Minnesota Farmers Union

St. Paul (May 20, 2010) - Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) saw positive progress on many of its key policy issue areas during the recently completed 2010 legislative session in St. Paul.  Despite the issue of having to work with a large budget deficit, MFU worked to ensure cuts to agriculture were limited.

"MFU made sure that agriculture and rural policy got the attention it needed from the legislature, especially from members of the Agriculture Committees," said Doug Peterson, MFU President.  "In dark budget times, MFU protected the rights of farmers and rural communities."

Some of the key items that are now law due to MFU's work include:

ST. PAUL (February 4, 2010) - With grassroots input from its farmer-membership, Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU) has set priorities for the 2010 legislative session.  These include: protecting agricultural portions of the state budget, addressing property tax concerns, and promoting energy legislation.  The 2010 legislative session begins Thursday February 4.

"This legislative session will be about the state's budget shortfalls and how we improve the economy and create jobs", said Doug Peterson, MFU President.  "MFU will be working with our farmers to ensure that rural Minnesota is represented in those discussions."

Agriculture makes up a very small part of the states $36 billion budget, yet agriculture makes up somewhere between 20-30% of the jobs and wealth in Minnesota.  MFU will work to make sure that cuts the state needs to make to address the over $1 billion budget deficit does not do undo harm to rural Minnesota and the farming sector.  MFU will also work to ensure sound funding for food safety, energy, livestock, sustainable and organic programs, and continue our work toward eliminating bovine tuberculosis from Minnesota.