Broadband coverage in rural areas is spotty at best, with some states providing better coverage than others. There are regions where the state government has worked hard to provide grants and a flexible network of private and local not-for-profit organizations to build out coverage slowly. An excellent example of this would be Minnesota, where 117 providers have come together to build infrastructure in the name of economic development. 

Minnesota's two largest export markets are touting the benefits of NAFTA. Two officials from Mexico and Canada spoke last week at a Minnesota Chamber of Commerce breakfast. Joining them was Commissioner Hardy, who noted the benefits of Minnesota's trading partners when the state's turkey industry got hit with avian flu in 2015. "One of the countries that stepped up and said, 'We'll still buy your good turkeys', was Mexico. And they helped us weather that storm," she said.

Two St. Cloud area companies are expecting to hire a combined 400 new workers with the help of $700,000 in state training grants. Park Industries and New Flyer of America, along with St. Cloud State University and St. Cloud Technical and Community College, were awarded the funding from DEED's Minnesota Job Skills Partnership. 

The SciTechsperience Internship Program last week announced the placement of its 1,000th intern since the program began in 2012. For six years, SciTechsperience has helped college students majoring in science, technology, engineering and math find paid internships in their field of study with small Minnesota companies. The program is administered by the Minnesota High Tech Association through a grant from DEED.