Minnesota received more good economic news today. Today's jobs report, released by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED), showed the state added 8,500 jobs in June. And the state's unemployment rate dropped to 4.5 percent last month - the lowest it has been in seven years. In total, Minnesota has added nearly 160,000 new jobs since Governor Dayton took office in January 2011.

Governor Dayton, members of his Cabinet, and other key stakeholders gathered today at the University of Minnesota to discuss how the state can continue adding jobs in Minnesota's growing clean energy sector. Tens of thousands of Minnesotans are employed already in clean energy jobs. As Minnesota builds on our nation-leading renewable energy policies, the Governor and his Administration are committed to growing the jobs that come along with it.

Today, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development announced that Minnesota gained another 8,500 jobs last month. Here is what you need to know:

8,500 - Number of new jobs added last month in Minnesota
53,779 - Number of new jobs added over the last 12 months in Minnesota
159,700 - Number of new jobs added since Governor Dayton took office
7 years ago - The last time Minnesota's unemployment rate was 4.5 percent

What DEED Commissioner Katie Clark Sieben is saying:

"June brought more positive signs of a recovering job market. The unemployment rate hasn't been this low since February 2007, while new claims for unemployment benefits dropped to their lowest level in nearly 14 years."

This news comes on top of other recent positive reports about Minnesota's growing economy, including:

Minnesota Businesses Anticipating Growth - A recent DEED survey showed that 82% of Minnesota businesses expect their profits to increase or remain stable in the year ahead.

3rd-Best State to Make a Living - Forbes Magazine named Minnesota the 3rd-best state in the nation to make a living in 2014.

6th-Best State to do Business - CNBC named Minnesota the 6th-best state in the nation to do business in 2014.

More Jobs Than Ever - According to DEED, with more than 2.8 million jobs, Minnesota now has more jobs than ever before. And for the first time in state history, private sector employment has surpassed 2.4 million.

Twin Cities: Lowest Unemployment Rate - Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Labor noted that the Twin Cities has the lowest unemployment rate (4%) of any major metropolitan area in the country.

Best Manufacturing State in the Midwest - Creighton University's Mid-America Business Conditions Index showed Minnesota is outpacing the entire Midwest region - and much of the rest of the country - in manufacturing. The study considers a state's exports, domestic sales, and factory hiring.

GROWING CLEAN ENERGY JOBS
Governor Dayton spoke this morning at Minnesota's Clean Energy Economy Summit, /governor/assets/2014_07_15_clean_energy_economy_one_pager_tcm1055-100756.pdfnoting the state's achievements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and grow new jobs. The Governor challenged Minnesota policymakers and stakeholders to build on the state's nation-leading clean energy policies, and grow the jobs that come with it.

What Governor Dayton is saying:

"Real progress has been made in the last decade. Today, renewables account for 20 percent of our state's electricity generation, compared with 5.8 percent in 2000. And in just the last four years, wind energy production in Minnesota has increased by 38 percent. So we have made important progress, but we still have a long way to go; and I hope this summit will help our state continue moving in the right direction."