Purpose

• Strengthen protections for wildrice waters in Minnesota by updating pesticide rules. The bill aims to reduce pesticide harm to wild rice, improve monitoring and responses, involve tribes and state agencies, and boost education and training for pesticide users.

Main Provisions

• Wildrice water definition

  • Adds a definition of “Wildrice water” to identify waters that support or could support wild rice, including waters near Indian country.

• Enforcement for harm to wildrice waters

  • Allows the commissioner to take enforcement actions for violations that harm wildrice waters, using the normal pesticide rules and penalties. Violations affecting wildrice waters are treated more seriously (not minor violations). Penalties go to the pesticide regulatory account.

• Pesticide impact on the environment

  • Requires the commissioner to assess how pesticides affect the environment—immediate and long-term effects on sediment, soil, surface water, groundwater, including wildrice waters.
  • Requires development of best management practices for distribution, storage, handling, use, and disposal of pesticides.
  • Requires collaboration with other state agencies, Minnesota Tribal governments, and local governments to protect public health, wildrice waters, pollinators, and the environment.
  • Lets the commissioner form a group of experts to advise on pollinator deaths/illnesses and wildrice water pollution; funding up to $100,000 per fiscal year from the pesticide regulatory account.

• Pesticide management plan

  • The commissioner must develop a plan to prevent, evaluate, and mitigate pesticide occurrences in groundwater and surface waters, including wildrice waters.
  • The plan must include prevention measures, response steps if pesticides are detected, and actions to stop continued movement of pesticides to water.
  • Status reports on the plan must be submitted every two years to the Environmental Quality Board and Minnesota Indian Affairs Council for review, then to relevant legislative committees.

• Coordination and involvement

  • The plan must be coordinated with other state agency plans and involve Minnesota Tribal governments, UMN Extension, farm groups, environmental groups, industry, and tribal governments in its development.

• State use of pesticides and nutrients

  • Requires use of integrated pest management (IPM) techniques for managing public lands (roadsides, parks, forests) and plantings to minimize pesticide needs and added nutrients.
  • Requires special care to ensure pesticides do not flow into wildrice waters.

• Pesticide education and training

  • The Department of Agriculture leads, develops and evaluates education and training on pesticide issues, including water quality, wildrice waters protection, worker safety, pesticide disposal, drift, labeling, and updates in science and technology.
  • Training programs must include planning committees with industry and tribal government representatives; updates to labels may be included.
  • The department may approve programs from private industry, higher education, and nonprofits that meet minimum requirements.
  • Training manuals and exams must be continually updated to meet federal (EPA) standards and state-specific information, and be published online.
  • Materials must cover prevention of pesticide occurrence in groundwater and surface water (including wildrice waters) and discuss practical thresholds for pesticide use.

Significant Changes to Existing Law

• Creates a new, formal definition for wildrice water and ties enforcement to this water type.
• Elevates enforcement responsibilities and penalties related to harm to wildrice waters, with penalties deposited to the pesticide regulatory account.
• Establishes a mandated pesticide impact assessment framework and a dedicated expert group with funding.
• Establishes a formal pesticide management plan with biennial reporting and broad coordination requirements.
• Expands state commitment to IPM and careful management to prevent pesticides from entering wildrice waters.
• Expands and standardizes pesticide education and training, aligning with federal standards and ensuring tribal government and industry participation.

Implementation and Oversight (highlights)

• Lead agency: Department of Agriculture.
• Oversight and input from: Environmental Quality Board, Minnesota Indian Affairs Council, tribal governments, University of Minnesota Extension, farm and environmental groups, industry, and tribal colleges.
• Reports and coordination involve multiple state agencies and tribal partners, with updates to state and legislative committees.

Potential Impacts

• Greater protection for wild rice and its waters from pesticide pollution.
• Increased collaboration with tribal governments and state agencies in monitoring and managing pesticide use.
• More formalized training for applicators and ongoing updates to labeling and practices.
• Possible changes in penalties and enforcement related to harming wildrice waters.

Relevant Terms - wildrice water; wildrice waters; wild rice; Indian country; pesticide regulatory account; 18D (enforcement); Environmental Quality Board; Minnesota Indian Affairs Council; wildrice waters protection; pesticides; groundwater; surface water; IPM (integrated pest management); pollinators; pollinator deaths; best management practices; pesticide management plan; enforcement actions; expert group; 40 CFR Part 171; Environmental Protection Agency; pesticide drift; pesticide disposal; economic thresholds; training manuals and exams; watershed protection.