Happy Holidays from all of us at

Minnesota Farmers Union!

Photo taken at the Wolcyn tree farm,MFU members in Isanti County

Minnesota Farmers Union Standing for Agriculture, Working for Farmers

MinnesotaAgriculture

a publication of Minnesota Farmers UnionDecember 2018

Minnesota Farmers UnionExecutive CommitteeGary Wertish, PresidentBryan Klabunde, Vice PresidentAnne Schwagerl, SecretaryEunice Biel, ChairAl Perish, Vice ChairLarry JacobsonJosh VanDerPolTed Winter

Minnesota Farmers Union StaffGary Wertish, PresidentBryan Klabunde, Vice PresidentLaura Sherar, Operations Glen Schmidt, Education Thom Petersen, Government Relations Bruce Miller, Membership and Outreach,

Minnesota Cooks Michelle Medina, ProgrammingBrita Moore, Public Relations and

Communications

Minnesota Farmers Union Outreach StaffLee Johnson, (507) 317-7537Dori Klein, (507) 993-1658Ken Pazdernik, (218) 206-4499Diana Rico, (651) 368-6247Peter Ripka, (320) 412-6355Amanda Rosendahl, (320) 815-8670

MFU Phone: (651) 639-1223MFU Toll-Free: (800) 969-3380MFU Website: www.mfu.org

Minnesota AgriculturePublication Number

351340 ISSN 0274-9718

Published monthly by the Minnesota Farmers Union;305 Roselawn Ave. E, Suite 200 Saint Paul, MN 55117.Periodical rate postage is paid at St. Paul, MN.

Postmaster: Send address changes to MinnesotaAgriculture; 305 Roselawn Ave E Suite 200 St. Paul, MN55117. Phone (651) 639-1223.

Minnesota Agriculture is published exclusively for the use of Minnesota Farmers Union members. The newspaper is a benefit of membership in thestatewide organization that represents family farmersand works to preserve and improve the quality of lifefor all who live in rural Minnesota. A portion of eachmember’s dues, about $5, funds a subscription.

Volume 162 No. 12 December 2018

Great Gift Idea!Farmers Choice Coffee

Surprise the special people on your giftlist with Farmers Choice coffee!

Available in 4 varieties, 1 lb. each:Guatemalan Blend ($15)

Obama Blend ($22) Sumatran Blend ($14)

Colombian Blend ($15)

TO ORDER: Call (651) 639-1223. Order by 12/14/18 for Christmas delivery.

SAVE $2 on each! Just mention order code: memberdisc.

77th Annual Minnesota Farmers UnionConvention SponsorsMinnesota Farmers Union would like to thank the following organizations forsponsoring our convention.

Platinum Sponsors

Gold Sponsors

Silver Sponsors

Kleven Law Firm

Bronze Sponsors

Sponsors of Saturday’s lunch

Green View, Inc.

Minnesota Farmers Union Standing for Agriculture, Working for Farmers 3

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

The room was full nearly the whole time. It wasa fitting way to celebrate 100 years of FarmersUnion in Minnesota, remembering the firstchapter in Jackson County, Rost Center Local,which formed in 1918.

Our keynote at the convention banquet wasthe showing of the three videos we worked onwith W2 Productions for the Farmers UnionCoffee Shop at the Minnesota State Fair,featuring the history of MFU, the importance oflocal foods and the state of agriculture today. In between, I gave remarks about how MFU has always worked for the benefit of our familyfarmers and rural communities, especiallywhen it comes to getting a fair price for ourlabor. There’s much work to be done, with theuncertainty of the Farm Bill, the trade war, theRenewable Fuels Standard and high health care costs placing burdens on farmers. We’rehard at work on all of these things and more.

