Notes from the MN Farmers Union 10-30-09
Notes from the Minnesota Farmers Union Friday October 30, 2009
Convention shaping up
MFU President Doug Peterson is pleased to announce that Rep. James Oberstar will be the keynote speaker for the 68th annual MFU State Convention Banquet on November 21st. The convention runs November 21-22 at the Ramada Hotel (same place as usual, new name) in Mpls. Members who have questions about registration or hotel rooms can contact the MFU office at 651-639-1223; we are expecting a great turnout based on the number of delegate forms already received. Now let's hope it stops raining! A full agenda for the convention can be found at www.mfu.org
MFU members named to state FSA Committee
The USDA recently announced the individuals who will serve on the Minnesota Farm Service Agency (FSA) State Committee. Included are MFU members Richard Peterson, David Haugo, Kent Kanten, and Roger Vogt. The State Committee members will oversee the activities of the agency to include helping to keep producers informed about FSA programs and resolving appeals from the agriculture community. Here is more info on the individuals who will serve on this committee:
-David Haugo of Mahnomen, Minn. Haugo was chairman of the Minnesota FSA State Committee from 1993 to 2000. He and his family produce wheat, barley, navy beans, sugar beets, corn, soybeans and alfalfa on a farm in northwest part of the state.
-Kent Kanten of Milan, Minn. Kanten served as former Minnesota FSA committee member for eight years during the Clinton Administration. He and his wife own and operate a corn, soybean and sugar beat farm.
-Richard Peterson of Mountain Lake, Minn. Peterson is a lifelong farmer from southwest part of the state. He has been active in many commodity organizations including the Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council and state FFA Foundation.
-Roger Vogt of Palisade, Minn. Vogt has been chairman of the Aitkin County FSA Committee for seven years. He and his wife own and operate a potato farm in Aitkin County, Minn.
-Scott Winslow of Fountain, Minn. Winslow is currently in his eleventh year as chairman of the Fillmore County Farm Bureau. He and his wife operate a family farm in the southeast part of the state.
Walz, Franken praise quick action on China and pork
Rep. Tim Walz yesterday applauded the announcement by USDA Sec. Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Kirk that China has agreed to open its doors again to American pork. On October 2nd, Congressman Walz organized a joint letter with 62 of his colleagues in the Congress to urge the Secretary of Agriculture and the U.S. Trade Representative to quickly engage in negotiations to open U.S. pork export markets with China, which the Chinese government closed earlier this year on ill-found fears due to H1N1 Flu. "This is excellent news for our pork producers who have been struggling with depressed market prices and higher input costs. American pork is safe to eat and these restrictions by the Chinese were found to have no basis other than politics," said Congressman Walz. "I applaud the Secretary and the U.S. Trade representative for their quick response to my request that they act swiftly at this pivotal moment for the pork industry." In 2008, China was the second largest volume market for U.S. pork exports, accounting for nearly 20 percent of total exports. Since September 2007, the U.S. pork industry has lost $4.6 billion in equity, with producers losing an average of more than $21 on every hog marketed. A number of factors contributed to those severe losses, including a worldwide recession and the H1N1 Flu pandemic. Sen. Al Franken also praised Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk for the progress they have made in ending the Chinese H1N1-related ban on U.S. pork. On October 1st, Sen. Franken sent a letter to Secretary Vilsack, along with 25 of his colleagues, urging him to work with U.S. trade representatives to lower barriers and re-open export markets to U.S. hogs in China. "On behalf of Minnesota farmers and families, I would like to thank Secretary Vilsack and Representative Kirk for their efforts to re-open the Chinese market to U.S. pork," said Sen. Franken.
