Latest Releases
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Leads Senate Agriculture Subcommittee Hearing on Expanding Opportunities for Beginning Farmers
WASHINGTON, DC — Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.), chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Commodities, Risk Management, and Trade, led a hearing focused on opportunities to support new and emerging farmers. According to the most recent Census of Agriculture, the average age of a producer in the United States is now 58, and in Minnesota it is 57. One of the witnesses who spoke at the hearing about challenges faced by beginning farmers was Tessa Parks, Minnesota native and owner and operator of W.T. Farms in Northfield. Tessa is a young, first-generation farmer of color who, along with her husband, raises Holstein steers and runs a haying service. “The average age of a producer in the United States is 58, and in Minnesota it’s 57. And of course, this number increases every year. That in a nutshell is why we need to invest in the next generation of farmers, so this country’s agriculture production continues to work,” said Senator Smith. “This is a matter of national security, food security, and the strength and vitality of rural America. Agriculture is a driving force in America’s economy.” “Though I am new to farming and several generations removed from the farm, my connection to and love for agriculture is strong,” said Tessa Parks, owner and operator of W.T. Farms in Northfield, MN. “But beginning farmers like me face significant barriers to entry into agriculture, including a farm safety net that favors larger and more established farms, barriers to accessing land and capital, climate change, and
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Demands Accountability from USPS Leadership Following Damning Report on Postal Failures in Minnesota
WASHINGTON, D.C. [5.29.24] – Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith sent a scathing letter to Postmaster General Louis DeJoy, following a United States Postal Service (USPS) Inspector General (OIG) report that reveals severe management failures contributing to critical postal service disruptions in Bemidji and the broader Minnesota-North Dakota District, including around 80,000 pieces of delayed mail. Senator Smith is calling for immediate action to address these failures and restore reliable postal service for Minnesotans. The OIG report reveals that the Bemidji Post Office only had eight days warning before their package volume doubled and Postal Service management failed to confirm that the facility had the staffing or resources to accommodate the increased volume. It also found that local postal workers were not properly trained to avoid these issues. The report attributes these problems directly to national and district management missteps, resulting in untenable working conditions for postal workers and severe delays in mail delivery. “The findings of the Inspector General’s report are deeply troubling and highlight severe mismanagement within the USPS that has led to unacceptable delays and unnecessary hardships for postal workers and Minnesotans,” said Sen. Tina Smith. “Reliable postal service is not a luxury—it’s a necessity for accessing medications, paychecks, and staying connected with loved ones. It is imperative that USPS leadership takes immediate action to address these issues and restore trust in our postal system.” Senator Smith’s letter stresses the urgency of rectifying these issues and holds USPS leadership accountable for ensuring Minnesotans receive the reliable postal service they depend on for essential
U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar, Tina Smith Announce $60 Million Federal Infrastructure Grant to Improve Highways Surrounding Airport
WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Tina Smith (D-MN) announced a $60 million federal grant to the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) to improve a stretch of the I-494 freeway that goes through Bloomington, Richfield, Edina, and Eden Prairie. This funding is from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The I-494: Airport to Highway 169 Project will alleviate traffic congestion and improve highway safety. It will also preserve bridges, restore pavement, and reduce run-off into the Minnesota River. Key improvements include the creation of MnPASS Express Lanes and a new interchange with a ramp at the I-35W and I-494 intersection.
U.S. Senator Tina Smith Leads Subcommittee Hearing on Renewable Energy Growth and Opportunities in Rural America
WASHINGTON, D.C. [6/22/21]—Today U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) led her first hearing as Chair of the Senate Rural Development and Energy Subcommittee, where energy leaders discussed opportunities for jobs and economic development in rural America that expanding the nation’s use of renewable energy will bring. Sen. Smith was joined by energy leaders from across the country, including three Minnesotans: Mr. Shannon Schlecht, Executive Director of Agricultural Utilization Research Institute in Crookston; the Honorable Katie Sieben, Chairwoman of Minnesota Public Utilities Commission in St. Paul; and St. Paul native Ms. Emily Skor, Chief Executive Officer of Growth Energy. Sen. Smith said that today’s testimony will help inform her as infrastructure talks continue. It is important to her that rural voices are
U.S. Senators Tina Smith, Mike Rounds Introduce Bipartisan Native American Rural Homeownership Improvement Act
WASHINGTON, D.C. [6/24/21]—U.S. Senators Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) are pressing bipartisan legislation to help Native families living in rural areas achieve homeownership. Right now, the homeownership rate for Native American households is around 54 percent, while the rate for white households is 72 percent. A study from the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis’ Center for Indian Country Development also found that Native households often face higher mortgage costs when seeking to buy a home, especially when those loans are made on reservation lands. Sens. Smith and Rounds want to leverage the deep community ties of Native Community
U.S. Sen. Tina Smith, U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger Push to Improve Popular & Effective Rural Energy for America Program
WASHINGTON, D.C. [6/24/21]—Today, U.S. Senator Tina Smith (D-Minn.) and U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger (D-VA 7)—along with U.S. Senator Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Representative David G. Valadao (R-CA 21)—introduced legislation in both the Senate and House aimed at improving the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), which provides financial assistance to agricultural producers and rural business owners to install renewable energy systems and adopt energy efficiency measures. Sen. Smith and Rep. Spanberger, who each chair a subcommittee that oversees rural energy efficiency, said that in the last six years, REAP has leveraged over $300 million in public investment to stimulate more than ten
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