JOHN HOEVEN

USDA to begin accepting applications for $10B Emergency Commodity Assistance Program

Jenny Schlecht — Tue, 18 Mar 2025 17:01:00 GMT

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture will start accepting applications for the $10 billion in market-based assistance passed by Congress as part of year-end legislation in December, Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., announced Tuesday, March 18.

Congress on Dec. 21, 2024, passed the American Relief Act of 2025, a continuing resolution that stopped a government shutdown but also included $21 billion designated toward aide for farmers with losses from natural disasters in 2023 and 2024, along with $10 billion in farm economic assistance to offset low commodity prices. The bill was signed into law by President Joe Biden.

With the $10 billion in funds set aside for economic assistance, USDA set up the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program to provide economic assistance payments to eligible producers of eligible commodities for the 2024 crop year to help farmers "cope with losses from natural disasters and a difficult farm economy" and to "help preserve family farms and ranches across the country while also continuing to ensure food and agricultural security for our nation," according to a Federal Register document scheduled to publish Wednesday, March 19.

“This $10 billion in assistance is an important step to help producers recover from the challenging markets and comes as part of our commitment to keep our farmers and ranchers in the game, whether they face natural disasters, challenging markets or trade disputes,” Hoeven said in a statement.

“Producers are facing higher costs and market uncertainty, and the Trump Administration is ensuring they get the support they need without delay,” U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in a statement. “With clear direction from Congress, USDA has prioritized streamlining the process and accelerating these payments ahead of schedule, ensuring farmers have the resources necessary to manage rising expenses and secure financing for next season.”

Hoeven said he is continuing to work with USDA on advancing the $21 billion in weather-related assistance for losses in 2023 and 2024, which includes $2 billion set aside for livestock producers, including those with losses due to wildfires.

Eligible commodities for ECAP include wheat, corn, sorghum, barley, oats, soybeans, dry peas, lentils, chickpeas, canola, flax and sunflower, among other crops. Only one application is required for all ECAP eligible commodities. ECAP assistance will be based on acreage and calculated using a flat payment rate for the eligible commodity multiplied by the eligible reported acres. For acres reported as prevented plant, ECAP assistance will be calculated at 50%.

Hoeven, who chairs the Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee and is a senior of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said he has been working with Rollins to find ways to quickly deliver the assistance, including encouraging USDA to use a streamlined application process to help ensure an efficient and timely process.

According to Hoeven's office, USDA will send producers pre-filled applications based on 2024 acreage reporting data after program signup begins on March 19. Producers who still need to submit their 2024 plant and prevented planting data may do so until the program deadline of Aug. 15, 2025. Applications may be submitted online or to local Farm Service Agency offices.

“Secretary Rollins has committed to getting the funds distributed as quickly as possible, with payments to start going out by March 21,” Hoeven said.

His office said the initial payments will come to 85% of the total, with a supplemental payment to follow in the summer.

Hoeven said it's important that a new farm bill get passed that invests in the farm safety net so that such ad-hoc disaster assistance will no longer be needed. The current farm bill, officially called the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, originally was set to expire in 2023 but now has gotten two one-year extensions. The expiration date now is Sept. 30, 2025.

"Of course, we needed to do that because we don't have the new farm bill in place yet," Hoeven said in a recorded message about the assistance package. "So this is important, but the key is we need to get that farm bill done and it needs to work for our farmers and ranchers."

Payment rates

USDA has announced the following per-acre payment rates for crops under ECAP:

Wheat: $30.69 Corn: $42.91 Sorghum: $42.52 Barley: $21.67 Oats: $77.66 Upland cotton and extra-long staple cotton: $84.74 Long and medium-grain rice: $76.94 Peanuts: $75.51 Soybeans: $29.76 Dry peas: $16.02 Lentils: $19.30 Small chickpeas: $31.45 Large chickpeas: $24.02 Canola: $31.83 Crambe: $19.08 Flax: $20.97 Mustard: $11.36 Rapeseed: $23.63 Safflower: $26.32 Sesame: $16.83 Sunflower: $27.23

Hoeven's office said more information on ECAP will be available at https://fsa.usda.gov/ecap.

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Senate Agriculture Appropriations Committee field hearing held at Grand Farm Innovation Campus

Emily Beal — Thu, 15 Aug 2024 22:18:23 GMT

WHEATLAND, N.D. — The Grand Farm Innovation Campus hosted major players in ag policy on Thursday, Aug. 15, as Sen. John Hoeven held a Senate Ag Appropriations Committee field hearing focused on the future of ag technology and research.

As ranking member of the committee, Hoeven, R-N.D., organized the field hearing as a way to highlight and discuss North Dakota’s role in ag technology and innovation. With the Grand Farm Innovation Campus as the backdrop to this hearing, senators were served a steady reminder as to why they were there and what they have set out to accomplish within ag innovation and technology.