Farm-related businesses eligible for SBA loans
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced recently that federal economic injury disaster loans are available to small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives and most private non-profit organizations of all sizes located in the State of Minnesota as a result of excessive snow, excessive rain, flooding, flash flooding and unseasonably cool temperatures including frost and freezes that occurred from April 1 through June 30, 2009. These loans are available in the following counties: Beltrami, Clearwater, Itasca, Kittson, Koochiching, Lake of the Woods, Marshall, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, Roseau and Saint Louis. Under this declaration, the SBA's Economic Injury Disaster Loan program is available to farm-related and nonfarm-related small business concerns, small agricultural cooperatives and most private, non-profit organizations of all sizes that suffered financial losses as a direct result of this disaster. Farmers and ranchers are not eligible to apply to SBA. Disaster victims should contact the SBA's Customer Service Center by calling 1-800-659-2955. For more information about the SBA's Disaster Loan Programs, visit our Web site at www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance
Minnesota Viking in ethanol video
Minnesota Vikings Linebacker Chad Greenway appears in a YouTube video sponsored by Growth Energy promoting ethanol, kind of interesting check it out at: http://www.youtube.com/user/growthenergy#p/a
CSP Sign-up
From the MDA: The first-ever signup period for the new Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP) has exceeded expectations. Minnesotans submitted almost 1,700 applications out of more than 21,000 applications submitted nationwide by the September 30 deadline. This is despite CSP's relative complexity, still-developing rules, and a signup held on relatively short notice at a busy time of year for farmers. According to an October 7 NRCS press release, the estimated acreage associated this first round of applications is enough to carry out conservation on more than twice the 12.8 million acres Congress authorized for CSP each year nationwide. Applications not approved for funding in this first sign-up will have the option to try again in the second signup, which runs through January 2010. CSP is a voluntary program designed to help producers improve their conservation performance; interested producers should contact their local NRCS office.
Romsdahl passes
MFU member Debora Romsdahl, 53, the wife of Watonwan MFU County President Brian Romsdahl passed away the morning of Sunday, October 25, 2009 after nearly 11 years of battling cancer. A celebration of life service was held on Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 11:00 a.m. at St. Olaf Lutheran Church in rural Odin. Messages of sympathy can be sent online to the family at http://www.kramerfuneralhome.com.
Bio-Security facility update
I have had a lot of members ask me about this...Both the House and Senate have recently passed the Department of Homeland Security appropriations conference report, sending the bill to the President's desk. The House passed the bill on October 15 and the Senate passed the bill yesterday, October 20. The bill notably provides $32 million for the construction of a new National Bio- and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan, Kansas. This facility would replace the existing Plum Island Animal Disease Center in New York. Based on concerns that allowing a mainland facility to study contagious and dangerous animal diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease could run the risk of inadvertently exposing the public, as well as the livestock population, to these diseases, the conference report prohibits the distribution of construction funds until the Homeland Security Department undertakes a bio-safety and bio-security mitigation risk assessment to determine requirements for the safe operation of the facility. The National Academy of Sciences would then provide an independent evaluation. The Homeland Security Department, in coordination with the Agriculture Department, would report to Congress on the procedures used to issue a permit for foot-and-mouth disease research and an emergency response plan in the event of an accidental release of a hazardous pathogen originating from the facility.
MNCARE and Farmers
MFU was pleased to learn the MN Dept of Human Services submitted on Sept. 30th, 2009 a request to the Federal government to allow farmers to figure depreciation into their income when determining eligibility for MNCARE. This is based on legislation that passed this year that was spearheaded by Rep. Mary Ellen Otremba and Sen. Kathy Sheran. MFU will also work with the Federal Congressional delegation to get letters of support for the waiver request. The request could take as long as a year to be acted on.
