Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Celebrates U.S. Trade Mission to Colombia
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-MN) celebrated Lamex Food, Inc.’s participation in a trade mission to Bogota, Colombia, led by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expand foreign market access for American agricultural products. The Bloomington, MN based food group is one of 23 businesses and organizations who joined the trip from August 13-15 with USDA Under Secretary Alexis M. Taylor to discuss policy and business partnerships that will boost American agricultural exports to Colombia. “Agricultural exports support farming in Minnesota and provide economic benefits to the state,” said Sen. Smith.“This trade mission is a great opportunity to expand market access for American goods in Colombia, and for Lamex Food to create new business partnerships overseas.” Senator Smith, a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, has been a strong advocate for expanding agricultural market access globally. Earlier this year, she supported a USDA trade mission to India focused on Indigenous food products. ###
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce Funding to Help Grow Global Export Markets for Minnesota Producers
MINNEAPOLIS – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith (both D-MN) announced funding from the Regional Agricultural Promotion Program (RAPP) to help grow export markets for American farm and food products around the world. The additional $300 million investment will go to organizations across the U.S. to implement market development projects focusing on a wide range of products and agricultural markets. “Boosting America’s agricultural exports is great for Minnesota farmers and rural economies,” said Klobuchar. “This funding will help farmers enter the global export market and maintain America’s leadership in agricultural exports.” “Minnesota has long been a linchpin in America’s agricultural market, and I’m proud to advocate for projects that enable farmers in Minnesota to expand their production and stay competitive in the global market,” said Senator Smith. “This investment will help to expand our export policies worldwide, allowing farmers in Minnesota to establish, build, and maintain their partnerships in international markets.” Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (USDA) Tom Vilsack announced in October 2023 that USDA would establish RAPP to help U.S. exporters expand their customer base beyond markets such as China, Mexico and Canada, which account for nearly half of all current exports. In this round of funding, USDA is allocating $25 million specifically for Africa, which has the some of the fastest-growing economies in the world. For more information about RAPP and how to apply, click here. Applications are due on October 4, 2024. ###
U.S. Senators Tina Smith and Mike Rounds Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Spur Economic Development in Underserved Communities
WASHINGTON, [1.4.22] – Today, U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minnesota) and Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota) introduced legislation to jumpstart economic development in economically distressed areas and address disparities in access to capital for underserved communities. The bill would strengthen and expand Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI), which play a critical role in bringing capital and financial services to a wide range of underserved communities – from urban areas to small towns and rural communities to Tribal lands. “Unequal access to capital and financial services is a key driver of economic disparity in rural areas, communities of color, and Indigenous communities,” said
U.S. Senator Tina Smith and U.S. Representative Angie Craig Announce Plan to Strengthen Meat and Poultry Supply Chain
WASHINGTON, D.C. [1.4.22] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith and Representative Angie Craig (both D-Minn.) announced new plans to create a more competitive, fair, and resilient meat and poultry sector. These initiatives will help secure better earnings for producers while ensuring more choices and affordable prices for consumers. The funding for this plan is available through the American Rescue Plan, which Senator Smith and Rep. Craig helped pass earlier this year. “Just a handful of large companies have come to dominate the meat and poultry processing industry, which means higher prices for consumers and shrinking earnings for producers,” said Sen.
U.S. Senators Smith and Cassidy’s Bipartisan Amendment to Address Global COVID-19 Vaccine Access Signed Into Law
WASHINGTON, D.C. [01/03/22]— U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-La.)’s bipartisan amendment to improve global vaccine access was signed into law as part of the National Defense Authorization Act last week. The bipartisan amendment will analyze the United States government’s capabilities to retrieve soon to expire COVID-19 vaccine doses and send them to countries abroad. These efforts will help to address supply chain barriers to efficient global vaccine distribution and provide another opportunity for the United States to be a leader in building global capacity to distribute COVID-19 vaccines. The amendment is also co-sponsored in the Senate
Klobuchar, Smith Announce Minnesota as Recipient of Nation’s First FEMA Resiliency Program Grant
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced that the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has awarded the Minnesota Department of Public Safety the nation’s first Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program grant. This $171,000 award will update hazard mitigation plans for Jackson, Kittson, Marshall, Pope, and Red Lake Counties. “We can’t control natural disasters, but we can ensure our state has the resources to prepare for and mitigate damages,” Klobuchar said. “This federal funding will help Minnesotans plan ahead for extreme weather to protect their communities. I’m glad FEMA’s
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