“Sen. (Tina) Smith and I were just talking about the fact that it can get pretty stuffy in these hearing rooms in Washington where there are no windows, and here we have this incredible reminder of the innovation going on right around us,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.

The field hearing centered around setting up the next generation of agricultural innovators for success and making sure they have the tools to compete with other countries around the world as they head into the future. Klobuchar said agriculture is going into its next phase, with the next generation taking over the reins in the industry. She stressed the importance of attracting young people to join the ag industry and to stay in it, through approaching them with innovation and optimism.

“We have to respect the future of innovation,” Klobuchar said. “We need to move to that next generation … that has to be a big piece of the farm bill.”

U.S. Department of Agriculture Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small was on one of the panels at the hearing and highlighted the importance of backing America’s farmers and ranchers, saying they are responsible for feeding our country and the world. In order to back those farmers, she said that investing in agricultural research is paramount to farmers' continued success both in and out of the field.

“Farmers are some of the most important innovators,” Torres Small said. “USDA is so proud to partner with Senator Hoeven, with the ag committee, to make sure we are investing in the innovation of the future.”

It has been a difficult time for farmers, with grain prices less than admirable and other outside factors they have had to overcome as well. The importance of adding value was a topic Torres Small brought up to the ag committee throughout her panel, allowing more dollars to stay close to farmers.

“Finding ways with agriculture associations to add value, so farmers can have a greater share of ag income as well as expanding markets. Everything from trade to local and regional markets,” Torres Small said.

Many agreed that partnerships are going to be vital when it comes to continuing the advancement of agriculture. Building bridges between entities to help further research was brought up on multiple panels.

“Research is happening at multiple different levels, private sector, public sector, state-level research, federal research dollars that are also fueling all of that,” Smith, D-Minn., said.

For Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., this field hearing left him with a ringing question about partnerships after seeing the Grand Farm Innovation Campus.

“How do we create what they have done here, throughout the rest of the country? With this great public-private partnership,” Boozman asked. “We appreciate the great example you have created here and hopefully we can mimic it throughout many other parts of the country.”

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USPS audit finds mail delivery, management issues across North Dakota, Minnesota

Matthew Voigt — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 19:00:00 GMT

GRAND FORKS – A United States Postal Service audit of mail operations in the North Dakota-Minnesota District found issues across the board, ranging from mail delivery to management practices.

The report was released Thursday by the Postal Service’s Office of the Inspector General and comes after reports of mail delays across the region, from Minot to Saint Paul.

The initial scope of the study was focused on service in the Twin Cities but was expanded after North Dakota’s congressional delegation asked for issues in North Dakota to be investigated. In the report, six facilities across the district were audited for reports of mail delays, management issues and the conditions of post offices.

The types of facilities audited range from the local post offices to the district’s major distribution centers. In North Dakota, the inspector general audited operations in Bismarck, Mandan and Minot. In Minnesota, the inspector general audited operations in Saint Paul, Apple Valley, New Brighton and Eagan. All of the locations had issues.

Between two visits in November 2023 and January 2024, 130,858 pieces of delayed mail were identified. According to the report, many of the issues stemmed from low staffing levels across these facilities — an issue compounded by “the low unemployment rate, applicant residency issues and the competition from postal service competitors,” said the report.

Additionally, the report found the facilities failed to keep employee rolls updated to reflect who was actually working at the facility at any given time. Some locations, like Mandan, did not have the correct identification for contractors.

The inspector general’s report also found issues with how the district’s postal service reports mail delays and tracks deliveries.

“During our reviews, we found that employees scanned packages improperly at the delivery unit, scanned packages away from the intended delivery point, and handled packages incorrectly at all six delivery units,” the report stated.

Postal service management did have adequate oversight to verify whether mail delivery was being tracked properly, according to the report. For why that occurred, the cause ranged from misunderstanding between supervisors, being busy with other tasks, access to postal service systems or simply that management was not in the habit of checking.

The report also investigated reports of missing arrow keys. Those keys allow mail carriers to access cluster box units, apartment mail panels and outdoor package lockers. The inspector general’s office found 24 missing keys across the district that were not reported missing to the postal service.

Issues of property maintenance and security were also identified in the report. Issues ranged from missing fire extinguishers, handicap-accessible doors not working, and simple lack of facility maintenance.

The report gives seven recommendations:

The district needs to provide adequate training for management at the postal service facilities for proper mail delivery practices. The district needs to review staffing and provide adequate staffing for mail delivery, a recommendation that District Manager Angela Bye disagreed with in her response to the report. Identify and implement strategies to improve recruitment and retention of mail carrier and clerk positions. Train management how to to property report delayed mail. Train management on proper package handling operating procedures. Address building safety and maintenance issues. Verify that all mail carriers have the correct documentation and employee records.

