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Minnesota’s European trade mission addresses tariffs, relationships

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Minnesota’s European trade mission addresses tariffs, relationships


A delegation including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen went on a trade mission to Switzerland and Germany in November, visiting major business centers in Zürich, Düsseldorf and Berlin.

According to USDA data, Germany was Minnesota’s eighth largest export market for goods, valued at $649 million in 2024. Switzerland is Minnesota’s 22nd largest export destination with exports valued at $232 million in 2024.

The Nov. 15-22 trip was meant to spur growth in the state’s exports of goods and services and showcase Minnesota as a top destination for business investment, develop new partnership opportunities and strengthen existing trade and diplomatic ties, according to the governor’s office.

“Amid global disruptions caused by trade wars, Minnesota is doing all we can to strengthen the trade and investment relationships that create and protect jobs at home,” said Walz. “As some of the largest and most innovative economies in the world, Germany and Switzerland both offer excellent opportunities for Minnesota businesses to expand their exports. I look forward to strengthening our relationships in technology, agriculture, and education.”

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This delegation had representatives from Minnesota businesses and organizations within Minnesota’s medical technology, clean technology, food and agriculture and higher education sectors.

Speaking on the Monday after returning to the U.S., Petersen said he brought home new relationships and a sense that existing ones are strengthening.

It was Petersen’s first time in both countries. In recent years, he’s been to the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Japan, Finland and Australia on trade missions. He said the group of about 70 was split into four tracks and went their separate ways to focus on their industries. The ag representatives came mostly from Minnesota’s soybean industry along with its edible bean one.

As for any concrete outcomes for ag and food trade with either country, Petersen said no, but the relationship-building was worth the time spent in Europe.

“So many of the businesses have strong connections in Minnesota, or want to improve their connections in Minnesota,” he said. “I always say these trips, you don’t know if you’re going to close a deal in two days, two weeks, two months or two years — to see something come to fruition.”

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Tariff impact

Green Acres Milling, which is set to open in the summer of 2026, on Monday, Oct. 6, 2025, in Albert Lea, Minnesota. (Noah Fish / Agweek / Forum News Service)

He said it’s the relationships that matter, and seeing firsthand the impacts from U.S. federal policy on trade.

One of those connections was with Buhler Inc., the Switzerland-based technology and manufacturing company that Petersen said “a lot” of ag and food companies in Minnesota use for equipment.

It was a coincidence that when the Minnesota delegation touched down in Switzerland, a huge win in trade policy was just announced, that a U.S. tariff cut to 15% for Switzerland could take effect early December.

On Nov. 14, Switzerland and the U.S. reached a preliminary agreement to cut the tariffs to 15%, more than three months after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 39% rate, the highest on any country in Europe.

“That’s big news, thinking they had the 39% tariff until the week we left,” Petersen said.

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That tariff included all Buhler equipment bound for Albert Lea, Minn., to build the new oat-processing plant, which is now the city’s tallest building.

“So we were glad to see the tariffs dropped, but discussing the importance of Buhler, who has its North American headquarters in Plymouth, Minnesota, and how do we support them,” Petersen said.

Minnesota ties

He said the group also toured businesses with huge Minnesota ties including Cargill’s German headquarters, Syngenta’s headquarters in Switzerland, and home of CLAAS in Berlin.

Petersen said CLAAS combines and silage choppers have been sold across Minnesota at Arnold’s dealerships and more.

“AGCO’s facility in Jackson, Minnesota, as well,” he said. “It’s kind of interesting to show what a small world it is.”

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Minnesota’s ag commissioner said that tariffs may have worked 75 years ago, but in today’s interconnected world, it’s about using the biggest pieces of industry to work together.



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Vikings Have a Dubious Connection to the Dexter Lawrence Trade

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Vikings Have a Dubious Connection to the Dexter Lawrence Trade


Of the many terrible roster decisions Minnesota sports teams have made over the past 30 years, the worst of the bunch may have been trading Randy Moss to the Raiders for the No. 7 pick in the draft and linebacker Napoleon Harris.

