Agriculture-2012

AGRICULTURENOVEMBER 2012

‘We’vebeen

blessed’

Inside:• Minnesota speciality crops get a boost • Dealing with farm stress • Drought picture worsens for Minnesota • Livestock ‘waste’ is a valuable resource• Grain problems require swine feeding strategies• U of M Extension to host land rent meetings • New perspective on global agribusiness

This year,area farmers grew

possibly thebest crops

in the entirecountry

Litchfield Independent Review • Hutchinson Leader

CreekSide Soilsstarts withthe cows

2 Agriculture Hutchinson Leader/Litchfield Independent Review November 2012

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AGRICULTUREis published in March and November by ...

LeaderLeaderH U T C H I N S O N

Postage paid at Hutchinson, MN 55350

Distributed to farmersand agriculture-related businesses

in the Meeker and McLeod County areaand available at the offices

of the Litchfield Independent Reviewand Hutchinson Leader.

TTHHEE LLIITTCCHHFFIIEELLDD IINNDDEEPPEENNDDEENNTT RREEVVIIEEWWP.O. Box 921

Litchfield, MN 55355-0921Phone: 320-693-3266 Fax: 320-693-9177E-mail: [email protected]: www.independentreview.net

What’s Inside

TTHHEE HHUUTTCCHHIINNSSOONN LLEEAADDEERR170 Shady Ridge Rd. NW, Suite 100

Hutchinson, MN 55350-2440Phone: 320-587-5000 Fax: 320-587-6104

E-mail: [email protected]: www.hutchinsonleader.com

Minnesota speciality crops get a boost / Page 8

Drought picture worsens for Minnesota / Page 14

Grain problems require feeding strategies for swine / Page 17

Livestock ‘waste’ is a valuable resource / Page 20

U of M Extension to host land rent meetings / Page 23

Tips help families deal with farm stress / Page 28

New perspective on global agribusiness / 2

‘We’vebeen

blessed’Area farmers this year

grew possiblythe best crops in the

entire country

Page 5

It startswith thecows Hutchinson’s compostoperation depends onarea farms for a key ingredient

Page 18

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‘We’vebeenblessed’

By ANDREW BROMAN

Record-high crop prices, alongwith good growing and harvestconditions, benefited manyarea farmers this year.

“I’ve heard the words, ‘We’ve STAFF PHOTO BY JENNY BERG

Cosmos farmer Duane Adams examines corn stalks in his field in July. Many crop farmers benefited from higher prices this year, as theregion managed to avoid the drought-like conditions that affected other areas of the country.

AREAFARMERS HAVEENJOYED AGREATGROWING SEASON,ROBUST HARVEST

Continued on page 6

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been blessed’ many times when I talk withgrowers about the harvest. I would agreewe have a lot to be thankful for: goodcrop, great prices andthe best harvest condi-tions you could everask for,” said DaveSchwartz, a seed deal-er.

A severe droughtacross many parts ofthe nation largelymissed Meeker andMcLeod counties,allowing farmers tobenefit from higherprices. This summer,many farmers from other parts of thecountry were turning to Minnesota forfeed supplies, including hay.

In July, Randy Kath of Steffes Auction-eers in Litchfield said he was getting "get-ting bombarded" with as many as 25 callsa day from farmers around the country in

search of hay. “We probably got the bestcrops in the entire country, right in thisarea,” he said.

Hay prices almost doubled as a result ofthe shortage, jumping from about $150 aton last year to as much as $250 a ton thisyear. “It’s an overwhelming demand rightnow,” he said.

Dan Schlangen, an Eden Valley farmer,said some farmers bought in July in antici-pation of shortage this winter whendemand tends to increase.

High crops prices are causing someproblems for farmers, who are trying toplan for the future, he said. "I think there’sa lot of fear out there with people wonder-ing where this is going to lead," Schlangensaid.

Nathan Winter, an agricultural educatorwith University of Minnesota-Extension,said higher crop prices are causing prob-lems for livestock producers. Price gainsfor livestock and milk haven’t kept pacewith rising feed costs, he said.

“I do believe a lot of them are examin-ing their business and trying to stay prof-itable,” Winter said of livestock producers.

Winter said it will take time to deter-mine whether higher prices is the newnormal or a transitory phenomenon. Sev-eral factors are causing higher prices,

including demand from developingnations as more people seek higher pro-tein diets.

Government policy affecting subsidiesand crop insurance also plays a role inprices. Congress’ failure to adopt a farmbill this year creates uncertainty for farm-ers, Winter said.

Another issue is weather. Many parts ofthe country are still experiencing a

drought, and it’s not clear whether centralMinnesota might experience one nextyear. This fall, rainfall levels have beenbelow average. Unless the region getsmore moisture this winter, crop farmingcould suffer in the spring.

“We haven’t recharged our soil mois-ture, and so we don’t know what to expectin 2013,” Winter said.

SeasonContinued from page 5

Randy Kath

“We probably gotthe best crops in theentire country, right

in this area.”Randy Kath, Steffes Auctioneers in Litchfield


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PRODUCERS ANDPROGRAMS GET HELPFROM USDA

The state of Minnesota has beenawarded more than $700,000 in2012 Specialty Crop BlockGrants from the U.S. Depart-ment of Agriculture. Specialty

crops include fruits, vegetables, culinaryherbs and spices, medicinal plants, treenuts, flowers, and nursery plants (horti-culture and floriculture). The grants willgive producers of these crops a competi-tive edge in today’s marketplace.

The Specialty Crop Block Grant Pro-gram for fiscal year 2012 supports initia-tives that:� Increase nutritional knowledge and

specialty crop consumption;� Improve efficiency within the distri-

bution system and reduce costsp� Promote the development of good

agricultural, handling and manufacturing

practices while encouraging audit fundcost-sharing for small farmers, packersand processorsp� Support research through standard

and green initiativesp� Enhance food safetyp� Develop new/improved seed vari-

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systemsp and�Expand food access in

underserved/food desert communities.All 50 states, the District of Columbia,

the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Amer-ican Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealthof the Northern Mariana Islands and theU.S. Virgin Islands received grants thisyear, totaling $55 million.

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Minnesota specialty crops get a boost

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What does the agricultureExtension program do?

The program’s main empha-sis is to develop and imple-ment educational programsfor agricultural systems thatproduce, market, or con-

sume agricultural products in the McLeodand Meeker County area. Information canbe obtained on all aspects of livestock,crops, horticulture, natural resources, andenvironmental management issues.

Following are some examples of servic-es conducted.� Coordinate technical information to

the public on livestock, forages, crops,soils, and horticulture.� Develop programs for the public

related to livestock, forages, crops, soils,and horticulture.� Provide horticulture technical assis-

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Extension Office for more information onagriculture and horticulture at 320-484-4303, or the Meeker County ExtensionOffice at 320-693-5275. The University ofMinnesota Extension website, www.extension.umn.edu, also has an extensiveamount of information to help consumerswith their questions.

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Dairy farmers have the opportu-nity to compare the health andproduction performance oftheir herd with other herdsaround the country as the

result of a recent research project from theUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison.

