North Dakota Senate Committee Recommends Passage of HB 1318

When 91 percent of North Dakotans and every single farmer surveyed agree on agricultural policy, lawmakers tend to pay close attention.

The North Dakota Senate Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committee recommended the passage of HB 1318, advancing common-sense legislation designed to safeguard farmers’ access to essential crop protection tools and ensure that federally approved product labels are the law.

The committee’s positive step follows an overwhelming 88-0 vote in the North Dakota House of Representatives earlier this year.

“Farmers applaud the North Dakota Senate Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committee for defending their access to the essential crop protection tools they rely on to keep yields high and ensure an abundant and affordable food supply,” said Elizabeth Burns-Thompson, Executive Director of the Modern Ag Alliance.

Under the proposed legislation, manufacturers cannot be subject to litigation for following the law.

The push for HB 1318 is bolstered by the Modern Ag Alliance’s recent Ag Insights Survey. The data shows that 91 percent of all North Dakotans—including 100 percent of farmers, and 93 percent of both Republicans and Democrats—are more likely to support leaders who stand with farmers over trial lawyers on ag policy.

Supporting organizations include the ND Corn Growers Association, the ND Department of Agriculture, the ND Farm Bureau, the ND Farmers Union, the ND Grain Growers Association, the ND Soybean Growers Association, the Northern Canola Growers Association, and the Northern Pulse Growers Association.

For North Dakota producers, these tools are central to managing a $14 billion agriculture economy, powering the reliable harvest of vital commodities like wheat, corn, and soybeans.

“The Modern Ag Alliance commends the Senate Ag Committee for putting North Dakota farmers first, and we look forward to its swift passage in the full North Dakota Senate,” Burns-Thompson added.