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Minnesota statewide news and notes Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Farmers Union hosting 'No Bull' sessions
ST. PAUL -- Minnesota Farmers Union is holding two "No Bull" dairy action sessions to hear from dairy farmers and take suggestions as to what can be done to improve farmgate price and profit.
Meetings are scheduled June 29 from 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m. in the Eagles Cafe, 31 Main Avenue North in New York Mills and June 30 from 1 p.m.-2:30 p.m. at John and Kris Miller's dairy farm, 22219 East County Road 8 in Plainview (2.5 miles east of Plainview on County Road 8).
Commodity groups elect council members
ST. PAUL -- Three commodity organizations have elected new board members to serve on their research and promotion councils. Those elected include:
Randy Schmidt, Clay County, representing the Area 1 Potato Growers Research and Promotion Council; Hugh Hunt, Kittson County, District 2, Canola; Glen Nelson, Clearwater County, at-large; and Curt Amundson, Roseau County.
Brian Love, District 1, Dry Edible Bean Research and Promotion Council; and Mark Dombeck, Ottertail County, District 5, dry edible beans.
"These councils help to strengthen and expand market development for agricultural commodities,'' said Gene Hugoson, Minnesota ag commissioner.
Nature Conservancy to use grass for energy
ST. PETER, Minn. -- A conservation group is trying to determine whether prairie grass in southern Minnesota could be used to produce electricity.
The Nature Conservancy will take grass from about 300 acres of native or restored prairies in Nicollet, Le Sueur, Sibley and Rice counties to a new biomass plant in Shakopee and figure out the cost of producing energy from the land.
Besides finding a new way to produce energy, a spokesman for the group says the project is a way to protect tallgrass prairies -- a nearly extinct ecosystem. Christopher Anderson says Minnesota is down to less than 1 percent of the prairie land it once had.
The University of Minnesota and local soil and water districts are also helping with the project.
Specialty crop producers can get grants
ST. PAUL -- Specialty crop producers in Minnesota can apply for grants to help them remain competitive in the marketplace.
The grants, available under the Minnesota Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, are designed to be used for projects that enhance the competitiveness of speciality crops or that benefit a specialty crop industry.
The state received $500,000 for the program from the 2008 farm bill. MDA will accept grant applications through July 24.
Heitkamp earns top prize at Congress
REDWOOD FALLS, Minn. -- Bob Heitkamp of Mantador, N.D., won the Grand Prize at the Minnesota Inventor's Congress Inventor's Expo June 12-13 at the Redwood Area Community Center.
Heitkamp exhibited an advanced vascular management device, ergonomically molded to align and retain IV tubing to prevent loss.
Daniel Considine of Quitman, Ga., won second place with his wrench with six separate functions to speed repair jobs and replace several tools and a regular ratchet extension, a high speed spinner and a breaker bar.
Tom Rahm of Truman won the Jerry Ford Co. Friend of Agriculture Plaque with his filter watch. The filter watch is an aluminum block with two fuel filters under and a switch and fuel pump on top.
PorkQuality Assurance training offered
ST. PAUL -- University of Minnesota Extension has teamed up with the Minnesota Pork Board to provide training and certification sessions for producers to become individually certified in Pork Quality Assurance Plus and Transport Quality Assurance programs, said Mark Whitney, a swine specialist with University of Minnesota Extension.
Training sessions are scheduled throughout the state at no cost to attend, and dates and locations can be accessed through the U of M Swine Extension website at www.extension.umn.edu/swine. Pre-registration is requested by calling (800) 537-7675. Groups can schedule their own trainings by contacting Whitney at (507) 389-5541.
LSP offering Farm Beginnings classes this fall
SPICER, Minn. -- Land Stewardship Project will offer Farm Beginnings this fall in River Falls, Wis., and Spicer, Minn.
Classes are led by farmers and other agricultural professionals. The classes, which meet approximately twice a month, run until March 2010, followed by an on-farm education component that includes farm tours and skills sessions.
Farm Beginnings participants learn goal setting, financial planning, business plan creation, alternative marketing and innovative production techniques.
The registration deadline is Aug. 26. For more information, call the Land Stewardship Project at (507) 523-3366 or (320) 269-2105. |
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