Spring Ag 2019

House Agriculture and Food Committee finalizes budget

FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2019

TransFARMation radio series highlights farmer stress

Tour-A-Farm Day brings Riverland Ag students to front line of agriculture

Tour-A-Farm Day brings Riverland Ag students to front line of agriculture

By Hannah Yang

hannah.yang@austindailyherald.com

From sunrise to sundown, area farmers work the fields and prepare for planting season. For Riverland Community College students, they’re getting an intimate look at how much w o rk g o e s into the food they eat.

Friday marked the second year for Tour-AF a r m D ay, wh e re s t u dents got Nick Schiltz, Riverland first-hand ag instructor experience in seeing agriculture through the perspective of a local farmer, whether it’s actively seeing machinery in operation, or seeing the amount of work it takes to get ready for the season.

“This has the real, visceral feel.

Students are able to see this up close.”

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FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2019

Riverland ag intructor Nick Schiltz runs through the plan for Tour-A-Farm Day on his father Leon’s farm. Photos by Eric Johnson/photodesk@ austindailyherald.com

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Riverland students visited the Schiltz farm where they became familiar with the farm’s operation.

Leon Schiltz, a farmer in Glenville, played host for the students and took the opportunity to help them see what he does on a daily basis.

“For some students, this may be the first time they’re out on a farm,” said Nick Schiltz, ag instructor for the Center of Agricultural Science and Food Technology, who is also Leon’s son. “For others, it may be a typical Friday.”

The Tour-A-Farm Day was designed to provide an outer classroom experience for local students to learn about agricultural production practices and techniques, as well as getting a sense on what it takes to be a farmer in 2019.

The day also intedned to provide the appreciation for how vital a role agriculture plays into southeast Minnesota.

Around 10 students were also able to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom setting into real world scenarios because of Tour-A-Farm Day. Doing so provides a more realistic and hands-on approach to agricultural and food science technology education.

“This has the real, visceral feel,” Schiltz said. “Students are able to see this up close. They can read the material and get a lot of information that way, but when they’re able to see it up close, it becomes more interesting and may even spark a few students to consider having a few AUSTIN DAILY HERALD  SPRING AG

Leon Schiltz explains the drying process of corn to Riverland students during a visit to his farm. careers in these industries, in these areas and appreciate agricultural and food science technology. This could spark a future career pathway for them.”

Why agricultural education matters

Tour-A-Farm Day is more than just a chance for students to see with their own eyes the active industry that

provides food for the United States. It’s also a vital time when ties between the classroom and local farmers have become even more far removed.

“When only 2 percent of the population have ties to professional agriculture, there’s a significant need for farmers to share their story about what they do and how they do it,” Schiltz said. “As programs continue to grow across the U.S., it’s important for a lot of teachers and for students to demonstrate how important agriculture is and appreciate it.”

More efforts have been made in the last several years of having students in Mower County visit local farms and learn about where their food comes from, as well as meeting the people who produce them. Despite learning about agriculture in textbooks and from watching videos, the impact that Tour-A-Farm Day has on students is crucial.

“It’s important for teachers and farmers to advocate for agriculture and show students of all grades and ages how impactful it is for our local economy,” Schiltz said. “Simply put, we want them to really appreciate all the hard work it takes to maintain a farm and observing the opportunities available to them in their education.”

FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2019

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State dairy farmers struggle to find workers Associated Press

MILLVILLE — Staci Sexton keeps busy at her dairy farm near Millville.

“My dad, technically, kind of retired this year,” she said. “Mom’s not retirement age yet.”

That means the bulk of the work on her dairy — her parents currently own 60 percent of the dairy operations on their 300-acre, 127-head dairy, and Staci owns 40 percent — falls to Staci and her youngest brother, Lance Sexton.

Well, and her mom. And the “neighbor kid.”

And that’s where the trouble looms, Staci Sexton said.