In a joint statement, Sen. John Hoeven, R-North Dakota; Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-North Dakota; and Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-North Dakota, said work on solving mail issues in the region doesn’t stop with this report.

“The completion of this audit shines a light on the challenges facing postal delivery across our state, but the work does not stop with the release of the audit,” the delegation said in a statement. “The postal service needs to implement the inspector general’s recommendations in a timely way to ensure homes and businesses receive their mail, packages and other deliveries without delay. That’s exactly what we will continue working to accomplish, while also holding USPS leadership accountable to make sure they address local concerns and that any changes to mail processing and other postal operations in our state actually result in benefits to local residents.”

Rep. Angie Craig, D-Minnesota, who represents Minnesota's second congressional district, where many of the issues have been located, said in the statement that Bye's disagreement with the staffing levels is concerning.

“It is clear to me that MN-ND District Manager Angela Bye has some serious work to do to get the mail back on track in Minnesota, and her ‘disagreement’ with staffing recommendations in this report is deeply concerning to me,” Craig said. “I look forward to hearing from her, and the rest of postal service management, about their plan to swiftly implement these recommendations and get the mail delivered on time for Minnesotans in my district. And if current management is unable to deliver, Minnesotans deserve new leaders who will.”

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EPA announces new WOTUS rule, but some think Supreme Court case should have come first

Jenny Schlecht — Fri, 30 Dec 2022 18:02:14 GMT

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Friday, Dec. 30, released a final rule establishing a durable definition of "waters of the United States" — often referred to as WOTUS.

The agencies say the new rule will reduce uncertainty from changing regulatory definitions and strengthen protections for drinking water while supporting agriculture, local economies and downstream communities. However, North Dakota's members of Congress say the Biden administration should have held off until the Supreme Court weighs in on water policy.

Agriculture and other industries have been concerned about regulatory problems from the rules over the years because of uncertainty regarding what qualifies as a wetland. Farmers, for instance, have had issues with whether they can install drain tile in fields with seasonal wetlands.

U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., on Friday said the administration should have waited for the decision in the Sackett v. EPA case addressing WOTUS before issuing a final rule.

“The regulatory ping pong of WOTUS regulations will seemingly never end. Establishing a new WOTUS definition before the Supreme Court has ruled on Sackett v. EPA only adds to the regulatory confusion," he said in a statement.

The rule will be final 60 days after publication in the Federal Register. The agencies plan a Jan. 19 webinar on the final rule.

The term “waters of the U.S.” appears in the federal Clean Water Act of 1972 that empowers the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers with protecting those waters. But the act does not clearly define what is covered by WOTUS, though it does mention both “navigable” and “interstate” waters.

WOTUS has undergone some jockeying in recent decades, depending on who held the presidency. In 2015, under President Barack Obama, the WOTUS definition was expanded under the Clean Water Rule, giving the federal government more authority. But court challenges, including one led by the North Dakota attorney general, kept the Obama rule from being enforced nationwide. The rule changed again under President Donald Trump, when what is called the Navigable Waters Protection Rule was put in place. But a court ruling in Arizona kept that rule from being used.

The EPA and Corps of Engineers under President Joe Biden began working on a new rule, a proposal of which was posted to the Federal Register on Dec. 7, 2021. The agencies say the rule announced on Dec. 30 as final "restores essential water protections that were in place prior to 2015 under the Clean Water Act for traditional navigable waters, the territorial seas, interstate waters, as well as upstream water resources that significantly affect those waters."

“When Congress passed the Clean Water Act 50 years ago, it recognized that protecting our waters is essential to ensuring healthy communities and a thriving economy,” EPA Administrator Michael S. Regan said in a statement. “Following extensive stakeholder engagement, and building on what we’ve learned from previous rules, EPA is working to deliver a durable definition of WOTUS that safeguards our nation’s waters, strengthens economic opportunity, and protects people’s health while providing greater certainty for farmers, ranchers, and landowners.”

“This final rule recognizes the essential role of the nation’s water resources in communities across the nation,” said Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Michael L. Connor. “The rule’s clear and supportable definition of waters of the United States will allow for more efficient and effective implementation and provide the clarity long desired by farmers, industry, environmental organizations, and other stakeholders.”

While the rulemaking process has been going on, the U.S. Supreme Court has considered a case taking on U.S. water policy. The court heard Sackett vs. EPA on Oct. 4, 2022, and has yet to issue a decision. On the surface, the case is about whether landowners have a right to go to court to challenge a Clean Water Act order of the Environmental Protection Agency. However, it has delved deeper into the mechanisms of WOTUS and how to determine if wetlands are "waters of the United States" under the Clean Water Act.