Approximately 200 organic and 100size-matched conventional dairy farmsacross the U.S. were recruited to partici-pate in a recent study examining theimpact of organic management on animalhealth and well-being. Dr. Pamela Ruegg,UW Dairy Science professor and Exten-sion milk quality specialist, and herresearch team visited each farm to collectherd health records, milk samples, bodycondition scores, disease treatments,usage of veterinarians, livestock housing,feed and routine milking procedures.

Researchers selected indicators of ani-mal health, such as somatic cell counts,and identified the management practicesof the participating farms that were mostclosely associated with better herd health.The project team created individualizedbenchmark reports for each farm based

on their scores. These reports collectivelybecame the database for a new suite ofinteractive herd performance tools avail-able online to all dairy farmers.

The online tools compare: somatic cellcounts, milk production, percentages ofmilk fat and protein, clinical mastitis inthe herd and culling rates. Any dairyfarmer can use these tools and select avariety of management practices, herdcharacteristics and other farm criteria ofwhich to compare his or her herd.

Farmers have the option of storing theirherd’s information into the system. Asmore and more farmers do so, the data-base will dynamically grow from the origi-nal 300 dairy farms — continuously pro-viding the most up-to-date results.

Creating a forum for dairy farmers tocompare the performance of their herd toother herds is empowering since herdhealth can influence overall farm income.The peer benchmarking approach helpsfarmers identify areas of strength andweakness on their individual farms andset performance goals for their herd, suchas improved diagnosis of future health-

related problems and increased milk pro-duction.

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By Mark SeeleyClimatologist, University of MinnesotaExtension

The drought situation in Min-nesota is being assessed by anumber of state agencies as wellas University of MinnesotaExtension.

The fall season is a critical hydrologicalrecharge period for our state in terms ofsoil moisture, lakes and streams. Usually avery high percentage of the rainfall andsnowfall is utilized by the landscape andlittle runs off during October, Novemberand December. So it is critical for the over-all health of our soil and water resourcesthat adequate or surplus precipitation fallsbefore the landscape freezes up for thewinter.

Let’s take a look at the current droughtpicture:

Early growing-season rainfall was pre-dominantly at a surplus during April, Mayand June, but the drought's imprint on the

state has expanded since July. Severe orextreme drought as designated by the U.S.Drought Monitor is now prevalent in 45Minnesota counties, most notably south-western, south-central and northwesternagricultural landscapes. You can view thegeographic distribution of drought aroundthe state at the University of Minnesotaclimatology website by visitingz.umn.edu/climatejournal.

Since mid-July, many counties havereported less than half of normal rainfall,while some areas also reported a record-setting dry September. Moorhead, Willmarand Morris were among those locationsreporting a record dry September, withless than 0.2 inches in total rainfall. Inaddition, observations of stored soil mois-ture routinely made at the University ofMinnesota's Southern, Southwestern, andNorthwestern Research and OutreachCenters are now showing near-record orrecord low values for the end of Septem-ber.

Other signs of extreme dryness in the

Minnesota landscape include lake levelsthat are drastically down, and flow volumeon many Minnesota watersheds that isbelow the 10th percentile historically forthis time of year. The danger of wildfires isvery high in many areas of the state aswell. Overall, the state has not seen thisarea and severity of drought since the fallof 2006.

At this point in time, the additional pre-cipitation needed to alleviate drought inmost of the counties currently affectedranges from 6 to 12 inches. This is highly

improbable considering that all-timerecord amounts of precipitation would beneeded by December.

Only 17 of the past 117 years have pro-duced a statewide average of 6 inches ormore precipitation over the Octoberthrough December period. This calculatesto a historical probability of about 15 per-cent, or about one year in seven. Theabsolute wettest October through Decem-ber period in state history, 1971, produceda statewide average precipitation for theperiod of just less than 8.5 inches.

Probably a more realistic expectation isthat enough precipitation will fall beforethe end of the year that there will be somemodest alleviation to the soil moisturedeficits now in place. A wet spring will beneeded for a decent 2013 crop in Min-nesota.

Visit www.extension.umn.edu/droughtfor drought-related educational informa-tion, and climate.umn.edu for more infor-mation from the University of Minnesota’sclimatology working group.

Drought picture worsens for state


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By Alfredo DiCostanzoAnimal scientist, University of Min-nesota Extension

Because most of the states hitby the 2012 drought were inthe corn-producing areas ofthe country, serious feedshortages will occur for most

livestock operations this winter. Yet, inspite of this ominous forecast, beef cattleproducers likely will rely on the ability oftheir cattle to adapt to a variety of dietsand ingredients. However, feeding strate-gies must be reviewed before consideringuse of drought-stricken crops and forages.

For cow-calf operations, this winter willrepresent an opportunity to incorporateresearch-based discoveries when manag-ing feed offerings to wintering beef cows.Cow-calf producers planning to have suf-ficient forage and grain inventories forwinter in northern climates must considerstocking approximately 1,000 pounds ofhay per cow during winter. This is approx-imately one large round bale per cow.

Given the feed shortages, it is even moreimportant than usual to avoid haywastage during feeding. When deliveringhay to cows, producers must ensure thatonly the hay that will be consumed over a24-hour period is delivered in a feeder.Data from the University of Minnesotabeef research facilities at Grand Rapidsand Rosemount indicate that hay wastageis kept to within 5 percent when cows arefed long hay in a round bale feeder orground hay in a feed bunk. Greater losses(over 18 percent) are expected when largebales are simply rolled or shredded ontothe ground. Additional hay waste reduc-tions occurred when limiting time accessto hay feeder. Limited access by cows toround bale feeders for 14 hours reducedhay waste further.

Because hay may not be readily avail-able in certain regions, some producersare looking into alternatives for securing aforage supply in support of wintering beefcows or growing backgrounding cattle.

Drought-stricken corn or other foragefields and late-season planting of wheat or

triticale provide possible alternatives toshort hay supplies. Each option must beconsidered carefully; the former may leadto increased nitrate or other toxin concen-trations in forage, and the latter isdependent on the extent of early droughtrecovery. Grazing or feeding winter wheator triticale hay may lead to nitrate toxico-sis, acidosis or grass tetany. Therefore,

monitoring nitrate concentrations, pro-viding sufficient calcium and magnesiummineral supplementation, and supple-menting cattle with hay or straw may beneeded to avoid these potential issues.

For more information on feed supplymanagement, visitwww.extension.umn.edu/beef.

Managing short feed supplies after the drought


Farmers markets celebrate great seasonNOVEMBERCONFERENCE WILLHIGHLIGHT 2012 SEASONAND FUTURE TRENDS

Minnesota farmers’ marketvendors and managers areinvited to celebrate the suc-cess of the 2012 summerseason at the Minnesota

Farmers’ Market Association’s daylongconference Nov. 8 in Waite Park. The eventis open to existing market vendors, man-agers, those considering the start-up of afarmers’ market, and the public.

MFMA President Bill Otto said farmers’markets have seen tremendous growth inMinnesota and across the U.S.

“Every year we’ve seen the establish-ment of more markets and an increase inthe number of vendors,” Otto said. “Con-ference attendees will be asked to sharetheir highlights from the last season and

we’ll examine some future trends as well.”Minnesota Department of Agriculture

Food Inspection Supervisor KatherineSimon will give a presentation on the rulesand regulations of selling and sampling ata farmers’ market, including licensing,hand-washing and food sample distribu-tion requirements.

