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Minot Area Chamber EDC Earns Regional Recognition for Public Policy Impact

Posted: May 11 2026

The Minot Area Chamber EDC (MACEDC) proudly received the 2026 Public Policy of the Year award from Mid-America Chamber Executives (MACE), a prestigious regional honor recognizing excellence in advocacy and policy leadership. The award was presented on April 29 during the MACE Annual Conference in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

The recognition highlights MACEDC’s leadership in advancing legislation in 2025 that modernized North Dakota’s cottage food laws, opening the door for home-based entrepreneurs to expand their reach through online, telephone, and interstate sales.

The effort was sparked when Jenetta Sawyer, a Minot Air Force Base spouse and small business owner, encountered regulatory barriers that limited her ability to grow her cottage bakery beyond state lines. Within days of learning about the issue, MACEDC mobilized, bringing together legislators, partners, and stakeholders to craft a solution. The result was Senate Bill 2386, which passed with strong bipartisan support and was signed into law with an emergency clause, allowing it to go into effect immediately. Today, thanks to “Jenetta’s Bill,” home-based food entrepreneurs across North Dakota benefit from expanded market access and new growth opportunities.

“When we heard Jenetta’s story, we knew that our organization was uniquely positioned to make a positive difference – not only for military spouses, but for cottage food consumers and producers across North Dakota,” said MACEDC President | CEO Brekka Kramer. “By making sure entrepreneurs’ voices are heard and championing their success, we fulfill our mission of advocating for and investing in business activity by being a collaborative partner in the community, focused on improving quality of life for all.”

Emily Bivens, the Vice Chair of MACE, commended MACEDC for delivering policy results that impact the business community in a real way. “Today, home-based food entrepreneurs across North Dakota can sell online, ship products, and reach customers beyond their local communities,” Bivens said. “That is real impact. The Minot Area Chamber EDC’s advocacy is a reminder that strong relationships, clear focus, and the right story can move policy forward.”

“We are grateful to our partners who made this policy win possible: the North Dakota Military Commission, whose vision is to make North Dakota the most military-friendly state in the nation, the state lawmakers who carried the bill through committee and floor votes, and, of course, Jenetta herself, whose willingness to tell her story resulted in a positive change for small business owners across our state,” Kramer added.

MACE is made up of chamber professionals belonging to their state chamber executive organization or state chamber of commerce in the six-state area of Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.