Agriculture. 

Agriculture is a very important part of our rural communities and all of Minnesota’s economy. It only makes sense to promote policies that enhance agriculture, our agribusiness economy and the jobs and products created by Minnesota farms and ranches.

The struggling economy has hit farmers and ranchers in Minnesota and across the nation. Many face a shrinking, and sometimes a negative, economic margin. Commodity prices are lower than a year ago but ag input costs for those commodities continue to rise.

We need to support our farms by advocating for policies that can positively impact farm and ranch profitability. For example, we can make sure farms are taxed fairly, and the same as residential areas, when it comes to local and school levies. We certainly can reduce and streamline the government red tape and unnecessary over-regulation that farmers face when they want to expand their livestock operation. And, we must make sure farmers have a strong voice in the conversation to determine what is best for their land and the people they feed.

Energy policies that impact farms must, at a minimum, recognize regional differences on how energy is produced. It is crucial that energy on the farm be affordable, realistic and achievable. And, in turn, Minnesota can benefit from agriculture’s renewable fuels industry.

Our laws and regulations must recognize that livestock producers have a huge interest in protecting their animals from disease, predators and severe weather, and Minnesota agriculture has a huge commitment to proper animal care and food safety.