I’d like to congratulate our four award honorees:Don Wick of Red River Farm Network, AgCommunicator of the Year; Mary Nell Preisler,Director of the UMN Extension Farmer-LenderMediation Program, Service to AgricultureAward; Dave and Donna Johnson, the firstbeing a longtime Executive CommitteeMember, Lifetime Achievement Award; andWayne Boettcher, retired OutreachRepresentative, Dedicated Service to FarmersUnion Award. Thank you for what you do forFarmers Union and family agriculture. There’smore about these people on page 8.

A special thanks to Fladeboe Auctions,represented at our convention by Dale, Graceand Glen Fladeboe, who ran our annualfundraiser live auction and did a spectacularjob. We raised a significant amount of funds forthe MFU Foundation and the MFUPAC, thanksto the support of MFU friends and members.

I was moved during the auction when we tookbids pledging to contribute to the fund toimprove our Lake Sarah campground. Weraised over $5,000 for this effort, and manypledged to contribute $250, the highestcontribution level. Lake Sarah is a belovedFarmers Union place, and we’re glad so manywant to see it continue to thrive.

We had another successful MFUPAC Reception,where members also contributed generously.Thanks to Speaker of the House-designateMelissa Hortman, State Auditor-elect JulieBlaha, Congressman-elect Dean Phillips andState Representative Jeanne Poppe, who hasbeen named the next Chair of the HouseAgriculture Committee, for speaking at thereception.

I’d also like to thank our sponsors who madeour convention possible. They are listed onpage 2 with their logos and sponsorship levels.

GARY WERTISHPRESIDENT gary@mfu.org

(continued on page 4)

Lawrence Iverson, winner of the grand prize drone

Remembering Tim NummelaA longtime member of our FarmersUnion family passed away recently.Tim Nummela, the accountant atFarmers Union Insurance Agency for21 years, got in a fatal car accident inmid-November. We are saddened tolose him and wish comfort to his wifeKris and his four children, as well as to the FUIA team of which he was abeloved part. Tim was an organdonor, and 75 people will benefitfrom his generosity.

We will remember his sense of humor and positive attitude.Memorials were held in Moose Lake, and his obituary can be found atwww.hhkfuneralhome.com/obituary/timothy-nummela.

Convention recapWe had a wonderful 77th AnnualMinnesota Farmers Union Convention last month in Minneapolis. From thepolicy discussion to the New LeaderAcademy to the locally grown food, everyaspect of the convention was a success.Thank you to all those who made the tripand participated in the policy debate. I’m always impressed at how civil andcooperative our members are with eachother while working on policy.

This FFA quilt was just one of the many auction itemsdonated for our fundraisers

Congressman-elect Dean Phillips at PAC reception

Minnesota Farmers Union Standing for Agriculture, Working for Farmers4

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE (continued)

National Farmers Union Conventiondelegates

MFU members elected ten people asdelegates to represent Minnesota at the nextNFU convention, which will be held March 3-5,2019 in Bellevue, Wash. They are Vicki Barnesof St. Paul; Rachel Brann of Milaca; Maria Fatzof Waubun; Linda Larson of Rosemount; Eric Monson of Eagle Bend; Peter Schwagerlof Browns Valley; Mary Sullivan of Franklin;Elaine Torpet of Fertile; Cindy VanDerPol ofKerkhoven; and Tim Velde of Granite Falls.Congratulations to all, and we look forward to having you join us.

Health careThe issue that was at the forefront of members’minds at the convention was health care. Weaddressed it in policy discussion, the specialorders and in a breakout session with StateSenators Scott Jensen, R- Chaska, and TonyLourey, DFL-Kerrick, along with United Statesof Care State Affairs Director Allison O’Toole.It was a well-attended discussion, withmembers sharing their stories of how highhealth care costs have affected them. Sen.Jensen, who is a doctor by occupation, told a

story at a panel discussion of someone whohad gotten in an accident and whom hefound in a field. The victim raised his hand up,wanting to decline care because he could notafford it. Another member shared a story ofhow his doctor waited until he was very sickto start any treatment program, despitereports of illness long before, because of theexpense.

