MN House committee recommends no change to funding for Office of Broadband Development

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The MN House reports on the Ag committee’s omnibus agriculture finance bill…

The bill that emerged calls for a $172.29 million appropriation from the General Fund to fund the Agriculture Department and several other associated state agencies under the purview of the committee. Of the total, $168.79 million is new funding and $3.5 million is revenue adjustments/carryforward funds.

The amount represents a $17 million increase over the department’s current budget and matches the 2026-27 biennial budget target given to the committee by House leadership.

The committee walked through HF2446, as amended by a delete-all amendment. Hansen said the committee plans to hear public testimony Wednesday, consider amendments and vote on the bill.

The bottom line

The proposal calls for the $172.29 million appropriation from the General to be sent to the following agencies in the 2026-27 biennium:

  • $147.93 million to the Department of Agriculture;

  • $13.53 million to the Board of Animal Health;

  • $8.82 million to the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute; and

  • $2 million to the Office of Broadband Development to increase high-speed Internet access across the state.

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