Minnesota Grown Program DirectorPaul Hugunin and MDA’s Organic Special-ist Meg Moynihan will discuss how theseprograms help promote farmers and theirlocally grown products at marketsthroughout the state.

Other presentations will cover farmers’market certification, available grants,insurance, and providing access to locallygrown foods for recipients of the Supple-mental Nutrition Assistance Program.

The conference will from 9 a.m. to 4p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, at the AmericanLegion Silver Star Post 428 in Waite Park.Registration is $40 at the door. More infor-mation is on the MFMA website atwww.mfma.org.


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The hot, dry weather encoun-tered this past summer hasresulted in higher levels ofmycotoxins in corn grain beingharvested this fall. In order to

minimize the potential negative impactsthat can occur when feeding grain con-taminated with mycotoxins to swine, porkproducers should be especially cautiousand evaluate grain for mycotoxins prior tousing as feed.

Once grain is contaminated with myco-toxins, there are no known methods ofdetoxifying it. Therefore, it’s essential toprevent further mycotoxin production byensuring proper environmental condi-tions during storage.

There are some management strategiesthat can be used to minimize the negativeeffects of mycotoxins on swine health andperformance. These include:

� Feed the suspect feed or grain to asmall number of “test” animals and close-ly watch for symptoms of mycotoxicosis.Pre-pubertal gilts are often good “test”animals when checking suspected feed forzearalenone (swollen vulvas) and vomi-toxin (reduced feed intake).� Collect samples of the suspect grain

and send to a commercial analytical labo-ratory for determination of levels of myco-toxins. Once the levels are known, con-taminated grain can be blended with goodquality grain to dilute the concentration ofmycotoxins below critical levels.� Try marketing the grain to cattle

(not dairy cows if aflatoxin contaminated)or sheep producers. Ruminants are lesssensitive to mycotoxicosis than pigs andpoultry. Uncontaminated grain can thenbe purchased to avoid health problemsand performance reductions.

� Consider putting grain through agrain cleaner to remove fines. Broken anddamaged kernels are generally highest inmycotoxin contamination because theseeds’ natural protection has been bro-ken. Avoid feeding grain screenings andfines to swine.� Sodium bentonite and a commer-

cial feed additive called Novasil have beenshown to be effective in minimizing theadverse health and performance effects ofpigs fed aflatoxin-contaminated feeds.They may also have some benefit in par-tially alleviating negative effects fromother mycotoxins.� Be sure that stored grain is dried

and aerated to recommended moisturelevels to prevent further mold growth andmycotoxin production. Consider addingcommercially available additives or organ-ic acids (propionic, fumaric, citric) to pre-

vent mold growth.� Avoid feeding mycotoxin-contami-

nated grain to the breeding herd andyoung pigs. Grow-finish pigs fed forslaughter are the best candidates for toler-ating mycotoxin contaminated grain.

For more information on swine, visitextesnion.umn.edu/africutlure/swine.

Grain problems requirefeeding strategies for swine


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By TERRY [email protected]

CreekSide Soils, the compost-making, city-owned company,is a major user of livestockmanure obtained from a largedairy operation just outside

Hutchinson.There was a time when livestock

manure was little more than something toget rid of.

Sure, farmers knew it was good fertilizer,so they would pitch it into two-wheeled

spreaders hitched to tractors and apply itto their fields after clearing the crop. Andall was well.

But agriculture changed. Farms grew.Feedlots grew. Farmers specialized —some raised animals, others focused onlyon crops, and some still did both. Thoseraising hundreds, or thousands, of ani-mals had more manure than they neededfor their fields. What to do with the excess?

In the early 1970s, state and federal reg-ulations tightened controls on manure toassure that it wasn’t allowed to run off intosurface waters or contaminate

STAFF PHOTO BY TERRY DAVIS

CreekSide potting soil rolls over the bagging line as Andy Kosek, general manager of theHutchinson-owned compost facility stands with a bag of WonderBlend 100-percent Compost-ed Manure. It is one of many compost products CreekSide produces using composted manurepurchased from a Hutchinson-area dairy farm.

It starts withthe cowsHUTCHINSON’S MUNICIPALLY OWNEDCOMPOST OPERATION DEPENDS ON AREAFARMS FOR AKEY INGREDIENT


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groundwater. And commercial fertilizerswere cheap, easier to handle and apply,and readily available to all, even farmerswho no longer raised livestock.

From fields to yardsBut things change. Today, commercial

fertilizers are expensive. Excess manurefrom large feedlots and dairy operations isa valued commodity, sought by manylooking to enrich their soils.

CreekSide has been buying compostedmanure from the Luthens family’s SkyviewDairy for about nine years. The 4,000cubic yards delivered annually by theLuthens’ to CreekSide’s facility alongAdams Street Southeast ends up beingused in several lines of bagged compostthe company sells. Up to 300,000 of the 1.6million bags of material CreekSide pack-ages each year has some compostedmanure in it, CreekSide General ManagerAndy Kosek said.

“It is a viable resource,” he said.Much of that material is used to enrich

the yards and gardens of city-slickers.The material sold by Skyview to Creek-

Side is composted manure, not rawmanure. CreekSide does not have the per-mits required to process it at its facility.

But Skyview does. So the Luthens com-

post it at an inspected site near their farmeast of the city. CreekSide, meanwhile, hasthe equipment needed to turn the piles toaid the composting process.

“We go out and process the materials,”Kosek said. When it is ready, about a yearafter the pile began composting, Skyviewtrucks the 4,000 cubic yards to CreekSideabout 35 yards at a time, usually duringJuly and August.

That is enough to cover the city’s cur-rent needs. About 90-percent to 95-per-cent goes into bagged products suchCreekSide’s professional WonderBlend100-percent Composted Manure, the pre-mium CreekSide Compost with Manure,and the economy line SpendorGRO Com-post with Manure. It also goes into Won-derBlend potting soil and some private-label brands CreekSide bags.

“It is a natural fertilizer that people arereally going for,” City Administrator Jere-my Carter said.

“In the metro area, growing gardens incontainers filled with composted manureis becoming popular,” Kosek added. “Thenatural nutritional value is greater thancommercial fertilizer. It is becoming moreand more popular.”

Landscapers have discovered its valuein top-dressing lawns or as a soil material

for newly seeded lawns.“We looked at that as another thing to

use in our marketing,” Carter said.

Growing demand challengeNot only is demand growing for such

products across CreekSide’s six-state dis-tribution area in the Upper Midwest,demand is also growing among farmersfor the basic manure and compostedmanure.

“I see a greater valued and demand for

it,” Carter said.The challenge now is that the price of

commercial fertilizer is going through theroof, so more farmers are looking toSkyview Dairy for the cow-made fertilizerat a time when CreekSide and Skyview arenegotiating a contract extension.

Carter and Kosek are confident the longrelationship with the local dairy producerwill continue.

For more about CreekSide, visitwww.creeksidesoils.com.

