SAINT PAUL, Minn. — On January 23, Minnesota Milk Producers Association’s executive director Lucas Sjostrom testified on two bills of interest to the state’s dairy farmers.
Senate Labor Committee Co-Chair Gene Dornink (R-Brownsdale) put forth S.F. 310 as an amendment to the Earned Sick and Safe Time law that began in January 2024. Many Minnesota Milk members say the unique labor arrangements at dairy farms don’t work with the extra administration the law requires and the inability to offer employees benefits in other ways.
“We get calls from time to time, but I have not received more calls on a state issue than this one in the last twelve months,” Sjostrom said. “Especially with no HR person, where the farmer serves that role along with many others, a tracking system like this is very difficult to implement.”
Senator Dornink aimed to amend the law by eliminating the burdens from farms with five or fewer employees.
The amendment is a step in the right direction for Minnesota farmers, but there is still plenty of room for improvement with this bill.
Later in the day, House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee Chair Josh Heintzeman (R-Nisswa) invited Sjostrom to speak on H.F. 8, which improves efficiency of environmental and resource management permit applications by modifying the Pollution Control Agency permit process.
Sjostrom advocated for an amendment that would allow farmers to start or continue local permits, such as county Conditional Use Permits, while simultaneously entering the costly and time-inducing Environmental Assessment Worksheet or other Environmental Review process.
“I am pleased to see support for these efforts and proud to advocate for farmers across Minnesota,” Sjostrom said.