FARMFEST

Finding the best avenues for installing solar

Noah Fish — Tue, 27 Aug 2024 13:00:00 GMT

Rick Tisdale, senior project development engineer for Cedar Creek Energy, has a pulse on the solar industry.

Cedar Creek Energy, a Minnesota-based solar energy company that designs, installs and maintains solar systems, has grown substantially in the 17 years it's been in business. Tisdale has been with the company for 15 of those.

"When I started, we had six employees, and now we're up to over 100," Tisdsale said at Minnesota Farmfest, where the company was putting on presentations for interested attendees.

The solar business wasn't always booming. Tisdale said that a decade ago, the price of solar was "very expensive" and to offset the cost of selling solar, Cedar Creek Energy became an energy efficiency partner for Xcel Energy and showed businesses how to reduce their energy costs. As the price of solar came down, Cedar Creek Energy ramped up its solar installations.

"Farmers were actually very early adapters of solar, and they actually helped drive the price of solar down," Tisdale said.

Tisdale has a degree in aerospace engineering, AKA rocket science, and jokes to clients that if he can't get their deal to fly, no one can. He worked for a few engineering companies and then in the finance business, where he said his outgoing personality wasn't a good fit. He turned both those specialties into a career in solar.

"Solar is a really good fit for my talents, because I understand how it works from a financial standpoint," he said.

Tisdale's advice for people looking into solar is to talk to more than one company before making a decision.

"It's a big investment, and unlike a truck, if you buy a truck and you don't like it, you just trade it in and get a different brand or whatever," he said. "Solar has a warranty on it for 30 years. You're picking a dance partner you're gonna have for probably the next 30 years, and you're not buying another one most likely in your lifetime."

Tisdale recommends following up on these items when reaching out to solar companies:

Tax incentives

Roughly 30% of a solar installation can be deducted from a property owner's tax liability, according to Tisdale. A property owner can also claim state and federal depreciation, therefore around 70% of a project could come back to the property owner in the form of a tax reduction.

"Reading the tax code is not that obvious," Tisdale said. "When they hear how it works in words it becomes very attractive to farmers and business owners. More than just looking at a cashflow, it also helps them to get over the hurdle that solar is expensive."

PACE

Property Assessed Clean Energy — or PACE — is a financing option that helps property owners pay for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects on their properties. PACE is available on both commercial and residential properties and can be used to finance projects such as solar panels. Currently, PACE programs are available in 32 states including Minnesota and Wisconsin.

"Over $5 billion in projects have been completed in the USA," Tisdale said of PACE. "It is basically a loan but there are not fees, no prepayment penalties, no personal guarantees by the farmer and it doesn’t show up on their credit report as a debt. They could use it for things like solar or more energy efficient dryers, etc. Anything that is an energy improvement. It is a cool program, and I did the first one in the city of Minneapolis 12 years ago."

REAP Grants

REAP — Rural Energy for America Program — is a federally funded grant and loan program run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that helps farmers and rural small business owners access renewable and efficient energy technologies.

In the past year, Tisdale was able to secure three REAP grants for $1 million.

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Sartell farmer a finalist for Farmfest’s Woman Farmer of the Year

Michael Johnson — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 13:00:00 GMT

SARTELL, Minn. — The fifth-generation Udermann family farm, Meadowbrook Farm, near Sartell, in central Minnesota, includes an 80-head dairy, 300 feeder steers, 1,000 acres of row crops (corn, soybeans, small grains and rye) and a custom no-till planting and manure hauling business as well. All these parts are kept running by three farm families each doing their part.

One part of the operation is Kirsten, who joined the family in 2017 when she married Alex Udermann. In her time on the farm she has proved herself as a glue that holds things together, yet continues to move things forward toward increased efficiencies and sustainability.

Her dedication has earned her a spot as a finalist for Minnesota Farmfest's Farm Woman of the Year. The award winner will be named Thursday, Aug. 8, at Farmfest in Morgan, Minnesota.

The sustainability work at the Udermann farm can be seen upon entering their property, where you’ll see they’ve earned five Ag Water Quality Certification endorsements. They were the first in the state to do so. They also made the move to 100% no-till on their land in the last couple of years and have been advocates of the soil health opportunities that the switch has provided.