The “neighbor kid,” a high school student who milks the herd on weekend nights, is the lone non-family employee, giving the Sexton clan a night off. “We take a night off, swapping on the weekend, my brother, myself and my parents,” she said.

Before this “neighbor kid” there was another one, Sexton said. When that parttime worker graduated high school, he bequeathed the job to his friend who often tagged along to help out. But when the current “neighbor kid” finishes high school, Sexton doesn’t see another one taking his place, the Post-Bulletin reported.

Caring for the combined herd of her business and her parents’ business — called Schoene Kuh (German for “Beautiful Cow”) and Irish Ridge Dairy, respectively — is really a two-person job, she said. Milking, feeding and caring for upward of 120 cows can be a lot for just one person. Too much, really.

On a short-term basis, Sexton said she can handle the herd on her own. But when she and Lance take over the work completely, they’ll need that person who fills in from time to time to give a little respite when the other one is gone, sick or needs

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FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2019

Dairy farms across the state are struggling to find employees to help work the farm. Metro image to go to a meeting.

Sexton said she remembers when she was the “neighbor kid.” Her junior and senior years of high school — plus some holidays and summers in college — she worked for Kevin Siewert, who’s Hyde Park Holsteins is just a few miles away near Zumbro Falls.

Siewert, who’s milking herd of 520 is more than four times the size of Sexton’s herd, has eight full-time employees and four part-time employees.

“As you have more cows you have more help and you have to pay people,” Siewert said. “If you’re on your own, you’re on your own.”

With about 200 head to milk, Alan and Bill Miller at Little Red Dairy near Mill-

ville employ four part-time workers who help with the daily chores and milking.

Alan Miller recently started making cheese curds, which also involves packaging, distributing and marketing the tasty treats. Some of that work, particularly the marketing, is taken by his wife.

“We’ve been very fortunate with good help,” Miller said, but added, “It’s hard to find a replacement, or someone who just wants to work in general.”

Sexton said she understands the difficulty. Her “neighbor kid,” she said, is responsible and reliable. That, she said, isn’t always the case.

And while she knows the local schools have agriculture programs where they offer some credit for job experience,

her far m is “a little far out for those schools.”

“Long term, I guess it’s going to be hard when my parents want to retire,” she said.

“I think it’ll be a little tougher, especially in the summer when you want to get crops done and you still have to mix feed or milk cows.”

But for that day-to-day, every week work, she said, the farm just doesn’t need a full-time employee. And, in a way, that’s good.

“It takes us about two hours to milk,” she said, adding that her part-time teen helper has a friend who lives on a larger dairy where the milking takes significantly longer. “He says, ‘I don’t think I could milk for that long.’”

AUSTIN DAILY HERALD  SPRING AG

Commentary

Affordable energy is a priority for agriculture A place for both petroleum, natural gas, propane and nuclear and renewables Affordable energy is a priority for Minnesota’s agri-business community. That’s one of the big takeaways from my conversations with agri-business leaders at the Agricultural Summit in Austin, Minnesota — where farmers, food processors, educators and small businesses were represented. Agri-business is the largest industrial customer for the natural gas and oil industry in Minnesota, and it was a great discussion and a chance to learn about their energy needs and concerns.

Folks in the agriculture community seem far removed from the pipelines and rail lines that deliver across northern Minnesota approximately 30 percent of all the crude oil consumed in the U.S. each day. And yet, Agriculture Summit attend-

AUSTIN DAILY HERALD  SPRING AG

ees made it abundantly gas, reducing price volaclear that expanded enertility and enabling greatgy infrastructure, even in er natural gas use and Northern Minnesota, relower residential electricmains vital to the energy ity bills across the U.S. on needs of turkey growers, average, according to the corn farmers and local coU.S. Energy Information operatives. They support Administration (EIA). expanded rail and pipeBut that’s not true in line capacity.

