Benton Ag Plus - April 17, 2021

BENTON AG Plus

Serving rural Benton, Morrison, Mille Lacs and Kanabec counties

Sauk Rapids Herald | Saturday, April 17, 2021

USDA program expands COVID-19 assistance Farmers to receive payments beginning in April

BY JENNIFER COYNE | STAFF WRITER

ST. CLOUD – Dairy farmers should anticipate additional assistance from the federal government because of market disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

On March 24, the United States Department of Agriculture announced the initiative – USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers – that will provide more than $6 billion to farmers, ranchers and producers through existing and new programs.

“This is timely,” Steve Frericks said. “With the assistance, farmers could utilize funds to meet business obligations and ultimately help their bottom line because of what COVID-19 has done.”

Frericks is the county executive director for Stearns County’s USDA Farm Service Agency.

The pandemic assistance will come in four parts: invest $6 billion to expand help and assistance to more producers; add $500 million of new funding to existing programs; carry out formula payments under the developed Coronavirus Food Assistance Program; and reopen enrollment for CFAP 2 to improve access to underserved producers.

At the time of this printing, details of the first part of the assistance were unclear. The USDA has committed to providing dairy farmers with compensation through a dairy donation program, as well as for euthanized livestock, specialty crops and the cost of organic certification, among other means.

“The biggest impact there is for dairy farmers is assistance through the dairy donation program,” Frericks said.

In previous COVID-19 assistance packages, dairy farmers received direct payments on the pounds of milk produced in their herd.

Benton County crowns two to compete for Princess Kay Montag becomes dairy ambassador

BY NATASHA BARBER | STAFF WRITER

FOLEY – Although the coronavirus may have axed many events and activities for the last 13 months, it did not diminish the enthusiasm Benton County has for the dairy industry.

This year, the county has two dairy princesses running for Princess Kay of the Milky Way. Allie Ackerman and Emily Schreindl will compete against other county participants in a one-day judging event May 15 for a chance to become a nextlevel dairy diplomat. Ten young women will be selected to vie for the state’s top title which is determined shortly before the Minnesota State Fair in August.

“I’d like to bring our county’s voice to the state level,” Acker-

Spreaders

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man said. “I want to show how hard our dairy farmers work and what they have to sacrifice – like leaving Christmas celebrations to feed calves. Our dairy farmers make sacrifices and work hard, rain or shine.”

In addition to the dairy princesses, Benton County will also have a dairy ambassador in Heidi Montag.

The three and their respective titles were announced April 13 by the Benton County American Dairy Association during the annual banquet and coronation ceremony.

Banquet page 3B

Dairy princess Emily Schreindl (left) and dairy ambassador Heidi Montag stand at Mr. Jim’s April 13 in Foley. The two will serve Benton County for the next year by educating the public on dairy products and sharing concerns of the dairy industry.

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PHOTOS BY NATASHA BARBER

Heidi Montag (from left), Emily Schreindl and Chloe Janski toast their milk cups April 13 at the 2021 Dairy Princess & Ambassador Banquet and Coronation hosted by the Benton County American Dairy Association at Mr. Jim’s in Foley. Janski, a 2020 dairy princess, said her farewell to the program while dairy princess Schreindl was crowned for a second year and ambassador Heidi Montag was accepted into the program. Not pictured is dairy princess Allie Ackerman.

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Page 2B | SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 2021| SAUK RAPIDS HERALD

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“Those were substantial,” Frericks said. “This is being handled differently. We’ll have to see what this program does.”

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Additional assistance dairy farmers will receive will be in the form of the restructured CFAP payments.

The formula for payment rates for beef cattle has been adjusted for CFAP 1 payments with the USDA increasing that rate based on on-farm inventory April 16, 2020, to May 14, 2020. The new rates include $7 per head for feeder cattle less than 600 pounds, $25.50 per head for feeder cattle 600 pounds or more, $63 per head for slaughtered fed cattle, $14.75 per head for slaughtered mature cattle and $17.25 per head for all other cattle in inventory.

