Senator Putnam Slams MPCA for Unannounced Fee Hikes on Minnesota Feedlots

(KNSI) – A central Minnesota lawmaker who chairs the powerful Senate Agriculture, Veterans, Broadband, and Rural Development Committee isn’t happy about the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency significantly increasing fees for feedlot permits across the state.

The fee hikes will add hundreds to thousands of dollars to farmers’ operating costs and were not discussed during more than a dozen feedlot rulemaking meetings held across Minnesota in recent months.

Senator Aric Putnam (DFL-St. Cloud), criticized the surprise announcement Thursday and expressed concern about the financial impact on farmers already facing economic pressures.

“I’m disappointed that these increases were not discussed in the many meetings that occurred in recent months surrounding feedlot permitting,” Putnam said. “Most aren’t opposed to updates to feedlot permitting. But they are rightly concerned about being shut out of the process. And that’s what happened today.”

He says the new rule, which took effect on August 1st, caught farmers off guard with the timing and scope of the changes.

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