Above, I was pleased to join a number of state and local officials who last Wednesday attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Brooten. The event marked the opening of a new turn lane off Hwy. 55 and adjacent crossing over railroad tracks. These new features will make for much safer travel for passenger vehicles, trucks and trains alike near the industrial park in Brooten.
Dear Neighbor,
Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. Please be extra careful on the roads if you plan on traveling.
The pace is starting to pick up in preparation for the new legislative session to begin Jan. 3 in St. Paul. Committee gavels have been issued and I am pleased to again be heading ag. policy in the House. Here is a news release issued Tuesday on this subject:
ANDERSON RETAINS AG. POLICY POST
ST. PAUL – Rep. Paul Anderson, R-Starbuck, will remain chairman of the House Agriculture Policy Committee for the 2017-18 biennium.
Anderson, elected to a fifth House term earlier this month, has served on agriculture committees throughout his time in office. It was announced by House Republicans Tuesday he will chair the Agriculture Policy Committee for a second consecutive term.
“It is an honor to continue serving as chairman of this committee,” Anderson said. “As a lifetime farmer, this suits me very well. We made progress on a number of issues during the last two years, but I look forward to taking on additional challenges we face in helping farmers in our state.”
Throughout his legislative career, Anderson has been an advocate for people in the agriculture industry and Greater Minnesota in general. During the last two years as ag. policy chairman, this includes everything from a tractor rollover kit reimbursement program Anderson led, to passage to protecting landowners multiple ways.
Anderson said he continues to hear concerns over recently instituted buffer zones and he will look to gain further clarity over public water vs. private ditches during the upcoming biennium. Another top priority Anderson said will be to examine issues related to farm chemicals Gov. Mark Dayton brought to the forefront last summer.
“The governor’s surprise announcement regarding farm chemicals caught a lot of people by surprise,” Anderson said. “We need to make sure farmers are able to use all the tools available to them in safely producing crops.”
The Legislature is scheduled to convene at the Capitol in St. Paul Jan. 3, with Republicans gaining a Senate majority in addition to retaining control of the House.
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Look for more updates as we get closer to the new session and, as always, your feedback is welcome.
Sincerely,
Paul