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AgricultureAgriculture

Ken Rossow, Senior Vice President-Ag Lending (left) & Gary Miller, Vice President

Nicollet County Bank Ag Lending Officers

Ken Rossow and Gary Miller both grew up on farms in southern Minnesota.

Working in the field and with livestock, they learned at an early age what farming is all about.

They continued their agricultural education through universities, classes and agricultural schools.

Nicollet County Bank is proud to have two lending officers with their educational backgrounds as well as their genuine

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mile” to serve our customers.

Stop by or call 931-3310 for an appointment to visit with Ken or Gary about all your farm business financial planning. They are

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By JONATHAN KNUT-SONAgweek Sta� Writer

In a normal year, small-market crops such as peas and lentils, and obscure crops such as buckwheat and mustard, would receive scant attention from most area farmers.

� is isn’t a normal year.Poor crop prices, particular-

ly for corn, wheat and soybeans, the region’s three major crops, have many Upper Midwest farmers searching for alterna-tives.

“� ere’s a lot of head-scratching about what to

plant,” says Joe Neaton, an ag producer in Watertown, Minn., about 30 miles west of Minne-apolis.

Corn and soybeans domi-nate ag production in his area, where soil, climate and land costs are well suited for the two

crops. � e limited alternatives include alfalfa, he says.

Producers in northwest Minnesota, the western Dakotas and eastern Montana have more options. Lighter soil, generally limited rainfall and relatively modest land costs there are con-ducive to other crops, including pulses such as lentils and dry peas.

But limited seed supplies and marketing opportunities curtail how many acres can be planted to such crops. Seed for some small-market crops al-ready is hard, if not impossible, to come by,

Seed supplies of peas and lentils “have been really tight,” says Emily Paul, eastern sales representative for Pulse USA, a Bismarck, N.D.-based pulse seed company. “There could still be potential (to get seed) if the stars align. We’ll take down their (farmers’) names and the

acreages they’re looking to � ll. If something changes with a previous order, we’ll get in touch with them. � at’s about all we can do right now.”

Paul encourages farmers to remain interested in pulses, even if seed isn’t available this year.

“Don’t rule them out for next year,” she says.

Demand for pulse crops continues to grow, and raising them in a regular rotation with other crops helps the soil, she says.

Keep in mind that few, if any, farmers will shi� a lot of acres into small-market crops, even if they can get enough seed. Producers generally have a set rotation in which they rotate a handful of crops on a particular � eld to minimize problems with disease and in-sects, among other reasons.

Farmers seek pro� table crops in 2016

Poor crop prices, particularly for corn, wheat and soybeans, have many Upper Midwest farmers searching for alternatives. (Metro Creative Images)


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Even so, farmers generally have some “� ex” or “discretion-ary” acres on which they switch crops, depending on prices. By all accounts, minor crops are likely to pick up more � ex acres this spring.

Frayne Olson, crops econo-mist and marketing specialist with the North Dakota State University Extension Service, says farmers have been asking all winter about small-market crops.

“It keeps coming up,” he says. “� ere’s just so much in-terest.”

Part of the reason is the 2016 pro� t outlook for soybeans, his-torically a crop that shows pro� t potential even when other crops don’t, isn’t promising.

� e NDSU Extension 2016 Projected Crop Budgets esti-mate that soybeans will lose money across the state.

But small-market crops are generating more attention, even in areas such as Montana, where soybeans aren’t grown.

Rob Davis, a Larslan, Mont., farmer says interest in dry peas, a crop he grows, is especially strong right now.

Impact on wheat?Many Upper Midwest farm-

ers are placing renewed empha-sis on wheat, in part because of growing recognition the crop can enhance soil health. One of the still-to-be-answered ques-tions is whether greater interest in small-market crops will hold down wheat acreage this spring.

Reid Christopherson, ex-ecutive director of the South

Dakota Wheat Commission, says he’s noticing more interest in small-market crops, but the extent and seriousness of that interest is di� cult to gauge.

“It’s all over the board,” he says. “With all the commodity prices so depressed, it will be a matter of looking at input costs and the projections that are out there.”

Limited supplies of small-market crops will hold down their acres, although it’s di� cult to estimate how much, Christo-pherson says.

Keeping it in perspectiveU.S. farmers last year plant-

ed 88 million acres of corn, 83 million acres of soybeans and 55 million acres of wheat.

In comparison, about 490,000 acres were planted na-tionally to lentils, primarily in Montana and North Dakota, putting the crop in the small-market or niche category. For every one acre of lentils planted across the country, 110 acres of wheat were planted.

Mustard and buckwheat ac-count for an even smaller sliver of total U.S. crop acres. Just 50,000 acres of mustard were planted last year in the U.S., mainly in Montana, North Da-kota, Oregon and Washington. And U.S. farmers planted only 34,000 acres of buckwheat in 2012, the last year for which U.S. Department of Agricul-ture � gures are available.

Still, the NDSU Extension 2016 Projected Crop Budgets identify lentils, mustard and buckwheat as potentially prof-

itable this year. Extension of-� cials also stress small-market crops bring their own risks and concerns, including obtaining seed and lining up buyers.

