Ag champions honored at MCGA annual meeting
The Minnesota Corn Growers Association (MCGA) had the opportunity to honor two outstanding champions of agriculture at its annual meeting, held Jan. 20.
Former Rep. Jeanne Poppe was the recipient of the Friend of Agriculture Award for her advocacy on behalf of corn farmers during her time at the Minnesota State Capitol.
Always keeping a door open to corn farmers during her time in St. Paul, Poppe served in the Minnesota House from 2005 to 2020, representing District 27B in southeastern Minnesota. Most recently, she championed biofuels policy for MCGA, including increasing the state’s biofuel standard from 10 to 15 percent. Poppe also worked across the aisle with Republican committee chairs to increase investments by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture for both ag research and biofuels infrastructure. In addition to her work as a policy maker, Poppe served as a mentor for future ag leaders through her work with FFA and other youth organizations.
Former MCGA president and board member Bruce Peterson was the recipient of the Golden Kernel Award for his dedication to advance the mission of MCGA.
During his nine years on the board from 2010-2018, Peterson made a second home at the Minnesota State Capital during some very tense legislative sessions, and served as a tireless advocate for Minnesota corn farmers. He brought passion and a skill for communication to countless meetings with policy makers and during hearings, where he elevated the issues that were impacting our farms and rural communities. Furthermore, Peterson has always been willing to donate his time to the mission of Minnesota Corn, whether that was fielding a media interview, attending a meeting, or serving as host on his Northfield farm.
The MCGA annual meeting and resolutions session was held virtually for the first time this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you to the members who were able to tune in and take part in MCGA’s grassroots process.