Cramer in his statement said he told Regan and Assistant EPA Administrator Radhika Fox "the empowerment of EPA and Army Corps bureaucrats by giving them federal authority over non-navigable ponds, ditches, and potholes is a recipe for disaster." The two visited in June 2021. Because much of North Dakota is in the Prairie Pothole region, with many seasonal wetlands, North Dakota's politicians have been active in the WOTUS debate.

"Our state is and will be the epicenter of this debate and we have been a leader in the fight against federal overreach of our waters. We need an enduring, legally defensible rule to provide regulatory certainty. I look forward to the Supreme Court’s ruling on the matter," Cramer said.

North Dakota's other members of Congress agreed.

“The return of WOTUS would be a disaster for North Dakota's farmers and ranchers,” said Rep. Kelly Armstrong, R-N.D. “I am disappointed that the Biden administration is determined to bring it back despite warnings from ag producers that it will harm their livelihoods. We have to keep fighting against harmful policies that don't do anything to keep our air and water clean.”

https://twitter.com/RepArmstrongND/status/1608896301005148160

“The Biden administration continues to push overbroad regulations that impose increased costs and greater constraints on our economy, which ultimately lead to higher prices for American consumers,” said Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D. “Like the Obama-era rule, this new WOTUS definition violates private property rights and is the wrong approach for our nation. Instead, we need regulatory relief that encourages investment and reduces costs for energy development, agriculture producers and construction, among others, while empowering states to protect the water resources within their borders.”

The National Association of Wheat Growers also expressed their concern about the rule coming before the Sackett decision but said they will be studying the new rule before its implementation.

“The National Association of Wheat Growers is deeply concerned that the EPA and U.S. Army Corps rushed to get this revised definition out prior to the end of the year instead of waiting for the decision in the Sackett case before the Supreme Court,” said NAWG CEO Chandler Goule. “While we continue reviewing the final rule, since the rulemaking process was announced last year, NAWG has stressed that farmers need clarity regarding jurisdiction, recognize important agricultural water features, and more long-term certainty from the courts and administrations.”

The EPA and Corps of Engineers say the new rule is grounded in the authority in the Clean Water Act, along with "the best available science, and extensive implementation experience stewarding the nation’s waters," and that it establishes limits on the boundary of waters subject to federal protection to traditional navigable waters, the territorial seas, interstate waters, as well as upstream water resources that significantly affect those waters.

The agencies also say they are working to improve federal coordination in implementation of the rule, including working with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide clarity on programs under the Clean Water Act and Food Security Act.

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Report shows stock trading conflicts for 3 Minnesota members of Congress; 1 from North Dakota

Alex Derosier — Thu, 15 Sep 2022 21:45:00 GMT

ST. PAUL — Three members of Minnesota’s Congressional delegation and a North Dakota senator were flagged for potential stock trading conflicts of interest in a report published this week by The New York Times.

The report flagged 97 members of the House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate who bought or sold stock or other financial assets or reported transactions by spouses or dependent children.

The analysis covered transactions between 2019 and 2021 from a congressional financial disclosure database. The Times matched the transactions with members’ committee assignments and the dates of hearings and other congressional investigations.

Members of Congress are required to disclose trades but are not banned from trading while in office. Some members have their assets moved into blind trusts to avoid the appearance of a conflict. In recent years there have been growing calls for greater restrictions on members’ ability to trade stocks.

Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith, as well as Reps. Angie Craig and Dean Phillips, all Democrats, reported transactions involving companies influenced by committees they sit on. Republican North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven also reported several conflicts.

The Times did not find any conflicts among members from South Dakota or Wisconsin.

Tina Smith

Democratic Minnesota Sen. Tina Smith reported trades in four companies between 2019 and 2021, three of which had potential conflicts.

Smith’s husband, Archie Smith, who invests in medical device companies, had shares in two insulin equipment makers when Smith became a senator in early 2018. While in the Senate, Smith has pushed for measures that would make insulin more affordable, though it's not clear how those bills would affect stock prices for the companies.

Archie Smith sold shares in the device companies in 2020, according to the report. Sen. Smith told The Times she does not know about and has "absolutely no role" in her husband's investment decisions.

Angie Craig

Rep. Angie Craig reported two trades with potential conflicts, both made by her college student son in 2019. The southern Twin Cities Congresswoman discovered her son had traded shares in Lyft and Ford without her knowledge while she served on the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, which she later reported.

In a statement, Craig’s office said she has supported banning members of Congress and their spouses and dependent children from stock trading since “day one” and sold her individual stocks before taking office.

“As a mom, I would be grateful if my college student son was not allowed to own or trade stocks. And as a member of Congress, I’m working to pass a law to force him to listen to his mother,” Craig said in a statement.