Mark your calendarsMany factors, including

seed availability, changing crop prices and weather conditions, will determine what crops are planted this spring. For ex-ample, wheat is a cool-season grass that typically does best when it’s planted early. Plant-ing delays could lead to acres being switched from wheat to other crops.

The so-called “battle for acres” is another consideration.

Enough acres must be allo-cated to all the crops grown in the Upper Midwest so the pro-duction of each crop will meet demand for it. If the market senses acreage for a crop might come up short, the price of that crop rises to make it more at-tractive to potential growers.

Farmers and others will have a better handle on planting in-tentions on March 31, when the U.S. Department of Agri-culture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service releases its Prospective Plantings report. � e widely watched annual re-port will give USDA’s best guess on how many acres of both large- and small-market crops will be planted this spring.

Reach Regional Manag-ing Editor Suzanne Rook at 507-931-8567. Follow her on Twitter @rooksuzy

INTERESTED IN SMALL MARKET CROPS?

Experts have these suggestions for producers considering growing a small-market or niche crop for the � rst time or returning to after a long absence:

• Talk to people familiar with the crop. Extension specialists, agronomists or farmers who already grow it can provide important insights.

• Investigate whether your soil and climate are suitable for the crop, and whether you have the proper equipment to plant and harvest it.

• Make sure you have a fi rm buyer lined up. Most small-market crops are sold only through a contract.

• If you decide to plant it, limit acreage to a fraction of your farming operation. The old warning of “don’t bet the farm” applies to small-market crops.

The debate continues for America’s soybean and corn croppers: can no-till far ming be e� cient, or should you stick with strip-tilling for optimal output? � e ans wer depends on your capacity to carry a long-term conservation vision and your short-term needs.

Conservation tilling in-volves leaving more crop resi-due on the soil surface as a way to reduce soil erosion, which is caused by wind and water drainage during peak erosion ti mes. Ad ded advantages are fuel savings, as farmers require fewer passes to turn the soil than with intensive tilling, and less soil compaction. Purdue University Crop Resi due Man-agement surveys dating from 1997 show that reduced-tillage farming now has the upper

hand in American agriculture.

No-till farming involves leaving full ground cover and absolutely no plowing or turning of the soil. Advocates tout im proved water in� ltra-tion and a better abi lity of the soil to bear plant-supporting nutrients and non-chemical disease-suppressing organ-isms. Farmers who are commit-ted to sustainable agriculture are most likely to choose this method.

Strip-till farming aims to leave up to 30 per cent of crop residue on the soil sur-

face during peak erosion sea-son. This is accomplished by tilling only rows where seeds will be sown, with the strips in between the seed rows le� un-tilled. � is kind of farming is commonly used by corn crop-pers, although a 2012 Purdue University study showed that strip-tilling also boosts soy-bean yields. The Pur due re-searchers found that no-tilled soil fa vored the development of soy root systems, whereas strip-tilled � elds re tained more water in the soil and produced healt hier, stronger plants.

Strip-till vs. no-till farming


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By: Mark Steil

Minnesota farmland prices fell 5.5 percent during the � rst nine months of 2015, accord-ing to a University of Minnesota analysis.

Low prices for corn and soybeans have reduced farmer pro� ts and cut into land sales and there’s no sign of an eco-nomic turnaround in agricul-ture, university professor and extension economist Bill Laza-rus said.

“C ommodity markets , there’s not a lot of light at the end of the tunnel yet, but you never know what might hap-

pen depending on weather next year and those kinds of factors,” he said.

� e average price of farm-land in the state fell to about $4,600 an acre last year. The peak in the land market came in 2013 at just over $5,000 an acre.

There are wide variations across the state, with some regions seeing land prices in-crease last year. � at happened in northwest Minnesota, where values went up about 8 percent. � e sharpest decline came in the west central part of the state, where land prices fell nearly 13 percent.

Crop consultant and farmer Steve Sodeman holds two ears of corn from the same � eld. Mark Steil | MPR News 2015

Minnesota cropland values slip as grain prices fall S o u t h e r n M i n n e s o t a

farmer and broadcaster Jerry Groskreutz was frustrated. Sitting on a panel discussing the public’s perception of ag-riculture, he said the idea that feedlots abused animals drove him crazy.

“Those animals eat better, have better nutrition, better health care, than a lot of people in this world,” he told the Farm-fest gathering last week.

� e overriding theme in the conversation was clear: Con-sumer attitudes, not farming practices, are the problem.

It’s a theme that’s been bub-bling in southern Minnesota as farmers and food companies struggle to respond to rapidly changing consumer demands. � ose shi� ing preferences are helping produce what the Wall Street Journal recently called “seismic changes” in the food business.

Much of the consumer discontent is focused on how food ingredients are produced on the farm. There are many concerns: genetic modi� cation, pesticides, tillage contributing to global warming, water pol-

lution from farm run-o� .Many of the giants in the

food and restaurant industry have heard those concerns and are changing course a� er seeing sales su� er. McDonald’s buys only antibiotic-free chickens now. General Mills is pushing farmers to use more environ-ment-friendly crop production techniques. Supervalu’s private label brand of eggs will come only from cage-free birds.

