MINNEAPOLIS — U.S. Rep. Collin Peterson said he’ll formally announce next month whether he’ll seek a 13th term in Congress, but for now he’s running.

“I’m running until I’m not,” the Minnesota Democrat said Wednesday.

The farm bill has been Peterson’s major focus this term as the ranking minority member of the House Agriculture Committee. He was a key player on the conference committee that crafted the final package, which now awaits Senate approval.

Peterson said he’s going to think about what he needs to do to organize a campaign, then announce his final decision.

“I always wait till February to kick off the campaign, so that’s what I’m going to do,” he said.

Peterson recalled the protracted fight to pass the 2008 farm bill, and he said this was the hardest farm bill he’s ever worked to pass.

“I want to take a couple weeks to decompress and do a gut check,” he said.

Petersen, a conservative Blue Dog Democrat, represents western Minnesota’s 7th District. The district went for GOP candidate Mitt Romney in the 2012 presidential election, but Peterson typically has won re-election by comfortable margins.