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Wilmes -- Common effort will help revitalize rural communities Tuesday, March 7, 2006
It won't take another "Minnesota Miracle'' to revitalize rural communities. It will simply take vision, unity, coordinated effort and open minds. Reasonable federal farm policies -- not based on the amount of bushels produced -- would also help.
Statewide, it seems that the leadership of both major political parties have come to the realization that residents have grown weary of the partisan gamesmanship that polluted policymaking in the past. Minnesotans want answers to their concerns from their lawmakers, not pols who focus on little else but gaining an advantage in the next election cycle.
Farm organizations have also found more common ground than before. Eminent domain and property tax reforms have brought the Farm Bureau and Farmers Union together.
There is general agreement that rural Minnesota needs more livestock, particularly dairy cows. There are some encouraging signs. Gov. Tim Pawlenty's dairy tax incentive proposal has been soundly praised. The state has spent money on research looking into grass-based dairying, on-farm cheese production and helping producers make the necessary changes in their operations to protect the environment.
The great divide occurs in facility siting. One side claims that a regulatory maze and local control over siting has been a huge stumbling block to dairy expansion. The other side says the state's vision is limited to so-called mega-dairy operations. They allege that the budding movement to take local control away from townships is just another step toward corporate control of agriculture.
The narrow focus on this issue has hurt, not helped, grow dairying in this state. It's past time to move beyond this issues.
Economic forces have conspired against what many would view as traditional-sized dairies. Higher production costs, unstable milk prices and flawed trade policies that allow for cheap milk-product imports have hurt.
Minnesota, like other states, needs to look inward for answers. In the Midwest it should be obvious to all that rural communities are vital. Yet, in the past 40 years, young people have left rural Minnesota for greater opportunity in the Twin Cities and surrounding suburbs. The state is essentially divided in two. Schools have suffered along with other rural institutions.
Ethanol and other value-added enterprises have brought hope. Pawlenty's JOBZ program is working helping business relocate.
The ultimate goal is to repopulate rural Minnesota with taxpaying families.
Dairy expansion provides a perfect opportunity.
Most folks would say that helping 20 people with 100-cow herds will have greater impact than using tax money for the establishment of one, 2,000 cow operation. There is room for both, of course.
It's time that Minnesotans realize that their future depends on taking care of our own. We can rebuild rural Minnesota. The vision exists. What's needed is a unified commitment. |
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