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NORTHFIELD, Minn. 鈥� President Joe Biden is headed for Minnesota on Wednesday to put a spotlight on his administration鈥檚 efforts to bolster the rural economy.

His scheduled visit to a Northfield farm about an hour south of Minneapolis will serve as the backdrop to launch his 鈥淚nvesting in Rural America鈥� initiative, which will direct more than $5 billion in already approved money toward projects around rural connectivity, renewable energy and land conservation.

Biden鈥檚 visit comes as he tries to navigate instability on the world stage, including Israel鈥檚 ground incursion into Gaza. It also coincidentally comes days after Minnesota Democratic U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips launched a bid for the 2024 presidential nomination despite Biden鈥檚 reelection plans.

Biden was set to take part in a campaign fundraising reception while in Minnesota, according to an invitation viewed by MPR News. The event was due to be co-hosted by the sons of former Gov. Mark Dayton, Minnesota DFL Chair Ken Martin and super donors Vance Opperman and Alida Messinger.

Minnesota was chosen to kick off the administration鈥檚 rural spending push because of the efforts already underway here, said U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

鈥淢innesota was one of the first states to embrace a clean-water initiative, for example,鈥� Vilsack said. 鈥淎nd so I think there's an opportunity there to highlight the work of Minnesota. I think it's also fair to say that Minnesota understands and appreciates that the future is in biofuels.鈥�

The money for the rural initiative will be drawn from a major infrastructure law adopted in 2021 and the Inflation Reduction Act approved in 2022. Vilsack said the $1.7 billion in 鈥渃limate-smart agriculture practices鈥� doubles what was spent on the same types of programs in the most recent year.

Dutch Creek Farms in Northfield, where Biden is expected to speak, is an example of the practices the administration wants to promote. The farm鈥檚 proprietors grow corn and soybeans and raise hogs, but they also sequester carbon and have buffers intended to keep pollutants out of nearby waterways.

Biden was last in Minnesota in April . He won the state easily in 2020, but party operatives say it鈥檚 not one they can take for granted heading into an election now just about a year out.

State GOP leaders took the opportunity of Biden鈥檚 visit to attack him as vulnerable in the coming election.

鈥淚t is becoming increasingly more obvious that both Democrats and Republicans know that if the election were held today, Biden would lose. And Biden wouldn't be coming to Minnesota if he didn't think it was true,鈥� Minnesota GOP Party Chair David Hann said in a statement.

Biden has been working to showcase a surprisingly resilient economy. But volatility across the globe 鈥� from war in Ukraine to the recent upheaval in the Middle East 鈥� add new political complexities for his White House.

The U.S. support of Israel鈥檚 military response to the Hamas attacks in early October was motivating groups planning to protest the Biden visit. 鈥淪how up to tell Biden stop supporting Israel鈥檚 war,鈥� an invitation to a Wednesday evening Minneapolis rally said.

As Biden headed to Minnesota, Phillips continued his introductory swing through New Hampshire , a state where the incumbent president鈥檚 name won鈥檛 be on the primary ballot.

A group of eight elected Democrats from Phillips鈥� Minnesota 3rd Congressional District issued a statement saying they 鈥渆nthusiastically support鈥� Biden as 鈥渁s the right person to stop Donald Trump and the damage that MAGA Republicans would bring, and to lead our nation forward.鈥�

Speaking with MPR News Morning Edition on Wednesday, Phillips reiterated that he feels Biden is vulnerable in next year鈥檚 election and that Democratic voters want another choice.

鈥淚 believe the president also knows the country鈥檚 ready for change, and to pass the torch,鈥� Phillips said. 鈥淚鈥檓 presenting a bold vision for the future, a reunification or repairing, if you will, of the country, and demonstrating respect for all people, regardless of races, colors, religions and politics. And it is time for this country to move on because we are in crisis, we need bold leadership, and it鈥檚 time for a new generation.鈥