Our work continues in the Minnesota House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee to help ensure our farmers can emerge from the COVID-19 crisis and succeed once we’ve moved past this chapter. I’m confident that as the vaccine distribution advances and COVID-19 metrics trend in the right direction, our entire economy will improve, with the agriculture industry benefiting as well.

Mike Sundin

To help rebound, it’s important for agriculture to evolve and foster innovation, and our committee has considered a variety of proposals to move farming into the next generation. One such initiative is known as Forever Green, which would help develop crops that can withstand Minnesota winters, when fields are vulnerable to erosion and nutrient loss. Forever Green crops will help farmers diversify their crop rotations, protect water resources and create new income streams and economic opportunities. We’ve also discussed establishing the Soil Healthy Farming Program to set long-term goals for soil health and financial support for farmers who implement or maintain soil-healthy farming practices.

Many farmers received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans to help their operations stay afloat at the pandemic’s onset. We’re working to figure out a targeted approach to conform state tax law to federal tax law, helping ensure farmers aren’t stuck with an unexpected tax bill after they’ve already been struggling. Additionally, keeping small agribusiness and food manufacturers strong right now is important, and we’re working to ensure the growth they experienced prior to the pandemic is not lost.

Mental health help

For a variety of reasons, farming is an incredibly stressful profession. Our committee is committed to strengthening the mental health of farmers, and support investments in the state’s outreach efforts. Minnesota’s Farm and Rural Helpline is available 24/7 at 833-600-2670. We’re also looking to invest in the state’s Farm Advocate program, which provides one-on-one assistance for farmers facing a natural disaster or financial crisis. Another tool important to help struggling farmers is the Farmer-Lender Mediation program, and we’re working to expand the deadline for this program, giving farmers additional time to negotiate with lenders.

One of the most rewarding aspects of chairing this committee remains the strong bipartisan approach we all bring to the table as we work to help people. Whether Democratic or Republican, we all share the same goals of a strong, sustainable agriculture industry in Minnesota and a fair shot at success for farmers across the state. Sure, we might have disagreements from time to time — which is healthy — but overall, the nasty, partisan rhetoric we see across our politics lately is absent from our committee. The respectful and considerate yet robust dialogue in our committee should serve as an example for the rest of the state Legislature.

As we look ahead to the end of the legislative session, I’m hopeful we can develop a budget in a bipartisan fashion that will help our farmers bounce back from the crisis caused by COVID-19 and ensure they can thrive. I look forward to working with my colleagues, industry representatives and individual farmers to ensure agriculture can have the strong future it deserves in our state.

Sundin, who is a state representative and member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party from Esko, chairs the Minnesota House Agriculture Finance and Policy Committee. He represents residents of Carlton, Pine and St. Louis counties. Contact Sundin at 651-296-4308 or [email protected].