Category Archives: economic development

Legislative investments will benefit MN Ag Community: including weather network

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Morning Ag Clips reports…

Minnesota agriculture is set up for success after a unique legislative session that saw an evenly divided House of Representatives and. split Senate. On May 23, Governor Walz signed the Agriculture and Broadband Development Policy and Finance Bill and the Legacy Finance Bill into law. The Ag Bill funds the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), Minnesota Board of Animal Health and the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute, while the Legacy Bill makes major investments in our soil and water resources.

Likely because of the expected federal broadband funding (BEAD), there isn’t a lot of mention of broadband (outside of the committee name) but there is a mention of expanded access to weather information and to optimize use of that information, farmers will want precision ag equipment, software and the broadband to access it in the fields…

The Minnesota Ag Weather Network will continue its expansion with more funding. Soybean growers across the state will have access to real-time weather information as we build the network across central and southern Minnesota.

Time to remember timber, taconite, tourism and technology on the Iron Range?

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Last week, MinnPost painted a challenging picture of the Iron Range (Iron Range on the ropes: Mining and school layoffs test the region’s resiliency — again). I won’t recap the whole article, but it outlines the latest (and history) of mine closures, the gaps between mining work wages and others in the area and some unfortunate, other unusual turns in the community. I did see some glimmers of sunlight in the final portion of the article, where technology was mentioned…

Farnsworth is looking to lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic as the next step for the Iron Range. Remote work caught on and stuck for many private industry employers — though some companies and the state have started requiring a return to in-office work — and rural areas benefited the most.

The CRPD’s annual State of Rural report in 2025 showed in-migration rates from Minnesota favored rural counties, which experienced modestly higher population rates in 2023 compared to 2020. It’s been a trend since the 2010s, mainly coming from urban counties and people seeking more affordable housing in the so-called lakes region.

That’s an attraction point for parts of the Iron Range region, Farnsworth said, and an opportunity. He envisioned building hundreds of affordable homes under $300,000 from Grand Rapids to Aurora, equipped with high speed internet, and letting the natural draws of lake life, less traffic and rural charms to lure metro-based remote workers.

In theory, it’s a simplistic equation for the region: More people to fill job vacancies, more families to boost school enrollment and — ideally  — less impact to the broader communities when the next downturn comes.

“We’ve been through worse and we’ll get through this,” he said. “The Iron Range has a lot of years of potential left.”

Thousands Gather in Bemidji for GigaZone Gaming Championship & TechXpo

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Fun news from Paul Bunyan Communications…

Thousands made their way to the Sanford Center on Saturday, April 12 for the highly anticipated GigaZone Gaming Championship & TechXpo, hosted by Paul Bunyan Communications. The free, all-day event featured competitive gaming tournaments, hands-on tech exhibits, prize giveaways, and a keynote from special guest Duncan Wardle, former Head of Innovation and Creativity at Disney.
Designed to spotlight both the region’s tech talent and Paul Bunyan Communications’ cutting-edge all-fiber optic broadband network, the event has grown into one of the largest rural gaming events in the country.
“Every year this event gets bigger and better,” said Chad Bullock, CEO of Paul Bunyan Communications. “What started as a community celebration of gaming has turned into a regional phenomenon. It’s amazing to see the passion for gaming, technology and creativity right here in northern Minnesota.”
At the heart of the day’s excitement was the main stage Rocket League tournaments. Team 50 Nations—comprised of Tyler Bos (Austin), David Bos and Trevor Bos (Brainerd)—took home the championship title and a $900 team prize. Slithering Hampsters, with players Jace Nyberg and Bryce Giving (Marble), and Jayden St. Cair (Bovey), claimed second place and a $600 prize. A total of 32 of the region’s best Rocket League teams battled it out under the lights of the GigaZone Championship Arena.
The inaugural GigaZone Gaming High School Invitational was also a major highlight, with Park Center earning the top spot, followed by Edina in second, Mandan (ND) in third, and Norman County East in fourth.
The event also featured tournaments in Fortnite, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Madden 25, Valorant, and Super Smash Bros., along with high score competitions like Bemidji Drift and on retro classics like Ms. Pac-Man, Galaga, and Donkey Kong. Younger gamers had their moment to shine in juniors’ tournaments, and Magic: The Gathering gamers were on hand too.
“This event is a demonstration of what our network makes possible,” said Leo Anderson, Paul Bunyan Communications Chief Technology Officer. “The GigaZone delivers the fast speeds and low latency needed for peak online gaming performance.”
Tech enthusiasts also explored more than 20 interactive booths at the TechXpo, where regional and national exhibitors showcased everything from virtual reality and robotics to AI and transportation. Attendees had the chance to test out new gadgets, engage in demos, and talk one-on-one with tech professionals and innovators.
A special announcement from Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College also drew attention, as they revealed the upcoming launch of a joint Esports program set to begin in Fall 2026 – a partnership with Paul Bunyan Communications.
“This is one of the most unique and energizing events I’ve been a part of,” said Brian Bissonette, Marketing Supervisor for Paul Bunyan Communications. “It brings together families, students, gamers, tech professionals, and curious minds of all ages. A huge thank you to our team—this event wouldn’t be possible without them. And yes, we’re already planning for next year!”

