Minnesota Considers Foraging Rights Expansion
A Minnesota state task force is urging lawmakers to grant foraging equal status with hunting and fishing, which would create new legal frameworks and educational programs for berry-picking and mushroom-hunting. The initiative would expand opportunities for sustainable, legal foraging across state lands.
- The Minnesota Sustainable Foraging Task Force was established in 2025 to develop recommendations for foraging guidelines on state lands, balancing public access with conservation needs. The task force is composed of 15 members, including legislators, representatives from mycological and foraging organizations, tribal members, and scientists. - Currently, foraging for edible fruits and mushrooms for personal use is allowed in Minnesota state parks and recreation areas, but it is illegal to disturb or remove other vegetation, including wildflowers, leeks (ramps), and fiddlehead ferns. Permits, which can cost at least $25 per species, are required for foraging plants in state forests and must be obtained in person. - The task force approved five key recommendations, including conducting a funded study on foraging impacts, developing educational programs, creating plain-language guidance, and improving the permitting process. However, a proposal to formally codify foraging as a legitimate recreational and cultural activity in state law did not achieve the required 80% consensus. - A central point of debate for the task force was the concern that a new statute could negatively impact tribal rights and that formal government-to-government consultation with tribal nations was needed before drafting legislation. Foraging is a significant cultural tradition for Ojibwe and Dakota communities, as well as for other groups like Hmong and European descendants. - The push for clearer regulations came after the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) considered new restrictions in 2023, including a one-gallon bag limit for foraged fruits and mushrooms in state parks, citing an increase in foraging since the pandemic. - One of the task force's recommendations is for the DNR to create a formal way to regularly engage with foraging stakeholders, potentially through town halls or an advisory committee. The task force's final report and recommendations are due to the commissioner of natural resources and legislative committees by February 28, 2026. - The legislation that established the task force also put a temporary moratorium on the DNR creating new foraging rules until July 1, 2027, to allow time for the task force's recommendations to be considered. - Advocates for expanded foraging rights point to countries like Sweden, which has a "Right of Public Access" allowing people to forage freely with respect for nature, as a potential model.