“In the metro area, growinggardens in containers filledwith composted manure is

becoming popular.”Andy Kosek, General manager, CreekSide Soils


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While industrial waste andcity sewage captured thespotlight leading up to theClean Water Act in 1972,agricultural waste was also

a growing public concern.For thousands of years, farmers used

livestock manure as fertilizer for crops.However, in recent decades, commercialfertilizer took the lead because it wascheaper and easier to use. Livestockmanure often came to be viewed as anodorous waste. And when allowed to runoff into waterways, it causes pollution.

The “waste” reputation is reflected inMinnesota’s rules enacted in 1971 to regu-late livestock feedlots through the MPCA’sAgricultural Waste Division.

Today, that’s changing as rising costs forcommercial fertilizer and new technologyare restoring the reputation of livestockmanure as a valuable crop fertilizer.Today’s feedlot regulations focus on man-agement rather than disposal of livestockwaste.

Over the past 40 years, the livestock

industry has changed dramatically. In1972, Minnesota Agricultural Statisticsreported about 100,000 livestock feedlotsin the state. Today, there are fewer feed-lots, but more of them are much larger. Ofthe approximately 25,000 registered feed-lots in Minnesota today, about 1,200 of thelargest feedlots hold the majority of ani-mals, and operate under federal permits.

The initial rules in 1971 required live-stock producers to control runoff fromfeedlots, and to properly use manure as afertilizer. It set priorities for making feed-lot improvements, triggered by com-plaints about pollution problems or plansfor feedlot expansion.

“The whole idea of environmental pro-tection was fairly new, and it received a lot

of public acceptance,” says Wayne Ander-son, who began working in the MPCAfeedlot program in 1972. “We were able tofind a way to link the public acceptance ofenvironmental protection to farmerawareness of manure as a resource.”

The late Milton “Jim” Fellows, a Wor-thington area farmer, served on the MPCAcitizen’s board in the late 1960s and early’70s. “It was quite an experience to bewriting the first regulations,” Fellows saidin an interview in 2003. He received oneof the first solid waste-ag permits, not fora pollution problem at his cattle feedlot,but “because if we expected others to doit, I would do it myself. We used the site asan example of feedlot pollution control.”

In 1974, the MPCA launched a programthat brought counties into direct partici-pation with regulation of livestock feed-lots. Today, 55 counties participate in thedelegated county agreement.

“They recognized the value of local peo-ple being partners in this,” Anderson says.“There was no funding for counties in theearly days, but they took it on because it

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was the right thing to do.”Jackson County in southwestern Min-

nesota became first to join the delegatedcounty program. The county was in theprocess of reorganizing, and in 1974 creat-ed an environment office, including parksand feedlots. The Jackson County Exten-sion agent, Ray Palmby, urged the countyboard to become delegated and name acounty feedlot officer. The job went to thelate Paul Hartman, a livestock dealer andbanker from Okabena, Minn.

“Paul and I drove around to meet withfarmers,” Anderson said. “We were outsoliciting in many counties, meeting withcounty commissioners, and making per-sonal contact. We’ve come a long waysince then, with providing training andsome funding for counties.”

Dennis Hanselman, who succeededHartman as Jackson County feedlot officerin 1978 until 1990, recalls the early years.“Overall, it worked fairly well. We wereahead of other counties in planning andzoning, and feedlot permits. Land applica-tion was a big problem, and odor com-plaints, mostly from open pits.” Hansel-man later joined the MPCA staff in DetroitLakes, retiring last year.

The MPCA regulates the collection,transportation, storage, processing and

disposal of animal manure and other live-stock operation wastes. The rules apply tomost aspects of livestock waste manage-ment including the location, design, con-struction, operation and management offeedlots and manure handling facilities.

There are two primary concerns aboutfeedlots in protecting water in agriculturalareas:� Ensuring that manure on a feedlot

or manure storage area does not run intowater;� Ensuring that nutrient-rich manure

is applied to cropland at a rate, time andmethod that prevents nutrients and otherpossible contaminants from enteringstreams, lakes and ground water.

Following a major revision of the state’sfeedlot rules (Chapter 7020) in 2000, theU.S. Environmental Protection Agencyrecognized the state’s feedlot program:“Minnesota has a unique and successfulprogram for preventing water pollutionfrom feedlots. In addition to ensuring thatlarger feedlots meet Clean Water Act regu-lations, the Minnesota Pollution ControlAgency works effectively with county gov-ernments, the Minnesota Board of Waterand Soil Resources and the MinnesotaDepartment of Agriculture to make surethat feedlots of all sizes control pollution.”

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Landlords, farmers, agri-businessmanagers and ag professionalsshould make plans to attend“What is a Fair and ProfitableLand Rent Agreement,” an

informative land rent meeting which willbe held at various locations throughoutsouthern Minnesota in November andearly December.

Farm land rental rates have never beenhigher and determining a fair and prof-itable farm rent agreement is a challengein today's economy with near record cornand soybean prices and record farm land

values.Negotiating a fair rental agreement that

satisfies the land owner and the farmer isa challenge. David Bau, Extension educa-tor in ag business management, willdescribe several methods for determininga fair farm land rental rate for both par-ties.

Topics covered at the meetings willinclude local historic and projected farm-land rental rate trends, current farm landvalues and sales, a worksheet that willhelp determine a fair and profitable rentalagreement. Input costs for 2013 will be

presented along with current corn andsoybean prices. Worksheets will examine2013 costs and what is affordable rent thata farmer will be able to pay in 2013, therate of return to the landlord at currentmarket values and examine flexible rentalagreements.

Make plans to attend one of these freemeetings in your area. Visithttp://z.umn.edu/renttalk for a completelist of locations and dates. Attendees willreceive several informative worksheetsand fact sheets to help them determinewhat is a fair and profitable 2013 farm

land rental rate.Two meetings titled “What is a Fair and

Profitable Farmland Rental Agreement”have been scheduled in McLeod andMeeker County for landowners and landrenters to attend. The McLeod Countysession will take place at 9:30 a.m.Wednesday, Nov. 14, in the McLeod Coun-ty Fairgrounds Commercial Building,Hutchinson.

The Meeker County session begins at 10a.m. Friday, Nov. 16, in CommunityRooms A and B of the Meeker CountyCourthouse, Litchfield.

U of M Extension to host land rent meetings


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The 2012 edition of the Minneso-ta Department of Agriculture’sGreenbook is now available. TheGreenbook publication high-lights the results of innovative

projects that test new approaches to rais-ing crops and livestock as well as market-ing agricultural products.

The projects are funded by the MDA’sSustainable Agriculture DemonstrationGrant Program, which promotes environ-mental stewardship and conservation ofresources and strives to improve prof-itability and quality of life on farms and inrural areas.

MDA Commissioner Dave Fredericksonsays the Greenbook is a valuable resourcefor farmers, researchers, and others seek-ing to advance Minnesota agriculture andimprove the quality of life in rural areas.

“Over the years, the Greenbook has pro-vided the technical information and trialand error insights into hundreds of new

projects,” Frederickson said. “Having thisresearch has helped farmers more quicklyadopt alternative farming systems that aresustainable over the long term.”

Greenbook editor Jeanne Ciborowski saysthe new edition features 17 sustainableagriculture projects in four major topicareas: alternative markets and specialtycrops; cropping systems and soil fertility;fruits and vegetables; and livestock.

