WC Minnesota News

House Agriculture Committee Chair Rep. Paul Anderson, R-Starbuck, has voiced concerns following the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency's (MPCA) announcement that feedlot permit fees will rise by 48 and 56 percent starting Friday.

Anderson criticized the timing and communication surrounding the fee increase. "These are steep increases, and the MPCA’s lack of communication and how suddenly this is happening just adds insult to injury," Anderson said. "The MPCA held more than a dozen feedlot rulemaking meetings around the state and never once mentioned a fee increase. The Aug. 1 rollout feels arbitrary and could’ve easily been delayed to give farmers more time to prepare. On top of that, the DNR just raised water appropriation permit fees, making irrigation even more expensive. Our state government is hitting agriculture hard at a time when farmers are already struggling."

According to Anderson, these decisions add financial pressure on farmers who are already facing economic challenges from rising costs in other areas.