New bill introduced in MN House: Hf2139 workforce development; appropriating money for Gateways2Growth Initiative, including information technology

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Minnesota House reports a new bill…

Wolgamott and Hussein introduced:

H. F. 2139, A bill for an act relating to workforce development; appropriating money for the Gateways2Growth Initiative to expand training in information technology, transportation, and health care across the state; requiring a report.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Workforce, Labor, and Economic Development Finance and Policy.

The bill as introduced…

A bill for an act
relating to workforce development; appropriating money for the Gateways2Growth
Initiative to expand training in information technology, transportation, and health
care across the state; requiring a report.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. APPROPRIATIONS.

Subdivision 1. 

Appropriation. 

$2,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $2,000,000 in fiscal
year 2027 are appropriated from the general fund to the commissioner of employment and
economic development for a grant to the Center for African Immigrants and Refugees
Organization (CAIRO) to implement the Gateways2Growth Initiative.

Subd. 2. 

Gateways2Growth. 

CAIRO may use grant proceeds for the Gateways2Growth
Initiative including:

(1) IT workforce training, including (i) expanding access to full-stack development,
cybersecurity, and business analysis training programs and (ii) partnering with statewide
employers to facilitate hiring and paid internships for IT trainees;

(2) commercial driver’s license (CDL) training, including (i) expanding training
opportunities for new CDL drivers to address Minnesota’s critical shortage in transportation
and logistics and (ii) partnering with trucking companies to provide job placements and
apprenticeship programs; and

(3) health care workforce development, including (i) training certified nursing assistants,
phlebotomists, pharmacy technicians, and other essential health care professionals to meet
Minnesota’s growing demand in long-term care facilities and hospitals and (ii) collaborating
with statewide health care providers to support job placement, credentialing, and licensure.

Subd. 3. 

Allocation. 

(a) CAIRO shall distribute grant proceeds equally between workforce
programs inside and outside the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area.

(b) Priority must be given to (1) individuals from historically underserved communities,
including immigrants, refugees, and rural populations; (2) workers seeking reskilling or
career transitions due to economic displacement; and (3) underemployed individuals looking
to enter high-demand fields with strong career growth potential.

Subd. 4. 

Oversight and reporting requirements. 

(a) At the conclusion of each fiscal
year, CAIRO, in collaboration with the commissioner of employment and economic
development, shall submit a report to the legislature detailing:

(1) the number of participants enrolled in each of the following training sectors: IT,
CDL, and health care;

(2) the employment outcomes and wage growth of program graduates;

(3) the regional distribution of participants, ensuring equitable access inside and outside
the seven-county Twin Cities metropolitan area; and

(4) recommendations for program expansion and sustainability.

(b) The commissioner of employment and economic development shall ensure
transparency and accountability in the disbursement of money appropriated under this
section and program execution.

(c) The report required under paragraph (a) must measure the success of the
Gateways2Growth Initiative by detailing the:

(1) total number of program graduates placed into full-time employment;

(2) average wage growth of participants post-training;

(3) retention rates in IT, CDL, and health care professions; and

(4) reduction in workforce shortages for targeted industries.

 

Three things a recent study found about remote work

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Harvard Business School reports…

Harvard Business School research continues to reveal the contours of a workforce changed by COVID-19. And yet, despite the technological advancements of the past five years, a digital divide persists. …

  1. Many workers are lagging in digital literacy
    In a study of 40 million Microsoft Windows devices across US households in more than 28,000 ZIP codes, a vast “digital divide” emerged, with people in rural areas significantly lagging behind cities in their use of computers, according to Raffaella Sadun and Shane Greenstein.
  2. Migrant-local collaborations benefit communities
    Prithwiraj Choudhury and a collaborator held a two-day entrepreneurial boot camp as a field experiment. Among the 278 participants, the researchers paired some local residents with fellow locals, then paired other locals with migrants who came from all over the United States and as far away as Africa, the Middle East, and Japan.
  3. Many people would give up pay for remote work
    Zoë Cullen and Christopher Stanton asked more than 2,000 workers if they would be willing to give up part of their salaries to keep their flexibility rather than return to the office five days a week or find a new job.