Minnesota, where averWe also highlighted age residential electricinew energy conservation ty bills increased by 10.8 initiatives like Hormel’s percent between 2010 and success in cost-effective2017 as the state’s share of Dr. Dean Foreman ly reducing the energy inrenewables also rose. is Chief Economist for tensity of its production Gov. Tim Walz’ recentthe American Petroleum through targeted projects ly announced One MinneInstitute – including upg raded sota Path to Clean Energy control systems and LED — a set of policy proposlighting – that have reduced their electric- als that would require Minnesota’s elecity consumption. tricity providers to generate all of their That’s an energy success story, but it’s energy from carbon-free energy resources not all good news for Minnesotans. In crit- by 2050. — won’t help. It ignores the beneical ways, Minnesota is missing out on the fits of clean natural gas, and it fails to recbenefits of a U.S. energy revolution that ognize that natural gas and renewables is supplying abundant, affordable natural complement one another in electricity

generation, with natural gas there to provide crucial stability to the grid when the wind isn’t blowing or the sun isn’t shining.

There is no way to soften the message that this proposal will increase Minnesotans’ electricity bills even further, affecting agri-business and residential consumers alike. My friends from Minnesota also described to me their experience with 30-below wind chills as recently as two months ago. Abundant and affordable heating energy is their “personal safety and economic freedom.” We must not create policies that restrict our energy choices and needlessly raise costs that are untethered to benefits.

Gov. Walz has espoused a “One Minnesota” approach to energy security. Actually, he has proposed a “Zero Minnesota” approach — higher costs and lower reliability are a losing proposition, no recipe for energy security. Minnesotans are best served by a diverse and versatile energy industry including petroleum, natural gas and propane in addition to nuclear and renewables.

FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2019

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Veterinary program aims to fill rural shortage Associated Press

BROOKINGS, S.D. — South Dakota State University is creating a new veterinary program with the University of Minnesota to address a shortage of rural care in the region.

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem approved the partnership Friday, allowing the schools to begin the process of accreditation and building a curriculum, said John Killefer, SDSU’s dean of agriculture.

Killefer told the Argus Leader that SDSU plans to end its current veterinary program with Iowa State University in August 2021.

Under the new program, 20 students will complete their first two years of courses at SDSU and the remaining two years at the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine in St. Paul, he said.

South Dakota State University’s new veterinary program aims to approach a need to fill shortages in rural areas. Metro image

After 50-years of farming a century-plus farm between Austin and Albert Lea, we moved into the Austin Village Cooperative. We talked with current Cooperative members who shared how much they enjoy the maintenance free lifestyle along with a safe and friendly atmosphere. We are truly living the good life at the Austin Village Cooperative.

Dave and Lu Lyle

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“Our program is designed to reduce that debt load by $100,000 per student by the time they get done.”

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South Dakota State University’s Dean of Agriculture The partnership aims to fill a care shortage in rural areas, according to Killefer.

Less than 2 percent of practicing veterinarians go into rural care, and schools don’t have enough students graduating with the desire to enter rural practices, he said.

Many students leave veterinarian programs with large debts and often pursue small animal care because it can be more lucrative than working in South Dakota’s growing livestock industry, according to Killefer.

“Our program is designed to reduce that debt load by $100,000 per student by the time they get done,” Killefer said.

“And part of that is because students from

South Dakota do not have a vet school in state.”

SDSU’s existing program can only send six of its most qualified students to Iowa State University’s veterinarian school, where they pay Iowa’s in-state tuition rate.

The new partnership will be able to send a greater number of students to Minnesota, which has a more affordable in-state tuition rate, Killefer said.

Trevor Ames, dean of the University of Minnesota’s College of Veterinary Medicine, said Minnesota’s “western neighbors feel the shortage of veterinary care even more acutely.”

“This is a good partnership for our schools,” Ames said.

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TransFARMation radio series highlights farmer stress Austin Daily Herald newsroom@austindailyherald.com

Farmers, take care of yourselves and those around you Prompted by the many sources of stress currently impacting farmers and ranchers, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) and the Red River Farm Network (RRFN) have joined forces to create a new radio series called TransFARMation.