“It comes down to where we’re at. A lot of open areas,” Kirsten Udermann said of their move to no-till. “And watching the top soil blow away. Planting into powder, just kind of got sick of it.”

They started by giving no-till beans a try. Then they planted cover crops. Then they planted right into the cover crops.

“And that’s been working well for us,” she said. They saw far fewer washouts and standing water in their fields compared to other conventional fields in their area after heavy rains this spring. “So once you see the benefits on the soil, you keep going, and you keep finding new ways to get regenerative.”

It’s an approach that’s working now and one they hope works to keep the next generation of Udermanns farming.

“We’ve got three little girls right now (another Udermann is on the way) and they are obviously showing an interest in farming right now, and we want to do better for them and make sure there’s something here for them to take over when they get to that age," Kirsten Udermann said.

Alex said women like Kirsten don’t get enough credit for the work they do to keep farms functioning. Kirsten handles all things cattle for the farm. A former Select Sires employee, Kirsten gives vaccinations, orders medicine, feeds and handles inventory sheets. She’ll help out chauffeuring equipment around for their custom work or run a grain cart in the fall. She was instrumental in the move to building a heifer pen and transitioning away from using a bull, instead utilizing artificial insemination with sexed semen. They’re improving their herd genetics and are better able to boost their steer numbers when the dairy has enough milk cows. These are some steps helping to keep them sustainable when one area of the operation is seeing a down year.

“It's one of those things like anywhere I go, whether it's Soil and Water, FSA or the co-ops, the parts, the equipment dealers, it's all women behind the counters doing all the office work and phone calls and ordering stuff,” Alex Udermann said. “So women are a huge role in the ag community. I don't think we put enough praise on them, in my opinion.”

Alex said women are often behind the scenes “making sure the circus is in order” — and their circus is all the more in order because of her.

Alex said Kirsten's vision of breeding more intentionally and keeping cattle health at top of mind are money saving and money producing efforts that are paying off. On the crop side of the operation, the switch to no-till and cover cropping has allowed them to sell their four-wheel drive equipment and tillage equipment.

“And it’s less labor, less machinery depreciation and higher quality feed and better soil, less fertilizer, less fuel, less herbicides,” he added. “I think we’ve got things dialed in pretty darn good for the size of our operation.”

It’s been a big year for the Udermanns, who were also chosen as Young Cooperator of the Year by First District Association, a dairy cooperative that manufactures dairy products from family farms in Minnesota. That award is given to a couple or individual who exhibit a strong passion for the dairy industry and are actively involved on their farm, in dairy and other agriculture-related organizations, and in their local community.

Kirsten said she’s honored to be selected for these accolades. She’s worked with so many other women in ag that she has looked up to. Many were the backbone of the operations.

The Udermanns hosted a field day at their farm in July where they shared their story about staying sustainable today and into the future. They have another transitioning to no-till event planned at their farm on Aug. 9. That's an event led by Practical Farmers of Iowa. Alex said every operation, no matter the size, can find places to implement regenerative practices. At the same time, anyone who gets to work with a woman in agriculture should be thanking them, he added.

“Thank a woman. They’re usually making sure the circus is organized behind you when you’re out in the field or doing whatever you’re doing,” he said.

The Udermann farm has been in the family since 1916. Alex and Kirsten, along with Alex’s brother Jake, are the fifth generation on the farm. They also still work daily with their father, John. With all of the family members earning a wage, they know that diversifying is the key.

Kirsten is currently serving on the Young Cooperators Board with First District Association. She volunteers at their county fair’s malt stand and has been a coach for Princess Kay contestants. She has helped host numerous farm tours and field days at Meadowbrook Dairy Inc. to showcase their operation and conservation work. She also donates beef to their church every year including steak bundles and hamburgers for grilling and auctioning off.