A revived bill in Congress would ask the FCC to satellite rules and precision ag needs

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Broadband Breakfast reports…

A bill revived Wednesday would require the Federal Communications Commission to assess its existing satellite rules to enhance farmers ability to utilize precision agriculture technologies.

The Precision Agriculture Satellite Connectivity Act, sponsored by Reps. Bob Latta, R-Ohio, and Robin Kelly, D-Illinois, would direct the FCC, working with the Task Force for Reviewing the Connectivity and Technology Needs of Precision Agriculture, to review regulations governing fixed satellite service, mobile satellite service, and earth exploration satellite service.

The FCC would be required to submit a report to Congress within 15 months outlining its findings and any recommended rule modifications to improve agricultural connectivity.

MN House Committee discusses HF28: Data center energy generation redundancy

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Today the MN House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee heard HF 28 on Data center energy generation redundancy.

A little background: The bill relates to data center energy generation redundancy. The goal is to get very large data centers to come to Minnesota. (I have also been following HF1227, relating to tax exemptions for very large data centers.) The means introduced here seems to be streamlining permitting of energy generation redundancy.

The original goal was to Re-refer to Ways and Means. Ther was a vote, that didn’t pass to lay down the bill until they get more answer on water use and reuse. But in the end the vote was to refer to general register.

Event: House Environment and Natural Resources Finance and Policy Committee

Agenda:

HF28 (Mekeland) Data center energy generation redundancy.

Rep Mekeland

  • Amendment A4 – global agreement on language once city completes AURA [environment review] review, then approvals can move ahead. You don’t need to re-review those projects in the future.
  • It is passed.

Q: So once local unit approves, the project construction can start?
Yes for projects that are covered to AUAR projects (so building permits).

Q: Why is that different?
It separates the difference between industrial review and AUAR review.

Re Mekeland

  • Looking for back up power generation

Testifiers Continue reading →

Meta pays $70 million for land in Rosemount for new data center

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The Pioneer Press reports…

A subsidiary of Facebook parent company Meta Platforms Inc. has closed on over 200 acres of land near the company’s $800 million data center in Rosemount.

Jimnist LLC, a company that was previously linked to Meta while the data center was still operating under the code name Project Bigfoot, purchased eight different parcels along County Road 42 for $70 million last week, according to records filed with the Minnesota Department of Revenue.

So, what will the land be used for? The explanation given on the sale records states just two words: data center.

“We occasionally purchase available land in the event that our future business needs may require it,” said Stacey Yip, a spokesperson for Meta, in an email on Wednesday. “We currently have no plans to build on this land.”

Rosemount Community Development Director Adam Kienberger confirmed via email that as of Wednesday, the city had not received any development applications for the recently acquired land.

The purchase, which was split into two sales and includes parcels north of County Road 42 and west of Blaine Avenue, closed Feb. 12.

The sellers, listed as RGA Holdings LLC and RADS Land Co. LLC, both have ties to Ames Construction in Burnsville. Ames did not respond to a Pioneer Press request for comment.

There is a bill in the MN legislature (being discussed at 12:30 today) to put limits on new data centers.

Bill introduced to MN House: HF653 transferring money into the agriculture research, education, extension, and technology transfer

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MN House of Representatives hears a new bill…

Nelson; Anderson, P. H., and Frederick introduced:

H. F. 653, A bill for an act relating to agriculture; transferring money into the agriculture research, education, extension, and technology transfer (AGREETT) account; appropriating money for the agriculture research, education, extension, and technology transfer grant program and farm business management challenge grants; requiring reports.

The bill was read for the first time and referred to the Committee on Agriculture Finance and Policy.

While not necessarily directly to broadband, it does sound like a potential for increased use of rural broadband…

A bill for an act
relating to agriculture; transferring money into the agriculture research, education,
extension, and technology transfer (AGREETT) account; appropriating money for
the agriculture research, education, extension, and technology transfer grant
program and farm business management challenge grants; requiring reports.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1. TRANSFER; AGRICULTURE RESEARCH, EDUCATION, EXTENSION,
AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER GRANT PROGRAM.

