Spending time in rural Minnesota is one of my favorite parts of campaigning for the U.S. Senate – and not just because I’m hopelessly addicted to sweet corn.

Farming is a vital part of Minnesota’s identity, not to mention our state’s economy and our national security. Without farms, we’d have no food, and no hope of energy independence. Without farms, we’d lose our rural values of service, faith, hard work, and strong communities.

That’s why I’m looking forward to this year’s Farmfest – and why I’m anxious to change the direction of our nation’s economic and energy policies. Because our rural communities are struggling under the weight of a recession and an energy crisis – neither of which Washington seems to be able to fix.

You won’t be surprised to learn that I think that the Bush economic policies have contributed to the economic slowdown. This administration attempted to privatize Social Security, created special tax breaks for corporate interests, and under-funded rural roads, bridges, schools, and hospitals. And, unfortunately, Norm Coleman has been there with them at every turn.

These policies have contributed to a middle class squeeze affecting every part of Minnesota – and rural communities are certainly no exception.

Whether I’m drinking coffee in Tim and Connie Velde’s kitchen on a rainy day near Granite Falls or listening to people’s concerns in a diner in Pipestone, one of the first things I hear about in every community is the price of fuel. For too long, we’ve had an energy policy that benefits the big oil companies – billions of dollars in tax subsidies that they didn’t need and we, frankly, couldn’t afford.

And now input costs are through the roof, endangering our farm economy. Families are paying double what they used to fill up the tank. And some school districts are even considering going to four-day weeks.

Fortunately, the solution to our energy crisis will also help to strengthen the rural economy: renewables. In the corn and bean fields of Renville County, in the wind blowing on Buffalo Ridge, and even in the alfalfa fields of Freeport, we’ll find the key to ending our dependence on foreign oil – and an economic bonanza for rural Minnesota.

There’s a lot we can do to strengthen the farm economy: bolster the farm safety net to help farmers weather increased input costs, protect farmers from unfair trade deals, and create a program of emergency assistance to livestock producers. And there’s a lot we can do to help middle class families across Minnesota make ends meet: tax cuts for working families, increase student aid, and improve access to health care.

But when I get to Washington, there’s nothing I’ll fight for harder than a real investment in renewable energy. Minnesota farms safeguard our national security and provide a large part of our state’s identity (not to mention the best darn sweet corn in the world). I believe that they can also be the epicenter and the engine of our nation’s energy economy.

- Al Franken

Written for the Redwood Falls Gazette – Farmfest 2008

This entry was posted on Monday, August 4th, 2008 at 2:53 pm and is filed under From Al's Desk. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.