In posts like April 10's Exchange between Hamilton & Hansen spells out unique pork in proposed Ag Transfer board and Strib editorial page picks up on what's being transferred to the proposed Ag Transfer board, Bluestem has been raising questions about the scheme by Representative Rodney Hamilton (R-Mountain Lake) to set up the Agricultural Research, Extension and Technology Transfer Board.
After the Star Tribune raised this issue to a larger audience, Hamilton changed the language to purportedly make the Transfer Board an "advisory board."
However, representatives raised questions in the Ways and Means committee about the remaining language in the Ag Omnibus Bill: that the Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture "shall award" funds to the recommendations of the board. Ordinarily, that mean that one has to do something (witness the changes in Minnesota law governing lawn enforcement agencies issuing of carry permits from "may issue" to "shall issue.")
While Hamilton argued Tuesday in the Ways and Means Committee that the commissioner can turn down the recommendations, he adds that the Department of Ag loses that funding. Moreover, Hamilton whines that criticism of transferring public dollars to special interests is occurring only because the spending is for production agriculture.
Here's the at times heated exchange:
We understand the concerns shared by Representatives Wagenius, Mahoney and Carlson. We're left wondering why Hamilton went this route, rather than simply establishing an advisory board for applied research, while working in his caucus for a more robust budget for research and ag instruction and management education.
Photo: Ag finance chair Hamilton says that language now in his bill doesn't mean what it ordinarily means--and so his special interest pals won't be as powerful as the bill suggests. It's good that he's getting the intent of his bill on record.
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