Together, We Can Do It & We Will!

Find it local, find it fresh: The Value of Farmers Markets 

We are so excited for our spring and summer events, there are so many opportunities to be engaged and involved in our community that we don't wait to spoil the whole year! And while the Taste of Chaska is celebrating its thirty-ninth year, we wanted to highlight our awesome farmers markets in Chaska and Carver.

Community and farmers markets play a crucial role in fostering vibrant, resilient communities like Chaska and Carver who are both growing each day with new residents, who are often times looking for new activities and ways to meet the people that make up where they live.

Below are some ways these markets add value to their communities during their season:

1. Supporting Local Economy: Farmers markets provide a platform for local farmers, artisans, and entrepreneurs to sell their products directly to consumers. This supports the local economy by keeping money circulating within the community, creating jobs, and fostering entrepreneurship.
2. Access to Fresh, Nutritious Food: Farmers markets offer fresh, locally-grown produce, often harvested at the peak of ripeness. This results in higher nutritional value compared to supermarket produce that may have been transported long distances. Additionally, farmers markets often feature organic and sustainably-grown options, promoting healthier eating habits.
3. Promoting Food Security: By providing access to locally-produced food, farmers markets contribute to food security within communities. They reduce reliance on large-scale, centralized food distribution systems, which can be vulnerable to disruptions such as natural disasters or supply chain issues.
4. Community Building: Farmers markets serve as gathering places where community members can socialize, connect with neighbors, and build relationships. They often host events such as cooking demonstrations, live music, and educational workshops, further fostering a sense of community cohesion.
5. Environmental Benefits: Locally-produced food typically has a lower carbon footprint compared to food that has been shipped long distances. By reducing the distance food travels from farm to table, farmers markets help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and support sustainable agricultural practices.
6. Preserving Agricultural Heritage: Farmers markets celebrate local food traditions and heritage, preserving agricultural practices that are unique to each region. They provide a platform for small-scale farmers to continue practicing traditional farming methods and grow heirloom varieties of fruits and vegetables, promoting biodiversity and cultural diversity.
7. Educational Opportunities: Farmers markets offer opportunities for consumers to learn about where their food comes from, how it is grown, and the people who produce it. Farmers and artisans often engage in conversations with customers, sharing information about farming practices, seasonal produce, and cooking techniques.

Community and farmers markets serve as more than just places to buy and sell goods—they are integral to the social, economic, and environmental fabric of communities, enriching the lives of both producers and consumers alike and we hope to see some of you grabbing some fresh fruit or veggies in Chaska or Carver.

LEMA board members are police officers, survivors and friends of fallen officers who volunteer their time. All contributions go to supporting the activities of the association. LEMA is able to provide assistance both at the time of death, as well as into the future. LEMA honors the families and fallen officers during National Law Enforcement Memorial Week. LEMA is there...when the need arises.

Our mission is to ensure that every Firefighter Line-of-Duty Death (LODD) within Minnesota is provided a dignified memorial service. This will be done no matter what departmental affiliation, religious, political or any other preference. We are only here to honor a fallen brother or sister within the fire service.

Our Foundation will be awarding up to $5,000 in annual scholarships to full time residents in Carver, Chanhassen, Chaska, and Victoria on their way to becoming a First Responder or furthering their education as a current, local First Responder. Applications will be available May 1st 2024.

Registration is now available for the 39th Annual Taste of Chaska!

We are looking for bag stuffers if you are interested in having goodies included in 500 expo bags for $100, please reach out to Matt or Steve for more info! Items need to be at the Chamber office by Friday May 3rd.

Check out this awesome Women's Biz event for Mother's Day! Register today!

Get ready for our next Happy Hour at Parley Lake Winery!

STAY CONNECTED AND GET ENGAGED WITH OUR CHAMBER COMMUNITY!!

Check out our Social Media (please like Our Chamber social media pages) to keep up with everything Your Chamber is doing.

Here is a a calendar of our upcoming events.

Events Calendar

Please remember to add your events to our Event's calendar. Get the most out of your membership! check out our Member Engagement page. How to post a Job Opening, Hot Deal, News Release, Update your page, and more!

Enhance your page for $159! Call Steve for more information!

2024 Sponsor Bundling Opportunities are filling up fast!!

Thank you to those that have reached out, Sponsored, and renewed! Your dues are the same as last year. Bundling is an easy way to save on all Chamber Events and Sponsorship opportunities. Bundling does not include membership dues. We have created a micro site to make this a smooth process. Sponsorships are on a first come first serve basis. Feel free to reach out to Steve for more information on the opportunity to Bundle and Save in 2024!



New Member Spotlight

Please join us in welcoming Carver Scott Humane Society to Our Chamber!!

Founded in 1989, Carver Scott Humane Society is a 501c3 non-profit foster-based rescue with the mission of connecting animals in need with people who care. We envision a world where every animal is safe, cared for, and loved in the Twin Cities and beyond. And by working collaboratively with the community and rescue partners to provide refuge, medical care, foster homes, we make this possible. 

Our Chamber's Core Values

 RELATIONSHIP DRIVEN

• Always mindful of customer service, integrity and professionalism.
• Collaborate in a non-partisan way with the cities we serve.
• Value our partnerships with other business organizations.

GROWTH FOCUSED

• Connect businesses to their customers.
• Results driven and dedicated to our mission.
• Develop leaders in our businesses and community.

INNOVATIVE APPROACH

• Adapt to meet the growing needs of our chamber members.
• Creative solutions using a team based approach.

FUN

• Provide opportunities to showcase our members in enthusiastic settings.
• Laughter and joy is part of our every day work.

Check out our upcoming events in May!