“Far ming is a stressful business during the best of times,” says Don Wick, president, RRFN. “Agriculture’s financial health is being influenced by tight margins, the trade war, production issues, and more. These are all factors Thom Peterson, where farmers and ranchers Agriculture have little or no control.”

Commissioner The series uses farm radio, podcasts, and social media to increase awareness and reduce inhibitions about acknowledging farmer stress while highlighting sources of support.

“Many people are struggling and they need to know they’re not alone,” said Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen.

“Many people are struggling and they need to know they’re not alone.”

“This is a powerful series – we hear from farmers, ranchers, and others in agriculture talk about some of the strategies and solutions that helped them when things got tough.”

The 60 second prime-time radio stories can be heard on all of RRFN’s 20 stations throughout Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota starting the week of April 8. In addition, the in-depth podcasts can be found at www.rrfn.com/transfarmation.

TransFARMation is supported by a grant from the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) National Institute for Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health, and by AgCountry Farm Credit Services, Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, North Dakota Corn Growers Association, North Dakota Farmers Union, North Dakota Soybean Council, North Dakota Wheat Commission, and Prairie St. John’s.

Broadcasts are solely the responsibility of the creators and do not necessarily represent the official views of the CDC, NIOSH, or the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health.

If you or someone you know is struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, or other problems, the free and confidential Minnesota Farm & Rural Helpline is available 24 hours, seven days a week at 1-833-600-2670.

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House Agriculture and Food Committee finalizes budget Austin Daily Herald

newsroom@austindailyherald.com

The House Agriculture and Food Finance and Policy Division, chaired by Rep. Jeanne Poppe (DFL – Austin), finalized the committee’s budget legislation and completed its committee work for the legislative session. The bill, HF 2200, passed through committee on a voice vote.

“The culmination of our committee’s budget work this session strives to lift up Minnesota’s farming communities and spark innovation in agriculture,” said

Rep. Poppe. “Minnesota has a diverse and varied agricultural and food production industry, something that's reflected by the priorities in this legislation. Working with a much-appreciated biennial increase, we were able to invest in farmer mental health, farm-to-school programs, market growth, and research that will put Minnesota at the forefront of the industry."

“There are some really good aspects to the bill,” said Rep. Jeff Brand (DFL-St. Peter), the committee’s vice chair. “We’re providing funding for industrial hemp

development, improving food access at all levels, increasing meat inspections, and providing policies and resources to deal with Chronic Wasting Disease on farm sites.”

In addition to funding the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA), the budget bill invests in agriculture research, protection services, marketing and development, financial assistance, bioenergy, and the Board of Animal Health. The budget sees an overall 4.5 percent increase in funding for MDA. Specific provisions

include: Additional funding and counselors for farmer mental health with Farm Advocates •Good Food Access grants •Urban and youth agriculture funding •Farm-to-School grants •Industrial hemp definitions and expedited rulemaking •Research to combat Chronic Wasting Disease, African Swine Fever, and the Emerald Ash Borer The bill was referred to Ways & Means.

Current legislation is a good starting point As chair of the MN House Agriculture and Food Finance and Policy Division, my primary role is to develop a finance bill for the next two years.

This generally means hearing numerous individual bills and working with committee members from both sides of the aisle to build a comprehensive (omnibus) bill that will eventually earn the support of the majority of committee members.

Beyond the committee, there are additional stops for the bill as it is heard in the Ways and Means committee next, and then on to the House floor. Ways and Means is our checks and balances committee which determines that we have met the fiscal limitations for the spending in the bill.

As it fits into the entire state budget being crafted by the Minnesota House, the Ag and Food Finance and Policy division is one of

Jeanne Poppe State Representative, District 27B

the smallest pieces of the budget pie. Our House target this year was a much-appreciated biennial increase of $7.6 million over the base budget.

