Bill Text: MN HF2816 | 2011-2012 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: State lands required to be made available for grazing, and outdoor heritage fund projects required to protect grazing lands.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2012-03-13 - Motion to recall and re-refer, motion prevailed Agriculture and Rural Development Policy and Finance [HF2816 Detail]
Download: Minnesota-2011-HF2816-Introduced.html
1.2relating to natural resources; requiring state lands to be made available for
1.3grazing; requiring outdoor heritage fund projects to protect grazing lands;
1.4amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 97A.056, by adding a subdivision;
1.5proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 84.
1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.7 Section 1. [84.972] GRAZING.
1.8The commissioner of natural resources shall enter into agreements with area
1.9livestock owners to graze at least 5,000 additional acres of land administered by the
1.10commissioner each year. By January 15, 2013, and each year thereafter, the commissioner
1.11shall submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house of
1.12representatives and senate committees and divisions with jurisdiction over natural
1.13resources and agriculture that provides:
1.14(1) the total number of grazing agreements that have been entered into;
1.15(2) the locations of the lands under grazing agreements;
1.16(3) the total number of acres under grazing agreements; and
1.17(4) the total number of new acres under grazing agreements added in the prior
1.18fiscal year.
1.19 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 97A.056, is amended by adding a subdivision
1.20to read:
1.21 Subd. 12. Pasture land protection; report. (a) For the purposes of this subdivision,
1.22"pasture" means any land that had fencing designed to contain livestock at the time of
1.23acquisition or that had been actively grazed anytime during the ten-year period prior
1.24to acquisition.
2.1(b) A recipient of money appropriated from the outdoor heritage fund that is used to
2.2acquire, in fee, more than 20 acres of pasture, as defined in paragraph (a), shall maintain
2.3any existing fencing on the land and install new perimeter fencing using funds from
2.4the outdoor heritage fund appropriation, unless perimeter fencing capable of containing
2.5livestock for grazing is already present. The recipient shall enter into an agreement or
2.6agreements with an area livestock owner or owners to provide sufficient grazing of the
2.7pasture to enhance wildlife habitat and control invasive species. If pasture subject to
2.8this paragraph is determined to be unsuitable for grazing, the recipient must identify
2.9alternative pasture land and enter into an agreement with an area livestock owner or
2.10owners that provides alternative pasture for grazing at a ratio of three acres of alternative
2.11pasture for every one acre of pasture purchased with outdoor heritage funds. If necessary,
2.12the recipient shall install perimeter fencing on the alternative lands.
2.13(c) By January 15, 2013, and each year thereafter, the commissioner of natural
2.14resources, in consultation with the Board of Water and Soil Resources and the
2.15Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, shall submit a report to the chairs and ranking
2.16minority members of the house of representatives and senate committees and divisions
2.17with jurisdiction over the outdoor heritage fund and agriculture detailing the total number
2.18of acres of pasture land that was acquired in fee or through easement with funds from
2.19the outdoor heritage fund.
1.3grazing; requiring outdoor heritage fund projects to protect grazing lands;
1.4amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 97A.056, by adding a subdivision;
1.5proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 84.
1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.7 Section 1. [84.972] GRAZING.
1.8The commissioner of natural resources shall enter into agreements with area
1.9livestock owners to graze at least 5,000 additional acres of land administered by the
1.10commissioner each year. By January 15, 2013, and each year thereafter, the commissioner
1.11shall submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the house of
1.12representatives and senate committees and divisions with jurisdiction over natural
1.13resources and agriculture that provides:
1.14(1) the total number of grazing agreements that have been entered into;
1.15(2) the locations of the lands under grazing agreements;
1.16(3) the total number of acres under grazing agreements; and
1.17(4) the total number of new acres under grazing agreements added in the prior
1.18fiscal year.
1.19 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2010, section 97A.056, is amended by adding a subdivision
1.20to read:
1.21 Subd. 12. Pasture land protection; report. (a) For the purposes of this subdivision,
1.22"pasture" means any land that had fencing designed to contain livestock at the time of
1.23acquisition or that had been actively grazed anytime during the ten-year period prior
1.24to acquisition.
2.1(b) A recipient of money appropriated from the outdoor heritage fund that is used to
2.2acquire, in fee, more than 20 acres of pasture, as defined in paragraph (a), shall maintain
2.3any existing fencing on the land and install new perimeter fencing using funds from
2.4the outdoor heritage fund appropriation, unless perimeter fencing capable of containing
2.5livestock for grazing is already present. The recipient shall enter into an agreement or
2.6agreements with an area livestock owner or owners to provide sufficient grazing of the
2.7pasture to enhance wildlife habitat and control invasive species. If pasture subject to
2.8this paragraph is determined to be unsuitable for grazing, the recipient must identify
2.9alternative pasture land and enter into an agreement with an area livestock owner or
2.10owners that provides alternative pasture for grazing at a ratio of three acres of alternative
2.11pasture for every one acre of pasture purchased with outdoor heritage funds. If necessary,
2.12the recipient shall install perimeter fencing on the alternative lands.
2.13(c) By January 15, 2013, and each year thereafter, the commissioner of natural
2.14resources, in consultation with the Board of Water and Soil Resources and the
2.15Lessard-Sams Outdoor Heritage Council, shall submit a report to the chairs and ranking
2.16minority members of the house of representatives and senate committees and divisions
2.17with jurisdiction over the outdoor heritage fund and agriculture detailing the total number
2.18of acres of pasture land that was acquired in fee or through easement with funds from
2.19the outdoor heritage fund.