“Among the projects are strategies forgrowing blackberries organically under hightunnels which provides for winter protec-tion and increased production, and growingfresh cabbage for markets using integratedpest management,” said Ciborowski. Otherprojects included a feasibility study of smallfarm commercial hops production and cul-tivating and marketing organic mushroomsin a northern climate.

For a free copy of Greenbook 2012, call651-201-6012, or visit the MDA’s web site:www.mda.state.mn.us/greenbook.

Greenbook highlightsagriculture innovations

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A Michigan State Universitystudy showed that haywaste from a typical roundbale feeder could be 10% ormore compared to somecone type feeders.

With our hay hopper feeder the bale sits in the chain hopper and not on the ground.We use 16 chains for our hopper. We don’t need that many chains to support thebale but by having more chains the openings to the bale are smaller. Smaller open-ings mean the cattle can’t just pull the hay out. They have to eat it and this meansless waste. The loose hay that does fall down falls into the bottom of the feederand is eaten as well.

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Shoppers paid slightly more forfood at the grocery store duringthe third quarter of the year, withmany popular breakfast staplesshowing an increase in retail price.

Higher retail prices for eggs, bacon,orange juice, milk and toasted oat cereal,among other foods, resulted in a slightincrease in the latest American FarmBureau Federation Quarterly Marketbas-ket Survey.

The informal survey shows the totalcost of 16 food items that can be used toprepare one or more meals was $51.90, up$1 or about 2 percent compared to thesecond quarter of 2012. Of the 16 itemssurveyed, nine increased and sevendecreased in average price compared tothe prior quarter. The cost for the overallbasket of foods decreased about 2 percentcompared to one year ago.

Most of the slight quarter-to-quarterincrease in the marketbasket of foods canbe attributed to higher retail prices forbreakfast staples, apples and baggedsalad.

“While prices were up from the secondquarter, compared to a year ago, the mar-ketbasket price was actually lower, byabout 2 percent,” said John Anderson,AFBF’s deputy chief economist. “For mostof this year, food prices have been rela-tively stable. This is consistent with thevery slow but steady growth in the generaleconomy that has been seen throughoutthe year, along with fairly stable energyprices.”

Items showing retail price increases forthe third quarter included apples, up 36cents to $1.86 per pound; large eggs, up 33cents to $1.94 per dozen; bagged salad, up20 cents to $2.94 per pound; bacon, up 19cents to $4.23 per pound; whole milk, up19 cents to $3.55 for one gallon; orangejuice up 13 cents to $3.30 for a half-gallon;boneless chicken breasts, up 8 cents to$3.17 per pound; sirloin tip roast, up 5cents to $4.74 per pound; and toasted oatcereal, up 1 cent to $3.00 for a 9-ouncebox.

These items showed modest retail pricedeclines: ground chuck decreased 19cents to $3.47 per pound; white breaddecreased 13 cents to $1.75 for a 20-ounceloaf; vegetable oil, down 7 cents to $2.91for a 32-ounce bottle; flour decreased 5cents to $2.57 for a 5-pound bag; Russetpotatoes decreased 5 cents to $3.01 for a5-pound bag; sliced deli ham decreased 4cents to $5.20 per pound; and shreddedcheddar decreased 3 cents to $4.26 perpound.

Several items showing an increase in

retail price from quarter-to-quarter alsoshowed year-to-year increases: sirloin tiproast, up 11 percent; eggs, up 9 percent;bagged salad, up 8 percent; and apples, up2 percent.

The year-to-year direction of the Mar-ketbasket Survey tracks with the federalgovernment’s Consumer Price Indexreport for food at home. As retail groceryprices have increased gradually over time,the share of the average food dollar thatAmerica’s farm and ranch families receivehas dropped.

“Through the mid-1970s, farmersreceived about one-third of consumerretail food expenditures for food eaten athome and away from home, on average.Since then, that figure has decreasedsteadily and is now about 16 percent,according to the Agriculture Department’srevised Food Dollar Series,” Andersonsaid.

Using the “food at home and away fromhome” percentage across-the-board, thefarmer’s share of this quarter’s $51.90 mar-ketbasket would be $8.30.

Shoppers pay more for items you grow

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From the Universityof Wisconsin Extension

Most families find com-munication to be inter-esting and difficult.Each of us is a uniqueindividual with his or

her own beliefs, feelings, needs andagendas. It’s not always easy to beheard or to get our unique needs andagendas met within the family set-ting.

Communication can be even moredifficult in farm families. Why? Forone thing, farm family members liveand work side-by-side. There is noseparation between work and fami-ly and the tensions of farmingoften spill over into the familyarena. But there is another factoras well. Farming often involvesintergenerational or multi-familyarrangements and significanttensions can develop betweenfather and son, between mother

and daughter-in-law, or between the variousfamilies involved in a family corporation.

It helps if farm families understand a basicconcept: interpersonal issues are a lot likeweeds — they don’t go away unless you rootthem out and, if left alone, they can choke outthe crop.

Farm families need to find ways of promot-ing self worth and preventing interpersonalconflict so interpersonal issues don’t “chokeout the crop.” The following skills can be help-ful in doing this.

1.Practice the art of active listening.Active listening involves paraphrasingor restating the other person’s ideas

and feelings in the listener’s own words. It’s away of drawing out the other person andchecking on whether you really heard what thespeaker was saying. The active listener avoidsevaluating what the other person has said andrefrains from blaming, interpreting, persuad-ing or giving advice to the other person. Yousimply feed the message back in a caring waythat encourages a response. The use of certainphrases lets the other person know that youare actively listening. These include: “I hear

you saying____.” “It sounds like you ____.”“You seem to be feeling ____.”

2.Watch for early warning signals thatconflict is just around the corner.External signals (in others) include

sarcasm, teasing, nit-picking, criticism, yelling,avoidance, and the stony, silent glare. Internalsigns (in yourself) include accelerated heartrate, faster and shallower breathing, increasedmuscle tension, butterflies in the stomach,and cold clammy hands. These external andinternal signals indicate that there is tensionoccurring within a relationship. It’s importantto recognize these signals, pay attention tothem, and take some action to head off futureconflict. Remember that conflict can be goodif it makes people aware that a problem existsand if it causes them to become involved insolving that problem.

3.Share something of yourself — dis-close what you are thinking, feelingand wanting. One of the biggest prob-

lems in communication is not knowing whatother people are thinking, feeling or wanting.Sharing our thoughts and feelings sometimesinvolves risk — risk that the other person won’t

Tips help families deal with farm stress

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listen or care; risk that your wants andneeds will conflict with those of others.But it’s the only way others can know whatwe want and need in our relationships. It’salso helpful to share what you are willingto do to resolve a conflict. Use of the fol-lowing statements can be helpful: “I sensethat we’re in conflict over this issue.” “I’mconcerned (or worried, anxious, afraid)about it.” “What I’d really like is ____.” “I’mwilling to _____ to resolve the issue.”

4.When you feel angry, count to10…or 50…or 1,000 and thenreport this anger to the other per-

son. The two most common forms of deal-ing with anger — burying it and explodingat others — are not very effective. Burying ithurts the person who is angry and explod-ing at others hurts those other people. It’shelpful to take a few moments (or a fewhours) to cool off and reflect on the situa-tion — to get in touch with what you arethinking, feeling and wanting. Then reportthis anger to the other person in ways thatencourage a productive response. Usewords that describe what the person did orwhat happened to make you angry. Here isan example of phrases that communicateanger without putting the other person onthe defensive: “John, I was angry at youwhen ____. I don’t like feeling that way.