$11,102,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $11,102,000 in fiscal year 2027 are transferred from
the general fund to the agriculture research, education, extension, and technology transfer
(AGREETT) account in the agricultural fund under Minnesota Statutes, section 41A.14,
subdivision 3. The base for this transfer is $11,102,000 in fiscal year 2028 and each year
thereafter.

Sec. 2. APPROPRIATION; AGRICULTURE RESEARCH, EDUCATION,
EXTENSION, AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER GRANT PROGRAM.

(a) $11,102,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $11,102,000 in fiscal year 2027 are appropriated
from the agriculture research, education, extension, and technology transfer (AGREETT)
account in the agricultural fund under Minnesota Statutes, section 41A.14, subdivision 3,
to the commissioner of agriculture for the AGREETT grant program under Minnesota
Statutes, section 41A.14. To the extent practicable, money expended under Minnesota
Statutes, section 41A.14, subdivision 1, clauses (1) and (2), must supplement and not supplant
existing sources and levels of funding. The commissioner of agriculture may use up to one
percent of this appropriation for costs incurred to administer the program. Of the amount
appropriated for the AGREETT grant program under Minnesota Statutes, section 41A.14:

(1) $600,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $600,000 in fiscal year 2027 are for the Minnesota
Agricultural Experiment Station’s agriculture rapid response fund under Minnesota Statutes,
section 41A.14, subdivision 1, clause (2);

(2) up to $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 and up to $1,000,000 in fiscal year 2027 are for
research on avian influenza, salmonella, and other turkey-related diseases and disease
prevention measures;

(3) $3,000,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $3,000,000 in fiscal year 2027 are for grants to
the Minnesota Agriculture Education Leadership Council (MAELC) to enhance agricultural
education with priority given to farm business management challenge grants. In awarding
grants, the MAELC shall prioritize funding for faculty with expertise in farm transition
planning, rural mental health, and growing specialty crops in urban areas;

(4) $350,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $350,000 in fiscal year 2027 are for potato breeding;

(5) $802,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $802,000 in fiscal year 2027 are to fund the Forever
Green Initiative and protect the state’s natural resources while increasing the efficiency,
profitability, and productivity of Minnesota farmers by incorporating perennial and
winter-annual crops into existing agricultural practices. The base for the allocation under
this clause is $802,000 in fiscal year 2028 and each year thereafter. By February 1 each
year, the dean of the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences at the
University of Minnesota must submit a report to the chairs and ranking minority members
of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over agriculture finance and policy and higher
education detailing uses of the funds in this clause, including administrative costs, and the
achievements these funds contributed to;

(6) $200,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $200,000 in fiscal year 2027 are for research on
natural stands of wild rice; and

(7) $250,000 in fiscal year 2026 and $250,000 in fiscal year 2027 are for the cultivated
wild rice forward selection project at the North Central Research and Outreach Center,
including a tenure track or research associate plant scientist.

(b) The base for this appropriation is $11,102,000 in fiscal year 2028 and each year
thereafter.

Imagine an aerospace research center in Rosemount. North Wind and U of M are planning on it.

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Finance & Commerce reports…

St. Paul-based North Wind is teaming with the University of Minnesota on a plan to build an aerospace research center in Rosemount, a project that supporters say will bring one of the top facilities of its kind to an existing polluted site in the UMore Park area.

North Wind, which has an existing facility in Plymouth, would do aerospace research, development and testing at the new complex in partnership with the University of Minnesota’s College of Science and Engineering, David Meier, North Wind’s president and CEO, told Rosemount’s Planning Commission on Tuesday night.

“We want this to be kind of the latest and greatest, the premier aerospace testing complex site,” Meier said. “We see this creating jobs, creating other businesses around us. It’s going to be a pipeline for the educational-industrial skill base.”

The Planning Commission recommended approval of a rezoning request and a preliminary and final plat for the project, which will go before the City Council in February. The city expects to see a submittal for site plan review sometime this spring, said Anthony Nemcek, Rosemount senior planner.

A preliminary site plan reveals multiple buildings with a combined 245,000-plus square feet of space, including an 80,500-square-foot Aero-Thermal Tunnel, a 60,000-square-foot U of M engineering facility, and a 46,500-square-foot Aerodynamic Tunnel Building. Also included are maintenance and storage facilities, a heating and cooling plant and more.

Meier said the U of M’s College of Science and Engineering will be responsible for the “modeling and simulation piece” at the complex, while North Wind will design, build and operate the test facilities.