• June 29: Across Minne-sota, tough times for Big Food

Farmers are de� nitely feel-ing pressure. � at was clear at Farmfest.

Bob Stallman, president of the nation’s largest agricultural group, the American Farm Bu-reau Federation, said farmers should be le� alone to come up with their own solutions.

“We’re pretty darn capable of finding solutions on our own out in farm and ranch

country,” said Stallman. “And we’ve proven it with respect to the environment and clean wa-ter through our conservation e� orts.”

� at’s a tough sell to people who worry about agricultural pollution in the Minnesota River or farmer’s opposition to Gov. Mark Dayton’s plan for bu� er strips to curb runo� .

Even some farmers think agriculture is too resistant to change. Brad Trom of southern Minnesota says some farming operations are only interested in squeezing every dollar they can from the land.

“I think Big Ag is acting like a bully,” said Trom, a farm-er and farm activist with the environmental group Dodge County Concerned Citizens. “They’re trying to have their way, no matter what.”

The pressure to change could become overwhelming. Right now livestock producers

Farmers, feedlots chafe at consumer demands for change


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are subject to the most pres-sure, with undercover stings by animal rights groups and food businesses rejecting the practice of keeping chickens and sows in small cages.

University of Tennessee ag-ricultural policy analyst Har-wood Scha� er says consumers who don’t like how a product is made are switching to alterna-tives, and are o� en willing to pay more for that alternative.

“They’ve found that they have voice by putting pressure not directly on the farmer, but on the person that they buy the food from,” said Scha� er. “And saying ‘I’m not going

to buy food from you if you don’t.’ � ey’re going to have to respond to what the consumer wants.”

� ere are growing signs that mainstream Minnesota corn and soybean farmers increas-ingly will feel a squeeze.

The giant Twin Cities-based dairy cooperative Land O’ Lakes, along with General Mills, Walmart and others, have formed a group called Field to Market hoping to use their grain buying power to persuade farmers to raise crops in a more environment-friendly manner.

“We take this very seriously about helping the farmers re-

spond to the market needs of the future,” said Keith New-house with Land O’ Lakes. “We believe that sustainability and being sustainably produced in your products will be part of the future of agriculture.”

Right now, Field to Market is promoting e� orts to reduce soil loss and increase water con-servation. If this model spreads throughout the food industry, the day may come when farm-ers will have to prove their en-vironmental stewardship before anyone will buy their corn and beans.

Consumers, said Newhouse, are demanding the change.

A panel discussion at Farmfest in Morgan, Minn., on August 5, 2015 brought together, from left to right, American Farm Bureau Federation president Bob Stallman, Minnesota congress-man Collin Peterson, National Farmers Union senior vice president Chandler Goule and Min-nesota congressman Tim Walz. Mark Steil | MPR News


By: Mark Steil

Solar energy may be a vital piece of southwest Minnesota’s future, but right now Chuck Muller is more concerned about the present.

Muller’s among the most vo-cal critics of a massive 270-acre, $100 million solar farm being planned now near his home out-side Marshall. He and other fami-lies nearby contend the project is too big, would lower property values and destroy the region’s rural character.

� ey’ll take another shot to stop it on Thursday when the project comes before the Minne-sota Public Utilities Commission. So far, though, he and other op-ponents haven’t had much luck convincing state regulators to agree with them. An administra-tive law judge has recommended that the PUC issue a permit for the project.

“� at’s where it gets just real discouraging and hard to deal with,” Muller said in a recent in-terview. “� ere’s got to be other sites. Somebody’s got to hear that and believe that.”

Solar energy has grown in-creasingly popular in Minnesota. A state mandate calls on major utility companies to produce 1.5 percent of their power from so-lar sources by 2020. Right now they’ve added only a small frac-tion of the capacity needed to sat-isfy the mandate. � e power from

the proposed solar farm will go to Xcel Energy, so it’s a crucial piece of the utility’s plan.

• Oct. 2009: New Ulm ‘bul-lying’ its way to wind energy, landowners say

But the project should be stopped based on a regulation designed to safeguard farmers and Minnesota’s agrarian heri-tage, said Court Anderson, an attorney hired by Muller and his neighbors to present their case to the PUC.

“� e primary issue with my clients really is the prime farm-land issue,” Anderson said.

Anderson cites a state rule restricting the amount of prime farmland that can be taken for electric power generation. The limit is one half acre per mega-watt of capacity. Anderson argues that means the 62 megawatt Mar-shall facility should be limited to just over 30 acres, not the 270 envisioned.

“� e Marshall solar project is nine times the amount allowed by law,” said Anderson.

The company building the project says Anderson is ignoring another part of the state rule. � at provision nullifies the acreage restriction — if there’s no other feasible and prudent option.

“� ere is no prudent or fea-sible alternative for this project that does not also use prime farmland,” said Steve Stengel, with NextEra Energy, a subsidiary

of Florida Power & Light.Just how the PUC interprets

the “feasible and prudent” lan-guage may decide the fate of the Marshall project.

