Minnesota Ag Connection - Minnesota Farm Bureau Outlines Focus Areas for 2020

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Minnesota Farm Bureau Outlines Focus Areas for 2020
Minnesota Ag Connection - 12/09/2019

Voting delegates at the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation's (MFBF) 101st Annual Meeting adopted policy positions for 2020. Based on these actions, the MFBF Board of Directors have provided focus areas for the organization including: rural communities, healthcare, transportation, environment, energy, trade, taxes and food.

Agriculture is facing financial and emotional challenges. MFBF will lead in addressing these challenges by identifying opportunities to support our farmers, ranchers and rural communities through the focus areas identified by the MFBF Board of Directors.

Rural Communities

The vitality and resiliency of strong rural communities is a priority for MFBF. This includes a strong workforce, educational opportunities through career and technical programs and access to affordable childcare.

MFBF will support accessibility and expansion of high-speed broadband to all of Minnesota.

MFBF will strongly advocate for access to tools, resources and support systems to address the health and wellness of our rural communities.

Healthcare

Affordability and availability of health insurance and the accessibility to healthcare providers is a significant concern for Minnesota farm families and small businesses. MFBF will work towards finding solutions addressing both high health insurance premiums and lack of availability to individual health insurance options.

Transportation

MFBF will continue efforts to address Minnesota's transportation infrastructure needs, especially rural roads and bridges, so that products are able to be moved efficiently by river, pipeline, rail and road.

Environment

Using innovative precision agriculture, improved seeds, renewable energy and climate-smart practices, Minnesota farmers are producing more food, renewable fuel and fiber than ever before. They accomplish this while using less water, protecting against erosion and conserving more soil, avoiding nutrient loss, increasing wildlife habitat and improving biodiversity. This is best accomplished through voluntary, site-specific actions at the local level to protect and conserve our natural resources.

Trade

Farm Bureau will continue to be a leader in efforts to protect and expand agricultural market opportunities through new trade agreements and enforcement of existing trade relationships in order to strengthen our economy.

Taxes

Tax reform at the local, state and federal levels that recognizes agriculture's unique financial challenges remains a priority for Farm Bureau. MFBF will work with the legislature and administration to address public land management and tax conformity issues, specifically Section 179, to ensure farmers have a tax code that provides clarity and certainty. Property tax reform continues to remain a priority for MFBF.

Food

Minnesota farmers are committed to providing access to sustainable, safe, healthy food choices. Farmers work to continuously improve production methods and technologies and communicate this throughout the food supply chain. Farmers are dedicated to caring for their animals, managing and improving the quality of their environment and enhancing the quality and accessibility of food and fiber they produce utilizing different production methods.

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