Minnesota Governor Mark Dayton recently revealed plans to travel overseas in an effort to promote Minnesota agriculture. In a speech at Farmfest, an annual gathering of agricultural companies and farmers, Dayton praised Minnesota agricultural production. Agriculture, Dayton claimed, is responsible for 1/5 of all jobs in the state, making it one of Minnesota’s most important industries.

In addition to pointing out the importance of agriculture to state employment, Dayton commented that recent legislative activity has proven the agricultural sector’s value. Over the last month, Governor Dayton has been battling a Republican-controlled congress over the state’s budget (with Dayton supporting tax increases on the wealthy and congressional Republicans supporting spending cuts).

The fight culminated in a government shutdown that lasted for several weeks. Dayton noted, however, that the one spending bill that passed the GOP controlled legislature was a budget bill for the state’s Department of Agriculture.

In addition to praising the state’s agricultural sector, Dayton laid out plans for several overseas trips in order to better market Minnesota’s agricultural products. In the fall, Dayton is planning trips to China and South Korea, both countries that have been increasingly demanding U.S. grain and meat.

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Written by: Justin Ellison / Farm Plus Staff Writer