Stengel said an alternative site must be prudent economically.

Xcel chose the Marshall proposal because of lower construction costs, he argued. � e current site is right next to a major transmis-sion line and an electrical sub-station, so it won’t cost much to hook up the solar panels to the

grid.“This project was selected

from over 111 projects, because it was cost e� ective for custom-ers,” Stengel said.

� e state rule that both sides cite says economic considerations alone do not justify taking more prime farmland. Project oppo-nents say there are plenty of sites

near substations around the state that are not situated on prime farmland.

Muller and other opponents say there’s a lot at stake for Min-nesota farmers outside of south-west Minnesota. The Marshall decision, Muller said, will set a precedent on using farmland for future energy projects.

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SW Minnesota solar farm plan feels opponents' heat

The planned site of a solar farm near Chuck Muller's home near Marshall, Minn. Muller and others oppose the plan. Mark Steil | MPR News


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Bring your old paint and household chemicals to the regional HHW facility, located at 651 Summit Ave. in Mankato. This facility is open to residents of Le

Sueur, Nicollet & Sibley Counties.Tuesdays 12 noon - 6 p.m. · 2nd Saturdays 8 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Open April 5th through October 25th

For more information, contact the Tri-County Solid Waste Office at 507-934-7078

www.co.nicollet.mn.us/180/[email protected]

We absolutely CANNOT accept: Business or agricultural chemicals or waste, motor oils or oil filters, explosives, or ammunition.

Paints & StainsGarden ChemicalsRechargeable BatteriesSolvents

CleanersOld GasolineAdhesivesAerosols

Mercury Containing Devices (Thermometers, etc.)Fluorescent Bulbs (From households only)

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All about CHICKENS! - How do I set up my coop and run? - What will I do with all of those eggs? - There are so many breeds, what will be best for me? From the basics of coop set-up, breed selection and care; to the more complex. Join us for a day of learning and leave ready to start your first flock (with CHICKS!), or to take your girls to the next level.

Speaker Bio: Christian Lilienthal is a former faculty member at the UMN and South Central College. In his years as a County Extension agent he has consulted dozens of new and existing poultry producers at all production levels. He specializes in low input design and promotes "keeping your interest" in backyard poultry keeping-be that personal, social...or of course, financial. He has free-range poultry at home amongst other commercial farming interests.

-See more at: http://animaltalks.weebly.com/

The Backyard Homesteading Series is sponsored by Genesis Town & Country Store so the events are FREE.

Please RSVP on our Facebook page or call the store at (952) 873-‐3244. Events in store: Genesis Town & Country 820 E. Main St., Belle Plaine MN 56011

Part One: Flock Talk w/Christian Lilienthal Saturday, March 19th 10:00AM

Part Two: Straw Bale Gardens w/ Joel Karsten Tuesday, April 5th 6:30PM – 7:30PM

- Tired of tilling soil year after year? - Want to expand your garden's square footage without building costly and time consuming raised beds? - Tried and failed at straw bale gardening in the past? Author and Straw Bale Garden pioneering expert Joel Karsten will share all you need to know to succeed this season!

Speaker Bio: Joel Karsten is a graduate from the University of Minnesota and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture Science...Teaching Community Education became an interest of Joel's when people began to inquire about how he grew vegetables in bales of straw. These classes began his adventures in traveling the world teaching the Straw Bale Gardening Method that he pioneered so many years ago. Joel has a busy speaking schedule throughout the year, and his books have become the best-selling books in the gardening category world-wide since their publication." -See more at: http://strawbalegardens.com/

Presents:










Presents:

�e Backyard Homesteading Series is sponsored by Genesis Town & Country Store so the events are FREE. Please RSVP on our Fac book page or call the store at (952) 873- ‐3244. Events in store: Genesis Town & Country 820 E. Main St., Belle Plaine MN 56011

All about CHICKENS!- How do I set up my coop and run?- What will I do with all of those eggs?- There are so many breeds, what will be best for me?From the basics of coop set-up, breed selection and care;to the more complex. Join us for a day of learning and leave ready to start your first flock (with CHICKS!), or to take your girls to the next level.

- Tired of tilling soil year after year?- Want to expand your garden’s square footage withoutbuilding costly and time consuming raised beds?- Tried and failed at straw bale gardening in the past?Author and Straw Bale Garden pioneering expert Joel Karsten will share allyou need to know to succeed this season!










Presents:










Presents:

Speaker Bio: Christian Lilienthal is a former faculty member at the UMN and South Central College. In his years as a County Extension agent he has consulted dozens of new and existing poultry producers at all production levels. He specializes in low input design and promotes “keeping your interest” in backyard poultry keeping-be that personal, social...or of course, financial. He has free-range poultry at home amongst other commercial farming interests. See more at: http://animaltalks.weebly.com/

Speaker Bio: Joel Karsten is a graduate from the University of Minnesota and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Horticulture Science...Teaching Community Education became an interest of Joel’s when people began to inquire about how he grew vegetables in bales of straw. These classes began his adventures in traveling the world teaching the Straw Bale Gardening Method that he pioneered so many years ago. Joel has a busy speaking schedule throughout the year, and his books have become the best-selling books in the gardening category world-wide since their publication. See more at: http://strawbalegardens.com/

Part One: Flock Talk w/Christian LilienthalSaturday, March 19th 10:00 am Two: Straw Bale Gardens w/Joel Karsten

Tuesday, April 5th 6:30PM – 7:30PM










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One Hen up to 300 eggs per year










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By: Mark Steil

You might cal l it the 36-month challenge.

