Photo by Fritz Busch The media circles Gov. Tim Walz outside the Wick Building after the Wednesday candidates forum for Minnesota governor at Farmfest.

GILFILLAN ESTATE — The largest crowd in years filled the Wick building where the first head-to-head encounter of the Minnesotal gubernatorial campaign occurred Wednesday.

Gov. Tim Walz and Republican challenger Dr. Scott Jensen engaged in lively exchanges at the gubernatorial forum at Farmfest.

The event was civil most of the time, although it got spirited at times as the two men took turns answering questions from a panel of farm leaders. The media and public asked questions of the candidates outside after the forum.

Jensen said he plans to “heal Minnesota” by listening, learning and linking one another.

“I disagree with Gov. Walz that his program of One Minnesota has become far less a reality and more of an antonym (opposite) of what we’ve seen,” Jensen said. “I’m talking about a transferring process in which we feel that Minnesota unleashed can become once again a beacon of economic activity and star of the north for four years after we win in November.”

Walz said he believes in One Minnesota now more than ever.

“My fear was that division was the politics of the day and the other side is not part of this and just doesn’t belong,” said Walz. “That’s not how any of us grew up. We know that the state’s economy is diverse. The agricultural, medical device and manufacturing are among the largest in the country. Rural communties need to thrive so urban economies thrive.”

Walz said Minnesota has the lowest unemployment rate of any state in history, the highest credit rating for state agencies and the fifth-largest job growth and some of the lowest COVID rates in the country.

“I worked with the only divided state legislature in the country and I’m the first governor in Minnesota history who never issued a veto,” Walz said. “Compromise is a virtue, not a bias. It doesn’t mean we all agree. To keep dividing us to say this doesn’t belong weakens us. We can do it.”

Walz said claiming its family farms vs. larger operations is a false argument.

“Minnesota proves there is room for family farms and large farms, and the market will drive us to solutions. There is a place for larger operations that can bring economics of scale. It’s a hungry world,” said Walz. “We’re creating vibrant rural communities and producing enough food to feed the world. That’s the positive side.”

Jensen said he objects to Walz saying it’s a false argument about family farms.

“Over my dead body will Minnesota ever sell farm land to foreign corporations,” said Jensen. “If we have a 1.8% unemployment rate but no GNP (Gross National Product) growth, then the 1.8 doesn’t really matter. If you got a 5% raise but inflation is 9.1% and you’re falling behind, the 1.8% doesn’t really matter.”

Jensen said value-added investment is needed for new crops.

“The agricultural community demonstrated over and over again it is ready, able and willing to bring new technology to the market. That’s how we get our exports up,” Jensen said. We must make farms profitable. Why is there an additional fertilizer tax? Can we get farm equipment when we need it?”

Walz said Minnesota increased agriculture output 15% during his term and new trade deals were made.

“This week, the first containers left the Port of Duluth with kidney beans after the folks in this room went on a trade mission to set this up,” Walz added. “We’re opening up the Port of Duluth with infrastructure investments to open up to British markets after everything that happened post Brexit.”

Brexit describes the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union on Jan. 31, 2020.

Walz said he was chosen to be chairman of the National Biofuels Commission due to Minnesota ethanol and value-added biofuels with world innovators.

“We are competing globally, creating trade deals with the people in this room making it happen,” said Walz. “It’s not a theory about global economics. It’s about the results. Minnesota is exporting as well as any state right now.”

Walz said Minnesota National Guard troops were called up and certified nursing assistant programs were streamlined during the COVID pandemic in response to help needed at nursing homes.

“It’s a model for the rest of the country, held up for the National Governor’s Association. We trained 1,500 CNAs,” Walz said. “We need to pay these people more, but Minnesota has a pipeline to train them. We have a budget to fund (the additional CNAs). It’s simply waiting to be signed.”

Walz said walking away from the fixes for political reasons is hurting nursing homes.

“We need to get back to the Legislature so this can get done and we can move forward,” said Walz.

“Lets be clear: there is nothing we’ve done for the elderly and frail in nursing homes during COVID that would be a model for the U.S.,” said Jensen. “By locking nursing home residents in their facilities by copying California and New York and watching them die and bathe in their own stool and urine is our COVID legacy. We can do so much better with our nursing homes. It’s almost like locking down a business and locking students out. It’s an abomination of government over-reach.”

Jensen said family farm succession needs to be worked out and reducing the estate tax so families can stay on the farm.

Walz said doing his job as governor is about working together, and his administration agreed to the largest tax cut in state history.

(Fritz Busch can be emailed at fbusch@nujournal.com.)