We’ve been hearing stories like this for yearsnow, especially from family farmers whopurchase their health insurance on theindividual market. The cost of premiums plusdeductibles has added up to more than$40,000/year for some. In a time when farmincome is, on average, below the cost ofproduction, it’s unconscionable that a farmerwould have to pay that much for health care,too. Some people take the risk of goingwithout health insurance at all.

Because our elected officials have been stuckin a cycle of partisan arguments over healthcare reform, no real progress has been madeon this issue. As I’ve said before, theMinnesotaCare Buy-In option is one thatcould make a difference, allowing people topurchase health insurance and pay lowermonthly premiums. We encourage theMinnesota Legislature to consider it again.Gov.-elect Tim Walz has expressed supportfor the idea, which was first proposed by Gov.Mark Dayton in 2017. Our special order atconvention supports implementing thatoption, as well as extending the provider taxthat funds MinnesotaCare and is set to sunsetat the end of 2019.

The MinnesotaCare Buy-In is just one optionwe can consider, but inaction is not. Healthcare is a basic human right, and we need towork cooperatively to make sure everyone

has access to it. I’ll be attending a meeting ofthe United States of Care Founder’s Council,which I am a member of, in early December in Washington, D.C., where we’ll discuss what we need to do to improve health careaffordability and accessibility.

Farm Bill Another of our special orders was to pass theFarm Bill before the end of the 2018 lame-duck session, so we don’t need to extend the2014 bill. Congressman Collin Peterson, D-Minn. and the likely next Chair of the HouseAgriculture Committee, spoke to us at ourconvention and said he and current ChairMichael Conaway, R-Texas, had offered acompromise deal to Senate AgricultureCommittee Chair Pat Roberts, R-Kan., andRanking Member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.Peterson told Chris Clayton of DTN that thebill made compromises on the SupplementalNutrition Access Program work requirementsthat have caused partisan holdups on the bill.

Also at our convention, Peterson said he ishopeful that the bill can be completed in thelame-duck session. If it isn’t, he said he willbring it back up in January.

At the time of this writing, neither Robertsnor Stabenow has said they’ve agreed to thecompromise, and according to Philip Brasherof Agri-Pulse, Stabenow has concerns aboutit. While we want to see a Farm Bill get donesoon, we also must make sure it provides anadequate safety net for farmers during thistime of low prices, as well as funding forconservation, rural development, renewableenergy, beginning farmer programs and local food programs. It’s the most importantpiece of legislation for rural America. We doappreciate the House’s willingness tocompromise in this instance and hope to see that continue.

It’s The Price was the unofficial convention theme

U.S. Representative Collin Peterson addresses points in the Farm Bill

Dave Frederickson, Commissioner of the MN Dept. of Agriculture, explains his retirement plans

Delegate Maria Fatz

Minnesota Farmers Union Standing for Agriculture, Working for Farmers 5

2018 MINNESOTA FARMERS UNION YEAR IN REVIEW

There’s never a dull moment in agriculture,and it’s no exception at MFU. 2018 marked100 years of Farmers Union in Minnesota,since the first local began in Jackson Countyin 1918. We celebrated that occasion, alongwith growing our programs and starting new ones.

• Elected Joshua VanDerPol as the newestExecutive Committee member.

• Had a presence at a wide variety of tradeshows, conferences and conventions,including Farmfest; the Faith, Food and theEnvironment Conference; the MinnesotaOrganic Conference; Minnesota Ag Expo;the Minnesota FFA Convention; MinnesotaBeef Expo; Minnesota Milk DairyConference and Expo; UMN ExtensionWomen in Ag Network Conference;Minnesota Agri-Women Ag LeadershipConference; Clean Energy Resource TeamsConference.

• Sent seven members and two staff to theNational Farmers Union Women’sConference with scholarships from ourorganization.

• Held a successful Lobby Day Drive-In at theMinnesota Capitol in February.

