Editor’s Note: This article was updated from its original version in the January-February 2025 issue of Soybean Business, which went to press prior to a court decision that vacated a DFL win in the Minnesota House, breaking a 67-67 tie in the House.

The waters are a bit murky on the eve of the 2025 legislative session, but the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association (MSGA) is jumping into the deep end.

There’s nothing tentative about this group. MSGA’s board of directors are all-in to build markets, protect farmers and advocate for the state’s nearly 26,000 soybean farmers.

“It’s interesting times in Minnesota, like usual,” Darin Johnson, president of MSGA, said with a chuckle following the Nov. 5, 2024, election. “We all know it’s a challenging time in agriculture, but as we head into 2025, it’s important to approach this legislative session with optimism and capitalize on opportunities where we can find them.”

In the weeks following the election, it appeared that for first time since 1979, the makeup of the 134 seats in the Minnesota House of Representatives would evenly divided, meaning both parties would elect committee co-chairs. However, in late December 2024, a state court ruled that Curtis Johnson didn’t live in his district, thus vacating his and affording the GOP a one-seat House advantage pending a special election. Another pending legal challenge in Scott County could give the Republicans a two-seat majority.

This much is clear heading into the start of the 2025 session:  Democrats no longer hold a legislative “trifecta.” Now, both parties will have to work together to secure enough votes to pass a critical, two-year biennial budget amid a dwindling projected surplus of $616 million, a decrease of $1.1 billion from previous estimates.

“As an advocacy group, having bills that pass with bipartisan support is, by and large, something we like to see,” MSGA Executive Director Joe Smentek said.

For Bennett, who’s entering his 34th session, there are more unknowns than knowns. And that’s OK. MSGA is taking a business-as-usual approach to the 2025 session.

“I think MSGA is going to continue doing what we’ve always done, and that is going to be working in a bipartisan manner with both the House and the Senate to hopefully produce results that are going to ensure a vibrant economy for both our farmers and our rural communities,” said Bennett, who works with his colleague A.J. Duerr, Smentek and farmer leaders to implement MSGA’s policy priorities in St. Paul. “It’s certainly is going to make for a very interesting legislative session, but hopefully a successful legislative session.”

Everybody’s got to eat

Democrats maintain a 34-33 advantage in the Senate after winning a special election in District 45. The 2025 legislative session starts Jan. 14 at noon and must wrap up by May 19 to pass a biennial budget and prevent a government shutdown. After Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential race over Vice President Kamala Harris, Democratic vice-presidential candidate and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz returns to St. Paul facing a different political environment since the contentious 2024 legislative session adjourned.

“At MSGA, we’ve known the governor for a long time now, since his days as a congressman and we’ve appreciated working with him,” Johnson said. “I’m looking forward to visiting with the governor and renewing that relationship.”

Following the election, Minnesota House leaders signaled a willingness to collaborate and, at least temporarily, cast aside bruised feelings from the 2024 legislative session.

“I think the legislative leaders in the House are  both committed to working through some of the issues that they have, and Gov. Walz is certainly going to be key throughout this legislative process as well,” Bennett said.

MSGA anticipates having opportunities to play both defense and offense. Since the House tie has been unbroken,  GOP Rep. and Starbuck farmer Paul Anderson will chair the House Agriculture Committee, while Sen. Aric Putnam returns to chair the Senate Ag Committee.

“We have a great relationship with both chairs,” said Johnson, adding that Anderson attended MSGA’s December 2024 board meeting in Mankato. “We’re confident both Rep. Anderson and Sen. Putnam are going to work together to protect farmers.”

MSGA and state ag groups hold strong relationships with Ag Commissioner Thom Petersen. In a largely divided legislature, tight connections with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture are vital.

“For us, we’re still focused on the same issues – protecting biodiesel, tax relief, making sure the crop production tools that we’ve had in the past are still available,” Johnson said. “We want to keep the doors open on the farm and make sure the profitability is there, and Commissioner Petersen has always been there to advocate for us.”

MSGA Vice President Ryan Mackenthun said a new legislative class means stressing to incoming lawmakers the importance of the agriculture industry’s economic impact (which equates to roughly 25% of the state’s GDP) on Minnesota.

“The nice thing about agriculture is we all eat, we’re all a part of it,” he said. “Now we’ve got to work together to find solutions to help farmers produce goods.”

MSGA’s 2025 policy priorities

While the economy and legislative environment can create priority shifts virtually overnight, MSGA anticipates working on numerous policy goals in the session ahead:

• Protecting crop inputs

• Boosting biodiesel, promoting sustainable aviation fuel

• Tax reform

• Monitoring unnecessary regulations

• Funding for MDA programs in the biennial budget

• Transportation and infrastructure

• Promoting the Port of Duluth as an export route

• Value-added agriculture investments

Join MSGA

Want to engage with MSGA during the legislative session? First, become a member by visiting mnsoybean.org/msga and then participate in MSGA’s weekly Legislative Update calls, which are held Friday mornings at 8:30 a.m. during the session and are open to all active members.

“We try to stay as connected and in communication with our members as absolutely possible,” said Smentek, who co-hosts the call with MSGA’s lobbying team.

In December 2024, county delegates from across Minnesota gathered at MSGA’s office in Mankato for a pre-resolution meeting in advance of MSGA’s 2025 Annual Meeting on Thursday, Jan. 23 at 9 a.m. during MN Ag Expo. As part of the annual meeting, county delegates discuss and approve 2025 policy resolutions. MSGA directors will also give updates and announce winners of industry and advocate awards. All active MSGA members are encouraged to attend. MSGA directors will also be stationed in MSGA’s booth #28-31 at MN Ag Expo to visit with farmers and industry partners.