DFL Leader Responds to President Trump’s Mankato Visit

MANKATO, Minn.– The Minnesota Democratic Farmer Labor party is responding to President Trump’s visit to the state today.

One DFL senator has criticism on the president’s policies toward farmers.

Assistant Minnesota Senate Minority Leader and District 19 Senator Nick Frentz says he’s glad to have any president come to the area to talk about key issues, including issues facing corn and soybean farmers.

He says the Trump administration has not been good for Minnesota farmers, citing that corn and soybean prices are lower than they were four years ago.

Frentz points to the Environmental Protection Agency’s policies waiving regulations for oil companies have hurt the demand for alternative fuels like corn-based ethanol. He says more government support for ethanol and less for oil companies would go a long way for farmers in Minnesota.

“A quarter of the nation’s ethanol is produced within a two hour drive of Mankato. And that kind of regulatory misfunction hurts corn prices,” said Frentz. “And that hurts our farmers and that hurts all of Minnesota.”

He believes a Biden presidency would build better trade relationships with other nations. Saying farmers in the area depend on stable relationships with the country’s trading partners. Including with nations like Mexico, Canada, and mainly China, who is a big consumer of American ag products.

Frentz was not in attendance for Trump’s visit. He was at the Veteran’s Memorial Bridge in Mankato. People gathered there in response to the president coming to the area.