• Debated policy at the National FarmersUnion 116th Anniversary Convention inKansas City and elected Patty Edelburg ofWisconsin as the new NFU Vice President.

• During the legislative session, advocatedfor funding for the Rural Finance Authority;expanded rural broadband access; aMinnesotaCare Buy-In option; amoratorium on ditch mowing permits; atax credit to compensate farmers whoadded buffers to their land; rural mentalhealth care; and much more.

• Released op-ed articles speaking outagainst the trade war and Renewable FuelsStandard “hardship waivers.”

• Held seven Rural Voices Discussionscovering every region of Minnesota to hearwhat rural people want to see change,releasing a report at the conclusion andholding a news conference at the Capitolwith then-Deputy AgricultureCommissioner Matt Wohlman; AssistantCommissioner of Human Services forHealth Care Nathan Moracco; andExecutive Director of the Office ofBroadband Development Danna McKenzie.

• Held two Rural Dairy Discussions in Stearnsand Wabasha counties, a similar format tothe Rural Voices Discussions but focusedexclusively on dairy price crisis solutions.Guest panelists included Minnesota then-Assistant Agriculture Commissioner AndreaVaubel and NFU Vice President PattyEdelburg. Congressional staff alsoattended.

• Enjoyed five weeks of Farmers UnionLeadership Camp and nine days of daycamps, teaching youth about agriculture,cooperatives and Farmers Union principles,

while having tons of fun outside. Seniorhigh campers elected a new YouthAdvisory Council. Longtime MFU camperJade Person was elected to the NationalYouth Advisory Council.

• Held our annual Women’s Conference inNew Ulm.

• Held five Renewable Energy WorkingSessions across the state to provideoutreach to farmers interested in cleanenergy and hear feedback about policyrelated to renewables.

• Redesigned the Farmers Union CoffeeShop at the Minnesota State Fair to bettershowcase our work and our commitmentto family agriculture; the locally grownHeirloom Tomato + Sweet Corn BLT wasone of the fair’s top-selling items.

• Held another successful Minnesota CooksDay at the State Fair, with celebrity tasterssuch as Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Gov.-electTim Walz, and a diverse array of Minnesotafarmers and restaurants, who appear in the2019 Minnesota Cooks Calendar.

• Brought 32 members and staff to the NFULegislative Fly-In in Washington, D.C.,talking to elected officials about tradepolicy, the Farm Bill and renewable fuels.

• Gathered for our 77th Annual MFUConvention and set our policy for the nextyear; we also viewed the series of filmscreated for the Farmers Union Coffee Shopand celebrated 100 years of Farmers Unionin Minnesota.

• Chose the first class of the MFU NewLeader Academy, a program designed togrow the next generation of leaders in ourorganization.

Farmers Union Coffee Shop at the State Fair

Learning and exploring is great fun at camp

Governor Mark Dayton with MFU President Gary Wertish and MFU members attending the Lobby Day Drive-In

Minnesota Farmers Union Standing for Agriculture, Working for Farmers6

CONVENTION POLICY REPORT

THOM PETERSEN,GOVERNMENT RELATIONSDIRECTORthom@mfu.org

Ritter, Stevens Co.; and Nancy Dahlin-Teich,Chisago Co. The committee prepared nearly 60changes for the convention to consider. In all,members went to the microphone nearly 130times to speak on issues with over 60 differentmembers speaking! That is great grassroots involvement!

Here is a look at some of the more interesting changes:

• Support for set-aside or other programs to manage oversupply of agricultural commodities.

• Support for allowing dairy farmers, retailers, promotional organizations and others to advertise the percentage of a dairy product that is fat-free.

• Support for Congress having the ability to override ExecutiveBranch trade tariffs and further support forcongressional approval or rejection of tradetariffs within 6 months from when they areimposed.

• Support for rewarding more diverse croprotations and the use of proven conservationpractices with increased premium subsidysupport.