Making it to Farmfest

You can see Kirsten at Farmfest on Aug. 8 alongside the other finalists for Woman Farmer of the Year. Other finalists include Erika Goette, of Bricelyn; Jane Imker, of Lamberton; Melissa Runck, of Avoca; and Marles Lange, of Windom. The women will be honored at 10:30 a.m. with special guest speaker Amanda Nigg, also known as FarmFitMomma on social media platforms.

The Farmfest Woman Farmer of the Year Award honors the hard-working female farmers across Minnesota who selflessly give their time to growing the crops and raising the livestock needed to feed the world.

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Farmfest events schedule includes three candidate forums in the week before primary elections

Michael Johnson — Tue, 09 Jul 2024 22:22:15 GMT

The 2024 Farmfest event is scheduled for Aug. 6-8 at Gillfillan Estate near Redwood Falls, Minnesota.

Highlights of the three-day event include three candidate forums along with updates on agricultural issues facing farmers across the state and country. Event organizer Kent Thiesse said this year's event provides a slate of speakers and vendors that are sure to attract crowds.

Thiesse said as far as farm shows go, Farmfest is one of the more highly visible ones for political candidates and one of few that focuses primarily at ag issues in politics.

"It's usually the first time where there is kind of an awareness of candidates and issues, but also it comes right before the primary (election) in Minnesota (the second Tuesday of August) ... and this year, as in many years, with some of the races there are some potentially interesting primary elections on either the Republican or Democrat side. So, it does play into that a little bit."

The annual event has been a major ag gathering since 1972 and brings out an estimated 30,000 people over three days. While there are plenty of opportunities to hear about big issue items including the farm bill, renewable energy and workforce topics, there's also a chance to have conversations with 500-600 exhibitors.

"A lot of folks, even if they aren't buying, they like to see what's new and the latest innovations in equipment and technology," Thiesse said. Even those not active in agriculture can come and learn a lot about what the ag industry is all about.

Here's a look at the schedule of events and speakers located within the Wick Buildings Farmfest Center.

Tuesday, Aug. 6 8:30 a.m.: Corn and soybean marketing discussion. 9:30 a.m.: Tips for surviving in a down ag economy with a panel made up of Bob Craven, University of Minnesota economist; Bernt Nelson, American Farm Bureau economist; Todd Stencel, Farm Business Management instructor, South Central College. 10:30 a.m.: Congressional Candidate Forum including First and Second Districts. Noon: Linder Farm Network noon show. 1:15 p.m.: Congressional Candidate Forum No. 2 includes Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Districts. 2:30 p.m.: America's Story by Jeff Gould. Wednesday, Aug. 7 9 a.m.: Ag Outlook Forum: includes panel members Christy Goldsmith Romero, commissioner of Commodity Futures Trading Commission; Mark Schultz, grain marketing analyst, North Star Commodity; Brian Werner, executive director, Minnesota Bio-Fuels and; Ryan Yates, managing director of government affairs, American Farm Bureau. 10:30 a.m.: U.S. Senate Candidate Forum. Noon: Linder Farm Network Noon Show. 1:10 p.m.: Update on the Minnesota Ag Industry. 1:30 p.m.: Farm Bill Fatigue: Will Congress Pass a Farm Bill? Panel members include: U.S. Senator Tina Smith; Zippy Duvall, president, American Farm Bureau Federation; George Goblish, board member, American Soybean Association; Rob Larew, president, National Farmers Union; Lori Stevermer, president, National Pork Producers Council and; Harold Wolle, president, National Corn Growers Association. Thursday, Aug. 8 8 a.m.: University of Minnesota Manure Applicator Certification Program. 10:45 a.m.: Women in Ag Event and Farmfest “Women Farmer of the Year” Program. Noon: Linder Farm Network Noon Show. 1:15 p.m. University of Minnesota “Farm Family Recognition Program.” Livestock updates

The event also includes livestock tent programs daily. Those include:

11:15 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 6: Update on the H5N1 Outbreak. 11:15 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 7: Prop 12, feedlot regulations and other livestock policy issues. 10 a.m., Thursday Aug. 8: Beef Quality Assurance and Certification.

For more information on the Farmfest forums, exhibitors, food vendors, and other information, visit Farmfest.com.

