Program helps diversify crop rotations

Eligible Minnesota growers can now receive financial and technical assistance when they add one of the following crops to their rotations: Kernza perennial grain, winter camelina, winter barley or hybrid winter rye. All of these crops grow over the winter, providing the soil health and water quality benefits of cover crops while also producing grain and/or forage that can be harvested and sold.

Growers who take part in the Forever Green EECO Implementation Program are eligible for conservation (or “ecosystem service”) payments ranging from $20-50 per acre, as well as a risk management pay- ment that will cover up to half the cost of production in the event of crop or market failure. In addition, enrolled growers are eligible for technical assistance from a field agronomist and community partners.

Protecting water quality is a major goal of this program. Growers who are located in Drinking Water Supply Management Areas are eligible for a 25 percent premium on their ecosystem service payment.

Learn more and enroll at: z.umn.edu/EnrollEECO

This article was submitted by the Forever Green Initiative. v ers sell high in competitive markets has been a bonus. The Bayerls said they love seeing their customers succeed.

The shrinking animal production population in their neck of the woods has caused Big J’s Transport to service a larger area. Now they regularly travel within a 100-mile radius. Occasionally they will have longer hauls, some of which have taken them as far as Nebraska or Green Bay. “We used to haul a lot of dairy,” said Jeff. However, the dairy population has decreased significantly in their area. But on the bright side, Jeff said many of those former dairymen are now raising feeder cattle which he has the opportunity to haul.

“Our customers aren’t customers; they’re family,” Lisa admitted. “We see them uptown and in the grocery store. We know their stories. So when we would haul out a dairy [who was selling their herd], it was like a part of our heart died with that.”

“We’ve been through so many [herd dispersals] where the family just sits there and cries. It’s hard on everybody because it’s the end of an era,” Jeff emphasized. “Especially the dairy guys. They’ve been in it so long and can’t keep fighting the battle. I understand that.”

“We all start off so rough and tumble,” said Lisa, “it’s really an emotional thing to watch people retire who are essentially family.”

Rising fuel, insurance and maintenance costs — along with fewer animals, have caused the Bayerls to shift gears slightly. Lisa, who once did her fair share of hauling, now only hauls on occasion. She is now focusing more on her budding apparel business: Lady J Embroidery and Vinyl Apparel.

Jeff, on the other hand, plans to continue hauling livestock for the foreseeable future. “He’s the cow whisperer,” said Lisa.

“It took a lot to get here, and it’ll take a lot to keep going,” said Jeff.

“But we’re living a fun, fun dream and wouldn’t have it any other way,” added Lisa.

Big J’s Transport can be contacted via email at bigjstransport@gmail.com, or by calling at (612) 5324886. v