• Support that lab-grown artificial protein not be labeled as “meat”. Further support forMFU to be involved in hearings and policydevelopment of regulations, labeling andsales.

• Support for the MN Beginning Farmer TaxCredit, and further support for allowing thetax credit to be used by family members andthat a percentage of the credit be set asidefor others not related closely to owners.

• Support for increased funding to supportincreased and simplified inspection at USDAand state equal-to meat processing facilities.

• Support for increased funding for mentalhealth, especially in rural areas.

• Support for the extension of theMinnesotaCare provider tax will sunset Jan. 1, 2020.

• Opposition to the use of J-turns (ReducedConflict Intersections) on state highways infarming areas.

• Support for working to increase the use ofbiodiesel nationally to 5 percent.

• Support for the elimination of the use ofFederal “Hardship Waiver” from the RFS bythe EPA.

• Support for the Minnesota Legislature tofollow the single subject mandate inconstitution when passing bills especially at the end of a legislative session.

These are just some of the pages in our 70-pagepolicy document. If you would like to receive acopy of the policy, please contact me at (651)288-4067 or thom@mfu.org. We will be glad tomail or email you a copy.

Delegates to the 77th Annual MFUConvention, Nov. 16-18 in Minneapolis,debated and adopted many newprovisions to our organization’s policystatement. The provisions begin as ideasand resolutions at county level meetingsand are then forwarded to the policycommittee for their consideration.

The Policy Committee this year waschaired by Eric Sannerud from BentonCounty. Also serving on the committeewere Kirsten VanDerPol, Chippewa Co.;Laurie Driessen, Yellow Medicine Co.;Frank Grimm, Sibley Co.; Bob Hoefert,Mille Lacs Co.; Krista Osendorf, StearnsCo.; Erik Hatlestad, Kandiyohi Co.; Dale

House names Committee ChairsSpeaker of the House-Designate Rep. Melissa Hortman has announced recentlywho will be serving as committee chairs during the 2019-2020 legislativesessions. Of interest to MFU are:

Environment and Natural Resources Finance Division Rep. Rick Hansen

Subcommittee on Water Rep. Peter Fischer

Energy and Climate Finance & Policy Division Rep. Jean Wagenius

Environment and Natural Resources Policy Rep. John Persell

Taxes Rep. Paul Marquart

Agriculture and Food Finance & Policy Rep. Jeanne PoppePolicy Committee Chair Eric Sannerud and facilitator Dave Veldeaddressing policy changes

Policy discussion at the 77th Annual MFU Convention

7

SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE 77TH ANNUAL MFU CONVENTION

Minnesota Farmers Union Standing for Agriculture, Working for Farmers

Farm BillWhereas, the Agricultural Act of 2014, alsoknown as the 2014 Farm Bill, expired on Sept.30, 2018; and

Whereas, the House and Senate passedversions of a new Farm Bill during summer2018; and

Whereas, Minnesota Farmers Union (MFU)has supported that the Farm Bill provide anadequate safety net for farmers, strongfunding for conservation, rural development,beginning farmers, energy and otherimportant items; and

Whereas, many sectors of agriculture,including dairy, are struggling financially;

Now therefore be it resolved that MFUstrongly supports that Congress enterconference committee discussions with thepurpose of working out differences betweenthe House and Senate versions and passing anew Farm Bill in the 2018 lame-duck session,and

Further be it resolved this conferencecommittee report should include these key elements:

1. Significant financial relief for all familyfarmers.

2. Maintain the integrity of the ConservationStewardship Program (CSP) as well assignificant funding.

3. Dedicated funding for the beginningfarmer and rancher program and localfoods.

TradeWhereas, the Trump administration hasimposed tariffs on China and other nations,and in many cases, retaliatory tariffs fromthose nations are having a disproportionatelynegative and targeted impact on the farmeconomy; and

Whereas, as farm income is low and surpluscommodities are piling up; and

Whereas, MFU policy recognizes thatinternational trade agreements, whenproperly constructed, are useful vehicles thatlessen world trade tensions and increasedevelopment opportunities and economicgrowth; and

Whereas, the current tariffs run the risk of inflicting long-term damage to ourrelationship with our trading partners the longer the conflict continues, making it harder to re-establish markets that we have spent years establishing;

Now therefore be it resolved that MFUsupports our members of Congress takingleadership to work with the administration to bring stability back to our nation’s role as a reliable and trustworthy internationalagricultural trading partner.