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Minnesota Farm Woman of the Year 'was born to be a farmer'

Jeff Beach — Thu, 03 Aug 2023 18:50:51 GMT

REDWOOD FALLS, Minn. — A woman who was “born to be a farmer,” was named Minnesota’s Farm Woman of the Year for 2023.

Alma Kubat of Owatonna, Minnesota, was awarded the honor, Thursday, Aug. 3, at Farmfest near Redwood Falls.

Kubat, now 83, farmed with her husband Richard until his death in 1994.

With her three sons and two daughters, “We just kept on doing what their dad would have wanted us to do,” Kubat said after being announced as the winner from five finalists at Farmfest.

Kubat remains active on the farm, caring for chickens, feeding steers and hogs, and other daily chores. She deals with farm finances, permits and taxes.

Two sons, Brad and Brent, farm with Alma.

Brad Kubat nominated his mother, saying, "Mom was born to be a farmer. She lives, breaths and will die a farmer. She is a great steward of the land, and her faith in God runs deep. She is very proud of the heritage of our family farm and loves to tell it's extensive story of good times and bad."

Alma also does a live radio broadcast with her son, Brad, called the "Thursday Morning Almanac with Brad's Mom."

Brad said he was encouraged to nominate his mother by a radio co-worker who told him “I think you know somebody who is pretty incredible.”

The other four Farmfest Farm Woman finalists were Kari Olson of Hawley, Debbie Morrison of Mora, Rachelle Krienke of Lester Prairie, and Rachel Gray of Blackduck.

The 2023 Farmfest also marked the 20th anniversary of Annie's Project, which is designed to educate and empower women in agriculture.

Alma gave credit to her husband and the rest of her family. “We all worked together,” she said.

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Siting solar farms a hot topic at Minnesota Farmfest

Jeff Beach — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 22:46:08 GMT

REDWOOD FALLS, Minn. — Is taking land that can produce corn and soybeans and other food and instead using it to generate electricity acceptable?

Land use for green energy such as solar and wind farms is an area where there is a lot of room for discussion, agreed members of a Minnesota rural issues panel at Farmfest near Redwood Falls, Minnesota, on Wednesday, Aug. 2, 2023.

Siting large solar arrays, in particular, has become a hot issue in some greater Minnesota counties.

“We’re not talking about 10 or 20 acres, we’re talking about 1,000 acres, 2,000,” Petersen said. “So we have an issue — should we put that on what we call prime farmland?”

State Rep. Paul Anderson, a Republican who farms near Starbuck, Minnesota, said the “scales got tipped” by government incentives for wind and solar projects.

“Solar is not real efficient,” Anderson said, “but the incentives are out there.”

Petersen said there is a property rights issue to consider, but taking good farmland out of production is a concern.

“I think solar is exciting and provides a lot of opportunities, but I do worry about the finite amount of land that we have,” Petersen said. He said Minnesota has about 25 million acres of farmland, with 14 million to 15 million of those acres being prime farmland, the rest being highly erodible or hay ground.

State Sen. Torrey Westrom is a Republican from Elbow Lake.

“More and more farmers, ag land owners, have talked to me and said ‘we need to think about this.’ So there does seem to be a lot of room for discussion we need to have on where do we want our solar farms, or wind farms or other types of electric production,” he said.

He suggested targeting green energy projects for land being taken out of ag production for conservation purposes because it is highly erodible.

“That should be the primary place we put energy systems like solar or wind,” he said.

Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Sarah Strommen said land that it obtains for conservation easements are now always offered to the state by the landowner, and not all land that is offered is accepted. She said what they acquire is usually marginal land where a landowner wants to leave a legacy.

Petersen said it was good that the panel was talking about the issue.

“I encourage people that are members of Farmers Union or Farm Bureau or Soybean Growers to have that discussion, because what it does come down to is, what I hear, is property rights,” Petersen said, telling the audience to “stay tuned” for more to come on the topic.

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For climate-smart ag policy, data is key, USDA undersecretary says

Jeff Beach — Tue, 01 Aug 2023 22:32:26 GMT

REDWOOD FALLS, Minn. — In order to reward farmers for conservation practices, there is a need for data.

