Twenty-two farm bureau members from across Minnesota met with their members of Congress in Washington, D.C. during the Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation's Farmers to Washington, D.C., trip Sept. 11-14. Among the attendees were Cass County Farm Bureau members Miles and Sarah Kuschel. Miles serves on the MFBF Board of Directors.
Participants met with senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith; members of Congress Collin Peterson, Tom Emmer, Betty McCollum and Jason Lewis; and staff members from the offices of Collin Peterson, Tom Emmer, Betty McCollum, Jason Lewis, Erik Paulsen, Rick Nolan and Tim Walz.
During the meeting, attendees discussed Farm Bureaus policy priorities to include finishing the 2018 farm bill on time, defending and expanding trade opportunities, protecting and expanding the Renewable Fuel Standard, finding a solution for the very serious farm labor shortage and cutting the burdens of regulations.
In addition, attendees met with U.S. Department of Agriculture Under Secretary Ted McKinney and Under Secretary Bill Northey, USDA Chief Economist Robert Johansson, USDA Secretary Perdue's senior staff and American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall and AFBF staff. They attended the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Hearing on Perspectives on Agricultural Trade.
Trip attendees included county Farm Bureau leaders, state board of director members, state Promotion & Education and Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee members and YF&R contest finalists.
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