Minnesota Farm Fest Listening Session

Last week, Dave Wager, Executive Director of the Minnesota Propane Gas Association, discussed the importance of reducing financial and regulatory burdens related to propane storage at agriculture facilities during a House Agriculture Committee listening session at the Minnesota Farm Fest in Redwood County, Minnesota. There were numerous Members of Congress at the listening session, including House Agriculture Committee Chairman G.T. Thompson (R-PA-15), Rep. Brad Finstad (R-MN-1), Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN-2), Rep Tom Emmer (R-MN-6), Rep. Michelle Fischbach (R-MN-7), Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN-8), Rep. Max Miller (R-OH-7), and Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA-4).

In his remarks, Dave discussed the importance of expanding propane storage at agriculture facilities to prevent significant supply disruptions or price increases during late or wet harvests. To achieve this goal, Minnesota highlighted two pieces of legislation authored by Rep. Finstad, the Growing Rural Ag Infrastructure Needs to Deliver Rising Yields (GRAIN DRY) Act (H.R. 1290) and the Supporting Tools and Opportunities for Rural Ag Growth and Energy (STORAGE) Act (H.R. 1623).

The Grain Dry Act looks to expand financing for propane storage by amending the Farm Storage Facility Loan Program to include propane. The Storage Act would alleviate the duplicative and burdensome regulatory red tape that disincentives storage by exempting agriculture facilities from the CFATS program. Combined, these pieces of legislation would bring economic and supply chain surety to the agriculture producers who rely on propane.

Click HERE to listen to the Minnesota Propane Gas Association’s full remarks.