Dear Friend,

Whether you’re preparing for a big celebration during the Christmas holidays or just a weekend spent by the fire, I hope your time is full of family, friends, peace and joy.

Last week, Congress was back in Washington to vote on legislation to increase our nation’s borrowing limit (better known as the “Debt Ceiling”) by $2.5 trillion. As I have since coming to Congress, I opposed this increase because it failed to include any attempt to curtail future spending or reduce our debt. At nearly $30 trillion in debt, government has no choice but to get it’s spending in order. Ongoing efforts to pass these mammoth legislative packages that add to the debt will only continue to drive the inflation impacting every single American and bankrupt our children’s future.

As we look to the New Year, we must redouble our efforts to rethink the size, scope, and role of the federal government in our lives. We need to place a renewed emphasis on ensuring every American has the freedom and opportunity they need to make the best decisions for their families, while working to rid Washington of its “government knows best” mindset. Simply put, there’s a lot to be done in 2022.

Read on to learn more about our work as we close out 2021…

A Christmas Message

Christmas is a wonderful time for family and friends, but it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. Where there’s chaos, there’s opportunity for those seeking to exploit folks who aren’t paying attention. Here are a few things to keep in mind during this holiday season:

Watch out for scams:

Christmas scams are once again a very real part of the holiday season. Here are a few to be on the lookout for:

• Social media scams – Social media is rife with scams throughout the year, but they are even more prevalent during the holidays. Read more about how to avoid social media scams, here.
• Student loan scams – Although student loan payments have been paused during the pandemic, repayments could begin as early as February of 2022. Scammers posing as loan collection agents may try and contact you via text, e-mail, or even through a phone call to scare or confuse you into making a fraudulent payment or share your personal information. Learn more about how to protect yourself from student loan scams, here.
• Holiday employment scams – seasonal employment opportunities may seem like a good way to make some extra cash during the holidays, but be sure to verify the credibility of the job posting before submitting any personal information. Scammers have been known to use fake job opportunities to lure people into sending personal information from applicants. Read more about what to look for to avoid fraudulent employment scams, here.

Keep an eye on the tree

Christmas trees are the centerpiece of any holiday occasion. Regardless of whether you have a real or fake tree, Christmas tree-related fires cause tens of millions of dollars in property damage each year. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• Keep those trees away from heat sources like fireplaces, woodstoves, and radiators,
• Be sure to check your electrical outlets before plugging in the lights, and
• Always check to make sure your smoke detectors are working as you rig the house with lights for the holiday season.

Look for ways to help

This year has been difficult for many of us. Not only are families paying more than $3,500 more for essentials like food and heating, but lower-income households are being hit even harder. While I’ve been fighting for legislative solutions to rising prices, I’m proud to see so many Minnesotans stepping up to support neighbors in need.

• Agape Warriors Ministries will be serving a free Christmas dinner to 11:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. at the east side VFW Post 4847. Volunteers will also be serving meals to Place of Hope, Anna Marie's Alliance, and Quiet Oaks Hospice House. Read more here.
• Place of Hope, which provides shelter to those experiencing homelessness, has increased their capacity by between 40-60% this year with the addition of a new lease in St. Cloud. They are currently fundraising to make the property a permanent shelter. Read more about their work and how to help here.

As always, be careful on the roads, be sure to un-thaw and fully cook those turkeys, and remember: Die Hard is in fact a Christmas movie…

Welcoming New Leadership for the Minnesota Farm Bureau

For years, I’ve worked with Dan Glessing and his wife, Seena through their family farm in Wright County. I know Dan as a great advocate for our farming community, and I was excited when he was named successor to Kevin Paap as the President of the Minnesota Farm Bureau in November.

Congressman Emmer congratulates new Minnesota Farm Bureau President Dan Glessing on the House floor

Last week, I had the opportunity to sit down with Dan in Washington. Although this was far from our first meeting, I was extremely impressed with his vision for the Bureau and Minnesota’s ag community. I could not be prouder to have such a great champion for ag here in the Sixth District.

Congressman Emmer meets with MFBF President Glessing

I’m confident that Dan will be a great leader for Minnesota’s farmers, and I look forward to building on our years of work together.

Resources for Farmers and Producers

Empowering Women in Agriculture

Farming is a uniquely high-risk venture, and I am committed to providing farmers with the tools they need to manage that risk. That is why I am excited to share Stearns County’s upcoming courses for women in agriculture.

For six weeks throughout January and February, the University of Minnesota Extension and Annie’s Project will be offering classes for farm women to learn and discuss risk management and decision-making topics specific to farming business. To learn more about this opportunity, read more here.

Expanding Dairy Margin Coverage

Recently, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the opening of 2022 program for Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) and new enhancements to improve feed cost calculations.

In 2018, Congress adopted a Farm Bill that included improvements to our dairy risk management tools, like the DMC program. To support dairy farmers recovering from the pandemic and other challenges, the USDA expanded the program this year to allow producers to enroll for additional assistance for calendar years 2021, 2022, and 2023 – with retroactive supplemental payments available for 2021. I was please to support these efforts in Congress, and anyone who is interested in learning more can contact their local USDA Service Center for more information, here.

We must ensure our dairy farmers have the appropriate support tools and protections available to them. Last Congress, I introduced legislation in the to provide flexibility to growing dairy farmers by allowing farmers to make one-time updates to their production history. This legislation would allow for a more accurate representation of a producer’s operation and better serve our farmers. With one of the largest dairy producing counties in Minnesota located in the Sixth Congressional District (Stearns County), I will continue to do everything I can to make sure these hardworking Minnesotans have the tools and support they need.

Until next week, if you are in need of assistance or would like to share your thoughts with me, please write me an e-mail here.

To keep up with what we’re doing in Washington, follow me on Twitter and Facebook for more updates!

Sincerely,