A Note from Patrick Murray, AgriGrowth Director of Government & Member Relations
It is fair to say that this past year has been unlike any other in modern history. As we look back on the year, there is no doubt we have faced numerous unprecedented challenges, but there is also a lot to celebrate for our organization and our members. We are convener for the agri-food industry, and our role as an advocate, thought leader and place for our members to collaborate and share ideas has never been more important. That's why we are so excited to share our 2020 Annual Report with you.
Our annual report includes an excellent picture of AgriGrowth's year in review including numerous events featuring our members, experts and policymakers, our policy advocacy and successes, the new Ag Economic Contribution Study and more. You can read the full report here.
Thank you to our members for helping make this year a success, and I wanted to note additionally in membership-related news, in the coming weeks AgriGrowth members will be receiving dues renewal information for the 2021 calendar year. We would like to thank you in advance for your continued support and membership with AgriGrowth and look forward to working with you as we enter the new year. On behalf of the entire team at AgriGrowth, we are grateful for your continued support to our organization. If I can ever be of assistance or if you have any questions on any issue or membership related matter, please do not hesitate to contact me at pmurray@agrigrowth.org or (651) 238-0089.
Public Policy Priorities Heading into 2021
As we begin to turn the page on 2020, your AgriGrowth team looks forward to our continued collaborations as we head into 2021. Over the past year, we successfully advocated on a host of legislative and regulatory matters affecting members at the state and federal levels. These advocacy efforts continue as we close out the current year, and we look forward to addressing new challenges next year.
A critical element of establishing AgriGrowth's advocacy is establishing our policy priorities. Last week, our Public Policy Advisory Committee met to discuss our 2021 state and federal public policies. The meeting gave AgriGrowth members an opportunity to review the existing state or federal public policy documents and to make modifications for next year. With the 2021 legislative session set to convene on January 5, these policies will help guide our government affairs efforts with lawmakers in St. Paul, as well as with their counterparts in Washington, D.C. We would like to thank those who took part in this member-driven process and that we welcome any further input from those who were unable to attend.
Senate and House Announce Committee Structure and Chair Assignments
Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R – Nisswa) and his leadership team recently unveiled the committee structure for the 2021-22 biennium. Several members will be in charge of committees they have chaired in previous legislative sessions, while several members will be assuming new chair duties. Among the committees and chairs that AgriGrowth will be working with this session include:
While the power structure did not change in the House of Representatives, several retirements and election losses on the DFL side of the ledger led Speaker Melissa Hortman (DFL – Brooklyn Park) and her leadership team to appoint several new chairs for the 2020-21 biennium. Among the committees and chairs that AgriGrowth will be working with this session include:
For additional information on the incoming legislature, please see the 2020 election directory that can be found at the following link. If you have any questions about the committee structure or chair assignments, please feel free to contact me at pmurray@agrigrowth.org or (651) 238-0089.
