Wild Rice Legislation Text -A bill for an act

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Relating to agriculture; providing a two year moratorium on genetically engineered wild rice in the event of an application for a test plot; requiring assessment and reports during the moratorium; proposing coding for new law in chapter 18F.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section. 1. [18F.08] [TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON GENETICALLY ENGINEERED WILD RICE.]

Subdivision 1. Moratorium. (a) If the agency receives an application for a test plot of genetically engineered wild rice in Minnesota or if a person furnishes the agency with evidence that an application for a test plot of genetically engineered wild rice had been filed anywhere within the borders of the United States, the commissioner shall immediately enact a two year moratorium. The moratorium must prohibit the release, planting, cultivation, harvest, importation, or sale of any genetically engineered wild rice, in the state of Minnesota.

(b) During the moratorium, the department of natural resources, in consultation with the agency and the Seven Sovereign Ojibwe Tribes of Minnesota, must assess the agronomic, economic, cultural and environmental impact of releasing genetically engineered wild rice in the state. Before the moratorium expires, the department of natural resources will produce a report based on this assessment and publish and make this report available for public review and comment. After adequate public notice, as defined in subdivision 2, and completion of all other reasonable efforts to elicit feedback through public hearings and public comment, the agency will respond to and incorporate all comments made into the report. The legislature must use the final report to evaluate state wild rice laws and amend them accordingly.

Subd. 2. Adequate public notice. (a) Adequate public notice means the department of natural resources or the agency must do all of the following:

(1) mail a notice of the test plot application to:

(i) the person applying for the test plot;

(ii) the tribal governments of the seven Ojibwe tribes in Minnesota and the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe; and

(iii) persons on a mailing list developed by the department of natural resources.;

(2) publish a notice in the major daily newspapers of general circulation within the state;

(3) issue press releases and any other form or medium necessary to give notice of the proposed test plot to any and all persons potentially affected by it; and

(b) The mailing list mandated in paragraph (a), clause (1), subclause (iii), must include any person who makes a request in writing or electronic means to the department of natural resources to be on the list. The department of natural resources must notify the public of the opportunity to be put on the mailing list through periodic publication of notice in the public press and other publications, such as regional, tribal and state funded newsletters, bulletins, and state law journals.