The USDA has estimated payments will exceed $1.1 billion to more than 410,000 farmers under the mandated formula.

Cattle producers already enrolled in CFAP 1 will receive these payments.

“Producers don’t have to provide additional information or signatures,” Frericks said. “There is no need for an additional application as we can process the payments from previously approved

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Although it seemed like a long winter mated through the Predictive Equation for at times, spring seems to have finally come.

Alfalfa Quality. This process uses the stage Alfalfa fields seem to be coming out of dorof maturity and height of the tallest stems mancy, and so far, winter injury is only a to estimate relative feed value and neutral minor concern. There may be some frost detergent fiber. risks later this month, but at this point, we There is also a new tool for this year are coming into the middle part of April on that puts the past 10 years of scissor cut ina good note. This, of course, can change formation at your disposal. This tool will in a hurry as the weather in the Midwest allow you to select and sort data by year, sometimes does not like to cooperate. With county and grower to look back and comUniversity of the Alfalfa Harvest Alert Project, we monipare relative feed quality, relative feed value MN Extension tor alfalfa conditions throughout Minnesota by Nathan Drewitz and Predictive Equation for Alfalfa Quality. to help farmers stay on top of their alfalfa As the 2021 season progresses, this will be fields related to their feed needs, personal the home for all collected information and experience and current alfalfa conditions. This project will remain active throughout the entire year. Go to is a cooperation between the Central Minnesota For- https://z.umn.edu/alfalfaharvestalert and check it out. age Council and University of Minnesota Extension in The Alfalfa Harvest Alert Project information will conjunction with various agribusinesses and farmers. be shared with KASM 1150 AM, WJON 1240 AM, This project kicks off when alfalfa reaches be- WVAL 800 AM and KTLF 960 AM radio in the area tween 14-16 inches tall. Project cooperators will sam- surrounding Stearns, Benton and Morrison counties. ple fields Monday and Thursday mornings. Generally, Internet users can search for “Minnesota Crop News” when alfalfa gets around 24 inches tall, we can expect for posted information. The results can be directly to start seeing buds. With alfalfa, the bud stage is usu- emailed to you by going to https://z.umn.edu/tricounally when forage quality is in the range for better qual- tysignup and subscribing to the email list. ity dairy hay and harvest takes place. Last year, alfalfa Finally, you can also call me at 608-515-4414 to sample collection started May 4, 2020, and ended June get the latest updated results from the project or if you 1, 2020. Clipped samples are tested to determine rela- have questions. Other counties will be working with tive feed quality, relative feed value, neutral detergent other radio stations and information access points. We fiber and other alfalfa quality factors related to har- appreciate the hard work by all the farm and agribusivest decisions. Quality and maturity will also be esti- ness cooperators and sponsors for this project.

CFAP 1 applications.”

Under CFAP 2 revisions, farmers will receive $20 per acre for eligible crops identified as CFAP 2 flat-rate or price-trigger crops.

“With alfalfa now included, that’s a very large deal for Minnesota,” Frericks said.

The payments are expected to provide over $4.5 billion to more than 560,000 farmers under the mandated formula, according to the USDA. “Under the provisions, most farmers will get payments around $20 per acre, this includes alfalfa, corn, hemp, sorghum, soybeans, sugar beets and wheat, among other crops, and some will get additional beef payments,” Frericks said.

“This will be substantial.”

Minor adjustments to the CFAP formulas will also include a correction for row crop applications that allows farmers to use 100% of the 2019 Agriculture Risk CoverageCounty Option benchmark yield if the farmer has a non-actual production history insurance policy.

On April 5, the USDA reopened signup for CFAP 2 for a new enrollment period for new and modified applications that will last at least 60 days to ensure all farmers have the opportunity to take advantage of this program.

“Nearly all producers have signed up for (CFAP),” Frericks said.

“So, the big thing is that for most producers, they

won’t have to sign a new application to receive funding. But, if someone didn’t timely file for CFAP 2, they now can.”

