ENDEAVOR.

IT SOUNDS VERY EXCITING.

>> THANK YOU, ERIC, THANKS, CATHY.

>> Cathy: THANKS, AARON.

>> CATHY: A STATE SENATE COMMITTEE GAVE THE GO-AHEAD TO A BIPARTISAN BILL TO ADDRESS THE INCREASING POPULARITY OF FORAGING FOR FOOD ON STATE LAND.

THE IDEA TO CREATE A NEW TASK FORCE BROUGHT WORLD-RENOWNED FORAGER CHEFS TO THE CAPITOL FOR EXCLUSIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR MARY LAHAMMER.

>> MEET CHEF SEAN SHERMAN, YOU MIGHT KNOW HIM AS THE SIOUX CHEF.

SEAN HAS MADE IT HIS LIFE'S WORK TO REVITALIZE NATIVE AMERICAN CUISINE.

>> Mary: SHERMAN HAS WON SEVERAL PRESS TEASOUS JAMES BEARD AWARDS FOR HIS RESTAURANT, OOKBOOKS.

>> I'M HERE TO LEND MY VOICE, WE HAVE SO MUCH FOOD AROUND US, SO MUCH MEDICINE AROUND US.

THERE'S A LOT TO LEARN, REALLY WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY AND NOT TO OVERHARVEST.

SPRING IS REALLY A RESTORATIVE, ALMOST MAGICAL TIME OF YEAR.

>> Mary: A JAMES BEARD AWARD-WINNING FILMMAKER AND THE FORAGER CHEF ALAN BURGO CELEBRATE WHAT THEY CALL NATURE'S GROCERY.

>> WATERCRAFT IS THE FIRST GREEN THAT I WILL HARVEST IN THE SPRING.

HAD THE MOST PRECIOUS AND EXPENSIVE THINGS THAT CAME IN, THEY WERE ALL WILD.

I THINK THERE SHOULD BE SOME LIMITS.

I THINK THAT KIND OF THE CRUX OF THE CONVERSATION HERE S THAT THE DNR HAS NOT ALLOWED LOCAL EXPERTS TO BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION AND THEY'VE REALLY SHOWN THAT THEY'RE NOT FORAGING EXPERTS.

YOU KNOW, ALL WE WANT IS A PLACE AT THE TABLE.

>> OH, MY GOSH!

LOOK AT THIS AWESOME CHICKEN OF THE WOODS!

AH!

IT'S SO TENDER.

AH!

I CAN'T WAIT TO PUT IT IN MY GALLON BAG THAT THE DNR IS PROPOSING WILL BE OUR LIMIT.

>> Mary: CHICK OF THE WOODS IS WHAT JAMIE ROCKNEY CALLS HERSELF AND HER BUSINESS, TEACHING PEOPLE HOW TO FORAGE IN MINNESOTA.

>> JUST LEAVE IT HERE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T FIT.

SOCIAL MEDIA'S SO HUGE, SO I THINK THAT'S GOT TO BE LIKE THE NUMBER ONE WAY THAT PEOPLE FIND ME.

I DON'T KNOW HOW IT GOT TO BE SO POPULAR, BUT, NOW, IT'S THE FASHION SOMEHOW, SO IT'S WORKED OUT WELL.

IT TAKES A LOT TO GET ME TO THE CAPITOL.

I'VE NEVER BEEN TO THE CAPITOL BEFORE THIS.

SO, THIS BILL IS JUST REALLY IMPORTANT TO ME.

>> Mary: CURRENTLY THE DNR ALLOWS THE HARVESTING OF EDIBLE FRUIT AND MUSHROOM FOR PERSONAL CONSUMPTION ON STATE LAND, BUT THE RULES ARE CONSIDERED VAGUE.

SO THIS BILL WOULD ESTABLISH A NEW TASK FORCE ON FORAGING.

>> I AM A MEMBER OF THE MINNESOTA, AN EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATION AND THE SECOND OLDEST MUSHROOM ORGANIZATION IN THE COUNTRY AT 125 YEARS OLD.

MIKE LOGICAL.