What can we do to resolve this issue?”

5.Use one-minute criticisms as away of expressing interpersonalgripes in families. One-minute

criticisms (delivered in a minute or less)can be an important problem-solving toolsince they allow individuals to raise con-cerns and feelings without demeaning ordemoralizing the other person. The fol-lowing guidelines should be kept in mindwhen giving one-minute criticisms:

a) focus on the other person’s behavior(what’s bugging you),

b) do it soon (unless you’re angry)c) express your true feelings (if angry or

resentful, say so),d) stop for a moment of silence,e) emphasize that you value the other

person,f) give support through touch,g) allow time for the other person to

respond, andh) recognize that the criticism is over.

Criticism can be an important problem-solving tool, but not when it’s used topunish or demean the other person.

6.Use one-minute praisings as away of expressing support andcaring in families. A supportive,

caring family will be in a much better posi-tion to deal with conflict when it does arise.

One-minute praisings provide other peoplewith positive feedback on somethingthey’ve done. Thus, it’s one of the best toolsfor strengthening an individual’s self-con-cept and for creating a supportive climatewithin farm families. Guidelines to be keptin mind for one-minute praisings are:

a) focus on the other person’s behavior(what you liked or appreciated),

b) do it soon,c) express your true feelings (if happy,

say so!),d) stop for a moment of silence,e) emphasize how much you value the

other person,f) give support through touch, andg) encourage more of the same behavior.

7.Use adult-to-adult problem-solv-ing in farm businesses thatinvolve intergenerational arrange-

ments. Significant problems arise if a par-ent treats a son or daughter like a childwhen that person is a full-grown adult.Parent-type actions such as finger point-ing, head shaking, and use of such evalua-tive words as “always,” “never,” “remem-ber,” “you ought to know better,” and “if Iwere you” can get in the way of intergen-erational problem-solving. Problems alsoarise when adult children fall back intokid-like behaviors (using Mom as a con-

duit rather than approaching Dad withproblems or ideas) or when either partyresorts to profanity or name-calling. It’simportant that both parties in the rela-tionship treat each other as adults andenter into a mutual problem-solvingprocess that involves: a) a clear definitionof the problem, b) a look at what optionsare available, c) an exploration of whichoption will work best, and d) the choice ofa specific course of action. Problem-solv-ing works best when it’s focused on oneissue — try not to bring up past history orsolve all of your problems at one time

Since farm and family issues are closelyintertwined, minor issues can escalateinto major conflicts within a short time.Thus, it’s important to deal with interper-sonal issues when they first arise — whenthere is a low level of emotions, little dis-tortion of the other person’s position, areasonable level of trust, and a willingnessto listen to the other person. The skillsoutlined above should be helpful in pro-moting self worth and in preventing inter-personal conflict. Try them — they work!

To access more information to help ana-lyze your situation, link to the ExtensionResponds web page at: www. uwex.edu/ces/ag/farmingindifficulttimes.html.


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THE MINNESOTADEPARTMENT OFAGRICULTURE OFFERS ANEW ASSESSMENT TOOL

The Minnesota Department ofAgriculture has made a new,free farm management resourceavailable to organic farmers.The publication, “Organic

Farmers: Steps to Success,” contains fivesimple worksheets designed to helporganic farmers assess their own manage-ment and financial strengths and identifyareas they want to improve.

“Not all successful organic farms excelin the same way, and there is no ‘recipe’for what will make somebody an excep-tional organic farmer,” said Meg Moyni-han, the MDA organic program adminis-trator who led development of the work-sheets. “But there are some skills and per-sonal qualities that help, and these work-sheets are designed to help people figure

out what those are.”The booklet is the culmination of a

comprehensive organic farm businessmanagement project supported by theUSDA Risk Management Agency and wasdesigned with input from farm businessmanagement instructors, agriculturaleconomists, and organic farmers. It is freeto use and share and can be found atwww.mda.state.mn.us/organic.

Farmers and other agriculture profes-sionals may also be interested in actualproduction and economic performancedata for Minnesota organic farms collect-ed from 2007-2011. The Minnesota Organ-ic Farm Performance Report is available atwww.mda.state.mn.us/fbm.

Other organizations that participatedsubstantially in the project include Min-nesota State Universities Farm BusinessManagement Education programs, Uni-versity of Minnesota Center for FarmFinancial Management, Organic CropImprovement Association — MinnesotaChapter 1 and the Sustainable FarmingAssociation of Minnesota.

Steps to success outlined for organic farmers


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By Juliana Thill

The 10 daysthat TomHaag of EdenValley spentin China ear-

lier this year servedmultiple purposes —from gathering marketinsights and understand-ing exports to discussing farming opera-tions.

Haag is vice president of the MinnesotaCorn Growers Association and was amongthe 50-member delegation that Gov. MarkDayton led on a trade mission to China.

“China does a lot of importing of ourproducts — corn, soybeans, soybean

meal, pork — and they’re importing a lotmore. Their culture is changing,” Haagsaid.

The delegation, made up of businessand industry association executives, high-er education leaders and state govern-ment officials traveled June 8-17 to Bei-jing, Shanghai and Xian (the capital ofShaanxi Province) for market and industrybriefings, business match-making events,networking events and meetings with keyU.S. and Chinese government officials.

Agribusiness was strongly representedduring the trade mission, which makessense, given that China accounts for morethan one-fourth of Minnesota’s agricultur-al exports, said state Agriculture Commis-sioner Dave Frederickson, who traveledwith the delegation.

New perspective on global agribusiness

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EDEN VALLEY FARMER TOM HAAG WAS PART OFAMINNESOTADELEGATION THAT VISITED CHINA,THE STATE’S TOP MARKET FOR AGRICULTURE


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“In the past 10 years, our ag exports toChina have jumped 800 percent, mostlydriven by exports of bulk and intermedi-ate commodities,” said Frederickson.“China’s the top buyer and the main mar-ket for Minnesota soybeans and a growingmarket for our pork.”

Having an agricultural presence amongthe business delegation was importantfrom a goodwill effort, as well as a busi-ness aspect, Haag said.

“Anytime you have ag people going, it’sa plus for them to talk to us about farmingor to find out more information abouthow efficient American farmers are,” hesaid.

With sales of $2.3 billion in 2011, Chinais Minnesota’s second-largest export mar-ket for manufactured goods. It is thestate’s top market for agricultural com-modities and related food products, withpurchases of $1.35 billion in 2010.

State export growth to China is expectedto continue, providing opportunities forMinnesota companies to sell manufac-tured goods, services and agriculturalcommodities.

“China is a growing market for Min-nesota manufacturers, service providersand agribusinesses,” Dayton said. “Build-ing relationships with Chinese leaders,

expanding markets for Minnesota prod-ucts and encouraging reverse investmentare all aimed at growing our state’s econo-my and creating more jobs for Min-nesotans.”

Haag sees the ag industry growing asag-related businesses expand.

