Dear Neighbor,
Before we get to the latest legislative news, I want to mention this is National Agriculture Week, with National Agriculture Day having taken place Tuesday. Thanks to our farmers and other ag workers for your efforts and we appreciate all you do to provide a safe food supply for our state and nation.
The ag world is constantly evolving and bringing us new challenges. The National Ag Day program was started in 1973 to increase the public awareness of agriculture’s vital role in our society. Click here for more on this program and, once again, thank you to people who work in the ag industry.
Things have been somewhat quiet on the House floor lately, with most of our time and energy still directed toward hearing proposals in committee meetings. Of note in the ag committee this week, we heard the ag components of the governor’s supplementary budget plan.
One of the governor’s proposals would create a grain indemnity fund to compensate farmers if an elevator goes bankrupt. This is an important issue that needs a thorough look, but it is a rather complicated subject to be taking on out of the blue this far into the legislative session, especially since it would include an assessment being levied against all farmers who sell grain. Also, there was no stakeholder involvement when this proposal was put together. We’ll see how this unfolds.
On another subject, I have co-signed a House Resolution (HF 4558) “urging the President of the United States to consider the current geopolitical tensions and support policies and take measures to ensure America’s long-term energy affordability, security, leadership and progress, including actions that result in the continued operation of existing oil and natural gas pipelines, the construction of new pipelines, and an end to restrictions on developing our nation's onshore and offshore oil and natural gas resources.”
The current global instability only serves to underscore the importance of energy independence for our state and nation in an all-of-the-above approach. We also need to make sure our tax dollars aren’t being used to fund the atrocities being committed by Russia.
Finally, good luck to the BBE and Morris boys basketball teams as they continue participating in the state tournament this week. BBE defeated Sleepy Eye-St. Mary’s 70-63 in the quarterfinals and takes on New Life Academy 2 p.m. Friday in the semis. Morris meets Minneapolis North in the semifinals at 6 p.m. tomorrow after defeating Minnehaha Academy 71-67 in the quarterfinals.
Sincerely,
Paul