The ‘Wild Rice Act’ (SF 1247) aims to protect clean water by improving regulations surrounding pesticide use and local-level government collaboration between Tribal entities. Rise and Repair representatives Eóin Small and Leanna Goose join North Star Stories to share their thoughts on the bill and their hopes for what it represents in Minnesota.
Transcript
ANCHOR: You're listening to North Star Stories: Voices from Where We Live, a daily newscast about what it means to live in Minnesota.
Leanna Goose: I've heard it called the canary in the coal mine because this plant is an indicator species. If there is manoomin or a wild rice found in places, it means those waters are healthy enough to hold manoomin. Our existence and manoomins are inextricably tied together, as we both depend on clean water for our survival.
Maija Hecht: That’s Leanna Goose, Leech Lake Tribal member and organizer with Rise and Repair, an environmental and Indigenous alliance supporting the bill SF [senate file] 1247, or the ‘Wild Rice Act,’ introduced by Senator Mary Kunesh in February. Supporters of SF 1247 aim to protect wild rice, and by extension, all humans who share its environment, by improving regulations surrounding pesticide use in Minnesota.
[sound element: loon call]
Maija Hecht: Although the land of 10,000 Lakes, some of which are envisioned as pure, pristine waters, data provided by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and Natural Resource Defense Council shows a widespread trend of residual and degraded pesticide compounds present in groundwater samples across the state.
[sound element: knocking sticks, rice hitting canoe, begin cicadas/bird sounds]
Leanna Goose: So manoomin, or psín, wild rice. This plant used to be found all across the state of Minnesota. It used to be found in the southern part of the state, but due to human activities, that is no longer the case.
Maija Hecht: In research compiled by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, the pesticide 2, 4-D was found in 76% of water samples collected during a survey in 2023. 2, 4-D is just one pesticide toxic to wild rice–and it has the potential to damage human adrenal glands, thyroid function and kidneys over time at high exposure rates.
Leanna Goose: If humans are at the root of the problems with our waters, then we can also be the solutions.
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Maija Hecht: If passed, SF 1247, the Wild Rice Act, would take two sweeping steps to drive change. First, the bill establishes that pesticide management plans must account for wild rice waters, in addition to surface and groundwater. Second, the bill includes new language that would require pesticide use planners to consult Tribal entities for environmental review. This means that alongside farmers, universities, and environmental organizations, the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council and Tribal Governments also become part of the conversation.
Eóin Small: We need to have the strongest state level protections for life sources, and it's really going to take all of us to do that. But the time, the time is now.
Maija Hecht: Eóin Small is an organizer with Rise and Repair. In the wake of Federal dysregulation, he insisted that this moment is critical for Minnesotans to strengthen State-level environmental protections. Historically, some mining-affiliated organizations have voiced opposition to similar legislation, expressing concern over economic costs expected by complying to new regulations. Critics also say such legislation could lead to shutdowns and layoffs in Minnesota's mining industry.
Eóin Small: Let's find the things we agree on. And that's clean water. We all need it. It doesn't help us to pit issues against issues. Let's find the things we can agree on and move forward in a good way.
Maija Hecht: If passed, the Wild Rice Act would write “the inherent right of uncultivated wild rice to exist and thrive in Minnesota,” into law, in turn upholding clean water standards and honoring often ignored Treaty protections between the Federal Government and Minnesotan Indigenous nations.
Leanna Goose: When we look out for the protection of Treaty rights, you know we're looking out for not only Indigenous peoples, but all peoples located here in the state of Minnesota. We all need clean water to survive.
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Eóin Small: Right now, we have this critical window, basically, probably from this moment through about April 4, where we need a hearing on this bill. One really simple thing that everybody here could do is go to riseandrepair.org/protectwildrice. And what you're going to find there is a very simple way to contact your state legislator. By just filling out your information, you can just hit submit, and it will send a letter to your elected official.
Leanna Goose: I really, truly believe that this legislation is the start of healing for our state and our waters and our wild rice. That's what this bill aims to do—to create that cultural shift of where we begin to care for the land and waters around us.
Maija Hecht: You can get in touch with Rise and Repair on this issue by visiting riseandrepair.org/protectwildrice. Maija Hecht for North Star Stories.
ANCHOR: North Star Stories is produced by AMPERS, diverse radio for Minnesota's communities, with support from the McKnight Foundation and the State of Minnesota. Online at ampers dot org.