Greetings,
I hope you are able to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather!
Farm Advocacy Bill
A bill I’m authoring (HF 561) was heard in the Agriculture Finance Committee Thursday. It would provide an additional $40,000 in both 2018 and 2019 to support the Farm Advocates Program.
Farm Advocates provide one-on-one assistance for Minnesota farmers who face crises caused by natural disaster or financial problems. Advocates are trained and experienced in ag lending, mediation, disaster programs and more.
There are nine Farm Advocates throughout the state. A tragic car accident on Valentine’s Day took the life of one of the northern Minnesota Farm Advocates, making this issue more timely and recognition necessary.
The program has been supported by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture since 1984 and there is no charge or fee for FA assistance.
RFA Bill Signing
On Friday, a bill authorizing funds for the Rural Finance Authority’s agricultural loan system was signed into law by Gov. Dayton. I supported the bill since its introduction and attended the bill signing.
The support these loans provide is a big help to our farmers in Greater Minnesota so it was important to secure this funding quickly this session.
Born out of the farm crisis in 1986, it has been valuable for both farmers and the local lenders who participate. For more information on these or any other programs under the RFA, please visit this website.
Budget Forecast
The February economic and budget forecast will be released later this month. The November forecast sets the starting point for the budget and is what the Governor uses to make his recommendations for the biennium. The February forecast incorporates additional data to help the Legislature and the Governor set the final budget.
As always, feel free to contact me with questions or concerns on these or any other topic.
Sincerely,
Jeanne Poppe
State Representative