releases: https://collinpeterson.house.gov/media/newletter-archive/rep-petersons-newsletter-12162019
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| https://collinpeterson.house.gov/media/newletter-archive/rep-petersons-newsletter-12162019 | Rep. Peterson's Newsletter 12/16/2019 | 2019-12-16 | 2019 | 2019-12 | Democrat | House | MN | Collin Peterson | P000258 | collinpeterson.house.gov | legacy | Air Force Appointee Madyson Ohren and Family (MOORHEAD) Dear Friends, After months of discussions with trade representatives and my other Members of Congress, the Administration has finalized an agreement on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which preserves markets and makes gains for various industries. I have been pushing for months to get this deal to the finish line and I am glad to get this done for producers, farmers, businesses, and workers in Western Minnesota. On Thursday, the House voted to pass the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, which is bipartisan legislation that will provide a reliable and legal source of workers for farms and reform visa programs. I am proud to be a cosponsor of this bipartisan bill that provides stability and fairness for farmers and ranchers. The Agriculture Committee also held a Member Day Hearing, where Members from outside the of the Committee were invited highlight important agriculture issues facing their constituents. I was glad to hear about issues impacting the farming community, and I am committed to ensuring that these communities have strong voices in Congress. I was happy to call Madyson Ohren and congratulate her on her appointment to the Air Force Academy. Service Academy Appointments are one of my favorite parts of this job, and I look forward to hearing about Madyson's bright future. Sincerely, Congressman Collin C. Peterson Minnesota 7th District Serving the 7th This week, Senator John Hoeven (ND), Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative CEO Kurt Wickstrom and I met with USDA Under Secretary Bill Northey to outline the challenges facing sugarbeet growers and cooperatives. The meeting was another step toward finding assistance for producers facing losses from sugar beets left in the ground. Under Secretary Northey has surveyed the conditions farmers in Minnesota face during harvest and he knows firsthand what issues producers are dealing with. Securing disaster assistance for sugar producers is critical and I am hopeful after last Tuesday's meeting that we are on track to getting this done. Click here to read more about my meeting with Under Secretary Northey. Minnesota National Guard Col. Sol Sukut, Lt. Col. Brian Winter, and Lt. Col. Mike Piontek First, I want to express my condolences for the families of three Minnesota National Guard soldiers who tragically passed away last week when their test flight of a Black Hawk helicopter went down. Their names are Chief Warrant Officer 2 Charles P. Nord, Sgt. Kort M. Plantenberg, and Chief Warrant Officer 2 James A. Rogers Jr. Members of the Guard visited with me during a planned trip to Washington this week and we discussed the incident along with deployment and facility updates. Following votes, the Minnesota delegation paused in a moment of silence for the victims of the Minnesota National Guard Soldiers who passed away last week. Chairman's Corner The House Committee on Agriculture hosted a Member Day hearing last Wednesday to give members of the U.S. House of Representatives a chance to highlight the agriculture issues that are important to their constituents. Members of Congress both on and off the Agriculture Committee were invited to participate. Members spoke on a range of issues that included agriculture labor, the state of the farm economy, invasive species, nutrition assistance programs and rural development. It was great to see new members address the Committee and share their priorities for agriculture. Rep. Jimmy Panetta (CA-20) // Trey Hicks Director of the Office of Food for Peace at USAID The Subcommittee on Livestock and Foreign Agriculture held a hearing last week to get an update on the implementation of Farm Bill international food assistance and development programs. The Subcommittee heard testimony from Foreign Agricultural Service Administrator Ken Isley and Trey Hicks from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The United States government purchases and distributes American foods to food insecure nations around the world. These efforts help millions of individuals access affordable food, while also increasing demand for American commodities. Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit Chairman David Scott (GA-13) // Ag Country Farm Credit Services President and CEO Marc Knisely The Subcommittee on Commodity Exchanges, Energy, and Credit heard testimony from executives representing the American Bankers Association, the Farm Credit Council, and the Independent Community Bankers of America last week. The witnesses shared their perspective on credit conditions in rural America, and they answered questions from the Subcommittee members. Ag Country Farm Credit Services serves western Minnesota as part of the Farm Credit System and their President and CEO Mark Knisely provided testimony for the Subcommittee. Trade disputes, weather and low commodity prices continue to put pressure on the agriculture community and agriculture lenders play an important role helping producers weather this downturn in the farm economy. I met with Matt Caswell, Vice President for Government Affairs at Ag Processing Inc. (AGP), which is based in Omaha but has locations in Dawson and Northwest Iowa that serve Minnesota soybean farmers and grain cooperatives. We talked about the situation facing U.S. biodiesel production and the outlook for the biodiesel tax credit, which lapsed in 2018. Legislation is currently being considered to cover the 2018 production year and phase out the tax credit, with that phase down period still under discussion. I met with National Association of State Departments of Agriculture President Doug Goehring last week to discuss NASDA's agriculture priorities for 2020. Doug Goehring also serves as North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner, a position he has held since April 2009. Air Force Academy Nomination One of the most rewarding aspects of being a United States Congressman is the opportunity to nominate young women and men from across the state to attend our nation's prestigious service academies. On Thursday, I was able to inform Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton senior Madyson Ohren of her appointment to the United States Air Force Academy where she will study, serve our country, and compete in Division 1 gymnastics. Congratulations, Madyson! Twin Cities & Western Railroad Company Last week Mark Wegner, President and CEO of Twin Cities & Western Railroad Company, visited my office to share an update on the current ag freight rail conditions. Short line freight trains play an important role in our ag economy. In this challenging harvest season, ag haulers like our railroads are pivotal in bringing Minnesota products to the market. