The bill amends Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 17.118, to modify the livestock investment grant program. It changes the grant award structure, allowing the commissioner to award grants equal to 50 percent of the first $20,000 of qualifying expenditures and 20 percent of the next $220,000, replacing the previous structure of ten percent of the first $500,000 of qualifying expenditures. Additionally, the bill expands the definition of "livestock" to include rabbits, donkeys, and alpacas, and clarifies the types of qualifying expenditures that can be made for livestock production.

Furthermore, the bill updates the eligibility criteria for receiving a livestock investment grant. It now includes representatives of Minnesota Tribal governments as eligible applicants, alongside residents of Minnesota or entities defined in section 500.24 that can own farmland and operate a farm. Other eligibility requirements remain, such as being the principal operator of the farm and holding a feedlot registration if necessary. The bill aims to enhance support for livestock producers in Minnesota by broadening the scope of the grant program and its eligibility criteria.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 17.118