“There are more jobs being relatedaround agriculture — you’ve got peopleon the chemical side, a lot of people onthe seed side and machinery side,” hesaid. “There are a lot of small farmers outthere, but there are a lot of jobs related toagriculture.”

During the mission, delegates explorednew trade opportunities, gathered marketinsights, acquired business contacts andpotential partners and distributors, andworked to attract Chinese investment inMinnesota.

“Entering a new foreign market orexpanding existing operations requiressound market intelligence, experiencedtechnical expertise and key business con-nections,” said Katie Clark, director of theMinnesota Trade Office. “Our trade mis-sion to China provides these essentials forcompanies and organizations exploringthis market and looking for new opportu-nities for export growth.”

Haag also saw the trip as important for

gaining a better understanding of Chineseoperations for growing food and how theyprocess food, he said.

Haag, who was elected vice president ofthe Minnesota Corn Growers Associationthree years ago, helps lead the 6,100 mem-ber commodity group.

He had the Minnesota Corn GrowersAssociation in mind during the scheduledstops to a food market, Cargill’s animalnutrition feed mill where it grinds cornand soybean meal for animals, HormelFood Co., and a dairy processing plant inShanghai, Hagg said.

Haag, who other than making a trip toHawaii had never traveled overseasbefore, was interested in seeing how farmsin China operate.

“A large farm (in China) is 40 acres.Everything is done by hand,” said Haag,who farms 625 acres of corn and soy-beans.

Haag, 60, and his wife, Linda, have twogrown sons, Nathan and Lucas. Nathanworks with his dad on the farm, which hasbeen in the family for 100 years. Haag isthe fourth generation of the family to farmthe land, having taken over the familyfarm in 1979 when his father passed away.

Farming has changed in the 100 yearsthat Haag’s family has been operating afarm.

Today, it “is more like running a smallbusiness than running a small farm,” hesaid.

“I think the biggest thing is farming 30years ago, or when my dad farmed here, itwas more of a smaller family farm andyou didn’t put a lot of inputs back into theground. When my dad would plant corn,he planted 18,000 plants per acre. Now,we’re doing 34,000 plants per acre — we’reabout doubling what we were doing. Now,times have changed. The cost of every-thing has gone up. Land’s gone up, inputsinto corn or soybeans has gone up. Youhave to make sure you’re a better mar-keter because of the costs.”

“A large farm(in China) is

40 acres.”Tom Haag


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The Minnesota Department of Agricul-ture’s Sustainable Agriculture Demonstra-tion Grant Program will award up to$100,000 in 2013 for on-farm sustainableagriculture research or demonstrationprojects.

The MDA is accepting applications forthe grant program which promotes envi-ronmental stewardship and conservationof resources and strives to improve prof-itability and quality of life on farms and inrural areas.

Minnesota Agriculture CommissionerDave Frederickson says the MDA’s Sustain-able Agriculture Demonstration Grant Pro-gram has helped move new ideas and con-cepts into viable production practices.

“With these grants, farmers andresearchers have the opportunity to pur-

sue their ideas, track the results and thenshare this valuable information with oth-ers,” Frederickson said. “For example,we’ve seen the development of high tunnelsystems to increase fruit production andnew successes with cover crops.”

Grant applications are available on theMDA website at http://go/use.gov/YBSj, orby contacting the Agricultural Marketingand Development Division at 651-201-6012. Completed applications must bereceived by MDA no later than Jan. 11.

Since 1989, the MDA Sustainable Agri-culture Demonstration Grant Program hasawarded 281 grants. Examples of eligibleprojects include fruit and vegetable pro-duction, conservation tillage and weedmanagement, integrated pest manage-ment, livestock production, organic farm-ing, alternative energy crop productionand use of cover crops.

These and other grant projects are high-lighted in the Greenbook, which is free andavailable at www.mda.state.mn.us/green-book.

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The relationship between covercrops and better soil is the focusof a short field day Saturday, Nov.17, from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., atthe Brian Hazel dairy farm north

of Lanesboro.This is a free event, but to help guaran-

tee enough coffee and rolls, please reservea spot by contacting Caroline van Schaikat 507-523-3366, or [email protected]. Hazel’s farm is at27919 State Highway 250.

Soil health has long been understood asfoundational to successful farming.Healthy soil is directly linked to betterproduction and farm finances, as well asto erosion control and related resourcepriorities. In a recent statewide video con-ference on the topic, Minnesota StateConservationist Don Baloun of the Natur-al Resources Conservation Service put anemphatic priority on helping farmers and

other landowners do everything possibleto build better soil.

One of the most important tools forbuilding healthy soil is to integrate covercrops into rotations. Hazel, a member ofthe Fillmore County Soil and WaterResources District board of directors, willtalk about his use of tillage radishes andoats, and how these cover crops fit into hismanagement decisions. Peter Hartman,area soil scientist with NRCS, will coverthe basics of soil and present researchresults related to the effects of tillage onsoil health. Biology professor Bruno Bor-sari of Winona State University willexplain how the biological activity belowground and plant growth above groundinteract.

The Land Stewardship Project and Fill-more County Soil and Water ResourcesDistrict are organizing this free event inpartnership with The Nature Conservancy.

Cover Crops Field Walk planned for Nov. 17GOAL OF THE EVENT NEAR LANESBOROIS TO SHOW HOW TO BUILD HEALTHY SOIL


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Minnesota’s ethanol industrygenerated more than $5 bil-lion in total economicactivity in 2011 and sup-ported more than 12,600

jobs, according to a new report from theMinnesota Department of Agriculture.The state’s 21 ethanol plants have thecapacity to produce 1.1 billion gallons ofethanol, putting Minnesota fifth nation-wide in ethanol production.

According to the MDA report, ethanoladded $912 million to the value of thestate’s corn crop in 2011, a second recordhigh. For every bushel of corn processedinto ethanol, $2.07 was generated in addi-tional revenue. The report also shows thatfor every dollar invested into the ethanolplants, more than eight dollars were gen-erated for the Minnesota economy.

Last year, Minnesota farmers harvestedmore than 1.2 billion bushels of corn and440 million bushels were put into produc-

tion of ethanol and its co-product, dis-tillers dried grains. The report’s author,MDA economist Su Ye, says the ethanolindustry continues to have a critical rolein bringing increased returns to the state’slargest agricultural crop.

“While there have been ups and downsin the ethanol industry, the fact is it’s ahuge advantage for us to keep more of thevalue of the corn we produce rather thanship it to another state or country as a rawcommodity,” Ye said. “The ethanol indus-try is an important economic driver thatadds value to every bushel of corn grownby the roughly 11,000 farmers who supplyit to the plants.”

Ye said Minnesota exports 42 percent ofits corn, while 39 percent of it isprocessed. In comparison, the U.S.exports 12 percent of its corn and 50 per-cent is processed. MDA’s latest MinnesotaEthanol Industry Report can be viewedonline at http://go/use.gov/YBJB.

Ethanol pumps $5 billion into state’s economyMINNESOTAHAS 21 ETHANOL PLANTS


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From Tom HaagMinnesota corn farmer, Eden Valley

Five years ago, ethanol was thedarling of the media. It was amovement toward energy inde-pendence and security, a tributeto American ingenuity and inno-

vation, and a renewable fuel developed infertile farmlands across the United States.Ethanol embodied the true American spir-it.

