Animal Agriculture

Issue

How should Minnesota increase the competitiveness of animal agriculture? What are appropriate regulations for animal feeding operations? Should there be a moratorium on expansion of existing or creation of animal feeding operations?

Policy

• We support animal agriculture. Strengthening animal agriculture – from livestock, dairy and crop producers to input dealers and processors – will create a strong rural economy that is interdependent with the entire state economy. The strong interrelationship among animal agriculture in rural Minnesota and jobs and value-added processing in metropolitan areas must be protected and strengthened.

• We support an animal agriculture policy that:
  • Regulates based on sound science and economics.
    
    
  • Protects natural resources and the environment.
    
    
  • Provides technical and other assistance necessary to comply with regulations.
    
    
  • Encourages operations of all sizes.
    
    
  • Ensures uniform regulation throughout the state.
    
    
  • Preserves the competitiveness of Minnesota agriculture in the national and world markets.

• We also support continued efforts of state producer groups to provide their members with education and technical assistance to promote sound waste management practices.

• We oppose any moratorium on animal agriculture production. Local moratoriums or arbitrary size limitations on feeding operations is not a practical policy. It simply preserves the strengths and weaknesses of the status quo. Moreover, it threatens a value-added activity vital to the economy of rural Minnesota.

• We support four points to strengthen and expand animal agriculture:
  1. Improve the consistency, science basis, predictability, timeliness and efficiency of the permitting and environmental review for livestock operations.
     
     
  2. Improve the local zoning process for siting and establishing setbacks for livestock operations.
     
     
  3. Protect against proposals to further regulate the industry regarding animal handling/welfare practices at the farm or processor level.
     
     
  4. Protect the investments of producers in livestock and dairy facilities that are operating within generally accepted agricultural practices and comply with applicable federal, state and local requirements.
     

Business Impact

Animal agriculture contributes substantially to the Minnesota economy. According to 2010 Minnesota Agriculture Statistics data, cash receipts from livestock production totaled nearly $6.1 billion – roughly 53 percent of the state’s overall agricultural sales. The full economic impact of Minnesota’s livestock production exceeds $11.6 billion when indirect and induced outputs are considered. Figures from the Impact Analysis for Planning System forecasting model and database confirm that livestock production is a major employer in Minnesota. The industry is credited with supporting nearly 177,000 jobs. Livestock and related products such as milk and eggs bring in almost as much revenue as crop production in Minnesota. The dairy sector accounts for 30 percent of the revenue. Other large components of the industry include hogs (29 percent), cattle and calves (24 percent), and poultry and eggs (15 percent). National Agricultural Statistics Service data show that Minnesota ranks first in the nation in turkey production and third in hogs. Minnesota is sixth in the number of milk cows and milk production, fifth in cheese production, fifth in butter production and 11th in egg production. Livestock producers also are critical to the meat and dairy processing industries in Greater Minnesota. Animal agriculture also generated significant demand for Minnesota’s largest agricultural crops through animal consumption of feed grains. Minnesota livestock annually consumes more than 20 percent of Minnesota’s corn and 14 percent of soybean crops. It is estimated that animal agriculture adds more than $2 billion to the value of Minnesota crops. If cattle, pork and poultry producers are not allowed to modernize and grow, the economic prosperity of producers, along with the state’s corn and soybean farmers, feed manufacturers, implement dealers, meat processors and others, also will be harmed.