Slow the Spread program funding provided to manage spongy moth populations, and money appropriated.
Summary
HF3355 appropriates $954,000 in fiscal year 2026 and another $954,000 in fiscal year 2027 from the environment and natural resources trust fund to the Minnesota commissioner of agriculture. The money is designated for the Slow the Spread program, which monitors, controls, and treats spongy moth populations. The bill is narrowly focused on pest management and does not create a new regulatory program; instead, it provides dedicated funding for an existing effort.
The bill’s practical effect is to direct state trust fund dollars toward invasive species management in Minnesota’s forests and landscapes. It would support ongoing monitoring and treatment activities intended to limit the spread and damage caused by spongy moths, which can defoliate trees and affect natural resources, property, and local ecosystems. The appropriation would be available in two consecutive fiscal years and would be administered by the agriculture commissioner.
Impact
HF3355 would amend state spending by appropriating a total of $1.908 million from the environment and natural resources trust fund over two fiscal years to the Department of Agriculture. It affects the commissioner’s authority and budget for the Slow the Spread program, but it does not alter substantive pest-control law or impose new obligations on private parties. The bill primarily benefits state and local efforts to monitor, suppress, and treat spongy moth infestations, with indirect effects on forestry, landowners, and natural resource protection.
Sentiment
Based on the bill text and available context, the measure appears to be straightforward and likely noncontroversial. There are no recorded committee transcripts or votes indicating debate, opposition, or amendments. The bill’s purpose is framed as a targeted funding request for invasive species management, which generally suggests practical support rather than ideological contention.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the available materials. Because the bill is a direct appropriation from the environment and natural resources trust fund, any potential concerns would likely center on budget priorities, the use of trust fund dollars, or whether the program’s benefits justify the expenditure. However, no legislators, committees, or stakeholders are shown as raising objections in the provided record.