ST. PAUL — More than 75 cooperative business directors, managers, and staff met in St. Paul earlier this week for Cooperative Network’s 10th annual Minnesota Co-op Day at the Capitol. Eight cross-sector lobbying groups met with agency commissioners, caucus leaders and more than 40 legislators to share how certain proposals would affect their businesses and communities. Participants included Cooperative Network members from agriculture, credit union, dairy, energy, farm credit, health care, manufactured housing and other member-owned cooperatives throughout the state.
“This event brings together co-op members from across the state to meet with leaders at the Capitol in St. Paul,” says Daniel Smith, Cooperative Network President and CEO. “Cooperative Network prides itself in unifying their members’ voices and this event allows them to be actively involved in advocating for the issues that impact our members on a day to day basis.”
Participants met with policymakers to discuss issues related to establishing special license plates for Minnesota agriculture that will benefit Minnesota FFA and 4-H, Sustainable Conservation Improvement Program (CIP) improvements, additional funding for the Border-to-Border Broadband Grant Program, legislation to amend membership governance for Minnesota’s credit unions, support of the Manufactured Home Park Redevelopment Fund and allowing voters to decide if more funding should go to roads and bridges. Participants also updated legislators on the agricultural cooperative health care coverage legislation signed into law in 2017.
Agency commissioners and legislative leaders met with the large group to address co-op priorities, hear concerns and answer questions. Among those who spoke with participants were Department of Agriculture Commissioner Dave Frederickson, Department of Commerce Commissioner Jessica Looman and Department of Transportation Commissioner Charlie Zelle. Also meeting with the group were House Speaker Kurt Daudt (R – Crown), House Minority Leader Melissa Hortman (DFL – Brooklyn Park), Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka (R – Nisswa) and Senate Minority Leader Tom Bakk (DFL – Cook).
“The goal of this grassroots event is to continue building long-term relationships with legislators and administration officials and to explain the important role cooperatives play in Minnesota’s economy,” says Patrick Murray, Cooperative Network Senior Government and Member Services Director.
Cooperative Network serves approximately 400 Wisconsin and Minnesota member-cooperatives by providing advocacy, education, public awareness, and development services to a wide variety of cooperatives including agricultural marketing and processing, credit unions, dairy, electric, Farm Credit, farm supply, health care, mutual insurance, housing, service, telecommunications, worker-owned cooperatives, and more. For more information about Cooperative Network, visit www.cooperativenetwork.coop.
— Cooperative Network
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