When it comes to buffer law penalty changes, Minnesota Corn Growers Association President Kirby Hettver says there is a huge difference in issuing fines per linear foot, instead of per parcel. Minnesota farmers are use to dealing with eighties or quarters as a parcel.
“Within that eighty or quarter, you could have as much as 5,000 feet of shoreline if there’s a dredged ditch. In an extreme example, with a $500 per linear foot fine, that’s a potential fine in excess of three times the value of the land,” says Hettver.
After reviewing public comments, the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources will make a decision on how to move forward.