The committee also is responsible for creating an Agriculture policy bill. That bill brings together policy initiatives that will allow the MN Department of Ag to work better and assist farmers and growers as efficiently and effectively as possible. Our policy bill is ready for a floor vote, which is anticipated either next week or shortly after we come back from our Spring/Easter break. The bulk of

our committee work, with testifiers, presentations, and debates, has culminated in these two bills.

The spectrum of agriculture and food investments covered in this budget bill are as varied as the industry in Minnesota. Although traditional agriculture (commonly associated crops and livestock) is what many of us envision, we also consider new and emerging types of agriculture and models for growth. Many of our farmers have diversified operations, so they are interested in many aspects of our bill. HF 2200, as amended, invests in rural mental health for our farming communities and provides funding for more meat inspectors.

We spent funds on outreach and marketing to farmers and producers, while also providing more opportunities for farm-to-school programs and farm to food shelves. We

opened doors to investing in new technologies and crops like hemp.

Article 2 of the bill focused on Farmed Cervidae. Due to the increased concern regarding Chronic Wasting Disease, language regarding this industry is a part of this bill.

Cervidae farmers and deer hunters all have an interest in trying to get something done this session.

The finance bill marks the end of our committee work for this year’s legislative session.

While work on this budget will continue for the remaining two months, time will mostly be filled with debating legislation on the House floor and bringing bills into conference with our Senate colleagues. The bill we approved in committee could look very different by the end of session, but the legislation we have now is a great starting point to bring to the table for negotiations.

Grant program available to dairy farmers to move up a grade Austin Daily Herald newsroom@austindailyherald.com

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is offering a new grant program to help Minnesota dairy producers move from Grade B status to Grade A status and help Grade A producers maintain AUSTIN DAILY HERALD  SPRING AG

their status.

“Our dairy farmers have been struggling with low prices for years, and now they’re challenged with surviving this tough winter weather,” said Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “This new grant program should pro-

vide a significant boost to many dairies in the state.”

Producers may apply for up to $10,000 with no matching requirement. Eligible costs include the equipment, services, and physical improvements needed to meet or maintain Grade A dairy farm and quality

standards.

Proposals are due at 4 p.m. on May 1.

For more information and to apply, producers can visit www.mda.state.mn.us/ business-dev-loans-grants/agri-dairyfarm-improvement-grant.

FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2019

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USDA study shows significant greenhouse gas benefits of ethanol Emissions found to be between 39 and 43 percent Austin Daily Herald newsroom@austindailyherald.com

A new study released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) finds greenhouse gas emissions from cornbased ethanol are about 39 percent lower than gasoline.

The study also states that when ethanol is refined at natural gas-powered refineries, the greenhouse g as emiss i o n s a re eve n lower, around 43 percent below gasoline. “ T h e s e new findings p r ov i d e f u rther evidence that biofuels f ro m A m e r i ca's heartland reduce g reenhouse gases even more than we thought, and that our far mers and ethanol plants continue to become more efficient and effective,” said Secretary Sonny Perdue.

“President Trump has made it abundantly clear he is unleashing the full potential of American energy production as we retake our rightful place as the world’s leader.

Expanding the sale of E15 year-round will provide consumers with more choic-

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FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2019

es when they fill up at the pump, including environmentally friendly fuel with decreased emissions. I appreciate EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler moving expeditiously to finalize the E-15 rule before the start of summer driving season.”

The study, led by Dr. Jan Lewandrowski of USDA’s Office of the Chief Economist, and published in the journal Biofuels, supports findings of other research that ethanol has a significantly better greenhouse gas profile than previously estimated.

The study, titled “The greenhouse gas benefits of corn ethanol—assessing recent evidence,” attributes much of these additional benefits to revised estimates of the impacts of land-use change as a result of demand for ethanol.

Where previous estimates anticipated farmers bringing additional land into production as a result of increased corn prices, recent analysis finds only modest increases in crop acreage.

Additional improvements at ethanol refineries, combined with on-farm conservation practices that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, such as reduced tillage and cover crops, have further decreased emissions associated with corn ethanol.