Health CareWhereas, MFU policy calls for the state andfederal government to develop and operate acomprehensive single-payer health plan thatenables all people to have health care; and

Whereas, MFU policy supports the right forstates to establish public health care options;and

Whereas, MinnesotaCare was created in 1992 by Republican Gov. Arne Carlson and abipartisan group of legislators to providehealth care for Minnesotans to purchase forthemselves and family; and

Whereas, a recent Minnesota PublicRadio/Star Tribune public opinion poll showsthat 70 percent of Minnesotans want theoption to buy into public health insuranceprograms like MinnesotaCare, compared to11 percent who oppose it;

Now therefore be it resolved that whilecontinuing to advocate for single-payer, MFUsupports the efforts of Gov.-Elect Tim Walz,State Sen. Tony Lourey and others to giveeveryone who buys health insurance on theindividual market the choice to buy intoMinnesotaCare at its current value; and

Furthermore, when Gov. Arne Carlson signedMinnesotaCare into law in 1992, a 2 percentprovider tax funded nearly the entireprogram; and

Whereas, under legislation enacted in 2011,the provider tax will expire on Jan. 1, 2020;

Now therefore be it resolved that MFUsupports an extension of the MinnesotaCareprovider tax that funds a substantial part ofthe program.

The National Farmers Union 117th Anniversary Convention will takeplace on March 3–5, 2019 at Hyatt Regency Bellevue.The convention provides NFU members and attendees the opportunity tolearn, collaborate and grow through thoughtful discussions, breakout sessionsand farm tours. NFU is pleased to offer attendees new learning opportunitiesthis year while maintaining a focus on the issues that matter most to familyfarmers and ranchers, such as the economy and defending the farm safety net.

Visit: nfu.org/convention for more information and registration details.

117th Anniversary ConventionBellevue, Washington

Save the Date! March 3–5, 2019

8

CONVENTION AWARD WINNERS

Minnesota Farmers Union Standing for Agriculture, Working for Farmers

MFU 2018 Award WinnersThese individuals were honored at the 77th Annual Minnesota Farmers Union Convention for their accomplishments.

Don Wick, Ag Communicator of the Year

Don Wick is a farm broadcaster and owner ofthe Red River Farm Network. In fall 2018, hewas inducted into the National Association of Farm Broadcasting Hall of Fame. In 2005,Don was recognized as the National FarmBroadcaster of the Year. He is a two-timerecipient of the Oscar in Agriculture forExcellence in Agricultural Journalism and is apast president of the National Association ofFarm Broadcasters. Don is on the MinnesotaAgri-Growth Council board and is a memberof the Minnesota FFA Hall of Fame. Don andhis wife Kolleen have two adult children andfive grandchildren.

Mary Nell Preisler, Service to Agriculture Award

Mary Nell and Franklyn Preisler raised theirfamily on a century old livestock and grainfarm by Bejou, Minn. Mary Nell has worked in the field of mediation as a mediator, incommunity settings and in farmer-lendermediation, for 32 years. Her education issupplemented with a breadth of trainingabout mediation in farm, financial, family,crisis intervention and educational settings.Mary Nell was instrumental in bringing the Farmer-Lender Mediation program toMinnesota in 1986; she is the program’sdirector.