� at’s how long a � eld must be free of chemicals like syn-thetic fertilizers and pesticides before the crops grown there can be labeled organic. It can be a hectic time as a farmer learns to control weeds, select crops and survive three years of economics that are far worse than traditional farming.

• Is organic more nutri-tious? New study adds to the evidence

“It’s very difficult to make profits during the transition years,” said southwest Minne-sota farmer Bryan Kerkaert, who’s converted about a dozen � elds to organic production in the last decade. “You’re going to be losing money.”

It’s a gamble many farmers are increasingly willing to take as they see Americans’ rapidly growing appetite for organic food changing the entire U.S. food chain, from grocery stores to farms. The Organic Trade Association counts more than

3,000 U.S. farms converting to organic production.

But not everybody makes it to that organic future. A survey of farmers who have made the switch showed that financial, not farming, challenges were the greatest di� culties encountered. Data collected by the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system show farms in transition earn only half has much as or-ganic operations.

Why? It can take a year or two for organic weed control methods to work, so � elds pro-duce less grain than normal. And that grain doesn’t com-mand the high price of organic crops because grain produced during the transition phase is not yet considered organic. So the farmer has a smaller crop to sell at a price that right now is well below what it takes to pro-duce a crop.

“I think a lot of folks have to turn away or walk away from transition because they’re just not able to make it � nancially,” said University of Minnesota research fellow Gigi DiGiacomo.

• June 2015: Across Minnesota, tough times

for Big FoodAnyone thinking about go-

ing organic should be prepared to put in some long hours map-ping their way to survival, said DiGiacomo, who helped devel-op best practices for farmers trying to change over, a project called “Tools for Transition.”

The project offers advice, worksheets and so� ware that farmers can use as they con-sider making the jump to or-ganic. One key is building cash reserves to keep the operation going when the transitional crop is losing money. Loans, savings, and, for some, state grants are typical sources of cash.

“I think if they can do some planning, knowing what’s ahead during those three years of transition and beyond, then they can adequately prepare for that � nancial crunch,” she said.

For those who make it, the payo� can be huge. Organic is the fastest growing sector of the food business and production is not keeping up with demand, according to the Organic Farm-

ers’ Agency for Relationship Marketing, a Wisconsin-based organic marketing co-op.

“� e organic market is pro-jected to grow at least 14 per-cent a year for the next three years,” said John Bobbe, the group’s executive director.

Strong demand and short supply make for fat prices. Kerkaert said his farm has seen the reward for the di� culties he overcame converting his fields. “It takes some intense management to do the organic, but in the end you can make a

living and pro� t o� of it,” he said.

Kerkaert said it helps to view the red ink as temporary and a good bet for the long haul. “It’s investing for the fu-ture.”

Minnesota farmers � nd going organic no easy task

Theresa and Bryan Kerkaert are organic farmers near Marshall in southwest Minnesota. Their main crop is blue corn, which is used to make tortilla chips. Mark Steil | MPR News


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WIL-RICH

Gold’n Plump executives say they were partly just lucky their Minnesota operations were not ravaged by avian �u and that chickens, their stock-in-trade, aren’t as susceptible to the virus as turkeys.

But there was more than good fortune at play last spring. As avian �u swept across the state, St. Cloud-based Gold’n Plump managed to keep every one of its hundreds of central Minnesota chicken barns vi-rus-free.

A deeper look shows the company survived by sweating the small, but crucial details of biosecurity — constant clean-ing and constant communica-tion with workers — even as the virus infected the barns of other producers just a few miles away.

�ey’re sharing their story now, hoping it offers lessons on defense should the virulent H5N2 strain returns. Poultry producers as far away as North Carolina are taking notice.

�e secret to managing the virus was managing people, said Gold’n Plump Vice Presi-dent Bill Lanners.

All employees were told they played a role in building an air tight biosecurity system. �e belief was that even if just one person skipped a bios-ecurity step — like changing footwear just once — it could doom tens of thousands of dol-

lars’ worth of birds.“Biosecurity really is pretty

simple. �e key is to do it every single time,” said Lanners. “And that’s really what we got to.”

�e avian �u walloped Min-nesota’s turkey and chicken in-dustries last spring with more than $600 million in losses and sent shockwaves through the entire U.S. poultry industry. A�er it receded, Lanners says he got at least a call a week from people in the poultry industry across the U.S. who wanted to learn more about how they kept their birds virus free.

�at system had to work at more than 300 farms raising the company’s chickens. But they kept routines simple.

It was easy to follow Gold’n Plump’s biosecurity rules, said Roy Schneider, whose family farm raises chickens for Gold’n Plump outside of Foley, Minn.