Why are we bringing up a trade that happened 21 years ago? Because the New York Giants traded defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence to the Cincinnati Bengals for the No. 10 pick in this week’s NFL Draft. It was the first time a non-quarterback has been traded for a top-10 pick since the infamous Moss trade in 2005.

Minnesota traded Moss for the Raiders’ first-round pick, Harris, and a seventh-round pick on March 2, 2005. The Vikings used the No. 7 pick on wide receiver Troy Williamson, who never panned out in the NFL. He had 24 catches for 372 yards and two touchdowns as a rookie, 37 receptions for 457 yards and zero touchdowns in 2006, and just 18 catches for 240 yards and one touchdown in 2007.

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Williams led the league with 11 dropped passes in 2006. Minnesota traded him to the Jacksonville Jaguars for a sixth-round pick after the 2007 season, where he played in 10 games over two seasons and totaled just eight catches for 64 yards. He was cut before the start of the 2010 season, and that was a wrap on the former South Carolina speedster’s NFL career.

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Sept 11, 2006; Landover, MD, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver (82) Troy Williamson is unable to make the catch against the Washington Redskins in the first quarter at FedEx Field in Landover, MD. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images Copyright © James Lang | James Lang-Imagn Images

Moss didn’t put up jaw-dropping numbers with the Raiders for two seasons, but he set an NFL record with 23 touchdown catches in 2007 with the New England Patriots. He caught 47 touchdowns in 48 regular-season games with the Patriots from 2007 to 2009.

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Whether it was trading Moss to the Raiders, the Timberwolves sending Kevin Garnett to the Boston Celtics — or drafting Ricky Rubio AND Johnny Flynn over Steph Curry — or the Twins cutting David Ortiz and watching him become one of the greatest players in MLB history with the Boston Red Sox, Minnesota sports teams have a long history of making terrible decisions.

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The Bengals, meanwhile, gave up the 10th overall pick for one of the best defensive tackles in the league. They’ll likely get great production from Lawrence, while the Giants are now under pressure to get the 10th pick right. New York also holds the No. 5 pick in Thursday’s first round of the draft.

By the way, the Vikings had two picks in the first round of the 2005 draft. After taking Williamson, they used the No. 18 pick on defensive end Erasmus James. He was just as much of a bust as Williams, playing in 23 games in three years with the Vikings. He had four sacks as a rookie, but injuries wiped out most of his 2006 and 2007 seasons before he was traded to Washington for a conditional seventh-round pick.

James was cut by Washington in December 2009, marking the end of his NFL career.

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Boldy, Eriksson Ek help Wild cruise past Stars in Game 1 of Western 1st Round | NHL.com

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Boldy, Eriksson Ek help Wild cruise past Stars in Game 1 of Western 1st Round | NHL.com


Kirill Kaprizov had a goal and two assists, and Ryan Hartman had a goal and an assist for the Wild, who are the No. 3 seed in the Central Division. Wallstedt made 27 saves in his Stanley Cup Playoff debut, and Zuccarello had three assists.

“I was definitely nervous,” said Wallstedt, a rookie. “I think it shows that it means something to you. I like a little bit of nerves. I think it’s something good. There were definitely some nerves throughout the day and then a little bit extra rolling into the game. But after the national anthem was over and the first couple pucks started coming, you’re good. 

“I wanted to play and I felt like I have been going good. I was a little surprised (to get the start). But I was very excited as soon as I got the news. I just wanted to make sure I was ready today.”

Jason Robertson scored, and Jake Oettinger made 23 saves for the Stars, who are the No. 2 seed in the Central.

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“We didn’t deserve to win,” Dallas forward Mikko Rantanen said. “I think two power-play goals for them, two a little-bit bounces for them where we had guys in the right spot. Just even keel. Playoffs are like this. Sometimes you lose a game, you can feel like you’re done. But that’s the mentality you need to have, you’ve got to reset and learn from mistakes. 

