St. Paul Reporter

Representative Nathan Nelson (R-Hinckley), who serves as Co-Vice Chair of the Children and Families Committee and is a member of the Agriculture Committee, announced that the recently passed Minnesota state budget includes several provisions aimed at supporting rural families and farmers. The budget was approved by the Minnesota Legislature on Monday.

Nelson, who is also a farmer, stated that this year’s budget addresses accountability issues and makes investments intended to benefit rural communities, local agriculture producers, and young people in Minnesota.

As part of his work on the Children and Families Committee, Nelson contributed to measures designed to improve oversight in child care programs. The new legislation allows fraud investigators real-time access to attendance records in these programs. According to Nelson, this will help speed up investigations into potential fraud cases. Additional measures include stronger protections against child maltreatment and full funding for information technology upgrades within the state’s child welfare system.

In terms of agricultural policy, Nelson helped secure funding for payments related to wolf and elk depredation. He also worked to prevent mandates that he said would have increased costs for food producers and grocers. One specific change involved reducing nearly $2 million in funding from Second Harvest Heartland due to concerns about executive compensation; Nelson described this as an effort to ensure state resources align with community needs.

Other agriculture-related provisions include maintaining current operations at the Board of Animal Health so it can respond effectively to livestock disease outbreaks. Lawmakers also rejected a proposal that would have required grocers to test food products for plastics.

"The final agreement also cut nearly $2 million in funding from Second Harvest Heartland after concerns about executive compensation — a move Nelson said reflects a commitment to realigning state dollars with true community needs."

"The bill gives fraud investigators real-time access to attendance records in child care programs — a move that will speed up investigations and clamp down on fraud."

"It also strengthens protections against child maltreatment and fully funds much-needed IT modernization in the state’s child welfare system."

"Blocking radical changes to the Board of Animal Health that would have weakened its ability to respond to livestock disease outbreaks."

"Rejecting a proposed mandate that would’ve forced grocers to test food products for plastics — a costly and unproven regulation."

The budget passed with bipartisan support, signaling what legislators described as growing recognition of Greater Minnesota's role in statewide priorities.