Robert Bonnie, undersecretary of agriculture for farm production and conservation, delivered that message at a farm bill forum on the first day of the annual Farmfest ag show near Redwood Falls.

“If we invest in data, invest in agriculture, this will work,” Bonnie said Tuesday, Aug. 1.

He said agriculture gets its share of the blame for contributing to climate change, with estimates saying ag contributes 21% of greenhouse gas emissions globally.

But Bonnie said the story will be different for U.S. farmers if we can measure it accurately.

“Domestically, we are far more efficient” than most of the world, Bonnie said.

And he said corporations are all “greening their supply chain.”

“In order to do that, they need good data,” he said, lamenting that carbon emissions in some cases might be based on data that is 15 years old, enough time for ag to make huge strides in being more climate-friendly.

In a question from the audience, David Kolsrud, of Brandon, South Dakota, founder of Carbon Co-op, which backs what it calls “natural carbon capture,” said he has “never seen a better opportunity for farmers going forward."

More specific to negotiations on the next farm bill, which expires in September, Scott VanderWal, vice president of the American Farm Bureau Federation, and a Volga, South Dakota, farmer and beef producer, said updating Title 1 crop commodity program provisions to compensate for rising commodity and input prices is key.

“We just put most our expensive crop ever in the ground,” VanderWal said.

While the farm bill, last passed in 2018, expires in September, Rob Larew, president of the National Farmers Union, said ag needs to make sure “we get the right farm bill,” rather than getting it passed quickly.

“What can we do to get competition in the farm economy?” Larew asked.

Opening comments Tuesday came from Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee.

She mentioned wanting to keep safe important programs for the sugar industry, Dairy Margin Coverage and crop insurance, but said there can be improvements in areas such as combating livestock diseases and doing more to help beginning farmers.

In an interview with Agweek, she said she would like to see a bill get done sooner rather than later and the current farm bill extended as a stopgap.

“There’s just too much at stake,” Klobuchar said. “You don’t want to go into the political uncertainty of next year without a farm bill.”

A listening session on the farm bill is set for Wednesday, Aug. 2, at Farmfest.

On other issues, she is behind a bill to mandate year-round sales of E15 ethanol and advocated for more money for broadband.

Klobuchar praised a bill that would require automakers to keep offering AM radio in newly manufactured vehicles. The bill passed the Senate Commerce Committee on a 25-1 vote, with the exception being a senator from Michigan, where the heart of the auto industry lies.

She said keeping AM is important for rural areas.

“This is how people find out about tornadoes, this is how people find out about floods," she said. "By the way, it’s also good for a community, the way they find out about high school football scores and what happened on the city council and what the crop prices are."

“We’ve got everyone from Ted Cruz to Bernie Sanders supporting this bill,” she added.

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Governor candidates Walz and Jensen face off in COVID-19-focused debate at Farmfest

Dana Ferguson — Wed, 03 Aug 2022 19:37:11 GMT

REDWOOD COUNTY, Minn. — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Republican challenger Scott Jensen on Wednesday, Aug. 3, faced off during a testy debate at Farmfest.

The hour-and a-half-long panel discussion frequently veered away from agriculture issues to a discussion about the state's management of the COVID-19 pandemic.

It was the first time that the Democratic-Farmer-Labor governor and his challenger have debated. And it set the stage for likely issues set to come up on the campaign trail.

Jensen used his answer periods to question how Walz decided on mitigation measures for the state and to make a pitch for less state regulation for farmers, businesses and child care providers.

"This whole concept of locking down Minnesota just because you think you can is absolutely an example of an abomination of government overreach," Jensen said to applause from the crowd.

Jensen is a family physician and during the height of the pandemic, he came under review by the Minnesota Board of Medical Practice for sharing information about COVID-19 treatments that had not been proven effective. And on Wednesday he shared a theory that COVID-19 was created in a lab.

Walz, meanwhile, defended his administration's steps to limit the spread of COVID-19, saying they helped minimize deaths from the illness and prevented the state's health systems from becoming overwhelmed.

