Minnesota Town Halls on Farm Issues

Tuesday, March 18, 2025

Rural communities in Minnesota are gathering to voice their concerns regarding ongoing challenges affecting farmers and residents. The Minnesota Farmers Union is sponsoring two town halls on March 18, 2025, in Jackson and Sleepy Eye.

These meetings aim to address issues like tariffs on farm commodities, cuts to health care, and the uncertainty surrounding trade wars that have heavily impacted rural areas.

The town halls are free and open to the public, providing an opportunity for attendees to discuss what they need from their government representatives. Ted Winter, executive director of the Minnesota Farmers Union, emphasized the importance of these forums for farmers and rural residents to express their concerns. "We’re opening it up to people to talk about farm issues but also talk about public policy issues, so people got a voice," Winter said.

The impact of tariffs has been a major topic at these gatherings. Despite a period of recovery following the last trade war during the first Trump administration, many farmers are still struggling. Winter noted that some markets lost during the trade war have not yet been regained. The recent tariffs imposed on China, which purchases half of the U.S. soybean crop, have further strained farm prices and added to the financial burdens of farmers.

“We need to do whatever we can to try to get the value of the farm commodity,” Winter added. “To a point where it pays the bills and gives (farmers) a little bit to eat too. They just can’t break even."

If you are interested in attending these important discussions, here are the details: