Whitney Place, Director
Appointed February 2016
Whitney Place has been with the MDA since 2012 and has served as Director of Government Relations since 2016.
The Government Relations office provides an essential link between the MDA and the state legislature, working with the Governor's Office, legislators, and department staff to shape and monitor agricultural policy. The Government Relations office and the Commissioner work to implement policy working groups created by the legislature, providing legislative recommendations on a wide variety of agricultural issues, such as renewable energy, animal husbandry and pesticide use.
Legislative Reports
Permanent Legislative Reports
- Ag BMP Loan Program Status Report 2017 (PDF)
- Agricultural Chemical Response and Reimbursement Account (ACRRA) Annual Report Fiscal Year 2017 (PDF)
- Agricultural Emergency Account Annual Report 2017 (PDF)
- Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council Report 2015 (PDF)
- Agricultural Growth, Research, and Innovation Fiscal Year 2017 Legislative Report (PDF)
- Annual Rules Report 2017 (PDF)
- Biodiesel Annual Report 2018 (PDF)
- Bioincentive Program Report to the Legislature 2018 (PDF)
- Clean Water Fund Legislative Report – January 2016 (PDF)
- Commissioner’s Exemptions Report – October 2017 (PDF)
- Dairy Development and Profitability Enhancement Legislative Report 2016 (PDF)
- Dairy Development and Profitability Enhancement Program Work Plan FY 2017 (PDF)
- Dairy Research/Education and Consumer Outreach Authority Annual Report - February 2016 (PDF)
- Elk Damage Payments 2016-2017 (PDF)
- Permitting Efficiency and Goal Report – January 2016 (PDF)
- Pesticide Management Plan Status Report - 2016 (PDF)
- Retail Biofuel Infrastructure Grant Program Report to the Legislature, 2017 (PDF)
- Status of Organic Agriculture in Minnesota 2015 (PDF)
- Waste Pesticide Collection Program Report 2017 (PDF)
Limited-time Legislative Reports
- Agricultural Water Quality Certification Program Report – January 2015 (PDF)
- Commercial Manure Applicator Manual Report – January 2016 (PDF)
- Good Food Access Program: A Report to the Minnesota Legislature – January 2018 (PDF)
- Interim Report on Nitrate in Groundwater – January 2015 (PDF)
- Meat Processing Vocational Training for Inmates – January 2017 (PDF)
- NextGen Energy Board Report – February 2015 (PDF)
- Nitrate in Groundwater – June 2016 (PDF)
- Petroleum Replacement Promotion Report – January 2015 (PDF)
One-time Legislative Report
- Farmer-Lender Mediation Task Force Report – February 2017 (PDF)
- Industrial Hemp Research Report - January 2015 (PDF)
- Livestock Industry Study, 2015 (PDF)
- Meat Processing for Inmates (PDF)
- Minnesota Farm Safety
- Status of Farm Safety in Minnesota Report to the Legislative – February 2017 (PDF)
- Status of Food Hubs in Minnesota (2016) (PDF)
- Urban Agriculture in Minnesota (2016) (PDF)