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State Representative Jeanne Poppe
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4193
For more information contact: Sandy Connolly 651-296-8877
NEWS COLUMN
CELEBRATING OUR RICH HERITAGE Austin and National Guard celebrate 150 years
Last Monday, I attended Austin's sesquicentennial on April 17th, one-hundred and fifty years to the day that the city of Austin was platted. At this celebration, the official painting for the city of Austin was unveiled, depicting a rich history of growth and development in our city. It is fun to be a part of celebrations such as this, as we join together to remember and value our rich heritage.
This week, I had the honor of taking part in recognizing the Minnesota National Guard's 150th Anniversary in a bipartisan resolution on the House floor. Whether it's aiding Minnesotans during disasters, volunteering in our communities, or defending our country overseas, the Minnesota National Guard is a vital part of state's past, present, and future.
The Minnesota National Guard is the oldest continuously organized, citizen soldier militia in the United States, pre-dating even the United States Army. Formed in 1856 in the Minnesota territory, two years before statehood, the First Minnesota Infantry was among the first volunteers for the Civil War. During the Battle of Gettysburg, the infantry played a key role in turning the tide in the Union's favor. Since then, the Guard has served both at home and abroad for 150 years. This year, the Guard has been able to aid in flood relief efforts while over 2,600 members are serving in Iraq.
These citizen soldiers and airmen represent the best of Minnesota and we should all be proud of their past and continued service to our state and country. Locally, we have a history of honoring our National Guard. In fact, Austin's 2006 Souvenir Calendar has pictures of Company G, 2nd Infantry National Guard members from 1915. This year, we welcomed area Guard members home from service in Iraq. We are proud of them and appreciate their service abroad, as well as, their local presence.
On Wednesday, I attended the Land Stewardship Project (LSP) breakfast in St. Paul, and was fortunate to be able to sit with some local farmers. Founded in 1982, LSP is a farm and environment membership organization based in Minnesota. LSP was founded on the values of stewardship, community, democracy and justice.
Agriculture has changed dramatically over the past few decades. As the result of new technology and machines, specialization and government policies that favor maximizing production, fewer farmers are producing a larger share of the food in our country. As a result, we are seeing the loss of family farms and those who are able to maintain theirs, have a harder time making a good living. For instance, according to LSP, in southeast Minnesota, our farmers sold $912 million of farm commodities, on average, each year between 1997 and 2003. However, they spent $996 million each year to produce those commodities.
In addition, consumers in our area spend about $500 million annually on food that is produced outside of southeast Minnesota. That means there is a multi-million dollar opportunity for farmers and processors who can service local needs. This would not only benefit the producers, but would serve as a significant economic stimulus for the region, as well. Just imagine if a good portion of this $500 million was spent locally; not only would this provide a significant economic boost to our area, but has the very real potential of lowering the costs of these goods by decreasing transportation costs.
At this time of gas shortages, greenhouse gases and global warming, it is prudent to consider ways to conserve and protect our natural resources. Sustainable agriculture, which is based on the principle that we must meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations, as well as expanding the local food market, make sense as good ways to move forward.
On Thursday, the Speaker named the members of the House Capital Investment Conference Committee. Throughout the process of hearing testimony and prioritizing projects, the chair of the House Bonding Committee, Rep. Dan Dorman (R-Albert Lea) worked hard across party lines to consider projects fairly. When the bill came to the House floor for a final vote, it received strong bipartisan support, even though many Representatives did not get the projects they had requested.
Despite this, and the fact that the Republicans only have a two-seat majority, the Speaker named four Republicans and one Democrat to this important committee that will negotiate the final bill with the Senate. A fairer split would have been three Republicans and two Democrats, which was typical last session. It is fair to say many were disappointed that even after this strong show of cooperation throughout the process, partisanship still is at play in some of the decisions being made.
Please feel free to contact me with your suggestions and feedback. I can be reached by phone at 1-888-682-3180 or 1-651-296-4193, by mail at 231 State Office Building, 100 Martin Luther King Blvd., St. Paul, MN 55155 or via e-mail at the above address. If you are interested in receiving my weekly session e-newsletter, please email me at rep.jeanne.poppe@house.mn and your name will be added to our list. If you would like to stay more closely in touch with what is happening at the legislature, visit my website at http://www.house.mn/27B or the House of Representatives website at www.house.mn.
News Items
- POPPE SELECTED AS AGRICULTURE POLICY COMMITTEE CHAIR - (Posted: 2012-11-16 00:00:00)
- Rep. Jeanne Poppe Encourages High School Juniors to Apply for Minnesota House of Representatives Page Program - Application Deadline is November 19th - (Posted: 2012-11-12 00:00:00)
- HORMEL INSTITUTE EXPANSION SIGNED INTO LAW - 2012 legislative session adjourns sine die - (Posted: 2012-05-11 00:00:00)
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