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Representatives of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics visited my office this week to talk about food waste, child nutrition and programs to improve the quality of school lunches. Children and parents expect that the food served at schools is of good quality. For some kids, the meal they receive at school is their most reliable meal of the day. The organization also shared their efforts to teach children about the food they eat. The Academy believes that if kids know where their food comes from and get to see how it is prepared, they will be more likely to make healthy choices and try new foods. Minnesota State Forester My staff aide Zach Martin sat down with Minnesota's lead state forester to discuss the major seven USDA forest service programs used in Minnesota, including fire assistant and forest inventory and analysis programs. They also went over Good Neighbor Authorities and timber tariffs, a particularly difficult issue for private forest growers, too. Lamb and Wool Producers Association On Friday evening my staff attended the Lamb and Wool Producers Association (LWPA) Annual Event in St. Cloud. The event featured a local chef that had prepared lamb brought in by the producers. The Association offers a variety of support and assistance to sheep producers and educates Minnesotans about the sheep industry. I appreciate LWPA's efforts to keep me updated and always look forward to their visits. 2020 Census Effort On Friday, my staff attended a statewide update on 2020 Census efforts. There are many Complete Count Committees across the district working to ensure a successful Census. If your community has any questions, my staff are happy to connect you with our network of Census contacts working statewide to ensure complete counts. For more information about Complete Count Committees, click here. The Census Bureau has many job openings for next year to help with these efforts. Wages range between $16-$27 per hour. Applications are available, and hiring will occur in January. For more information about jobs click here. New London-Spicer School My staff aide Grant Herfindahl visited New London-Spicer Schools on Monday to learn more about their efforts to connect youth to greenhouse learning and renewable energy. The onsite greenhouse and wind turbine provide hands on learning opportunities. Questionnaire Results Last week, I asked your thoughts on voting. Here is what you had to say: The United States spent nearly $8.5 billion last year on broadband initiatives under the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)'s Universal Service Fund. In just one week, the U.S. will spend almost the same amount servicing our national debt -- roughly $7.6 billion. Without our unsustainable debt, we could put adequate funding towards programs that increase internet access for the 7th District and our rural communities. As a fiscally conservative Blue Dog Democrat, I have continually supported a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution, which would require Congress to get our fiscal house in order. I have also fought for Pay-As-You-Go legislation to ensure legislation doesn't add to our debt and recently voted against the Democratic budget which would have worsened our fiscal situation. Newsstand United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement On Tuesday, the House announced a clear path for passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). I've been pushing for months to get this deal passed because it will give farmers and rural communities certainty and hope for the future. Rural America has been hurt by these trade wars and passing the USMCA is a step in the right direction. Click here to read my press release. Passage of Bipartisan Farm Workforce Modernization Act On Thursday, the House of Representatives voted to pass the Farm Workforce Modernization Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation that I was proud to cosponsor. The need for a reliable and legal workforce is a top priority of mine and the agriculture industry. Click here to read my statement on this bill Conservation Stewardship Program The Department of Agriculture recently announced a delay in payments for the Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). After this year's weather and harvest problems, this is the last thing farmers need. I would encourage people to contact their local NRCS office to check on their status. Click here to read my statement on CSP Payments ARC/PLC Informational Meetings University of Minnesota Extension and the Farm Service Agency will be hosting informational meetings in December and January to answer questions about 2020 Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC). Hutchinson ~ Dec. 19th from 1-3 p.m. ~ Hutchinson Event Center Litchfield~ Dec. 20th from 9-11 a.m. ~ Eagles Club Benson~ Jan.6th from 10-12 p.m.~ Swift CountyCourthouse (LECMeeting room) Olivia~ Jan. 13th from 10-12 p.m.~ Max's Grill Maynard ~ Jan. 13from 2-4 p.m. ~Maynard Event Center Alexandria~ Jan. 17th from 2-4 p.m. ~ Holiday Inn Paynesville ~ Jan. 21st from 9-11 a.m. ~ Paynesville American Legion Buffalo ~ Jan 24th from 2-4pm ~ Rockford Township Hall For more information about ARC or PLC, visit this website, or contact your local Farm Service Agency office. USDA Extends Dairy Margin Coverage and Market Facilitation Program Signup Last week, USDA announced a one-week extensionto 2020 Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) and Market Facilitation Program (MFP) signup. Producers now have until Friday, December 20th to sign up for either program. The original deadline was December 13th. DMC was created by the 2018 Farm Bill to provide dairy operations with affordable protection from fluctuations in milk orfeed prices. DMC sign-up is open for operations that have not previously enrolled or that selected annual sign-up in 2019. Operations that selected five years of coverage in 2019 also need to affirm that they continue to actively operate. The Market Facilitation Program provides payments to dairy, crop and hog producers that are struggling due to the ongoing trade disputes. For more information, visit your local Farm Service Agency office. This Week in History On December 11, 1876 Ada Louise Comstock was born in Moorhead. She was the first Dean of women at the University of Minnesota and also served as the Dean of Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. She was also the first president of the American Association of University Women | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |