St. Paul, MN – The House Agriculture and Food Finance and Policy Division, chaired by Rep. Jeanne Poppe (DFL – Austin), toured family farms and other agricultural sites in southeast Minnesota last week as part of their efforts to see firsthand the innovations that are making Minnesota a strong and diverse leader in agriculture.
“It’s important to get out of the committee room and meet the farmers and researchers who grow and contribute to the production of an ever-increasing range of agricultural crops and products,” said Rep. Poppe. “The Ag industry is vital to Minnesota’s economy. Policy and financial decisions we make at the state level are critically important to keeping our family farmers able to sustain their businesses and care for their farms. My colleagues and I were able to visit farmers and researchers who are taking on challenging issues and finding new and innovative ways to move Minnesota forward.”
The first site visit for legislators was the Hmong American Farmers Association (HAFA) farm, which is a 115 acre research and incubator farm that preserves the Hmong family farming tradition while providing fresh fruits and vegetables for tens of thousands of Minnesotans and school children. The tour included a look at the farm’s operations, the use of state programs in action, and various forms of creative land management practices.
Legislators also met with researchers at the Waseca location of the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI) to hear about successful efforts to create and expand new markets, including a newly released research report on the recently established industrial hemp industry in Minnesota. This year's legislative session invested $7.7 million in AURI, as well as funds for the industrial hemp development program.
Other site visits include the Becker and Bode family farms. John and Debbie Becker updated legislators on their leading work as soil health advocates, which included a demonstration of the benefits of cover crops and reduced tillage practices when it comes to carbon sequestration. Reuben Bode brought legislators on a tour of their hog farm where they focused on the needs of biosecurity and workforce demand.
Last week’s farm and research tour follows the recent site visits conducted by legislators at the Hormel Institute and Hormel plant as part of the Minnesota House’s Mini-Session earlier this month.
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Attached are photos of legislators at the Bode Farm (in the white outfits), and the Becker Farm (around the Cover Crops sign).