Thursday, July 12, 2001

Untitled Document

Wellstone to be good for farmers

Minnesota now has two representatives on the U.S. Senate’s Agriculture Committee. That’s a good thing for our state.

In fact, only one other state has two of its senators serving on the powerful committee – Arkansas. The panel is headed up by Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa.

The appointment – which came as the Senate shifted power – is at a crucial time for the ag industry as the panel takes a look at rewriting the Freedom to Farm Act of 1996, which Wellstone likes to call "Freedom to Fail."

Wellstone first started organizing with farmers in the late 1970s and he’s been paying attention to farmers for three decades.

With both Mark Dayton and Wellstone on the ag panel, Minnesota’s farmers and agribusinesses stand to benefit from strong representation. It’s the first time since 1966 that our state has had both of its senators on the Ag Committee.

Wellstone now has a chance to help farmers and those businesses that depend on farming. It comes at a crucial time for the industry. The timing is perfect.