More on mega data centers in Minnesota: Looking at power, water, noise pollution

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Last week I wrote about the reaction some Dakota County residents had to a proposed data center. So I was easily pulled in when I saw a recent another article on the data centers (Mega data centers are coming to Minnesota. Their power needs are staggering). There are a lot of moving pieces on something that seems wonky but also likely to have a big impact on Minnesota…

Facebook’s parent company is building Minnesota’s first mega data center in Rosemount to house its fast-growing need for computing muscle.

Amazon and Microsoft bought land for large data centers near Xcel Energy’s soon-retiring coal plant in Becker. A Colorado company called Tract has advanced a project in Farmington and is eyeing colossal sites in Rosemount and Cannon Falls. Other companies want to build data centers in Chaska, Faribault, North Mankato and Hampton.

If built, this crop of data centers could demand as much electricity as every home in Minnesota.

State and local officials as well as electric utilities are grappling with how to manage this explosive growth while keeping the lights on and complying with laws for a transition to clean power.

Lagging power supply on the 15-state regional grid has spurred warnings of blackouts starting this summer. The data centers are already raising concerns about whether they will prolong the burning of fossil fuels for electricity even as Minnesota requires a carbon-free grid by 2040.

You need only think of how many pictures or videos you have on your own phone compared to 5 years ago, or 10 or 20, to get an idea of the increased need for data. It’s a growing industry. There are tax incentives for companies to come to Minnesota…

Helping to draw these data centers are state tax breaks on energy sales, equipment and software enacted in 2011. It started as a relatively small program worth about $7.3 million a decade ago. It has since grown to often more than $100 million annually — before the arrival of colossal data centers.

About three dozen states have tax breaks for equipment and are “table stakes” to attract big data centers, said Tract’s chief investment officer Graham Williams.

Minnesota has been working on developing clean energy…

Xcel is building one of the nation’s largest solar farms in Sherburne County, a project seen as a landmark for carbon-free progress in Minnesota. That can generate only enough electricity for 150,000 homes.

Even before the data center boom, utilities were preparing for higher demand as people switch to electric vehicles and home heating systems.

Minnesota in 2024 made it faster to permit and build clean energy. Still, it can take several years to build wind and solar projects and as much as a decade for large transmission lines to carry electricity.

The question is – how will Minnesota’s power grid handle the extreme growth…

If built, this crop of data centers could demand as much electricity as every home in Minnesota.

There are many points of view…

Still, some believe data centers — and the deep pockets of their owners — will ultimately help the switch to carbon-free power.

Google told the PUC in October it’s buying the power from a geothermal plant in Nevada, and the tech industry has purchased a tremendous amount of renewable electricity across the country.

Beyond wind and solar, some data center companies are paying to revive nuclear plants such as Three Mile Island in Pennsylvania or investing in emerging technology for smaller reactors.

And what is the impact on water…

The spread of data centers brings other challenges. Some use huge quantities of water. People don’t want to live near them. They can be noisy.

In Farmington, residents sued the city in an effort to stop Tract’s sprawling data center campus. In Hampton, home to 700 people, dozens packed the small city council chambers Tuesday night, poring over maps and pressing for more information about the 140-acre project.

And there are folks looking at economic development…

And even with the risks of data centers, many welcome the jobs and revenue they bring.

Farmington residents have concerns about proposed data center (Dakota County)

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Pioneer Press reports on a data enter in Dakota County…

A group of Farmington residents is suing the city in an attempt to stop a cluster of data centers from being constructed near their neighborhoods.

An injunction filed Nov. 29 has paused negotiations between the city of Farmington and data center developer Tract, but residents hope to put a permanent stop to the data center park.

The Farmington City Council recently approved a final plat and planned-unit development for Tract to build up to 12 data center buildings spanning more than 2.5 million square feet across 340 acres. At full buildout, Tract expects the project to approach $5 billion.

It’s interesting to see the community’s reaction to the proposed data center…

The lawsuit alleges that if the project moves forward, it will negatively impact the physical and mental wellbeing of nearby residents, worsen air quality and noise pollution and result in “unprecedented water usage and electricity,” according to court documents.

Represented by Chris Renz of Minneapolis law firm Chestnut Cambronne, the plaintiffs in the suit include a handful of Farmington residents and the Coalition for Responsible Data Center Development, a group of more than 350 nearby residents who are “concerned about the proposed technology park,” according to the group’s Facebook page.

One of the main points in the lawsuit alleges that Farmington officials were prohibited from rezoning the parcels without consent from Castle Rock Township due to the Orderly Annexation Agreement.

DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek on various optics including broadband

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Capital Analytics Analysts report…

In an interview with Invest:, Matt Varilek, commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development, praised the state’s strong economic performance, highlighted its $200 million investment in workforce programs, and efforts to address critical challenges, including childcare access and broadband connectivity.

Here’s What he said about broadband…

What are the primary challenges facing the labor market and economic landscape in Minnesota, and how is the department addressing them?

The economy intersects with various issues like childcare, broadband, and housing, which all impact the labor market. While DEED has resources to address some of these challenges directly, we often collaborate with other state agencies and partners.

For instance, broadband access is critical. Businesses rely on it for operations, and workers need it for training or remote work. Our Office of Broadband Development has bipartisan support, and we recently announced $52 million in grants to connect 8,000 more homes and businesses.

U of M talks about tech industry in Minnesota

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The University of Minnesota did a Q & A with Colin Miller, faculty director for Information Technology Infrastructure programs in the College of Continuing and Professional Studies on the state of the tech industry in Minnesota. Here are just three questions…

Information technology is a rapidly changing field that impacts every industry in Minnesota. Colin Miller, faculty director for information technology infrastructure programs in the College of Continuing and Professional Studies, answers questions about the changes and trends Minnesotans can expect to see in the tech industry. 
Q: What is the state of the tech industry in Minnesota? 
Miller: The IT field in Minnesota is thriving, with strong demand across various sectors, including healthcare, finance, manufacturing and retail. Home to at least 16 Fortune 500 companies, Minnesota offers numerous opportunities for IT professionals across a range of roles, from software development to cybersecurity and data science. The competitive pay scale and opportunities for specialization make it an attractive field. Additionally, the rise of remote work has broadened access to tech jobs statewide. However, there is a need for greater diversity within the industry to foster innovation and address complex tech challenges with a wider range of perspectives.
Q: What tech skills are the most valuable today?
Miller: As technology evolves rapidly, there’s a growing demand for expertise in cloud computing, data analytics, cybersecurity and AI. Additionally, professionals need to understand how to manage and integrate these technologies into existing systems. Beyond technical skills, there is a need for knowledge in areas like data privacy, ethical AI and digital transformation strategies. In addition, soft skills have become indispensable in IT— the era of working in isolation and simply handing off code is long gone. Skills like communication, teamwork, problem-solving and adaptability are now critical to success. Addressing these gaps requires a commitment to lifelong learning, interdisciplinary knowledge and adaptability to keep pace with the constantly shifting technological landscape.
Q: How can rural communities remain competitive in the tech industry?
Miller: Investing in robust digital infrastructure, such as high-speed internet, is critical for rural communities — from supporting remote work and digital education to telehealth services. For example, initiatives like Minnesota’s Border-to-Border Broadband Development Grant Program are actively working to close the digital divide by expanding internet access in underserved rural areas. Additionally, rural communities can foster local talent by partnering with educational institutions and tech companies to provide training in emerging technologies like AI, cybersecurity and cloud computing. Encouraging a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship can attract tech firms and remote workers, enhancing the community’s economic resilience and global competitiveness.

$5 billion data center park in Farmington moves forward – not all residents are happy (Dakota County)

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I wrote about the possibility in October but St Paul Pioneer Press reports on the update…

Farmington is on its way to being the home of a sprawling $5 billion data center park following a recent vote by the Farmington City Council that came as a disappointment to some residents.

The Farmington City Council recently approved a final plat and final planned unit development for Tract, a data center development company, to build up to 12 data centers across some 340 acres.

Denver-based Tract plans to build the Farmington Technology Park at the Fountain Valley Golf Club property at 2830 W. 220th St. and two nearby properties that were annexed into the city of Farmington from Castle Rock Township and are now owned by Independent School District 192, according to city documents.

Here are some of the objections…

Residents like Cathy Johnson who live near the property where the data centers are to be located have been making their presence and their negative feelings about the project known.

A Facebook group called Environmental Coalition of Farmington Minnesota has garnered more than 250 members with the goal of objecting to the data center park.

Johnson, who is part of the group, said she has concerns about electrical usage, water usage and potential sound pollution from the data centers.

“Noise is a major issue with data centers; it’s not so much the decibels, it’s a whirring hum that the fans make,” Johnson said.

Another concern of residents who live in the area is the proximity of the technology park to existing neighborhoods.

“I’ll look out my bay window and it’ll be right there,” Johnson said, referring to the 250-foot setback outlined in the proposal.