Livestock Investment Grants
Minnesota livestock producers can apply for funding to offset the costs of improving
or expanding their operations through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture's (MDA) Livestock Investment Program. This year, applications will be accepted through November 30. Qualifying producers would be reimbursed ten percent of the first $500,000 of investment, with a minimum investment of $4,000. Qualifying expenditures include the purchase, construction, or improvement of buildings or facilities for the production of livestock, and the purchase of fencing as well as feeding and waste
management equipment. Improvements made since January 1 of this year are eligible for consideration. A new provision added this year would allow qualified producers who suffered a loss due to a natural disaster or unintended consequence to use the grant to help off set some of those losses as a part of the rebuilding process. Application forms and other materials about the program are available at
www.mda.state.mn.us/livestockinvestmentgrant
SFA has a new Executive Director
The Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota has announced the hiring of a new executive director, John Mesko, of rural Princeton, MN. As the owners and operators of Lighthouse Farm, John and his family direct market grass-fed, organic beef and lamb as well as pastured pork, chicken, and turkey to families throughout the state. John was a Purdue University extension educator and county director in Indiana prior to his return to his home state of Minnesota in 2006. In addition to his farming experience, John comes to the SFA of Minnesota with over seven years of experience in local food system development including work with farmers' markets, Community Supported Agriculture, and direct marketing. He also brings a background in small farm and beginning farmer education and support. John began his duties as executive director on October 21, 2009.
House Committee to Discuss Eminent Domain
Next Wed, November 4, 2009, at 10:00 AM a joint meeting of the Energy Finance & Policy Division and Civil Justice Committee will hold an informational hearing on HF1182 authored by Rep. David Bly. The bill would repeal exemptions for public service corporations regarding eminent domain. MFU plans on offering testimony in support of the legislation, members who have questions or comments that would be helpful, please feel free to contact me.
MFU meets to discuss Low Carbon Fuels
MFU recently attended a meeting at the capitol with members from other ag groups and interested parties to discuss the possibility of Minnesota passing a Low Carbon Fuel Standard in Minnesota. The meeting was hosted by Sen. Kathy Sheran and Rep. Melissa Hortman who are the authors of the legislation that is pending in the state legislature. The bills had a couple of hearing s this past year. MFU will continue to discuss the issue with its members, and at the annual meeting.
MFU meets with Revenue to discuss horses!
Last week MFU attended a meeting with the Dept. of Revenue and other interested parties to discuss a problem that flared up last year at the legislature and will be back again this year. The issue is should horse "farms" be able to receive ag classification for property tax purposes and if so should there be a threshold, so not everyone who has a horse in their backyard gets the classification. MFU will be discussing this issue at our annual meeting and the Dept. of Revenue is preparing a report for the legislature that is due Feb. 1st.
Jobs Task Force Talks Agriculture
MFU attended a meeting this week of the House Jobs Task Force Chaired by Rep. Ann Lenczewski, Rep. Tom Rukavina, Rep. Alice Hausman in Milaca. The committee heard lots of interesting testimony regarding the current job climate, and also heard from Dean Bev Durgan from U of M Extension and Teresa Spaeth Executive Director for AURI. Both talked about the importance of agriculture, commerce and jobs. Dean Durgan mentioned the steep uptick in the number of farmers using the Farmer-Lender Mediation program, but also focused some comments on the local food initiatives including the U of M's Farm to School Program. Check out this link to the U of M Farm to School initiative for more info: http://www.mn-farmtoschool.umn.edu/
MFU meets with the DNR and Outdoor Council Chair
MFU also met this past week with DNR Assistant Commissioner Bob Meier and Mike Kilgore Chair of the Lessard Outdoor Heritage Alliance to discuss the activities of the council and their interaction with agriculture. I felt it was a very constructive meeting. MFU brought up issues of trying to use "working lands" approach and not always just idling land, payment in lieu of taxes, trespassing, maintenance of acquired lands and other issues. MFU will also be discussing this issue at our annual meeting and putting together an action plan for MFU's involvement with the council. For more info on the council checkout: http://www.lsohc.leg.mn/
That's is all for now, as usual questions, comments and complaints to me, and for those of you interested, my sons Waylon and Dylan will be Spiderman and a Scary Monster guy for Halloween.
Thom Petersen, Director of Government Relations, MN Farmers Union