law
- Adds a formal, five-category framework for classifying noxious weeds and related regulatory controls, including county-level designation and enforcement.
- Establishes a comprehensive permit system for transporting and possessing noxious weed propagating parts, including strict containment and destruction requirements.
- Introduces mandatory entry and inspection protocols, including direct landowner communication and mandatory inspection reporting timelines.
- Creates new enforcement and appeal procedures at the county level for notices, orders, and permit revocations.
- Expands definitions and regulation around composting, plant amendments, and plant biostimulants, creating a clearer regulatory basis for these agricultural inputs.
- Adds agrivoltaic system as a defined land-use concept within agriculture policy, promoting the integration of farming and solar energy.
- Modernizes and potentially delegates certain food licensing duties to local health boards, with details on fees, license periods, and prorating.
Implementation and administration notes
- Repeals certain existing sections as part of the update (specific noxious weed and food licensing provisions are targeted for revision or replacement).
- Requires collaboration among multiple state agencies and local governments, including the Department of Agriculture, Department of Natural Resources, University of Minnesota departments, and various industry groups and local governments, to administer the new frameworks.
Potential impact
- Clarifies and strengthens the state’s approach to noxious weeds, potentially increasing enforcement and compliance costs for landowners and businesses.
- Encourages innovation in land use through agrivoltaics, potentially influencing land management and renewable energy integration.
- Improves containment and safety around the transport and study of noxious weeds and related materials.
- Updates regulatory oversight for composting and soil-related inputs, affecting farmers, nurseries, and the supply chain.
Relevant Terms - Agrivoltaic system - Noxious weed categories - Prohibited eradicate - Prohibited control - Restricted - Specially regulated plants - County noxious weeds - Propagate - Propagating parts - Cultivated variety / cultivar - Plant variety - Reasonable grounds - Entry upon land - Permits (noxious weed propagating parts) - Containment and destruction - Appeal committee - Compost / Composting - Plant amendments - Plant biostimulants - Soil amendment - Food licensing - Community health boards - Delegation of licensing and inspection duties
Bill text versions
- Introduction PDF PDF file
Upcoming committee meetings
- Agriculture Finance and Policy on: March 25, 2026 13:00
Past committee meetings
- Agriculture Finance and Policy on: March 18, 2026 13:00
Actions
| Date | Chamber | Where | Type | Name | Committee Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 16, 2026 | House | Action | Introduction and first reading, referred to | Agriculture Finance and Policy |
Citations
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]Progress through the legislative process
In Committee