Schneider has a tremendous �nancial stake in his birds. He said when it came to the avian �u, he felt his family and pro-fessional reputation were at stake.

“I don’t want to be the guy that makes the mistake,” he said. “For us as a family, the bird health is the most im-portant thing,” said Schneider. “Without bird health there re-ally is nothing.”

That’s a message Gold’n Plump officials say they em-

phasize every day. Although there’s no known virus in the state right now, the company continues to disinfect its trucks and plans truck routes on roads not used by other poultry pro-ducers. Workers continue to change footwear and outer clothes before entering a barn.

In North Carolina, some producers are studying Gold’n Plump’s experience. �e south-east United States escaped last spring’s bird �u outbreak, but poultry producers there can’t help but wonder if they’re next.

“We’re scared to death,” said Barry Cronic, a manager with North Carolina-based House of Raeford, the nation’s eighth largest chicken producer.

An outbreak there could be even worse than Minnesota’s, since poultry barns are even more closely concentrated in that part of the country. Re-searchers believe barn-to-barn transmission contributed to the scale of the losses in Minne-sota.

Cronic hopes Gold’n Plump o�ers a game plan on how the southeast can survive if the bird �u hits.

“When you got a Gold’n Plump that was right up there in the middle of the biggest outbreak we’ve ever seen, was able to protect themselves, their growers, their company,” he said, it “just tells you that, yes, you can do it.”

How one Minnesota chicken producer kept the bird �u out

Kyle Peterson returns a broom to its place after sweeping some spilled chicken feed into a truck at the Gold’n Plump plant in Sauk Rapids. Jackson Forderer | MPR News


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Josh Helberg is ready to plant hemp — but not for the reasons you think.

A construction company owner who also owns farmland in west-central Minnesota, Helberg’s interest in the crop is purely industrial.

“I’m committed to grow on our farmland and with all the bene� ts and uses, it’s going to be incredible,” he said. “I’m also a general contractor and I’m excited about all the di� erent building products that can come from industrial hemp.”

Helberg will get his chance this spring.

The state just received a permit from the U.S. Drug En-forcement Administration for an industrial hemp pilot proj-ect. Agriculture o� cials here say they’ll soon begin looking for

farmers and others who want to plant hemp test plots, the � rst legally planted hemp in the state in more than half a century.

� e Minnesota Legislature last year ordered the state agri-culture department to set up an industrial hemp pilot project. It’s been a challenge because the federal government lists hemp as a controlled substance, an il-legal drug.

� e DEA permit was a “big step in the process,” said Geir Friisoe, director of the Minne-sota Department of Agricul-ture’s plant protection division.

Friisoe said he’s working on a request for proposals so people can contract with the state to grow hemp test plots, although they’ll still need a permit to im-port hemp seeds from Canada.

“My hope is that we will have a few acres planted in Minne-sota in 2016,” Friisoe said. “I think just given some of the challenges we’ve had I think that’s a good start to getting this o� the ground.”

• FAQ: Minnesota Depart-ment of Agriculture on growing hemp legally

� ere are people waiting to grow hemp in Minnesota, but expectations remain low. Time is short to get seeds for this spring. Anyone contracting with the state to grow hemp this year will need to provide land, secu-rity and a research plan.

Growers will also have to pay for the seeds.

“This is just going to be a yield analysis year for us in the state of Minnesota,” said Ken Anderson, who runs a Wis-

With feds' blessing, Minnesota to try growing hemp

Hemp seeds Kristen Wyatt | AP 2014


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consin company that develops hemp building products and an-other that supplies hemp seeds. “We just need to see how the cultivars we work with perform in this growing area.”

Commercial hemp pro-duction is still illegal in the U.S. But nearly 30 states have passed some kind of industrial hemp law. According the the National Conference of State Legislatures, the count is 27, not including Minnesota.

North of the border, Cana-dian farmers have been grow-ing hemp since it was legalized in 1998. Last year farmers grew more than 80,000 acres of hemp, and Canadian companies export-ed millions of dollars in hemp products.

Manitoba Harvest Hemp Foods, Canada’s largest hemp food company, processes about two-thirds of the hemp grown in Canada. Last year 125 farm-ers grew 55,000 acres for the company.

“We’re seeing more and more farmers, in fact this year we had more in farmers than we had contracted acres, said Kelly Saun-derson, the company’s public af-fairs manager.

Manitoba Harvest sells mil-lions of dollars’ worth of hemp food products every year in Canada and the U.S. Top sellers

are seed and oil, which contain high levels of healthy fats. But the market is still very small, Saun-derson said.

“We actually recently did some consumer research that showed even with all the growth in the industry, here in Canada only 3 percent of consumers have tried hemp food and in the States it was only 1 percent,” she said.

Saunderson says Canadian hemp producers support legal-ization of the crop in the U.S. to help expand the North American market.

Law enforcement officials have raised concerns hemp � elds could hide marijuana plants. Saunderson contends that hasn’t been a problem in Canada since the cousin plants look very dif-ferent and cross pollinating with hemp destroys the potency of marijuana.

