March 6, 2024
Murphy’s Law 2024 | #4 Water Topics Committee
Time was spent at a recent meeting educating this interim committee about water policies which included testimony from the Department of Water Resources (DWR). They heard from the DWR’s Regulatory division, Water Appropriations division, a financial update and then some topics such as aquifer recharge and recovery and finally some details on water-related research. After...
February 14, 2024
Murphy’s Law 2024 | #3 Ag and Natural Resources Meets
The committee opened by welcoming a newly appointed Representative from the Minot area following the resignation of Representative Larry Bellew. Representative Joanne Rademacher said she farms and ranches in the Foxholm area. In trying to get all information relevant to the topic of foreign land ownership, the agenda opened with Chair Paul Thomas who had Senator Kevin...
February 9, 2024
Murphy’s Law 2024 | #2 Tax Relief Advisory Committee Meets
This committee is attempting to find some methods by which they can help their fellow legislators navigate through the next months in the face of a threat (the property tax initiative) which would upend our state’s economy as we know it. They addressed this in two major ways; one is to prevent the passage of the initiative eliminating the property tax by increasing the...
February 8, 2024
Murphy’s Law 2024 | #1 Property Tax Confusion Studied
This year has seen no Interim committee action with direct pertinence to your organization until this second week of February. Both the Taxation Committee and the Tax Relief Advisory Committee are meeting on back-to-back days. The Taxation Committee has to: Study the provision of a property tax exemption for elevators, warehouses, and other farm structures classified as...
January 5, 2024
Murphy’s Law 2023 | #37 Natural Gas and a Township Survey
In their December meeting, the Energy Development and Transmission Committee heard testimony from many quarters on the discussion surrounding natural gas. Their interim study involves getting natural gas to underserved/unserved communities in our state. There has been money set aside for a couple years now incentivizing pipeline companies to build across the northern tier...
December 26, 2023
Murphy’s Law 2023 – #36 Irrigation Update
Dani Quissell, as Executive Director of the North Dakota Irrigation Association (NDIA), recently provided the Legislative Interim Committee called Water Topics with a review of the state of irrigation in our state. We have about 300,000 irrigated acres with the potential for 28,000,000 to be irrigated, according to Quissell. She went on to say that estimate depends on how...
December 3, 2023
Murphy’s Law 2023 #35 – Flood Insurance and Foreign Ownership
In their meeting last week, the ND Interim Agriculture and Natural Resources committee discussed the fact that about 332 political subdivisions – mostly cities and counties- have signed up for National Flood Insurance Program. This makes them eligible for subsidized flood insurance. What was discussed and was new to many is that there are many more polysubs which have not...
October 25, 2023
Murphy’s Law 2023 #34 – Special Session
It took lawmakers two and one-half days to complete their task of passing the contents of one bill which was considered by the ND Supreme Court to be too inclusive of different topics. They broke it into 14 and a few would be of interest to our state’s farmers. One was a confirmation of the emergency snow clearing bill which was amended to allow some political...
October 9, 2023
Murphy’s Law 2023 | #33
Greater North Dakota Chamber Policy Summit
Recently, the GNDC held their day-long discussion on the burning issues affecting our state’s businesses. By far and for the last few years at least, the biggest of these is the workforce shortage. It was the focus of each of the four major panels; Attracting Investment Strategies, Tourism from a Policy Standpoint, Utilizing Immigration as a Workforce Solution and...
August 16, 2023
Murphy’s Law Blog 2023 | #32
International Legislator's Forum
Held annually since the early 1990s, the International Legislator’s Forum (ILF) gathers state and provincial legislators from Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Manitoba and for the first time, Saskatchewan to discuss common problems. It is run by the Consensus Council (which is housed in North Dakota) whose mission is as follows from their website, agree.org:...
August 10, 2023
Murphy’s Law Blog 2023 | #31
FELIRC Meeting
Recently, a gaggle of officials on the Federal Environmental Law Impact Review Committee (FELIRC) met to discuss several issues that are being dealt with in this realm. Here is a sampling of those in attendance so you know whom I am speaking of; North Dakota state agencies including the Public Service Commission, Department of Agriculture, Office of the Governor,...
June 28, 2023
Murphy’s Law Blog 2023 | #30
NDLTAP/Northern TTAP
You may not know about the Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute (UGPTI), an elite transportation research center we have in our state. As a partner with NDSU, UGPTI provides research, education and outreach across North Dakota.
A division of UGPTI, titled the North Dakota Local Transportation Assistance Program (NDLTAP) partners with the North Dakota Department of...
