Minnesota farmers want state aid, more in policy than money

Executive Director Perry Assness, of AgriGrowth, an organization that brings farmers together with agri-businesses and others, said the state sometimes is technologically behind. While many agri-businesses use advanced technology, state regulations may not have caught up, he said. Lunemann said it is not just state regulations that keep farmers down. South Dakota, he said, does more to recruit farm-related businesses. The governor will visit backers of prospective dairy operations. “The common theme is don’t tax us or regulate us out of business,” Rep. Rod Hamilton, R-Mountain Lake, said he hears from constituents.As far as taxes go, there appears to be an agreement among most legislative leaders and the governor to pass the tax break that died last year when an overall tax bill failed to become law. The provision would reduce the amount of property taxes assessed on farmland for new school construction. Rural schools complained that they struggled to pass new school plans because the funding burden fell so heavily on farmers. So while districts dominated by cities could pass school votes, that was more difficult in rural areas.