The Minnesota House of Representatives passed House File 3508 with bipartisan support in a 129–4 vote on April 20, expanding access to support for the state’s dairy farmers. The legislation, authored by Representative Nathan Nelson, updates eligibility requirements within Minnesota’s Dairy Assistance, Investment, and Relief Initiative (DAIRI) program.
The change is intended to help new and beginning dairy farmers who were previously excluded from the DAIRI program due to outdated production benchmarks. Lawmakers say this update ensures that more producers can receive critical assistance during times when milk prices drop and feed costs rise.
The DAIRI program was created to provide relief for farmers participating in the federal Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program. However, recent issues with federal enrollment timing meant many newer operations could not qualify under previous rules. House File 3508 addresses this by allowing qualification based on actual production history through the federal program rather than relying on a single year’s data.
According to supporters of the bill, these changes are expected to extend eligibility to about 30 to 40 additional dairy farms across Minnesota, many of which are new or first-generation businesses. Representative Nathan Nelson said that many farm families rely on off-farm employment and need access to programs like DAIRI “to stay afloat,” making such updates especially important.
With its passage in the House, House File 3508 will now move forward for consideration by the Governor.
