Dear John,

I hope that you all have been able to spend some time outside enjoying the warm weather this week!

As some of you may know, this year the House Agriculture Committee will be writing the 2023 Farm Bill – legislation that is written once every 5 years and sets agricultural policy for years to come.

Our Minnesota farmers and producers feed and fuel our entire country – and they deserve a Farm Bill that will help them thrive. As we write this bill, I will be looking to the family farmers and ag communities in MN-02 for guidance and insight. So this week, I spent time with our family farmers and producers to hear directly from them about what they need from the 2023 Farm Bill.

I started out the week by meeting with my Farmers Advisory Council in Farmington. We had a conversation about the challenges facing the farmers in MN-02 and the support they need from Congress to address them. Later, I hosted a roundtable discussion with a number of young farmers from across the district to hear about the support they need as they begin farming or taking over the family business.

On Wednesday, I got to enjoy the beautiful weather by spending the day at one of MN-02’s many family farms — Seeds Farm in Northfield. I toured the farm and had a productive discussion with specialty farmers and producers from across the district. It’s important that the voices of each of these farmers are heard throughout the process of crafting the Farm Bill – and our discussion provided me with invaluable insight on how to make sure that they are.

I wanted to thank everyone who took the time out of their busy week to speak with me about their priorities for the Farm Bill. Please know that I will be bringing your thoughts, ideas and insight with me as I return to Washington to begin writing this legislation.

Here's what else I was up to this week:

Talking with Prior Lake High School seniors 

It was so great to join the seniors at Prior Lake High School on Wednesday for an insightful conversation on the importance of staying engaged in the MN-02 community, how Congress works and the many opportunities that lie beyond graduation. 

Attending the ribbon cutting ceremony of Cannon Valley Phone Repair in Northfield
Jamey opened Cannon Valley Phone Repair this summer to make sure that everyone in his community would be able to get their devices fixed whenever they need. Thank you to Jamey for inviting me to your ribbon cutting ceremony this week!

Addressing the fentanyl crisis
The fentanyl crisis is a serious problem that demands serious solutions. Yesterday, I joined my colleague Senator Amy Klobuchar, Dakota County Sheriff Joe Leko and Colleen Ronnei, founder of Change the Outcome, in Inver Grove Heights to discuss the efforts that are needed at the state and federal levels to effectively tackle these issues.

Hosting Town Hall #52
Last night, I hosted my 52nd Town Hall since being elected to Congress. We had a great discussion on the work that Congress is doing to lower health care costs with Ann Nerland, an insulin advocate here in MN-02!

Behind the scenes with Rep. Craig:

One of my favorite parts of my home office is this tribute to the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. This picture serves as a reminder to me of the importance of working toward equity and justice – an especially poignant message as activist judges and politicians chip away at women’s rights and families' privacy and freedoms. I’m thinking of trailblazers like RBG when I fight to protect your freedoms in Congress. 

Well, that is the end of my weekly update! I hope you all have a restful weekend with your friends and loved ones. Back to DC on Monday for me!

Until next time,
 

Angie Craig

Member of Congress