Craig’s district covers southern Twin Cities suburbs including Eagan and rural areas to the south and southeast of the Twin Cities extending to the Wisconsin border. Her district is generally considered by political observers to be among the most competitive in Minnesota. This year she is running against 2020 Republican challenger Tyler Kistner and Legal Marijuana Now candidate Paula Overby.

Dean Phillips

Rep. Dean Phillips, who represents Minnesota’s Third Congressional District in the western Twin Cities suburbs, reported the most transactions of any of the members from Minnesota. Between 2019 and 2021, he reported trades in 276 companies, 34 of which had potential conflicts, according to the report.

Phillips bought or sold stocks and bonds from more than two dozen banking companies while he sat on the House Financial Services Committee, according to the report. Some he sold days before executives testified before the committee. He now sits on the House Committee on Ethics, which is tasked with enforcing stock disclosure requirements.

In a tweet, Phillips said he has not personally directed trades since 2018.

“I don’t trade stocks and haven’t had contact w/my advisors since 2018,” he wrote. “My assets are in a 'blind trust', meaning I can’t see what is bought and sold on my behalf.”

https://twitter.com/RepDeanPhillips/status/1569801770267705344

A spokesperson told the Times that Phillips hired a law firm in 2020 to move the stocks into a blind trust — a process that took until July 2021.

Phillips is running for his second term and faces a challenge from Republican Tom Weiler.

John Hoeven

While sitting on two energy-related committees, North Dakota’s senior Sen. John Hoeven purchased $300,000-$600,000 in oil and power company stocks, the Times found. In 2020, he moved all of his stock holdings outside of his control.

“Sen. Hoeven follows Senate Ethics rules for investment and reporting, and all his marketable investments are now in mutual funds or a blind trust,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

Overall, Hoeven reported trades in 29 companies with seven presenting potential conflicts. The Senator sits on the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, and the Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee.

Hoeven is seeking his third term in office this November and faces Democrat Katrina Christiansen and Independent Rick Becker.

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After Moorhead family deaths, Klobuchar and Hoeven push agency on carbon monoxide protection

Alex Derosier — Tue, 11 Jan 2022 19:04:03 GMT

ST. PAUL — After a Minnesota family of seven died from a carbon monoxide build-up in their home last month, Democratic Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Republican North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven are seeking more information from a federal agency on its efforts to keep Americans safe from the dangerous gas.

The senators sent a letter to the Consumer Product Safety Commission Monday, Jan. 10, requesting information on actions the agency has taken to prevent future incidents and data collection on home carbon monoxide poisoning in 2021. They're also seeking information on agency efforts to work with states on promoting awareness of carbon monoxide poisoning and whether the agency provides education and outreach in languages other than English.

Seven members of a family from Honduras were found dead of apparent carbon monoxide poisoning in a Moorhead home on Dec. 18. A married couple in their 30s were found on the floor of their children's upstairs bedroom. The children, a 16-year-old, 7-year-old and 5-year-old, were found in their beds. The husband's 32-year-old brother and the couple's 19-year-old niece were found in their bed in a separate room.

More than 400 people die from inhaling the gas each year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The colorless, odorless gas is a byproduct of combustion and is often introduced into homes by improperly ventilated furnaces and water heaters, portable generators, wood fires and vehicles running in attached garages.

The state of Minnesota requires every single-family dwelling and every unit in a multi-family dwelling to have a carbon monoxide detector within 10 feet of each room used for sleeping. North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum in 2017 vetoed a bill that would have required homes in the state to have carbon monoxide alarms.

The Consumer Product Safety Commission currently takes steps to educate consumers such as posting tips to its website and social media, but the senators said in their letter that the agency could do more to protect the public. Their letter asks the agency if it needs more resources for outreach or investigations.

Klobuchar and Hoeven in the past have introduced legislation aimed at preventing deaths caused by the gas. The Nicholas and Zachary Burt Memorial Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act, named for two young brothers who died of CO poisoning in Kimball, Minnesota, calls for stronger federal oversight of devices designed to detect carbon monoxide.

The Minnesota Democrat and North Dakota Republican reintroduced the legislation in early 2021 after reports of deaths from CO after extreme winter weather in Texas.

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Column: Reaching across the aisle to expand foreign trade opportunities

Sens. Amy Klobuchar and John Hoeven — Thu, 07 Oct 2021 04:00:00 GMT

As the senators of Minnesota and North Dakota, we know it’s not just the Red River that brings our states together, it’s also a belief that no matter where you live in America, you should be able to start a company and export to the world. Supporting rural exports is good for businesses and good for our states’ economies. In 2019, Minnesota and North Dakota together exported almost $29 billion worth of goods, including medical devices, tractors and airplane parts.

