Purpose of the Bill

The bill establishes a task force to create recommendations for sustainable foraging practices on state lands in Minnesota. It seeks to balance ecological sustainability with public foraging rights and access to natural resources.

Main Provisions

• Task Force Establishment: The bill creates the Minnesota Sustainable Foraging Task Force to develop science-based guidelines for foraging.

• Membership: The task force consists of 12 members, including state legislators, representatives from the Minnesota Mycological Society and Foraging Alliance, scientists, members of Minnesota Ojibwe and Dakota Tribes, and representatives from the Department of Natural Resources and the University of Minnesota.

• Duties: The task force is responsible for reviewing current foraging regulations, collecting data on foraging's ecological impact, and developing guidelines that incorporate both science and traditional ecological knowledge. It will also focus on public understanding of sustainable foraging and consider recommending reduced-priced foraging permits.

• Facilitation and Meetings: The Legislative Coordinating Commission will support the task force, ensuring it operates in accordance with Minnesota's Open Meeting Law. The first meeting is to be convened by August 1, 2025.

• Deadline and Expiration: The task force must submit its findings by February 28, 2026, at which point it will expire unless the final report is submitted later than this date.

• Moratorium on New Foraging Rules: Enforces a pause on new rulemaking related to foraging by the Department of Natural Resources until July 1, 2027, ensuring that new regulations are informed by the task force’s recommendations.

Significant Changes

• The bill introduces a task force to address sustainable foraging, integrating both scientific and traditional knowledge.

• It temporarily halts the creation or amendment of foraging rules to ensure decisions are informed by comprehensive research and recommendations from the task force.

Relevant Terms

sustainable foraging, Minnesota Sustainable Foraging Task Force, ecological sustainability, traditional ecological knowledge, public access, reduced-priced foraging permits, moratorium on foraging rules.