Get ready for our next ribbon cuttings!

The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce has made a new partner with Salary.com, below is a collaborated article on the benefits and risks of implementing a pay transparency program at your workplace or business.

When discussing pay transparency, it is useful to be aware of the benefits and risks that there are. Implementing a pay transparency program in your organization will bring to light the salary ranges for each job and the philosophy behind these numbers. By doing this, your organization opens itself up to both benefits and risks.

In this article, we will begin by covering the pay transparency benefits that exist. After this, we will discuss the pay transparency risks that can arise and how you can mitigate them. To finish, we will compare the benefits and risks to see if adopting pay transparency in your organization is worthwhile.

WHAT ARE THE PAY TRANSPARENCY BENEFITS?

Implementing a pay transparency program can bring several benefits to your organization. These benefits include:

• Fairness
• Pay transparency fosters fairness and pay equity. It helps ensure that employees are paid fairly for their work. Factors to base pay on include job responsibilities, qualifications, and performance.
• Retention
• One of the major pay transparency benefits is that it has the potential to increase retention. If employees feel they are being paid fairly, they will have higher job satisfaction. The happier they are in the job, the more chance that they’ll stay at your organization.
• Recruitment
• Pay transparency in areas such as job postings can help you attract top-quality candidates. If jobseekers can see that your organization has fair compensation practices, they are more likely to apply. As this is the case you can boost your recruitment practices by openly communicating the pay for a role.
• Compliance
• In U.S. states, such as Colorado and California, there are strict laws regarding pay transparency. By being transparent in pay, an organization can comply with these laws. Implementing a pay transparency program in any state may benefit you as more pay transparency laws are in the works for other states.
• Increased trust and engagement
• An increase in trust and engagement will help increase your organization’s productivity and job satisfaction. This will all stem from creating a culture of transparency and fairness. As far as pay transparency benefits go, this one does the most in terms of improving the overall performance of your organization.
• Improved communication
• Pay transparency can help improve communication in your organization. It helps create a better understanding between employees and management, as the reasons for compensation are available. As well as this, it also opens a forum for discussing compensation and how improvements can be made.
• Cost savings
• By implementing a pay transparency program, there is potential to reduce costs within your organization. Processes such as employee turnover and recruitment can be reduced, which leads to cost savings. As well as this, legal compliance can help you avoid any penalties if the law applies in your region.
• Potential to close the gender pay gap
• There may be a gender pay gap within your organization or industry. The pay transparency movement can help identify any gaps that exist. If this is the case, organizations can address this issue and have fairer pay for everyone.

WHAT ARE THE PAY TRANSPARENCY RISKS?

Now that we have seen the pay transparency benefits, we can discuss the pay transparency risks. Several potential risks that can arise with pay transparency. Here are some of them:

• Employee dissatisfaction
• One of the major pay transparency risks is employee dissatisfaction. Some employees may feel that they aren’t being paid fairly in comparison to other colleagues. As this is the case, they may become disengaged which will lead to a decrease in job satisfaction levels.
• Workplace tension
• If employees are unhappy, it can create workplace tension. An unhealthy culture of comparison can arise, which will lead to employees resenting their colleagues and management. Employees feeling underpaid and undervalued can very easily contribute to the suffering of the workplace environment.
• Decrease in competitiveness
• There is a chance that pay transparency can lead to a decrease in competitiveness for your organization. By putting the salary range in your job postings, you may not be able to compete with other organizations that offer more. A loss in competitiveness may make it tougher for you to attract top-quality candidates.
• High costs of implementation
• Implementing a pay transparency program can be costly. There is a chance that you may have to make significant changes to the organization’s pay system. If this is the case, your organization will have to spend money addressing any pay issues that have arisen.
• Decrease in trust and morale
• A poorly communicated pay transparency program can lead to a decrease in trust and morale. Be careful to ensure that you come across as fair, rather than unfair. If unsuccessful, you may pay the price and find employees wanting to leave your organization.
• Resistance from senior level
• Employees at senior levels may resist the implementation of a pay transparency program. They may see it as an added burden on their workload or as an infringement on their autonomy. As well as this, they may not wish to share their salary if it far exceeds others in similar and lower positions.

HOW CAN YOU MITIGATE THESE RISKS?

To mitigate any risks that arise, you need to address them head-on. You can begin addressing pay transparency risks by clearly communicating the pay philosophy and the criteria used to determine pay. This will help your employees view their and their colleague’s compensation from the viewpoint of HR and the managers.

Clear communication isn’t always enough, however, as you also need to provide opportunities for employees to discuss pay with management and HR representatives. Pay transparency needs communication between all parties, and this can help your organization regularly review and adjust pay to ensure that it is fair. These discussions can also serve to keep pay practices in line with the organization’s pay philosophy.

To address any issues that management may have with implementing a pay transparency program, you can involve managers in the planning process. Providing training and support is a great way to help them understand the importance of the pay transparency program. As well as this, it can help them find out how they can comply with the program and communicate the benefits of it clearly to their team.

As there is the potential to have high costs when implementing a pay transparency program, you can consider phasing it in over time. Prioritize the most critical elements of the program and explore any cost-saving measures that may exist for your organization. Cost-saving measures could include using existing technology or resources to implement the program.

DO THE BENEFITS OF PAY TRANSPARENCY OUTWEIGH THE RISKS

For many, the pay transparency benefits outweigh the pay transparency risks. With the introduction of state laws concerning pay transparency, the implementation of a pay transparency program may be a necessity, rather than just an idea. Take the time to look at the context of your organization and whether adopting pay transparency will truly benefit you. For some organizations, the time is now, but for others, the time for pay transparency is further down the line.