“Instead of spreading false information, be part of the solution," Walz said. "It's easy to guess after the fact, it's easy to say these are the things that would've happened. ... When we face challenges, the solution is not to divide more of us, it's to come together."

The governor sought to portray himself as a person open to compromise and work across party lines. And he criticized Jensen for telling GOP lawmakers to block a tax and supplemental budget package from passing earlier this year.

"We are creating an economy that works for everyone, we are addressing climate change and not walking around it, we're creating budgets that invest in police and had someone not said, 'Kill the bill,' there would be $300 million and three dozen more state troopers on duty today," Walz said.

The comments came after Jensen said the state should put additional funding toward public safety and claimed he would've called in the National Guard earlier following riots that broke out after the police killing of George Floyd.

"I know what I stand for and what I did not do is I did not flinch, I did not freeze, I did not stop making decisions," Jensen said. "Had I been the governor, I would have brought in the National Guard sooner."

Reports reviewing the riots and city response found that Minneapolis leaders didn't call on the state soon enough to deploy National Guard resources as destruction transpired.

Hundreds packed the Wick Building at the farm expo to listen to the debate and cheered on both candidates, with some booing when they disagreed. Supporters from each campaign wore T-shirts with the logo of their favorite candidate.

After the discussion, Lori and Val Eberspacher said they were impressed by Jensen's comments and said they planned to support him in November. The couple that lives in Marshall, Minnesota, and runs a livestock company said they also objected to the state's response to the pandemic.

"We're so close to South Dakota and we watched what that governor did to keep her state running while he shut us down," Lori Eberspacher said. "And we just don't agree with how he handled that."

Voters next week will cast their ballots in the primary election. Winners will advance to the general election. There are no additional candidate debates currently scheduled.

Follow Dana Ferguson on Twitter

@bydanaferguson

, call 651-290-0707 or email

dferguson@forumcomm.com.

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CD1 candidates Finstad, Munson face off in Farmfest debate after Ettinger tests positive for COVID

Dana Ferguson — Tue, 02 Aug 2022 17:21:41 GMT

REDWOOD COUNTY, Minn. — A positive coronavirus test prevented two front-runners in a southern Minnesota congressional contest from squaring off Tuesday, Aug, 2, just a week before a special election.

Candidates running to fill out the rest of the term of late U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn spoke during the panel at Farmfest.

But Democratic-Farmer-Labor candidate and former Hormel Foods CEO Jeff Ettinger in a message said he couldn't participate because he tested positive for COVID-19.

"Despite having taken appropriate precautions and being fully vaccinated, this morning I tested positive for COVID-19," Ettinger said in a note read aloud, noting that he would skip in-person campaigning while ill. "I'm committed to the vitality of the farm economy and am disappointed I cannot attend the event."

The announcement just before the debate reset the dynamic between the remaining candidates. And it gave those in attendance a chance to see the differences between Republicans Brad Finstad and Jeremy Munson.

Finstad beat out Munson in the GOP special primary election this spring and is set to compete against Ettinger next week along with legal marijuana candidates. The winner will hold the seat representing southern Minnesota through early 2023.

Munson, meanwhile, has rekindled his campaign in recent weeks in hopes of beating out Finstad in the quest to complete the full term that begins next year.

Both the special election and primary election for the 2023 term will appear on the 1st Congressional District ballot next week.

Finstad during the debate sought to cast himself as a farmer who would go to Washington to get work done, not throw political bombs or seek headlines. Finstad is a former state legislator and U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development state director under the Trump administration.

“I’m a farmer and a problem solver and that hopefully was made clear, these are trying times for my friends, families and neighbors in southern Minnesota and there’s a lot of real issues that are affecting us,” he told reporters following the forum.

“I’m committed to working on solving some of those things," he continued. "I’m committed to doing that instead of the political sideshow that breaks out all too often.”

Having both the DFL and GOP candidates at the table would've given voters a chance to compare and contrast their positions, Finstad said. But the candidate wished his DFL opponent well in dealing with his illness.

