Minnesota’s state legislative session gets underway January 3 in St. Paul. State Farmers Union Government Relations Director Thom Petersen says tax relief, rising health insurance costs and funding for agricultural projects are the major priorities his group wants lawmakers to address in 2017.

Petersen says their priorities for the regular session are the same as the ones they would have had if a special session had been held this month. He expects movement on those key issues right away.

Petersen says tax relief remains important for agriculture and it would have been helpful if it had been addressed in the 2016 session, given the depressed ag economy.

Petersen also says they’d like to see lawmakers spend some of the current state budget surplus of $.1.4 billion for infrastructure upkeep and broadband.