The hemp industry is also closely regulated.

For example, the limit in hemp plants for THC, the chemi-cal that causes the marijuana high, is 0.3 percent of the weight of leaves and � owers. By com-parison, marijuana plants o� en have a THC level of 5 percent or higher.

Anderson, the Wisconsin hemp business owner, believes the federal ban on hemp pro-duction will go away within a

few years. � at’s why he’s spend-ing time and money to be on the ground floor of the hemp industry.

“If you would have asked me that same question five years ago we wouldn’t be doing what we’re doing. But now that a few states have come on board it’s just one a� er another, boom, boom, boom.”

Anderson is testing products like hemp reinforced concrete.

Helberg, who hopes to plant hemp on his acres in Stevens County, also sees its potential in reinforcing concrete and insu-lation and in products such as erosion control mats for land-scaping. The market for those products is still developing.

Friisoe doesn’t think hemp will ever be huge, but he’s inter-ested in seeing how much inter-est there is this spring.

Until federal o� cials remove hemp’s designation as an illegal substance, it will be di� cult for the plant to get a � rm foothold, he said.

Still, he said he believes it could be a good alternative crop for Minnesota farmers. “I think the potential is there.”

Minnesota has received a permit from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for an in-dustrial hemp pilot project. State o� cials say they'll be looking for farmers who want to plant test plots. Here, a volunteer walks through an industrial hemp � eld in Spring� eld, Colo.

P. Solomon Banda | AP 2013


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Ketchup Sale Price

Ketchup Sale Price

2015 Hyundai Sonata SE, 4D, pw, pdl, alloy wheels ............................................................................$14,9752015 Chevy Cruz 2LT, h. leather, 2 to choose from as low as ...........................................................$13,9752015 Chevy Sonic LTZ, h. leather, remote ............................................................................................$12,9752015 Hyundai Elantra, pw, pdl, alloy wheels ........................................................................................$12,975 2014 Chrysler 200, convertible, 4 cyl, p. seat, pw, pdl, 35K .................................................................$15,9752014 Chrysler 200 LMTD, 4D, moonroof, NAV, h. leather, 16K ............................................................$14,9752014 Chevy Cruz LTZ, 4 cyl, h. leather, remote start, 30K ...................................................................$14,9752012 Chrysler 300S awd, 5.7 Hemi, moonroof, NAV, 59K ....................................................................$22,9752011 Kia Soul Plus, 4 cyl, auto, moonroof, alloy wheels, 92K ................................................................$9,4752008 Pontiac G6 Sedan, V6, moonroof, remote start, 72K ....................................................................$9,4752007 Honda Accord SE, 4D, 5 spd, alloy wheels, 128K .........................................................................$7,4752002 Chrysler Sebring LXi convertible, V6, leather, 107K ......................................................................$4,9752002 Chrysler Sebring 4D, V6, p. seat, pw, pdl ......................................................................................$3,975

2015 Ram 1500 Crew Cab Laramie, 4X4, NAV, 15K ............................................................................$37,9752014 Ram 1500 Quad Cab Express, 4X4, 5.7 Hemi, 20K ...................................................................$25,9752013 Ram 1500 Quad Cab Laramie, 4X4, Ram Box, NAV, 46K ..........................................................$30,9752013 Ram 1500 Crew Big Horn, 4X4, NAV, remote start, 26K .............................................................$29,9752013 Ram 1500 Reg Cab, 4X2, 5.7 Hemi, Tow, 41K ............................................................................$18,9752012 Ram 1500 Crew Cab Express 4X4, 5.7 Hemi, Tow, 60K .............................................................$23,9752011 Chevy Silverado LT, Ext. Cab 4X4, remote start ..........................................................................$22,9752005 Ram 3500 Quad Cab Big Horn Dually, 5.9 Cummins, diesel, 6 spd............................................$23,9752005 Ram 1500 Reg Cab, 4X2, 4.7 V8, SLT, shortbox ...........................................................................$8,9752004 Chevy Silverado 2500 Crew, 6.6 diesel, auto, Tow ......................................................................$16,975

TRUCKS

VANS2015 Grand Camera SXT, DVD, back-up cam, 26K .............................................................................$20,4752015 Town & Country Touring, DVD, NAV, 3 to choose from Starting @ ...........................................$22,4752014 Grand Caravan SE, Quads, rear air, 36K ....................................................................................$16,475

SUV/CROSSOVER2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, 4X4, moonroof, power tailgate, 19K ............................... $28,9752015 GMC Terrain SLE, AWD, back-up cam, alloy wheels, 17K .............................................. $19,9752015 Dodge Journey SXT, FWD, 4 cyl, 7 pass, Rear Air, 26k .................................................. $16,9752014 Dodge Journey SXT, AWD, 2 to choose from Starting @ ............................................. $16,9752012 Toyota RAV4 Limited, 4X4, moonroof, h. leather, 34K ..................................................... $20,9752012 Honda CR-V EX-L, AWD, h. leather, DVD, moonroof, 39K .............................................. $19,9752011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, 4X4, V6, p. seat, 80K ...................................................... $18,9752008 Jeep Commander LMTD, 4X4, 5.7 Hemi, moonroof, NAV, 115K .................................... $14,975

Get a Case of Ketchup

withevery

VehiclePurchase!


