701-566-9300HB1431 was just passed out of Senate Appropriations at warp speed when it was not even on the agenda. Senator Poolman moved to take all of the Senate Finance and Tax amendments out so that the Senate can vote to approve the bill as it came from the House. It was unanimously approved and that almost certainly means that the following will come to law: $435.5 million for the Fargo Diversion project (this moves the money from the State Water Commission which frees its money up for many other water projects!), $74.5 million for the Resources Trust Fund, $50 m for the infrastructure loan fund, $50 m for the Ag Products Development Center and Northern Crops Institute and $70 million for the highway fund with half of it for bridges and the other half as leverage for federal matching funds. This is big news for North Dakota farmers where research and marketing are discussed and for moving our equipment and commodities. I would say a big win for our industry. It is Day 60 of the 80 possible.