Fast-forward to 2012, and somehow,ethanol opponents have managed to vil-lainize it, painting it as being the root ofnearly all that is wrong in our country.

Ethanol has been blamed for the worstdrought in 50 years, for the skyrocketingcosts of our grocery bills, and for creatinga continuous cycle of subsidies. It’s con-venient to point an angry finger at farmersand ethanol producers, when one is unen-cumbered by facts. What other trouble hasethanol been causing? The fall of Wall

Street? The housing crisis? Facebook’s IPOdisaster? You have to ask yourself if thereis something else at the root of all thisethanol blame game.

I can’t help but wonder what went sowrong so fast. Things started off so wellwith the introduction of ethanol, finallygiving us a choice at the gas station.Ethanol kicked off a conversation aboutrenewable fuels, teaching us that we canbe less dependent on foreign fossil fuels.We found a renewable fuel that made theair cleaner. We started saving money atthe pump. And, we sparked an economicresurgence in many of our rural commu-nities, pumping money into towns that sodesperately needed it and adding $42.4billion to the national GDP. The list goeson and on. But frankly, I wonder if peopleare ignoring the successes.

Don’t get me wrong. Ethanol is not per-fect, but it’s a healthy start in the rightdirection — and certainly better thanpetroleum. Ethanol is an emerging tech-

nology, and every year, it gets better,cleaner and more efficient. We aren’t ask-ing anyone to turn a blind eye to ethanol’sshortcomings, but we are asking for a bal-anced approach to the story.

At the root of the issue is the perceptionthat there is not enough corn for bothfood uses and ethanol production. Let’sstart with some facts. Nearly three-quar-ters of our field corn supply still goes intofood and feed. Remember, you don’t usethe entire kernel of corn when makingethanol, just the starch. After the starch isremoved, the remaining part of the kernel,including all of the proteins, is used tomake high-quality livestock feed. Further-more, the corn that goes on our plates andon our grills is sweet corn — that’s notused to make ethanol. Here’s another fact:Farmers today grow five times as muchcorn as they did in the 1930s — on 20 per-cent less land — a fact that ethanol oppo-nents seem to ignore. And even in themidst of a devastating drought, our yield

averages are still better than they were just20 years ago.

According to the Renewable Fuels Asso-ciation, the U.S. used 13.9 billion gallonsof ethanol last year, displacing the equiva-lent of 485 million barrels of imported oiland saving the country $49.7 billion. Andif none of this information gets you think-ing a little more positively about ethanol,how about the fact that in the Midwest,ethanol reduced gas prices by an averageof $1.69 per gallon?

Instead of working so hard to vilifyethanol, can we at least agree that it’sdone some good things for our country? Itwould be difficult to deny that ethanol hasstarted a biofuels movement in the UnitedStates by forcing us all to look at sustain-ability.

Energy is a big tent. We know there arenew developments to come. Some ofthose will include ethanol. But for that tohappen, we must commit to focusing onthe facts when it comes to telling the story.

OPINION

Don’t ignore ethanol’s great successes


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Mhe U.S. Department ofAgriculture announcedplans in October to allocatean additional 400,000 acresof farm land for conserva-

tion and wildlife habitat restoration effortsas part of the Conservation Reserve Pro-gram, or CRP.

With 400,000 acres available, USDAplans to work with producers andlandowners to target habitat for high-pri-ority species, such as the lesser prairiechicken and sage grouse, as well as gamespecies including pheasants and quail.Pheasants Forever and other conservationgroups have touted the new project, calledState Acres For Wildlife Enhancement Pro-gram, or SAFE. Other species expected toreceive protection under the projectinclude northern scarlet snakes, ferrugi-nous hawks and the American woodcock.

But, farmers won’t be able to enrolladditional acres in the CRP until Congresspasses a new Farm Bill, which expiredSept. 30. Without a bill, the USDA cannotconvert the 400,000 acres into CRP.

The voluntary program aims to con-serve and restore habitat for wildlifespecies that are threatened or endan-gered, have suffered significant popula-tion declines or are important environ-mentally, economically or socially. Landdesignated for conservation efforts islocated in 36 states and Puerto Rico.

In March, U.S. Agriculture SecretaryTom Vilsack announced USDA’s intent toenroll up to 1 million acres in a new CRPgrasslands and wetlands initiative meantto target environmentally sensitive landthrough continuous signups. In addition,USDA announced a continuous sign-up ofhighly erodible cropland, which seeks to

protect the nation’s most environmentallysensitive lands.

According to the USDA, CRP has pro-vided numerous benefits: � CRP prevents the erosion of 325 mil-

lion tons of soil each year, or enough soilto fill 19.5 million dump trucks;� CRP has restored more than two mil-

lion acres of wetlands and two millionacres of riparian buffers;� Each year, CRP keeps more than 600

million pounds of nitrogen and more than100 million pounds of phosphorous fromflowing into our nation’s streams, rivers,

and lakes;� CRP provides $1.8 billion annually to

landowners—dollars that make their wayinto local economies, supporting smallbusinesses and creating jobs; and� CRP is the largest private lands car-

bon sequestration program in the country.By placing vulnerable cropland into con-servation, CRP sequesters carbon inplants and soil, and reduces both fuel andfertilizer usage. In 2010, CRP resulted incarbon sequestration equal to takingalmost 10 million cars off the road.

CONGRESS’ FAILURE TO PASS THE BILL HAS PUTNEW ENROLLMENTS IN JEOPARDY SINCE SEPT. 30

CRP on hold until new Farm Bill passes


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be sold in “AS IS” condition, no warranties expressed by sellers or seller‘s agents. The seller has the right to reject any or all bids. The sellers or seller’s agents are not responsible for any errors in

information. This is a guide. Buyers are responsible to collect their own info. Anything said the day of the auction takes precedence over written material.

Tractors: JD 620, factory WF, good tin, 13.6x38 rubber (tight); Farmall 450, Schwartz WF,Good tin, 15.5x38 rubber (tight); Farmall H, NF, 11.2x38 rubber (tight). Farm Equip:Hesston 5540 round bailer w/ monitor, belt type; 9’ New Holland haybine; 3 pt rd bail

mover; 12’ hay conveyor; JD 24T bailer w/ thrower; JD #8 sickel mower; Loftness 7 1/2‘ 2stg snowblower; JD 1250 6 rw planter. Combines & Heads: JD 3300 gas combine; JD 13’bean head; JD 343, 3 rw N, corn head; JD 244, 2 rw W, corn head; Case 660 gas combine;

Case bean head; Case402, 2 rw W, corn head; Case 2 rw W, corn head w/ oilers. Shop items:5 hp Magna Force air compressor; Knipko heaters; cement mixer (stationary). Truck, Cars& Boat; Collectibles; 1972 Holly Park Trailor House. Will be auctioned off & to be moved

from site. All equipment has been resting for some time – some can be used, restored, used forparts or scrap. Items must be removed by December 1, 2012.

Note: Seller and sellers agents have provided information to the best of their knowledge.This is a guide. Information provided the day of the auction takes precedence over any written material.

Auctioneer has the right to run the sale however best serves the seller.

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Agriculture-2012

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