2016 JEEP CHEROKEE SPORT

2016 RAM 2500 CREW CAB

2016 CHRYSLER 300 LIMITED

2016 JEEP PATRIOT SPORT

2016 RAM 3500 SLT REG CAB

2016 DODGE DART SE

2016 JEEP WRANGLER SAHARA

2016 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN SE

2016 RAM 1500 QUAD CAB

2016 TOWN & COUNTRY TOURING

2016 RAM 1500 CREW CAB SLT4x4, 2.4 4 cyl., 9 speed auto, sport appearance pkg, back up camera

MSRP: $27,360 • Lagers Sale Price: $24,996Rebate: $2000 •Chrysler Capital: $500†

Trade Assistance: $2,500°

MSRP: $35,510 • Lagers Sale Price: $34,482Rebate: $1,500 • Auto Show Bonus: $2,000 V6 Bonus: $1,000 • Finance Cash: $1,000*

MSRP: $20,330 • Lagers Sale Price: $20,224Rebate: $1,250 • Bonus Cash: $1,500

Finance Cash: $500*


Chrysler Capital: $500†



Laramie 4x4, 6.4 Hemi, auto, heated leather, back up camera, Alpine sound, remote start, NAV

8.4” touchscreen

4x4, 2.4 4 cyl., AC, PW, PDL, keyless entry, sunscreen glass

4x4, 6.4 Hemi, auto, 8.4” touch screen, remote start, back up camera, snow plow prep

SE Rallye pkg., 4 cyl., auto, alloy wheels

4D, 4x4, heated leather, auto, hard top, remote start, Alpine premium sound, tow pkg

V6, 7 passenger, AC, power windows, power door locks

4x4, 5.7 Hemi, Express pkg., back up camera, tow pkg., 32 gallon tank, wheel to wheel side steps, satellite radio

Heated leather, remote start, DVD, power liftgate & side doors, tow pkg

4x4, 5.7 Hemi, Big Horn pkg., 8.4” touchscreen, tow pkg, trailer brake control, back up camera, power seat

$19,996

$22,991

$47,938

$28,982

$20,985

$36,988

$16,974

$36,956

$18,873

$34,969

$28,971

$36,951

$8,215$9,087$7,854$6,680$5,256$8,152$7,865$5,113$3,691

CHRYSLER 200CCHRYSLER 200S AWDCHRYSLER 200 LIMITED (2)DODGE CHALLENGER SXTDODGE DURANGO SXT AWDJEEP CHEROKEE TRAILHAWKJEEP CHEROKEE TRAILHAWKJEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LIMITED (3)JEEP RENEGADE LATITUDE

$32,200$35,075$26,840$32,665$39,075$40,149$40,339$42,100$25,690

$23,985‡

$25,988‡

$18,986‡

$25,985‡

$33,819‡

$31,997‡

$32,474‡

$36,987‡

$21,999‡

HUGE SAVINGS ON ALL REMAINING 2015s! MSRPMAKE & MODEL DISCOUNT KETCHUP SALE PRICE

KETCHUP SALE PRICE

KETCHUP SALE PRICE

KETCHUP SALE PRICE

KETCHUP SALE PRICE

KETCHUP SALE PRICE

KETCHUP SALE PRICE

KETCHUP SALE PRICE

KETCHUP SALE PRICE

KETCHUP SALE PRICE

KETCHUP SALE PRICE

KETCHUP SALE PRICE

KETCHUP SALE PRICE

507-931-4070 • 800-657-4802 HOURS: Mon - Fri 8-6 | Sat 8-4

DanWegscheid

MikeChmiel

JaredSkala

JakePeymann

Jeep®

Lager’sSt. Peter

#11547

#11650

#11733

#11745

#11641

#11681

#11560

#11690

#11169

#11546

#11568

#11644

*Must fi nance thru Lagers, Inc. to qualify WAC. See dealer for details. †Must fi nance thru Chrysler Capital to qualify. WAC. See dealer for details. °Must trade in a motor vehicle to qualify. See dealer for details. ∆Includes down payment match. Down payment match must be cash down or trade equity. Match will be made up to $500. See dealer for details.

‡ Includes all rebates, incentives and fi nance cash.

T DOG!!!

Ketchup

Sale! IT’S

We’ve fallen behind in our sales objective and now we’re playing “ketchup”!

At these prices we’ll ketchup fast! Buy now and get a FREE case of ketchup with every vehicle purchase! Over 400 cars, trucks, and vans to choose from at Mankato and

St. Peter locations!

AdamCowell


Finance Cash: $1,000*








Chrysler Capital: $500† • Auto Show Bonus: $1,500MSRP: $41,205 • Lagers Sale Price: $37,956


MSRP: $25,560 • Lagers Sale Price: $23,985Rebate: $1,500 • Bonus Cash: $500


Down Payment Match: $500∆

Spring Ag 2016

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