Badger, Minnesota-farmer John Burkel will be in the Minnesota House of Representatives for the next two years, representing District 1A. Burkel previously served on the board for the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association and National Turkey Federation. “That’s where I got my appetite for politics.” Burkel is gearing up for committee selections; the House Agriculture and Food Finance and Policy Division is his top choice. The upcoming session will focus on the state budget. “We have a huge deficit and we need to figure out how we get the budget to come together. It will be a struggle to do it without raising taxes.” Burkel would like to keep small businesses floating during the pandemic. Having a farm and being part of a farmer-owned turkey processing plant, Burkel is familiar with the impacts the pandemic has in agriculture and rural areas. The Minnesota Legislative session begins on January 5, 2021. Hear the interview.