May 24, 2023
The Importance of Cybersecurity in Agriculture
In the recent Grand Farmer podcast, we hear from Kirkwall CEO Will Cromarty and farmer, teacher and NDSGA President Kasey Bitz who discuss the reason why cybersecurity in agriculture is so important.
May 19, 2023
North Dakota Memory Care and Assisted Living Facility Resources
Caring.com recently shared a few unique resources with the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association designed to support older adults in North Dakota, whether they’re experiencing Alzheimer’s or dementia symptoms or seeking assisted living options.
Finding the right care facility can be an overwhelming process for families, especially in rural farm...
May 5, 2023
NDSGA | Don’t Get Caught!
Avoid Phishing Scams
Here and there you may receive phishing emails from sources you think are trustworthy such as the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association (NDSGA) or the American Soybean Association (ASA). These scam emails often appear to come from a staff member or trusted colleague. Unfortunately, these emails may even at times include the NDSGA or ASA logo. If you carefully review the...
April 28, 2023
NDSGA | Legislative Report
April 28, 2023
The North Dakota Legislative session is in its final hours. Senate Ag Committee Chair Larry Luick says it’s been a busy year at the legislature for animal agriculture.
April 24, 2023
Murphy’s Law Blog 2023 | #29
Tax Package Settled?
At this point, the conference committee discussion on how to reduce property tax and income tax appears to have a tentative solution.Senate Tax Committee Chair Jordan Kannianen explained to me this morning (although they do have an afternoon meeting to confirm) that property tax looks to be a $500 deduction for every single home or occupied dwelling. It would affect about...
April 21, 2023
NDSGA | Legislative Report
April 21, 2023
The North Dakota Legislative session is winding down, and legislators are working through evening sessions to get bills done. North Dakota Farm Bureau Director of Public Policy Pete Hanebutt says there are several agriculture zoning bills.
April 21, 2023
Murphy’s Law Bog 2023 | #28
Hurry Up and Wait.
At this point in the session, it is all conference committees with the House vs. Senate versions of bills. Sometimes they decide the other house amendments were fine and the agreement takes five minutes. Other times they dig in and it takes a lot of meetings. There are three legislators from each side and if they cannot make any headway, leadership may replace some...
April 21, 2023
ASA & USB Remind All Farmers:
#SoyHelp to Manage Farm Stress Only a Web Click or Social Search Away
Joint campaign during Mental Health Month will offer tips and resources to help farmers stay healthy
Washington, D.C. May 4, 2022 – The American Soybean Association (ASA), United Soybean Board (USB), and soy states want to help farmers who may need a hand managing the stress of life on the farm. This May during Mental Health Month, the soy community...
April 18, 2023
Murphy’s Law Blog 2023 | #27
Conference Committees
This is the time in a session when one is busy and then idle for long stretches. Almost all committees, other than Appropriations, have kicked their bills to the floor or are in conference committees that meet to finalize language into an agreement and enforceable form. I believe this is Day 67, and we have about two weeks left unless it takes three. Unofficial pools for...
April 14, 2023
NDSGA | Legislative Report
April 14, 2023
The countdown to get bills moved through committee is on and North Dakota Representative Jared Hager says work in the tax and finance committee and the focus on the North Dakota Legacy Fund.
April 10, 2023
Murphy’s Law Blog 2023 | #26
Two Water Bills
Today saw some action on HB 1391 which specifies that the unofficial minutes of a Water Resource District (WRD) be published in the official newspaper within 10 days of the meeting. It also says that if the WRD has a website, those same minutes be posted there as well. A Conference Committee will settle it.
SB 2326 was also passed this morning. That bill emphasized...
April 7, 2023
NDSGA | Legislative Report
April 7, 2023
Conference Committee deliberation is underway at the North Dakota Legislature. North Dakota Grain Growers Association Executive Director Dan Wogsland discusses HB 1020.
April 4, 2023
Murphy’s Law Blog 2023 | #25
Update - NDSU Research and Extension Budget
For obvious reasons, your NDSGA supports the NDSU Research and Extension budgets each and every year. Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations division (there are three) termed Government Operations went through a very large budget for the final time. Today, it appeared before the full Appropriations Committee and sailed through. Overall, I believe it was stated that they cut...
April 1, 2023
NDSGA | Legislative Report
March 31, 2023
Senate Bill 2183 would help costs associated with snow removal in rural townships. North Dakota Senator Terry Wanzek says he’s gotten calls about townships paying four to five times their budget on snow removal this year.