Wednesday morning, Bluestem looked at how the "Confused" MN Corn Research & Promotion Council so doesn't want OLA review.
Tonight, via the Pioneer Press, the Associated Press reports in Minnesota lawmakers order audit of agricultural commodity councils:
A push by agricultural groups to avoid an evaluation this year by the state's legislative auditor has raised red flags for some lawmakers.
Lawmakers on Wednesday directed the Office of the Legislative Auditor to audit agricultural commodity councils, over protests from some of those groups that the move is unnecessary and burdensome. Rep. Andrew Falk, DFL-Murdock, said the "rampant amount of lobbying" that some of the councils did to have their name taken off the short list of potential audit targets was unusual.
The article mentions the letter we posted here. Falk wasn't the only one with questions:
Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reports in Commission approves nine audit topics:Rep. Rick Hansen, DFL-South St. Paul, said he's never seen that kind of pushback in his eight years on the Legislative Audit Commission. Amundson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Falk said he's heard from several farmers who don't understand what the fees pay for and wonder if they're being used effectively. Falk said he doesn't expect an audit to show any wrongdoing and that the audit may merely help farmers understand how each organization works.
. . .one commission member said he found it "highly unusual" that there was some lobbying against an evaluation of Agriculture Commodity Councils, which the legislative Auditor hasn't taken a look at in more than 30 years.
Rep. Andrew Falk, DFL-Murdock, said the farmers who fund the councils want to know if their money is being well spent.
"If their books are clean, and if they're doing a good job, they have nothing to fear," Falk said.
Since the councils have power to levy checkoff dollars, that's a good thing.
Photo: Corn. We grow a lot of it in Minnesota, and by statute, a check-off is allowed to be levied by a farmer-led state commodity council.
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