The study projects that with added improvements in refineries and on farms, a reduction of over 70 percent in lifecycle emissions is possible by 2022.

“These new findings provide further evidence that biofuels from America’s heartland reduce greenhouse gases even more than we thought, and that our farmers and ethanol plants continue to become more efficient and effective.”

Sonny Perdue

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary

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USDA launches new farmers.gov features to help with H-2A applications, managing loans Austin Daily Herald newsroom@austindailyherald.com

Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue announced recently that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) launched two new features on farmers.gov to help customers manage their farm loans and navigate the application process for H2A visas.

“Customer service is our top priority at USDA and these new features will help our customers as they manage their farm loans and navigate the H-2A temporary agricultural visa program,” said Secretary Perdue. “In my travels across the country, I have consistently heard people express a desire for greater use of technology in the way we deliver programs at USDA. As we adopt new technology, we are introducing simple yet innovative approaches to support our farmers, ranchers, producers, and foresters as they support the nation every day. It’s my goal to make USDA the most effective, most efficient, most customer-focused department in the entire federal government, and farmers.gov is a big step in that direction.”

In 2018, Perdue unveiled farmers.gov, a

Mexico buys a lot of Minnesota turkeys — a border closure could change that President Trump last week threatened to close the U.S.-Mexico border over the high number of migrants crossing in-

AUSTIN DAILY HERALD  SPRING AG

mobile-friendly public website combined with an authenticated portal where customers are able to apply for programs, process transactions and manage accounts.

Navigating the H-2A Visa Process

Focused on education and smaller owner-operators, this farmers.gov H-2A Phase I release includes an H-2A Visa Program page and interactive checklist tool, with application requirements, fees, forms, and a timeline built around a farmer’s hiring needs.

You may view the video at this following link: youtu.be/E-TXREaZhnI The H-2A Visa Program — also known as the temporary agricultural workers program — helps American farmers fill employment gaps by hiring workers from other countries. The U.S. Department of Labor, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Department of State, and state workforce agencies each manage parts of the H-2A Visa Program independently, with separate websites and complex business applications.

Over the next several months, USDA will collaborate further with the U.S. Deto the country from Mexico. The White House has since softened that threat but says the president is exploring his options with input from the Council of Economic Advisers, NPR reports.

What might those advisers say about the impact of a closure on the state of

partmentof Labor on farmers.gov H-2A Phase II — a streamlined H-2A Visa Program application form, regulations, and digital application process that moves producers seamlessly from farmers.gov website to farmers.gov portal to U.S. Department of Labor’s IT systems.

Managing Farm Loans Online

The self-service website now enables agricultural producers to login to view loan information, history and payments.

Customers can access the “My Financial Information” feature by desktop computer, tablet or phone. They can now view: •loan information; •interest payments for the current calendar year (including year-to-date interest paid for the past five years); •loan advance and payment history; •paid-in-full and restructured loans; and •account alerts giving borrowers important notifications regarding their loans.

To access their information, producers will need a USDA eAuth account to login into farmers.gov. After obtaining an eAuth account, producers should visit farmers.

Minnesota?

Robert Kudrle is a professor of international trade and investment policy at the University of Minnesota’s Humphrey School.

He said a prolonged closure could become “tremendously expensive” for the state.

Mexico is the state’s top international

gov and sign into the site’s authenticated portal via the “Sign In / Sign Up” link at the top right of the website.

Currently, only producers doing business as individuals can view information. Entities, such as an LLC or Trust, or producers doing business on behalf of another customer cannot access the portal at this time, but access is being planned.

Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox or Microsoft Edge are the recommended browsers to access the feature.

About farmers.gov

USDA is building farmers.gov for farmers, by farmers. Future self-service features available through the farmers.gov portal will help producers find the right loan programs for their business and submit loan documents to their service center.

