黄瓜视频

Getting your player ready...

By Clay Masters, Minnesota Public Radio News

Gov. Tim Walz is back to carrying out traditions of the governor鈥檚 office after coming up short in the presidential race, presiding over a ritual Thanksgiving-week celebration of Minnesota鈥檚 place as a leader in turkey production.

鈥淭his is a week that we do boast a little bit. We boast about our ag industry,鈥� Walz said behind a podium in the governor鈥檚 reception room at the Capitol. 鈥淲e鈥檙e the nation鈥檚 leading producer.鈥�

The historically light event did have a heavier backdrop. Walz and his agriculture advisers weighed in on possible tariffs coming from the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump, who said this week he鈥檇 impose 25 percent import tariffs on goods from Canada, China and Mexico.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important that we both have domestic and international partnerships,鈥� Walz said. 鈥淲e鈥檒l watch those moves closely.鈥�

Trump has threatened the across-the-board tariff on all goods unless the countries controlled the flow of illegal drugs and illegal migrants across the border.

鈥淥ur main partners are always Mexico and Canada,鈥� Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen said about the state鈥檚 turkey production. 鈥淪eventy four percent of our exports go to Mexico.鈥�

Petersen said the federal United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement is up for review in 2026, so negotiations will begin next year. He stressed the importance of agricultural trade missions he鈥檚 accompanied the governor on.

鈥淭rade is a lot about relationships,鈥� Petersen said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to be active and engaged in those conversations 鈥� but we have to partner with the federal government if they have a trade agreement.鈥�

Following the press conference, Hutchison Minnesota High school senior Paisley VonBerge hoisted her near 42-pound turkey, named Tom, onto a table. The regional FFA chapter president looked prideful as photographers surrounded the bird as the giant bird stood on the table.

Walz said there鈥檚 a difference between the Minnesota-raised turkeys pardoned by President Joe Biden earlier this week and this one.

鈥淭his turkey is not pardoned from its fate,鈥� Walz said.

The turkey will go on to be processed and eaten by the VonBerge family.

鈥淎fter today, this turkey will go back to my farm to be enjoyed the way turkeys were intended to be enjoyed,鈥� VonBerge said.

Walz is back to full concentration on Minnesota issues after months on the road as the vice presidential nominee under Kamala Harris, the current Democratic vice president who ran unsuccessfully against Trump in the November election.

Walz was asked if he regretted taking the plunge on the national stage.

鈥淚 regret few things in life, other than I didn鈥檛 get a dog sooner. That鈥檚 my biggest regret. But no, I鈥檓 proud to have to been part of that. I think we put a message out that, well, 75 million Americans liked but not quite enough,鈥� Walz said, trying to turn to the positives of his three-month campaign.

鈥淚 was just glad to be out there, and to be honest, glad to tell the Minnesota story that we get things done together,鈥� Walz said. 鈥淎nd we鈥檙e pretty hopeful people.鈥