Across the United States, more than 870,000 applications have been approved for CFAP 2 payments totaling over $13 billion as of March 28, according to the USDA. The dairy sector, specifically, includes 23,308 applicants across the nation receiving a total $1.19 billion; this equates to a little over 9% of the sum of CFAP 2 funds distributed.

In the Upper Midwest, Wisconsin leads with dairy payments at $219 million for 5,933 applicants. Others include Minnesota at $66 million for 2,420 applicants; Michigan at $64 million for 872 applicants; Iowa at $35 million for 956 applicants; Illinois at $14 million for 533 applicants; South Dakota at $13 million for 170 applicants; and North Dakota at $2 million for 70 applicants.

Previous rounds of COVID-19 assistance gave an economic boost to the agriculture industry, and Frericks expects this next round to do the same.

“It’s all coming at a good time as most are actively preparing to put crops in the ground,” he said. “This shot of revenue will help support what (farmers) are doing and allow them opportunity to get additional assistance for their crops and livestock that have been affected by COVID-19.”

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Montag is excited to be accepted into the program that spreads dairy awareness.

“When I was little, I heard about dairy princess and it was my dream,” she said. “I couldn’t wait until I was old enough to do this.”

Montag said educating the public about dairy farming and having a platform to do so will be beneficial to her future, as well as fun. She looks forward to the activities – such as passing out free butter and ice cream, waving in parades and working at the county fair – as well as relaying messages about dairy prices and debunking myths.

“A lot of people are confused about milk and plant juice,” she said.

Montag is the daughter of Brian and Christa of Sauk Rapids. The family milks 240 cows on their farm, Montag Dairy.

She is responsible for helping with calf chores and as-

sists with morning milking on weekends and during the summer months.

She also helps with fieldwork, cleaning stalls and pens, and accompanies her father when purchasing cattle.

After serving in the program since 2019, Ackerman and Schreindl will mentor Montag over the next year – sharing their experiences from both the program and from working on dairies themselves.

Schreindl, the daughter of Troy and Missy, has been surrounded by dairy her entire life, growing up on O&S Dairy in Rice.

The family milks 245 cows on their 800-acre farm. Observing from a stroller as an infant and toddler, Schreindl’s role has grown on the dairy farm through each stage of life.

“Now, I milk a couple times a week, feed calves, help whenever I can in the field, hang out with Grandpa (Bruce Olson) and do daily work like cleaning pens and feeding,” she said.

Ackerman is the daughter of Mitch and Tasha of Sauk Rapids.

PHOTOS BY NATASHA BARBER

Dairy ambassador Heidi Montag is introduced alongside her father, Brian, by Sandy Pietrzak, Benton County American Dairy Association vice chair, at the annual banquet and coronation April 13 in Foley. Montag works alongside her parents on their dairy where they milk 240 cows.

She began working in the dairy industry in 2018 when she took on a role at her uncles’ farm. At Ackerman Farms, owned

by Pete and Kevin Ackerman, she started by helping with milking duties but her responsibilities have grown to assisting with chores such as feeding calves, steers and heifers, and driving tractor.

Over the last year, Ackerman and Schreindl served alongside 2020 dairy princess Chloe Janski, who said her farewell

Chloe Janski, a 2020 Benton County dairy princess, gives her farewell speech April 13 at the 2021 Dairy Princess & Ambassador Banquet and Coronation at Mr. Jim’s in Foley. Roughly 30 people attended the event which featured a coronation, question and answer session and trivia.

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to the program at the banquet. Being able to teach youth and adults about the dairy industry is something Janski valued about her time in the program and she encouraged her fellow dairy enthusiasts to continue to carry the message.

“The dairy industry isn’t something that is valued as it should be,” said Janski, the daughter of Scott and Jacki of Rice. “It’s something we need to talk about more PHOTO SUBMITTED and promote more. That’s Dairy princess Allie Ackerman stands with her crown and sash April 14 in Sauk Rapids. Ackerman could not attend what we’re here to do.”

the annual banquet and coronation due to coronavirus precautions, but will represent Benton County for a second year as a dairy princess.

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SAUK RAPIDS HERALD | SATURDAY, APRIL 17, 2021 | Page 3B