With feedback from customers and field employees who serve those customers, farmers.gov delivers farmer-focused features through an agile, iterative process to deliver the greatest immediate value to America’s agricultural producers – helping farmers and ranchers do right, and feed everyone. trade partner, Kudrle said. In 2017, Minnesota businesses exported about $2.4 billion in goods to Mexico, including motor vehicle parts, oil seeds, grain and turkeys.

“They eat a lot of our turkeys,” Kudrle said.

—Associated Press

FRIDAY, APRIL 12, 2019

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Four species of weeds added to eradicate list Austin Daily Herald newsroom@austindailyherald.com

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture confirmed over the past year four species of weeds on the state’s Noxious Weed Prohibited Eradicate List for the first time in six counties.

Weeds categorized as Prohibited Eradicate are the worst types of weeds.

The law requires species on this list to have all above and below ground plant parts destroyed because the weeds may be harmful to public health, the environment, public roads, crops, livestock, or other property.

The new finds were: Black swallow-wort (Cyanchum louiseae) in Chisago County; Cutleaf teasel (Dipsacus laciniatus) in Steele County; Palmer amaranth (Amaranthus

palmeri) in Jackson and Redwood counties; and, Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) in Blue Earth and Chippewa counties.

Black swallow-wort is a viney milkweed that overtakes shady woodlands.

Cutleaf teasel forms dense monocultures on sunny roadsides and riverbanks.

Palmer amaranth is a high profile noxious weed that can cause considerable yield losses in corn and soybeans if it becomes established. Poison hemlock is a highly toxic plant that looks similar to wild carrot and grows in moist roadsides and ditches.

“Thanks to the collaboration with multiple state and county agencies, the University of Minnesota, and other organizations, the MDA has successfully detected these noxious weeds

and have confirmed unrecognized species,” said Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen. “However, our battle with these weeds has just begun. We must continue to provide for programs that help us find these weeds and eradicate or effectively manage them so we can protect Minnesota’s ag industry and natural resources.”

Governor Tim Walz is proposing a $1.8 million investment in the MDA’s Noxious Weed Program, which would support grants that enable local governments to battle noxious weeds, and the funding would provide needed resources to manage or eradicate weeds like black swallow-wart, cutleaf teasel, Palmer amaranth, and poison hemlock that have already found their way into Minnesota.

Pioneer Equipment Dealers Association to serve tri-state region Austin Daily Herald newsroom@austindailyherald.com

The Pioneer Equipment Dealers Association (Pioneer EDA), a newly-formed trade association serving farm equipment dealers in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, has announced the commencement of operations as of April 1.

The Pioneer EDA was for med by a merger of the North Dakota Implement Dealers Association (NDIDA) and the Minnesota-South Dakota Equipment Dealers Association (MSDEDA). Both organizations have proudly served the region’s farm equipment dealers for nearly 120 years.

Headquartered in Fargo, North Dakota, the Pioneer Equipment Dealers As-

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sociation represents over 350 mainline and shortline farm equipment dealerships across the tri-state region.

Areas of focus include legislative representation, manufacturer relations, industry news, regulatory compliance, workforce development, and dealer education.

Jamie Melgaard, Minot, North Dakota, serves as Pioneer EDA’s 2019 Chairman, with Mike Scharber, Rogers, Minnesota, as vice chairman. The 18-member Pioneer EDA Board includes dealers from across Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Matthew Larsgaard, Fargo, has been named president/CEO and will manage all administrative activities.

The decision to merge MSDEDA and NDIDA fol-

lowed months of due diligence and a ballot vote yielding an overwhelmingly favorable member response to the merger.

“We’re excited to harness the power of dealers in all three states and move forward as one highly effective organization,” says Melgaard. “Our larger, stronger dealer base will offer better lobbying influence, enhanced manufacturer relations, and a single source for information and resources.”

“Many of our members across Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota now have dealerships in two or even all three states,” Scharber said. “The timing is optimal for dealers in the tri-state region to join forces, and we look forward to working together.”

AUSTIN DAILY HERALD  SPRING AG