Without Ettinger on the stage, Munson, a state lawmaker and businessman, got more of a chance to contrast himself with Finstad. And he urged those in attendance to pick him to serve the district starting next year saying he too had a background working in agriculture and would not be afraid to take a hard conservative stance in Congress.

"We need someone who is going to go to Washington and be a fiscal conservative, who's not going to spend money we don't have, who is going to vote on issues and understands agriculture," Munson said. "We need to do better. That means less government, less regulations on you and making sure we have a balance between regulations and subsidies on agriculture."

Legalize Marijuana Now candidate Richard Reisdorf and Democrat James Rainwater, who did not receive his party's endorsement, also spoke at the forum.

Both said they supported efforts to maintain crop insurance programs, boost support for small family farm operations and grow trade opportunities abroad.

"My interest is reestablishing the small family farm as much as possible and reinvigorating our small towns," Reisdorf said.

Ettinger in his note read aloud at the forum said he would use his professional experience to address top issues in Congress and to drive down costs.

Follow Dana Ferguson on Twitter

@bydanaferguson

, call 651-290-0707 or email

dferguson@forumcomm.com.

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Farmfest forums highlight election year, Farm Bill discussions

Jeff Beach — Tue, 26 Jul 2022 10:30:00 GMT

MORGAN, Minn. — Demonstrations, political forums and a new “networking lounge” are on tap for the annual Farmfest ag show in Minnesota.

Farmfest 2022 will run from Aug. 2-4 on the site between Redwood Falls and Morgan in Redwood County.

Farmfest has become known for its Minnesota political candidate forums, this year headlined by the state’s candidates for governor with incumbent Democrat Tim Walz being challenged by Scott Jensen as the endorsed Republican candidate. That forum will be at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 3.

There also will be a forum for congressional candidates, one at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 2, for the 1st District that covers southern Minnesota followed by another at 10:30 for candidates in the 2nd, 6th, 7th and 8th districts to cover ag issues. In the 1st District, Republican Brad Finstad and Democrat Jeff Ettinger are running for the seat previously held by Jim Hagedorn, who died earlier this year.

“This is a very intriguing line-up of candidate forums, and the forums are quite timely, considering Minnesota’s statewide primary and special elections in the First Congressional District are being held the following week,” Kent Thiesse, Farmfest’s forum coordinator said in a news release.

Other forums include the Ag Outlook Forum, at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday; a discussion of the Farm Bill on Tuesday, Aug. 2, at 1:15 p.m; and “Getting the Most from Federal Ag Programs” at 1:15 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 3.

Demos

Niki Jones of Farmfest also highlighted the numbers of demonstrations this year, which she said are always popular with attendees.

Ziegler Ag Equipment will have a few pieces of equipment available to ride or drive and Can-Am will have UTVs and ATVs available to ride. Kibble Equipment will be doing technology demonstrations and there will be a couple of spray drones flying around.

Then there are things like Upper Midwest Agricultural Safety and Health safety demonstrations and seed plots.

“We have a ton of demos and things for people to do and see this year,” Jones said.

Relax, enjoy

New this year is what Jones is calling the “networking lounge,” a tent with drinks, snacks and live music from noon to 4 every day.

“We just thought it would be nice to have a space for people to sit and chat and connect,” Jones said. “It’s kind of a fun relaxing space away from some of the seriousness of some of the other discussions that might be going on.”

Another mainstay at the show is the announcement of the Farmfest Woman Farmer of the Year on Thursday, Aug. 4.

The 2022 finalists are Dawn Breitkreutz of Redwood Falls, Nancy Hinricher of Pipestone, Karen Kasper of Owatonna, Emily Ponwith of Cleveland, and Kristin Reiman-Duden of Princeton.

A full schedule of events can be found at the Farmfest website.

A tradition

Farmfest was canceled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic but Jones said 2021 attendance was about the same as 2019.

“We thought that was pretty good,” Jones said, noting that many events have not quite bounced back to pre-pandemic levels.

With almost 400 exhibitors, it is one of the largest ag events in Minnesota.

“It starts to become a tradition for families in that area to attend Farmfest,” Jones said.