Many businesses that don’t have the resources to hire their own trade experts have received key trade advice from the U.S. Commercial Service, a federal agency dedicated to helping American businesses identify foreign markets and export to the world.

Last month, we visited one of the companies that has worked with the U.S. Commercial Service, Swanson Health Products. We toured their facility in Fargo. In its 52-year history, Swanson has grown from a family operation to one employing 490 workers across North Dakota and Minnesota. In that time, the U.S. Commercial Service has helped Swanson expand by identifying new customers in Latin American markets and working with them to ship products overseas.

Another example of an exporter in our region is Mattracks, based in Karlstad, Minnesota, a town of 795 residents. Their signature rubber track conversion system was dreamed up by the founder’s 11-year-old son, Matt, when he drew a picture of a large truck with tracks instead of tires. His dad brought the drawing to his shop, and after years of tinkering, he had a patent and a product to sell. Today, since collaborating with the U.S. Commercial Service on strategies to distribute his rubber track conversion systems around the world, his company exports to all seven continents and employs dozens of workers in Minnesota.

The U.S. Commercial Service has helped countless companies develop their export strategies by identifying the right international markets and buyers.

Together we are leading efforts to pass the bipartisan Promoting Rural Exports Act to create a Rural Export Center within the U.S. Commercial Service to help rural businesses export their products to new international markets. Small businesses in rural areas shouldn’t be denied opportunities just because of their location, and our bill will boost exports and advance innovation in our rural communities so they can continue to grow.

In 2019 and 2020, we successfully secured funding for a Rural Export Center, and we have already seen how much good it’s done for businesses. In the 16 months since it opened, this center has guided 1,900 small and medium-sized businesses toward greater opportunities in key export markets, and more than 1,800 people have participated in trainings and webinars led by the Center. Now it’s time to pass our bill and permanently establish the Rural Export Center within the U.S. Commercial Service.

We’re going to keep working together across the aisle—and across the river—to get our bill signed into law so that businesses in Minnesota and North Dakota can benefit for years to come.

Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and John Hoeven, R-N.D., serve in the U.S. Senate.

Column: Reaching across the aisle to expand foreign trade opportunities

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar

John Hoeven

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US-Canada border closure set to expire on July 21, but will it be extended yet again?

Adam Kurtz — Fri, 09 Jul 2021 18:30:00 GMT

GRAND FORKS — The days are dwindling until travel restrictions at land crossings along the U.S.-Canada border are set to expire. Is there light at the end of the tunnel for travelers?

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau last month extended the cross-border ban on nonessential travel until July 21. But the question remains: What will actually happen when that day arrives, given rising vaccination rates in Canada? Largely gone are burdensome restrictions of the past, including a two-week hotel stay for land-crossers and an expensive three-day hotel stay for citizens and permanent residents entering the country by air. For fully vaccinated Canadians, the government relaxed those restrictions earlier this week.

The gathering headwinds have some wondering if there is enough momentum to end the restriction on nonessential travel altogether. The border between the U.S. and Canada has been closed since March 21, 2020. The closures have been re-upped every 30 days since then.

“I was not planning for this a month ago, but it looks like we might be able to capture a portion of the summer season, at least in terms of international travel,” said Simon Resch, owner of the Emerson duty-free shop on the Canada side of the Pembina border crossing, north of Grand Forks. “Fingers crossed, we might be getting back to it soon."

Resch said his business has missed out on millions of dollars in sales, though even being open for a portion of the summer would allow him to recapture some of that.

Resch is a board member of the Frontier Duty Free Association in Canada, an industry trade group representing the country’s land border duty-free shops. He said his organization was asked to attend a “last-minute meeting” with a Canadian government official late last week, who indicated to the group’s executive director that the border could open to Canadians traveling to the U.S by mid-July, and that Americans could be allowed to head north by mid-August.

Resch said local news reports over the weekend did not follow through with what the government official told the trade group. However, a July 5 report from the Associated Press noted that Trudeau, speaking at a news conference that day, said he is hopeful the country will take new steps toward reopening the border in the coming weeks.

Ariel Delouya, the Canadian consul general in Minneapolis, said talks between the two governments are ongoing. In an interview this week with the Grand Forks Herald, Delouya stressed patience, and said an announcement would be forthcoming closer to July 21, though he didn’t know if that meant extending the travel ban another month, rescinding portions of the ban or repealing it altogether.

RELATED: Dokken: It's time for the U.S. and Canada to get serious about reopening the border Lawmakers on both sides of the border have expressed frustration at the inertia that U.S. and Canadian leaders have shown in announcing plans for reopening the borders to nonessential travel, choosing instead to extend the border closure in one-month increments on the 21st of every month since March 2020.

