Find out where Minnesota legislative candidates stand on food and farm issues

As election day on Nov. 4 gets closer, do you have questions about where candidates for Minnesota office stand on food and farm issues?

Most Minnesotans understand the important role farming plays in both our economy and our everyday lives. But sometimes ag-related issues can be overshadowed by other political hot-button items as races heat up.

That’s why the Minnesota Corn Growers Association has aligned with a Greater Minnesota (AGM).

Legislative candidates have been encouraged by voters to take AGM’s 5-point Minnesota Food and Farm Pledge. The pledge asks candidates if they support 1) all good farms, 2) environmental stewardship, 3) caring for animals, 4) food labeling, and 5) food safety.

Now you might be asking, “Who wouldn’t support those things? This seems kind of vague.”

Well, the great thing about the pledge is that it’s more detailed than those five simple points. There’s more to each point of the pledge than a simple declaration, which means voters looking to learn more about the farm and food policy positions of candidates can do so in just a few clicks. Check out everything included in the pledge to see for yourself.

Once you have a better understanding of what each item of the pledge entails, you can see if candidates in your legislative district have taken the 5-point pledge. If they haven’t encourage them to do so.

And just as important, you can see which candidates have not taken the pledge and their reasons why.

Farming accounts for about 367,000 Minnesota jobs according to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Ag policy impacts everyone, whether they farm or not.

Thanks to AGM and the 5-Point Minnesota Food and Farm Pledge, we can develop a better understanding of farming’s importance to our state and where candidates for office stand on key ag issues.