When I visit with farmers across the state — sugar beet farmers in Wilkin County, dairy farmers in Stearns County, and corn growers in Swift County, they tell me they want a leader in Washington who will stand up and fight for them, not just make promises to get their votes in an election. Too many times they've been given false Washington promises — that "Freedom to Farm" will help them, that their elected leaders will stand up for them on issues like CAFTA, that they will get Country of Origin Labeling. As your Senator, I will put Minnesota's farms first in Washington. Problems facing farm families aren't always easy to solve, but to do it you have to have the political will to be there, fight the fights, and win them. That's what I've done as the chief prosecutor for Minnesota's largest county, and that's what I'll do in Washington for all of Minnesota.

As your Senator, I pledge to put Minnesota's interests first by seeking a seat on the Senate's Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee, making sure farmers can compete on an even playing field and get the fair prices they deserve, and expanding efforts to invest in incentives for renewable energy and other new technology to fully harvest Minnesota's resources.

Minnesota Farms

When I was growing up I would get on my bicycle, ride down Oakview Lane, take a left at County Road 6, navigate a few hills, and within miles, there I was — endless, green, beautiful Minnesota farmland. On weekends my mom and I would visit Farmer Brown's for fresh Minnesota home-grown corn and my best friend Amy Scherber and her family would take me to milk the cows at her Uncle Richard's dairy farm in Loretto.

The area where I grew up has changed now, and you have to drive a little farther to the farmlands, but one thing remains the same — Minnesota's 80,000 farms are not only a proud part of our state's way of life, they also contribute tremendously to our state's economy. What is Minnesota's largest export? Farming and agricultural production — it makes up a quarter of our state's total exports. In fact, we are the country's seventh largest agricultural producer and we lead the nation in production of turkeys, sugar beets, and corn and sweet peas for processing. Our livestock and dairy industries are a critical part of our economy.

Opportunity Through Hard Work — Investing In Home-Grown Energy

A few months ago I had the opportunity to visit the ethanol plant in Benson, one of the State's 14 ethanol plants, with one bio-diesel plants up and running and two others opening soon. The workers are so proud of what they have done there — combining Minnesota corn and Minnesota ingenuity to create home-grown Minnesota renewable energy. Ethanol, soy diesel and wind energy are important steps toward reducing our country's dependence on foreign oil and I will push to adopt Minnesota's renewable energy standards nationwide.

Minnesota has always been on the cutting edge of science, technology and new products — from the pacemaker to the post-it note. We are uniquely qualified to carry on that proud tradition with renewable energy — from wind to ethanol to soy and other biomass sources. I will work for incentives for new facilities and new research and development in these areas to help create new, good-paying jobs. I will push for emission standards that create the incentives we need to reduce dependency on foreign oil and grow Minnesota's clean, renewable energy industry.

An Even Playing Field For Farmers

As County Attorney, my mission is to treat people the same whether they are rich or poor, well-connected or not. I make sure that a wealthy person (with prominent friends packing the courtroom) and a poor person (with his mom sitting behind him, if he's lucky), get the same treatment from my office. It's my duty to level the playing field. Today's Republican leadership in Washington isn't leveling that playing field for the people of our state, and it isn't leveling the playing field for our farmers.

One way to level the playing field is to maker sure we have smart trade, not just free trade. As Senator I will work to open markets and make sure that Minnesota's farmers have access to them. Properly negotiated trade agreements have the potential to create new opportunities for Minnesotans while increasing living standards and economic development overseas. But when those agreements do not contain appropriate labor and environmental standards in other countries, the full gains of smart trade can't be realized.

Just this week, the President signed the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) into law. Unfortunately, the Administration missed the opportunity to gain bipartisan support for CAFTA when it failed to negotiate a fair deal for sugar farmers and others. The current sugar provisions will harm our sugar industry and the over 30,000 Minnesotans who work in it. During my April visit to American Crystal Sugar's plant in Moorhead I met with sugar beet farmers and plant workers. These hard-working Minnesotans deserve an even playing field in the global market and leaders in Congress who will put their interests first.

Minnesota's farmers also deserve a level playing field in the 2007 Farm Bill. I oppose reopening the current farm bill and am committed to ensuring that Minnesota farmers get a fair deal with adequate compensation for disasters and price fluctuations in the next Farm Bill. I will also work to extend the Milk Income Loss Contract program.

A level playing field means that farmers should receive fair prices for their hard work. I believe that competitive markets, through transparency and fairness in the contracting process, will give farmers the returns they deserve and consumers quality products at affordable prices.

I believe a level playing field means we should give consumers information about the food they put on their tables. Even though three years ago Congress passed the Country Of Origin Labeling Law (COOL) — a law, which requires labels to identify where beef, lamb, pork, fish and other perishable products come from — that law has not been implemented. Yet somehow, after three years, the Administration and congressional leadership has delayed the bill from taking effect. Now that's not true for one kind of product — seafood. While I like shrimp, I don't understand why the Administration and congressional leadership in Washington has chosen to apply that law for shrimp, and not for Minnesota beef. As Senator I will put Minnesota first in making sure that Minnesota grocery shoppers know where their perishable food products came from...and that means Minnesota homegrown products, not just shrimp!

Responsibility — Conserving Minnesota's Lands and Investing in Rural Minnesota

I grew up in a family that values the outdoors. My grandpa, from northern Minnesota, was an avid hunter. My dad is a bicyclist, mountain climber and all-around adventurer. My mom likes to fish and hike. Growing up, we never spent a summer vacation that didn't involve a cabin or a tent. It is our responsibility to pass on this Minnesota way of life to the next generation. As your Senator, I will support programs that conserve our lands and provide incentives for farmers such as the conservation security program.

We also have a responsibility to our children to provide new opportunities for good jobs and fair pay all across Minnesota. Our rural communities need the infrastructure to remain economically viable and culturally vibrant. We need to invest in our roads to make sure we can get products to market and people to work. We also need to invest in the information highways – broadband access – that will bring new opportunities for economic development, health care, education and government services to communities across Minnesota.With your help, I will bring our shared values – opportunity through hard work, a level playing field and responsibility for the next generation – to Washington. I will put Minnesota and our agricultural foundation first.