Delouya also noted that Canada did not unilaterally impose a travel restriction, but did so jointly with the United States.

Still, given how vaccinations have proceeded in Canada, Delouya said he wouldn’t be surprised if measures are relaxed in August for vaccinated travelers in both directions.

“The expectation is that we're gradually moving toward a reopening of the border on both sides,” Delouya said.

U.S. Rep. Michelle Fischbach, R-Minn., said she is hopeful both governments will announce an end to the 17-months-long border closure. Minnesotans along the border, she said, especially those at the Northwest Angle, have waited long enough for a resolution.

“The punitive border restrictions affect not just American citizens, but also Canadians living near the border. Inaction and indifference by our two governments are no longer options,” Fischbach said in a statement emailed to the Herald.

U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said North Dakotans did well fighting the pandemic and reopening the state’s economy. Hoeven said there is a strong desire to reopen the border, and he raised the issue with Secretary of State Antony Blinken at a meeting last month.

“The U.S.-Canada border should be safely re-opened as soon as possible, as it would benefit both nations, alleviate supply chain disruptions and help small businesses in border communities in both North Dakota and Canada,” Hoeven said.

In May, U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., chaired a meeting between 10 U.S. senators and 14 Canadian parliamentarians regarding a number of topics, including trade and security. At that meeting, she encouraged swift action be taken to help communities impacted by the travel restrictions.

"It is time to get cross-border travel back to normal,” Klobuchar said.

Resch remains optimistic the situation could change given the vaccination efforts in Canada, combined with pent-up demand to travel by people on both sides of the border. According to the provincial government website, there have been more than 1.5 million doses of vaccine administered in Manitoba. Of those, 75% have had at least one dose, and nearly 53% have had two.

“We also are seeing from the U.S. side a desire to resume international travel,” Resch said. “To be perfectly honest, I cannot confirm this in any way right now, but I think July 21, I'm expecting very significant movement and progress.”

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Lawmakers want to keep bison buyers from getting buffaloed by water buffalo meat

Jenny Schlecht — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 10:00:00 GMT

WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of federal lawmakers don't want anyone looking to buy bison meat to get buffaloed.

Sens. John Hoeven, R-N.D., and Michael Bennet, D-Colo., and Reps. Ed Perlmutter, D-Colo., and Billy Long, R-Mo., on April 15 introduced the Truth in Buffalo Labeling Act. The legislation is intended to prevent water buffalo products from being labeled as buffalo.

The bill provides the Food and Drug Administration with authority to ensure that products with water buffalo are marketed as “water buffalo” so consumers do not think the product contains bison, which is commonly referred to as buffalo in the United States. Bison products would continue to be labeled as “bison” or “buffalo.”

“Bison producers have worked hard to connect with consumers around the high quality of the meat and the role that these magnificent animals are playing in restoring healthy grasslands,” Dave Carter, executive director of the National Bison Association, said in a statement. “Those efforts are being undermined by deceptively labeled water buffalo. The Truth in Buffalo Labeling Act will protect both the hardworking ranchers and their customers.”

A fact sheet from the National Bison Association says water buffalo is brought to the U.S. as a whole muscle meat and reprocessed in Food and Drug Administration approved facilities but is not being processed under U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service voluntary inspection. USDA regulations require any water buffalo processed under its inspections services to be properly and fully labeled. Because water buffalo is classified as a non-amenable species under federal law, it is not required to undergo inspection if that meat is produced in an FDA approved facility.

There are several water buffalo farms in the U.S. Many raise the animals for their milk, which is used in some Italian-style cheeses, and some also sell water buffalo meat.

The senators introduced the legislation after hearing concerns that imported water buffalo meat and pet food ingredients on the market are being labeled as “buffalo.” The senators led a letter to the FDA outlining these concerns and, in response, the FDA indicated that it does not currently have a specific regulation regarding the marketing of either water buffalo or bison. The agency agreed that water buffalo should be labeled as “water buffalo” and bison should be labeled as “bison” or “buffalo.”

"This mislabeled product is spreading beyond the retail marketplace," the National Bison Association fact sheet says. "Water buffalo meat is also being distributed to food service outlets as well. It’s important that the customers in your dining or retail establishments get what they are ordering. Water buffalo processed without USDA and state equivalent inspection carries potential risk for customers, and for food service establishments."

In addition to Hoeven and Bennet, the legislation is co-sponsored by Sens. Mike Braun, R-Ind., Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., Tina Smith, D-Minn., and John Thune, R-S.D.

“Our bipartisan legislation would prevent consumers from being misled and ensure that labels clearly reflect whether a product contains water buffalo or bison,” Hoeven said. “Specifically, the legislation requires water buffalo to be accurately labeled and establishes that buffalo is a common name for bison. That’s good for consumers and good for bison ranchers.”

