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www.thelandonline.com — “Where Farm and Family Meet”
THE LAND — APRIL 30/MAY 7, 2021
When will Earth have its day?
418 South Second St. Mankato, MN 56001 (800) 657-4665 Vol. XLV ❖ No. 9 24 pages, 1 section plus supplements
www.TheLandOnline.com facebook.com/TheLandOnline twitter.com/TheLandOnline
Cover photo by Paul Malchow
COLUMNS Opinion Farm and Food File The Bookworm Sez From My Farmhouse Kitchen Table Talk Cooking With Kristin Swine & U Mielke Market Weekly Marketing Auctions/Classifieds Advertiser Listing Back Roads
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STAFF
Publisher: Steve Jameson: sjameson@mankatofreepress.com General Manager: Deb Petterson: dpetterson@TheLandOnline.com Managing Editor: Paul Malchow: editor@TheLandOnline.com Staff Writer: Kristin Kveno: kkveno@thelandonline.com Staff Writer Emeritus: Dick Hagen: rdhagen35@gmail.com Advertising Representatives: Joan Streit: (507) 344-6379, jstreit@thelandonline.com Deb Petterson: dpetterson@TheLandOnline.com Office/Advertising Assistants: Joan Compart: theland@TheLandOnline.com Lyuda Shevtsov: auctions@thelandonline.com For Customer Service Concerns: (507) 345-4523, (800) 657-4665, theland@TheLandOnline.com Fax: (507) 345-1027 For Editorial Concerns or Story Ideas: (507) 344-6342, (800) 657-4665, editor@TheLandOnline.com Because of the nature of articles appearing in The Land, product or business names may be included to provide clarity. This does not constitute an endorsement of any product or business. Opinions and viewpoints expressed in editorials or by news sources are not necessarily those of the management. The Publisher shall not be liable for slight changes or typographical errors that do not lessen the value of an advertisement. The Publisher’s liability for other errors or omissions in connection with an advertisement is strictly limited to publication of the advertisement in any subsequent issue or the refund of any monies paid for the advertisement. Classified Advertising: $19.99 for seven (7) lines for a private classified, each additional line is $1.40; $24.90 for business classifieds, each additional line is $1.40. Classified ads accepted by mail or by phone with VISA, MasterCard, Discover or American Express. Classified ads can also be sent by e-mail to theland@TheLandOnline.com. Mail classified ads to The Land, 418 South Second St., Mankato, MN 56001. Please include credit card number, expiration date and your postal address with ads sent on either mail version. Classified ads may also be called into (800) 657-4665. Deadline for classified ads is 5 pm on the Friday prior to publication date, with holiday exceptions. Distributed to farmers in all Minnesota counties and northern Iowa, as well as on The Land’s website. Each classified ad is separately copyrighted by The Land. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. Subscription and Distribution: Free to farmers and agribusinesses in Minnesota and northern Iowa. $49 per year for non-farmers and people outside the service area. The Land (USPS 392470) Copyright © 2021 by The Free Press Media is published biweekly by The Free Press, 418 S 2nd Street, Mankato, MN 56001-3727. Business and Editorial Offices: 418 S. 2nd Street, Mankato, MN 56001-3727, Accounting and Circulation Offices: Steve Jameson, 418 S 2nd Street, Mankato, MN 56001-3727. Call (507) 345-4523 to subscribe. Periodicals postage paid at Mankato, MN. Postmaster and Change of Address: Send address changes to The Land, 418 South Second St., Mankato MN 56001-3727 or e-mail to theland@ TheLandOnline.com.
Back in the 1970s, Earth Day was in ing “sustainable practices.” Reduced tillits infancy and consisted of a day where age and cover crops will certainly help people would pick up litter and rescue preserve what little topsoil our fields old tires and appliances from our roadhave left. Farmers are reporting healthier ways, lakes and rivers. The global day of soils which have an increased capacity to awareness has evolved over the years as retain water. Yet according to a 2017 U.S. more environmental issues come to light Census of Agriculture, 56 million acres of and more scientific data supports those U.S. cropland is tiled and that number is issues. soaring. What exactly are we retaining water for? LAND MINDS In recent years, climate change has become the focal point of Earth’s environCrop irrigation and large scale livestock By Paul Malchow mental concerns. Some will point to operations are depleting aquifers to a the planet’s past ice age and say the point where such operations are no rise of average temperatures is just longer allowed in parts of Minnesota. another page in Earth’s ever-evolving Restoring those aquifers is going to aging process. On the other end of the spectrum, take more than some rye grass and radishes. experts claim life is at a tipping point and carbon California’s Great Central Valley is credited with dioxide emissions are destroying the planet. supplying over 25 percent of everything Americans eat, and does so with less than a foot of rain per April 22 commemorated the 51st Earth Day and year. Is this sustainable? my email account was bursting with news releases from a variety of clubs and organizations. Each But agriculture is charged with feeding the world, reassured me they were true stewards of the enviso do they get an environmental pass? Can farmers ronment. Most made vague claims of “reducing our have it both ways? carbon footprint.” Many came with requests for On April 21 the U.S. Department of Agriculture money. announced plans to expand and renews the Carbon footprints have received a lot of publicity Conservation Reserve Program “in effort to boost since the Biden Administration moved into enrollment and address climate change.” Washington, D.C. The general consensus is carbon At a time when field crop markets are reaching footprints need to be smaller. There does not seem eye-popping heights, Agriculture Secretary Tom to be any consensus as to how that would actually Vilsack announced USDA will open enrollment in be accomplished. the Conservation Reserve Program with higher payEnergy providers and government entities have ment rates, new incentives, and a more targeted been busy promising to be “carbon neutral” by 20__ focus on the program’s role in climate change miti(pick a year). Gas-burning cars will be a thing of the gation. past by 2035. Electrical power will be self-sustainUSDA’s goal is to enroll up to 4 million new acres able by 2040. In a country where — after 250 years in CRP by raising rental payment rates and — we still have issues with casting a vote, we’re expanding the number of incentivized environmengoing to get this all figured out in a couple of tal practices allowed under the program. decades. To target the program on climate change mitigaElectric vehicles are pushed front and center as tion, FSA is introducing a new Climate-Smart the sexy cure. They already exist and pose no threat Practice Incentive for CRP general and continuous to the way of life of car-crazy Americans. Solar and signups that aims to increase carbon sequestration wind power are leading candidates for generating and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Climatethe electricity required for the vehicle turn-around, Smart CRP practices include establishment of trees but county governments are already placing morato- and permanent grasses, development of wildlife riums on future solar arrays. habitat, and wetland restoration. And hold on a minute — what will we do with all In 2021, CRP is capped at 25 million acres. The cap of this ethanol? Agriculture is wasting little time will gradually increase to 27 million acres by 2023. hopping on the environmental bandwagon by toutSee LAND MINDS, pg. 3
OPINION
Our color this week has us blue... As farmers well know, mechanical breakdowns never come at a good time. This week it was our turn as press problems prevented us from having as many pages with color as we would like. So if The Land is looking a little drab this week, fear not – we’ll be back to our old selves soon!
