MORGAN, Minn. — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, announced this week as Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate for the 2024 presidential election, wasn’t at Farmfest this year. But he had a former U.S. senator and his lieutenant governor stumping for him and defending his record in farm country.

In southwest Minnesota, which is far from blue territory in the state, Walz got support from former U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, a Democrat from North Dakota, who was at Farmfest on Wednesday, Aug. 7, on behalf of the Harris-Walz ticket.

Former U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota stands with Minnesota Sen. Aric Putnam at Farmfest on Aug. 7, 2024, in Morgan, Minn. (Noah Fish / Agweek)

Heitkamp said she met Walz during her first couple of weeks in Congress.

“I got to meet him traveling back and forth on the plane from D.C. to the Twin Cities, and I tell people my first impression was that I’ve known him all my life,” Heitkamp said. “He’s like everybody else that I grew up with. Every social studies teacher, every person who makes communities work.”

Walz, a U.S. House member for 12 years before becoming Minnesota’s governor, has a history of supporting farmers, Heitkamp said. She called him “instrumental” in passing “one of the most successful farm bills.”

During his last term in Congress, Walz sponsored legislation to expand veterans’ access to farm programs.

“We’ve been building on that ever since,” Heitkamp said of the current farm bill which includes extended provisions from Walz’s veterans bill.

Heitkamp said she believes that Walz, who grew up on his family’s farm in Nebraska, will give rural America “a seat at the table” if elected as vice president.

“Where we are headed in agriculture going into the future, we can’t just rest on our laurels and assume that we can keep doing the same thing that we’ve always done. I think we need dynamic leadership that understands that you just don’t throw money at a problem,” Heitkamp said.

Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan filled in for Walz during his slotted speech time at Farmfest on Wednesday as he attended a campaign rally in Eau Claire, Wis.

“I think during our last five years, we’ve been incredible partners with agriculture,” Flanagan said.

She pointed to hiring farmer and former Minnesota Farmers Union lobbyist Thom Petersen as Minnesota’s ag commissioner as “one of the most powerful things” done by Walz’s administration.

“The investments that we have made in ensuring that we have low-interest loans for farmers, our work around emerging farmers has been important, and the investments in AGRI (value-added grants) and dairy,” she said of some of the accomplishments led by Walz.

She said the Walz administration has been able to respond and partner with farmers as the state has navigated through multiple droughts and now flooding.

“The best thing, I think, that we can point to is how we listen to the agriculture community, and then we see that translated into policy. That’s how we’ve been leading,” Flanagan said. “I think people can expect that from him in the future.”

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