“Colorado’s bison producers work hard to grow their markets and deliver high quality meat. Misleading labeling undermines their efforts and makes it harder for consumers to know what they’re buying,” Bennet said. “By requiring water buffalo products to have accurate labels, our bill helps support American bison producers and delivers transparency for consumers.”

“Americans have long associated the term ‘buffalo’ with American bison. Some companies are now importing water buffalo meat and ingredients and labeling it only as ‘buffalo,’ which can mislead consumers,” Perlmutter said. “The Truth in Buffalo Labeling Act will halt that deceptive practice and protect consumers and ranchers alike.”

“The American public has the right to know exactly what is in the products that they’re purchasing. Many Americans associate the term ‘buffalo’ with American bison, and for far too long, companies have exploited this misconception,” Long said. “The Truth in Buffalo Labeling Act will protect consumers and ranchers by preventing companies from using generic terms that are clearly intended to mislead consumers.”

The legislation is supported by the American Farm Bureau Federation, Colorado Farm Bureau, Intertribal Buffalo Council, National Bison Association, National Farmers Union, National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition, North Dakota Farmers Union and Rocky Mountain Farmers Union.

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Regional senators vote along party lines at Trump impeachment trial

News service reports — Sun, 14 Feb 2021 01:14:06 GMT

Votes cast in former President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial Saturday, Feb. 13, broke along party lines among the senators from Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota.

The Senate voted 57-43 in favor of convicting the former president, falling short of the two-thirds majority needed to do so, on a charge that he incited the insurrection that left five people dead, forced lawmakers to flee and put his own vice president in danger while overseeing the certification of Democrat Joe Biden's election win.

Seven Republican senators joined all 50 Democratic senators in voting to convict, falling short of the two-thirds majority needed.

Minnesota Democratic Sen. Amy Klobuchar said the attack "will be forever seared in the minds of Americans."

"He didn't call out the National Guard," Klobuchar said, explaining her vote to convict. "What does having an oath to be commander-in-chief mean except to keep the people safe? He failed to do that.

“A bipartisan majority in the House and Senate believe Donald Trump incited a violent insurrection. People died. Over 100 police officers were injured. An absolute disgrace,” Klobuchar said.

Minnesota Democratic Sen. Tina Smith said “The facts and the evidence were overwhelming — former President Donald Trump lied for months to his supporters, summoned them to Washington, and incited a violent insurrection against our government and our democracy.

"I voted to convict because no reasonable person could believe this would have happened without his betrayal.”

North Dakota Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer, explaining his vote against conviction, said that while the Constitution does not give the Senate the authority to impeach a former president, “because a majority of senators voted otherwise, it was our duty to hear the arguments presented by both sides and vote on the merits presented.”

Cramer said the House managers were unable to establish that Trump “committed a high crime or misdemeanor, the Constitution’s standard for impeachment. ...Their arguments require assuming the underlying meaning in President Trump’s January 6 speech was so persuasive that the rioters would attack members of law enforcement, an action in direct defiance of the unequivocal statements in support of police officers offered throughout the entirety of Donald Trump’s presidency, including in his comments that day. If the former President’s rhetoric was so powerful, why was this group of rioters so unpersuaded by his years of publicly backing law enforcement?”

Cramer said “the January 6 attacks on the Capitol were appalling, and President Trump’s remarks were reckless, but based on the evidence presented in the trial, he did not commit an impeachable offense.”

Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., who also voted against conviction, issued the following statement today after the conclusion of the Senate impeachment trial:

“The Founding Fathers designed impeachment as a way to remove a President from office. That is why I believe it is unconstitutional and voted against trying to apply impeachment to a former president after he has left office. That would be impeaching a private citizen. Constitutional scholars have clearly and effectively made that determination, and it is further reinforced by the fact that the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court did not preside.

“President Trump should not have encouraged the protest on January 6, but those rioters who broke the law are responsible for their actions and we must condemn all those who engage in violence. Now that the trial is over, we need to work in a bipartisan way to address the challenges facing our nation.”

South Dakota Republican Sens. Mike Rounds and John Thune also voted against conviction.

“I’ve said all along that impeaching former President Trump is a moot point as the Constitution is clear that removal from office is the primary purpose of impeachment,” Rounds said after Saturday’s vote. “Our Founding Fathers intended impeachment to remove public officials from office, not to punish private citizens.

“After carefully listening to every minute of the presentations made by the House Managers and the former president’s legal team, I am convinced that the Senate does not have jurisdiction to render a judgement against the former president. Therefore, I voted not guilty.”

Prior to the vote, Thune said “I considered all the evidence very carefully, but ultimately I concluded that the two charges presented by the House managers – abuse of power and obstruction of Congress – did not provide a compelling case for removing this president.”

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