Here’s the update on the latest developments at the Capitol as well as a roundup of other news in Minnesota this week:

Capitol Roundup

Justin Hanson, district manager of Mower Soil Water Conservation District and Cedar River Watershed District administrator, made a very informative presentation to the House Capital Investment committee on Wednesday, March 13. CRWD has made great progress in reducing water flow by working with landowners and farmers to improve water quality and reduce flooding along the Cedar River.

Also on Wednesday, Austin Mayor Tom Stiehm and City Administrator Craig Clark stopped by as they were attending the Coalition of Greater Minnesota Cities legislative conference.

State of the State

Gov. Dayton delivered his eighth and final State of the State on Wednesday. Under his leadership, Minnesotans have stabilized the state’s economy and canceled out a $6 billion deficit while our schools have seen consistent increases in funding.

Veterans Day on the Hill

Thank you to the veterans and advocates who visited the Capitol on Monday for Veterans Day on the Hill. This year’s focus was on helping surviving spouses keep their homes and stopping predatory lending against veterans’ benefits.

Minnesota well-represented at global food show

Minnesota food companies were well-represented at Gulfood 2018, a global food show held each year in Dubai. Downs Food Group and Dauus Company of Minnesota were on exhibit in the USA Pavilion, while Leech Lake Natural Wild Rice (sourced from Cass Lake in Minnesota) made the list of “Ten Foods to Try at Gulfood.”

2017: A good year for Minnesota exports

Minnesota enjoyed strong exports last year, with $7.1 billion in agricultural exports and $21 billion in mining, ag, and manufacturedproducts; an 8 percent increase over 2016, according to the Minnesota Department of Economic Development.

Supplemental Budget

Gov. Dayton has released his supplemental budget proposal, which is meant to complement the budget he released earlier this year. The House and Senate will be going through his proposal and creating their own in the weeks ahead.

Please feel free to reach out with your ideas and input on legislative matters. You can reach me by email at rep.jeanne.poppe@house.mn or by phone at 651-296-4193.