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Minnesota auditor made Farmfest visit to get the scoop on rural, spread the word on loan opportunities

Sat, 14 Aug 2021 10:00:00 GMT

MORGAN, Minn. — News spread quickly of a car/semi collision that sent both Minnesota State Auditor Julie Blaha and State Sen. Melisa Franzen to the hospital last week while leaving the Farmfest grounds.

According to a Minnesota State Patrol’s report, a Jeep Cherokee driven by Blaha collided with a semi truck shortly after 5 p.m. on Wed. Aug. 4 in rural Redwood County. Blaha's vehicle, with Franzen on board, was southbound on County Road 13 when it collided with an eastbound semi on Minnesota 67.

I am truly grateful for the outpouring of love and support shown to @MelisaFranzen and I. We are fortunate to have sustained minimal injury from our rollover accident after departing Farmfest. I remained overnight in the hospital for a minor concussion and I’m heading home. 1/3
— Julie Blaha (@julieblaha) August 5, 2021

I get to go home today because of everyone who helped us on the scene, the first responders, state troopers, and the amazing health care providers at Carris Health Hospital in Redwood Falls. Thank you from the bottom of my heart. 2/3
— Julie Blaha (@julieblaha) August 5, 2021

At this time we’re waiting for law enforcement to sort out the complete details of the accident. @MelisaFranzen and I spoke this morning and I was so happy to hear my friend’s voice 3/3.
— Julie Blaha (@julieblaha) August 5, 2021

Agweek had caught up with Blaha at Farmfest before the accident, to find out what she was doing there.

"I would say if you're a Minnesotan that eats, it's important for you to be a Farmfest," said Blaha on the morning of day two of the three-day affair near Redwood Falls, Minn. "It's always good to know what's going on the ground."

Blaha also has specific interests in Minnesota's ag industry, as she serves on the board for the Rural Finance Authority. She said the RFA's responsibility is to "get the kind of resources in farmers' hands to keep going".

Also as a member of the State Executive Council, Blaha said every so often she's voting on issues of land and agriculture.

Blaha said her office oversees $40 billion in local government spending,

"Especially in agricultural areas, local government, farmers and all producers and processors work really closely together," she said. "So to really understand the work of local government, particularly in rural areas, you've got to understand them."

That's what brought her to Farmfest, where she was asking producers around the grounds what was currently on their minds. She said the common responses she got this year were the COVID-19 pandemic, the drought and labor shortages.

"Farmers want to make sure people learn, and just because you've ever been on a farm doesn't mean you understand," she said

State Sen. Melisa Franzen, DFL-Edina, came with Blaha to Farmfest. Blaha referred to Franzen as a "friend of mine who came with us." She said it was Franzen's second or third time attending Farmfest

"I was like hey, you vote on ag stuff, who wants to get in the vehicle," said Blaha. "I like to drag somebody out from the suburbs or the cities with me. If you're a decision maker in Minnesota, you gotta understand agriculture."

Inspired by politics

Blaha was born and raised in Nowthen, Minn., with a population of less than 5,000. The township in northern Anoka County had dirt roads when she was growing up, and Blaha's mother decided that the residents needed them paved.

"So she got appointed to the road and bridge committee in Burns Township," said Blaha. "First woman to ever be appointed to anything in the township."

She said she learned from that experience of watching her mom work with members of the community, to finally get paved roads.

"So I could see that really good things can happen if you work for them," she said. "And so small town government, and government in general, has always been interesting to me."

Rural Finance Authority

Blaha said shortly after joining the board of the Rural Finance Authority, she was surprised "just how low the default rate was" on the loans through the program.

"They are very successful loans," she said. "And they are also generally not the only funding a farm is getting; they are getting one of our loans plus a loan from the bank."

She said that kind of public-private partnership for financing is "particularly effective."

"You see (through Rural Finance Authority) that just a little capital at the right time, is all you need to get over the hump," she said.

She said the program is particularly successful because most of the board members are farmers.

"To actually have people who have been through it, and who are in it, being on that board is important," she said.

For Blaha, her job on the board is to watch the money.

"I have to say, they've been making very sound investment decisions," Blaha said.

She said the priority now, is making sure enough people know about the loans.

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