Sanitation business builds success from ground up 2A Pawn store reaps rewards of determination, recession 9A Minnesota Legislature, governor reach budget deal 10A
A.M. VEHLING JESSICA HARPER T.W. BUDIG
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DATE20, ##, 2009 MAY 2010
VOLUME 30, NUMBER # VOLUME 31, NUMBER 12
Dakota County Tribune Since 1884
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Food manufacturing thrives despite recession Food manufacturing has experienced job growth in Minnesota and Dakota County by Jessica Harper
ConAgra Foods has experienced job growth between 2006 and 2009 by adding 65 employees. ConAgra spokesperson Bob Kula attributes the job growth to overall growth in the company.
DAKOTA COUNTY TRIBUNE
While many segments of the manufacturing sector, such as automotive and metal, continue to lose jobs as a result of the recession, another sector is thriving. Food manufacturing has continued to grow over the last few years. Jobs in this field increased 26.4 percent in Dakota County, adding 558 jobs, between the third quarter of 2006 and the third quarter of 2009. In the third quarter of 2009, it became one of the leading manufacturing employers in the county with 2,889 jobs, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED). ConAgra Foods is one manufacturer in the county that has experienced growth. Its Lakeville facility, which produces and packages granola bars and fruit snacks, added 65 employees between 2007 and 2009. “I think with the economy the way it is, more people are eating at home, which helps companies like ours,� said Lee Stearns, manager of the Lakeville plant. ConAgra Foods corporate spokesperson
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State Rep. Margaret Anderson Kelliher has been a key player in creating Minnesota’s budget disaster. PHIL KRINKIE 4A
The legislative session was deadlocked once again because of chronic and intransigent opposition to raising revenues. 4A
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Take time to celebrate entrepreneurship — without it, we would not survive and the world economy would crumble JEFF APPELQUIST 5A
Photos by Jessica Harper
Food manufacturing jobs increased 26.4 percent in Dakota County, adding 558 jobs, between the third quarter of 2006 and the third quarter of 2009.
Photo by Jessica Harper
In Q3 of 2009, food manufacturing became one of the leading manufacturing sectors in Dakota County with 2,889 jobs, according to the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. Bob Kula attributes the employment growth to overall growth in the company, but declined to give details. Quality Ingredients, which manufactures dry dairy products in Burnsville, is also seeing job
growth. The company added four employees in the last year. Quality Ingredients President Isabelle Day said the move was in preparation for anticipated growth. “One thing that’s nice about the food industry is that it’s pret-
ty stable whether the economy is slow or not,� she said. Fred Zimmerman, a former professor of manufacturing systems engineering at the University of St. Thomas, attributes this growth to Minnesota’s
BUSINESS 101
BOB VOSS
Every small business needs a Customer Acquisition Plan to consistently and habitually go after new clients. 6A
See Food, Page 52A
“Minnesota sits on top of such good land - it will help the food manufacturing sector because they can grow it and package it right here.�
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