1.1 A bill for an act
1.2 relating to economic development; establishing a headwaters community food and
1.3 water economic resiliency program; appropriating money; proposing coding for
1.4 new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 116J.
1.5BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
1.6 Section 1. [116J.544] HEADWATERS COMMUNITY FOOD AND WATER
1.7ECONOMIC RESILIENCY PROGRAM.
1.8 Subdivision 1.Definitions.(a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have
1.9the meanings given.
1.10 (b) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of employment and economic development.
1.11 (c) "Regenerative food web" means a decentralized, coordinated system for managing
1.12energy regeneratively in every component of a locally adapted food economy from source
1.13to table that is designed to be inclusive, create capacity for health and well-being, foster a
1.14culture of caring, and recognize the fundamental interdependent relationship of people and
1.15nature.
1.16 Subd. 2.Program; purpose.The commissioner must administer a headwaters community
1.17food and water economic resiliency program. The purpose of the program is to facilitate
1.18the establishment and maintenance of local and regional regenerative food webs to address
1.19in a sustainable manner the enduring challenges of food, water, and climate. The
1.20commissioner must develop and administer the program in consultation with the advisory
1.21committee established under subdivision 4.
1Section 1.
25-04268 as introduced02/24/25 REVISOR SS/VJ
SENATE
STATE OF MINNESOTA
S.F. No. 2509NINETY-FOURTH SESSION
(SENATE AUTHORS: MOHAMED and Hawj)
OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE
Introduction and first reading03/13/2025
Referred to Jobs and Economic Development 2.1 Subd. 3.Methods.(a) The commissioner must achieve the purpose in subdivision 1
2.2through multiple methods, including but not limited to:
2.3 (1) provide financial and technical assistance for urban and rural producers engaged in
2.4organic, regenerative food systems to year-round operations to respond to demands for
2.5dependable food supply chains in the face of unpredictable weather and to normalize access
2.6to affordable, culturally relevant, locally produced, fresh, prepared, and preserved food
2.7sources daily in schools and communities;
2.8 (2) provide financial and technical assistance for physical infrastructure including:
2.9 (i) facilities for aggregation, storage, composting, greenhouses, seed saving,
2.10weather-resilient water management systems, and research;
2.11 (ii) marketing and distribution sites, including neighborhood food commons and kitchens
2.12equipped for food preparation and preservation; and
2.13 (iii) support for existing hubs and learning centers;
2.14 (3) provide financial and technical assistance for operational infrastructure in every
2.15component of the food web including:
2.16 (i) production, preparation, and preservation;
2.17 (ii) neighborhood based food commons;
2.18 (iii) reusable storage, distribution and waste elimination systems;
2.19 (iv) emergency preparation and recovery operations;
2.20 (v) aggregation, delivery, distribution, and storage systems designed to be responsive
2.21to daily and seasonal needs that removes a grower's and producer's responsibility for
2.22transporting harvests to market sites;
2.23 (vi) leadership training and network facilitation; and
2.24 (vii) local and regional partnerships necessary to support regenerative food web
2.25operations;
2.26 (4) provide financial and technical assistance to advance the revival of food cultures
2.27defined by Black people, Indigenous people, and people of color;
2.28 (5) provide funding for long-term holistic, in-situ research throughout the regenerative
2.29food web to utilize and document local ecological knowledge, conduct seed and plant
2.30exchange, and establish perennial, weather-resilient landscapes to restore vital biological
2.31diversity and ground water;
2Section 1.
25-04268 as introduced02/24/25 REVISOR SS/VJ 3.1 (6) provide a financial investment fund to offer training and establish new members of
3.2the food web, including regenerative growers and teams of skilled culinary staff of all racial
3.3identities, including community members who identify as Black, Indigenous, and people
3.4of color, to participate as employees in the food web economy including individual,
3.5cooperative, and small-scale operations; and
3.6 (7) provide affordable and accessible health care for every member of the food web
3.7economy to ensure that the system is economically robust and can operate effectively.
3.8 (b) The commissioner shall establish a fund to make fruits and vegetables affordable
3.9for all income levels.
3.10 Subd. 4.Advisory committee.(a) The Headwaters Community Food and Water
3.11Economic Resiliency Advisory Committee is established and consists of persons from urban
3.12and rural communities who represent the following groups, as appointed by the commissioner
3.13of employment and economic development: local regenerative and organic farmers,
3.14neighborhood food hubs, cooperatives, culinary schools, local food restaurateurs, community
3.15organizers, food council members, system managers, scientists, researchers, students, and
3.16public health officials. Members may be employed in the web economy and must include
3.17leaders who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color.
3.18 The commissioner may remove members and fill vacancies as provided in section 15.059,
3.19subdivision 4.
3.20 (b) The advisory committee must advise the commissioner regarding the establishment
3.21and operation of the headwaters community food and water economic resiliency program,
3.22including but not limited to program criteria, eligibility guidelines, application processes,
3.23monitoring and accountability mechanisms, leveraging additional public and private
3.24investments, and promoting the program statewide.
3.25 (c) The commissioner must convene the advisory committee at least two times per year
3.26to perform the committee's duties.
3.27 (d) The commissioner must provide staffing, meeting space, and administrative services
3.28for the advisory committee.
3.29 (e) The commissioner or the commissioner's designee is the chair of the committee.
3.30 (f) Public members of the advisory committee serve without compensation or payment
3.31of expenses.
3.32 (g) The advisory committee does not expire.
3Section 1.
25-04268 as introduced02/24/25 REVISOR SS/VJ 4.1 Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION.
4.2 $....... in fiscal year 2026 and $....... in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated from the general
4.3fund to the commissioner of employment and economic development for purposes of the
4.4headwaters community food and water economic resiliency program in Minnesota Statutes,
4.5section 116J.544.
4Sec. 2.
25-04268 as introduced02/24/25 REVISOR SS/VJ