THE REASON WHY WE WERE PUSHING FOR THIS BILL, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE FOUND OUT THAT THE DNR WAS POTENTIALLY LOOKING AT SEVERELY LIMITING FORAGING IN STATE PARKS.

>> Mary: ERICKSON HAS A LONG HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE EXPERTISE, BUT FORAGING IS PERSONAL FOR HER.

>> WE JUST REALLY FEEL THAT PEOPLE SHOULD BE AT THE TABLE.

SO OUR BILL AS A TASK FORCE, FORAGING IS REALLY GAINING GROUND AGAIN.

I THINK PEOPLE ARE UNDERSTANDING THAT NATURE IS CALMING, NATURE IS IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR KIDS.

>> EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THESE SPECIES COULD BE PICKED WITHIN FIVE TO TEN MINUTES OF WHERE WE'RE STANDING.

THERMORE REALLIES ARE OUR STATE MUSHROOMS, LOBSTER MUSHROOMS, THEY HAVE AN AROMA FRUIT, HEAD OF THE WOODS.

THEN THEY HAVE CHICKEN OF THE WOODS.

THERE'S THIS DICHOTOMY WHERE IT'S SEEN AS POVERTY FOOD AND IT'S ALSO THE GREATEST TABLES OF THE RESTAURANTS OF THE WORLD.

I THINK PEOPLE SEE THAT, THEY SEE THE GROWING MOVEMENT.

>> Mary: THEY CALL THEMSELVES NATURE NERDS, AS MANY AS A THIRD OF REGIONAL RESIDENTS FORAGE.

>> THE TRUE NERDY NERDS OF THE MUSHROOM WORLD, YOU KNOW, THEY'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOREVER.

WE JUST -- WE'VE BEEN OUT IN THE WOODS.

THERE'S NOT MANY PEOPLE THAT I KNOW THAT SPEND MORE TIME IN THE WOODS THAN I DO.

YOU KNOW?

I FEEL LIKE I DO HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY.

YOU KNOW?

I WOULD JUST -- I JUST REALLY WANT US TO BE HEARD.

>> AND PEOPLE WERE LOVING OUR PARKS TO DEATH.

PART OF WHAT WE FOUND AND WHAT DREW US TO THOSE RULE RECOMMENDATIONS THAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT, RULE ROCESS, WAS WE IDENTIFIED COLLECTION OF EDIBLE FRUITS OR MUSHROOMS THAT EXCEED THE INTENT OF PERSONAL NONCOMMERCIAL USE ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS WITHIN OUR STATE PARKS.

>> Mary: WITH BIPARTISAN SUPPORT, STILL THERE ARE SOME CONCEPT PARTICULARS OF ANOTHER TASK FORCE.

>> I JUST DON'T WANT FORAGING TO BE MADE ILLEGAL.

AND AFTER HAVING MORE CONVERSATIONS WITH OTHER FORAGERS AND WITH THE DNR, THEY'RE NOT GOING THERE.

>> FOR HUNDREDS OF YEARS, MINNESOTANS AND OUR INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES HAVE BEEN FORAGING.

AND TODAY THAT IS WHAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

IS THAT THAT CAN BE VERY MUCH RESTRICTED OR PROHIBITED.

[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ] >> BOOZHOO, I'M HAPPY TO BE HERE, SO THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING ME TO HAVE THIS TESTIMONY.

>> Mary: HAVE YOU TESTIFIED BEFORE ON A BILL AT THE CAPITOL?

>> NO, I HAVEN'T.

>> MOTION PREVAILS.

>> I DO THINK THEY BRING SOME STAR POWER TO THE IMPORTANCE OF AVERAGE PEOPLE JUST HAVING ACCESS TO STATE LANDS.

>> AND AS WE LOOK AT INDIGENOUS FOODS ACROSS NORTH AMERICA, SO MUCH OF OUR INDIGENOUS FOODS ARE COMPLETELY UNDERUTILIZED BECAUSE THE WESTERN DIET KIND OF IGNORED SO MUCH OF THE FOOD THAT'S HERE, RIGHT WHERE WE'RE STANDING, AND WE JUST WANT TO MAKE FOOD TASTE LIKE A PLACE, NOT ABOUT WHICH SIDE OF THE FENCE YOU'RE ON POLITICALLY OR