Skip to main content Skip to office menu Skip to footer
Capital IconMinnesota Legislature

Legislative News and Views - Rep. Ami Wazlawik (DFL)

Back to profile

Legislative Update - Strengthening Farming and Food Production

Thursday, August 5, 2021

Dear neighbors,

Minnesota Farmfest is back this week after taking a year off due to the pandemic. About 25,000 people attend this three-day event in Redwood County every year, traveling from communities across Minnesota and nearby states to see the latest technology and innovations in agriculture and food production. Since it’s also National Farmers’ Market Week, I thought this was a good opportunity to highlight the Agriculture budget we passed this year!  


Strengthening the Future of Agriculture and Food Production 

Farmers put food on Minnesotans’ tables, and they’re an important part of our economy. Unfortunately, the pandemic was incredibly challenging for many of them. Our Agriculture budget provides critical funding, tools, and support for established farmers and food producers. There’s a need for more people in the industry, so we also invested in recruiting the next generation of farmers. The funding we secured for things like emerging farmer outreach and urban and youth agriculture programs will create more opportunities for Minnesotans to join the field and make farming and food production more accessible for people of color, young people, and people living in urban areas. With the future of farming in mind, we also included funding for environmentally friendly practices and conservation methods.  

Every Minnesotan deserves access to fresh and nutritious food. The funding we provided for the Farm-to-School program, the Good Food Access Program, and other resources will help more students and families get the food they need to live healthy lives. We also secured funding to help Minnesota’s food shelves continue their important work.  


Community Spotlight  

White Bear Lake Farmers’ Market 

On a related note, I’d like to highlight one of our local farmers’ markets this week. The White Bear Lake Farmers’ Market has been around since the 1970s, and some of the farmers and their families have been coming to it for decades. There are more than 50 vendors total, and they offer delicious produce, meat, fruit, vegetables, flowers, and so much more!  

The farmers’ market takes place on Clark Avenue between 2nd and 3rd Streets on Fridays between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. I encourage you to stop by.  


Feel free to contact me if you have any questions, ideas, or feedback, or if I can be of assistance. You can reach me via email at rep.ami.wazlawik@house.mn or by phone at (651) 296-3018. 

Sincerely,  

Ami Wazlawik  
State Representative