“First 30 minutes, we didn’t win enough battles. They were just that little bit stronger in the battles and that’s why they were able to make us defend more than we want to. Just got to be stronger.”

Game 2 is here on Monday (9:30 p.m. ET; FDSNWI, FDSNNO, Victory+, ESPN, TVAS2, SN360).

“We prepped for a couple days coming into this one. Now, we will gather information from this game and continue to move forward,” Minnesota coach John Hynes said. “For me, it’s game to game and day to day. We want to continue to get better. We won and they [Dallas] lost. It’s not so much being satisfied where you’re at or that’s what it is. We need to continue to find ways to get better.”

Eriksson Ek gave the Wild a 1-0 lead at 5:35 of the first period on the power play. He scored on a one-timer from the left hash marks to finish a tic-tac-toe passing play with Zuccarello and Boldy, who found an open Eriksson Ek with a pass from the goal line.

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“I think every team in the playoffs talks about not getting too high or too low. Just enjoy every day and each game and then we will go from there,” Eriksson Ek said. “I think we played pretty good today. The next game is a new game, so we just have to do it over and over every game. We know they are probably not the happiest with that game, so I am sure it’s going to be hard next game.”



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ICE agent assault charge marks a ‘milestone’ for Minnesota prosecutors

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ICE agent assault charge marks a ‘milestone’ for Minnesota prosecutors



Minnesota prosecutors charged a federal immigration agent with assault accusing him of involvement in a February road-rage incident.

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Minnesota prosecutors charged a federal immigration agent with assault, saying the agent was involved in a February road-rage incident during the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr., 35, faces two counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon, according to April 16 Hennepin County court records. He has a nationwide warrant for his arrest.

On Feb. 5, prosecutors said Morgan allegedly drove illegally on the shoulder of a congested Minnesota highway in an unmarked SUV and pointed his weapon at two people in another car.

Morgan is the first agent charged in Operation Metro Surge, the controversial Minneapolis-area federal immigration operation that resulted in two American citizens fatally shot by federal officials, according to the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office.

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The charges “reflect an important milestone in our efforts to seek accountability for the harms inflicted on our community during Operation Metro Surge,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in an April 16 video statement.

Second-degree assault with a gun has a presumptive sentence of 36 months in prison if convicted, she said.

“Mr. Morgan’s conduct was extremely dangerous,” she said, adding his actions could have led to “another disastrous incident” in the community.

Neither ICE nor the Department of Homeland Security immediately responded to email requests for comment. A cell phone listed for Morgan, identified as a Maryland resident, didn’t immediately respond to a call or text message.

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The incident came less than two weeks after two Customs and Border Protection officers shot and killed Alex Pretti, 37, during a protest in Minneapolis. Pretti would be the second American killed during Metro Surge after an ICE agent in early January fatally shot Renee Good, 37, while she drove her SUV in Minneapolis near an immigration operation.

Later in February, the Trump administration drew down Metro Surge, which officials called the largest immigration operation in modern American history.

Investigators said they interviewed Morgan, who identified himself as the driver. Morgan told investigators he and the other ICE employee were returning from a surveillance shift. Morgan said he feared for his life and others’ safety, so he pulled up alongside the vehicle and drew his Glock 19 firearm. He said he identified himself as police. 

State investigators said neither Morgan nor the other ICE agent reported the incident to an ICE supervisor.

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The April 16 warrant, signed by District Court Judge Paul Scoggin, said there was a “substantial likelihood” Morgan would fail to respond to a summons, and officials couldn’t locate him.

On April 18, Daniel Borgertpoepping, a spokesperson for the county attorney’s office, said there is no knowledge of Morgan being arrested yet.

Eduardo Cuevas is based in New York City. Reach him by email at emcuevas1@usatoday.com or on Signal at emcuevas.01.



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