HF3231 Summary

• Amends pesticide application requirements on golf courses to remove the "appropriate use certification" language while maintaining that applications must be performed by structural pest control applicators or commercial/noncommercial pesticide applicators, with exemptions for sanitizers and disinfectants.

• Establishes a Farmer-Lender Mediation Task Force comprised of 12 members including farmers, agricultural organizations, lenders, and University of Minnesota Extension to provide recommendations to the legislature by February 1, 2017.

• Creates a Farm Safety Initiative requiring the agriculture commissioner to analyze farm safety challenges, consult with Minnesota organizations addressing farm safety, compile an inventory of available programs by October 1, 2016, and report findings to legislative committees by February 1, 2017.

• Extends the expiration date of the Minnesota Organic Advisory Task Force from June 30, 2016 to June 30, 2019 and updates related statute expiration dates from 2016 to 2018.

• Makes technical corrections to food handler reinspection fee provisions, food safety statutes, and organic agriculture commissioner duties.