Activists have been showing up to meetings since the start of the 2025 legislative session in an attempt to create legal protections for wild rice.

Wild rice, often known by its Objiwe name, manoomin, has been a means of sustenance for Dakota/Lakota and Ojibwe peoples since time immemorial. It is the reason that Ojibwe people migrated to this region, “the land where food grows on water” – without it, people’s health and wellbeing would suffer from not being able to live their way of life and not getting essential nutrients from the rice.

Activists first introduced SF 1247, a bill to protect wild rice, at the start of session with Senator Mary Kunesh (DFL-39). The bill would require risk justification before issuing permits, restrict watercraft usage in wild rice waters, and modify pesticide provisions.

The bill has not moved forward but activists are still determined to protect manoomin. Activists from Rise and Repair plan on continuing to show up to relevant hearings in order to make their presence known and gain further protections for wild rice.

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