Wayne Boettcher, Dedicated Service to Farmers Union Award

Wayne and Lois Boettcher live on the landthat Wayne has called home nearly his entirelife, just outside Isanti. His family memberswere part of Farmers Union and other localagricultural cooperatives, which Wayne hascarried on throughout his life. He was IsantiCounty Farmers Union President in the 1980sand served as an MFU Field Representativefrom 2002-2018, and he is president of theIsanti County Fair Board. He was also namedVolunteer of the Year by the Lakes and PinesCommunity Action Council, for which heserved on the board of directors. Currently he and Lois board horses at BMW Stables and have a few beef cattle, and their childrenlive nearby.

Dave & Donna Johnson, Lifetime Achievement AwardDave and Donna Johnson have been active in Farmers Union for aslong as they can remember. Dave attended his first MFU event in the1950s. He and Donna, married since 1961, have dedicated their timebetween themselves to teaching school, farming grains and raisingthree sons. Dave has been the county president for West Otter TailCounty for 30 years and concluded a 20-year tenure on the ExecutiveCommittee in 2018. The couple lives in Fergus Falls, while their sonDarren farms the family land. Dave is also on his local township board,the YMCA board and church council.

Receiving my American FFA Degree

At October’s National FFA Convention, Iattended the Alpha Tau Alpha Conclave withthe University of Minnesota’s parliamentaryprocedure team. To demonstrate ourknowledge of Robert’s Rules of Order and theproper method of running a meeting, the Uof M’s five-person team completed a mixtureof main and subsidiary motions during amock business meeting with five othercolleges from around the county andcompleted a written test. We placed secondin the national contest, and a University ofMinnesota student was selected for both theOutstanding Chair and OutstandingSecretary Awards. The Robert’s Rules of Order

are the same rules that govern MFU meetingsand conventions, for reference.

I also received my American FFA Degree,highlighting the end of my FFA career withthe highest degree the National FFAOrganization can bestow upon a member.This cumulated seven years of a supervisedagricultural experience program where Iraised goats and learned about both cornand soybean breeding. Less than one percentof FFA members receive this award, as itrequires at least three years of agriculturaleducation classes and service hourscombined with a gross $10,000-worth

combination of income and unpaid hours.Others involved with MFU received theirAmerican FFA Degrees as well, includingcamp counselors Nick Aarsvold and AndrewVanDerPol.

Overall, the National FFA Convention was agreat experience and a chance to successfullypromote both the University of Minnesotaand opportunities for FFA members tocontinue in agriculture. This year’s trip toIndianapolis left me with a lot of hope for theever-expanding opportunities in our industryand in the ability of Minnesota students tosuccessfully bring agriculture forward.

by Emily Pliscott, MFU intern

BRIANNA OPDAHL,MFU INTERNintern@mfu.org

This October, I had to chance to onceagain attend the National FFA Conventionin Indianapolis, Ind. This was my eighthconvention and as always, I had a blast.Throughout high school, I had theopportunity to attend as a chapter andregion officer to better develop myleadership skills and expand my horizon.For the past four years, I have attendedwith the University of Minnesota’sAgricultural Education, Communicationand Marketing Club and competed at theAlpha Tau Alpha Conclave (ATA), an eventsimilar to the National FFA Convention for

agriculture education leaders. The ATAConclave is held at the same location andduring the same time in order to give collegestudents a chance to work their college careerbooth at the FFA convention. I was joined byMFU camp counselors Katie Brown and WinonaJohnson, who are also students at UMN.

The ATA Conclave hosts multiple competitionsfor students to compete in, includingparliamentary procedure, individual and group essay, quiz bowl, debate and theProgram of Excellence, a presentation of theclub’s accomplishments throughout the year. I competed in the group essay, writing on howagricultural education college prep programscan help shape the agriculture teachingprofession in ways to help alleviate burnout andloss of teachers to other careers. Together, mygroup discussed how there needs to be moretransparency for students before they enter thecareer field and earlier time in the classroom.With the way things are currently set up, studentsdon’t get to spend any time in the classroomfor hands-on experience until their senior yearwhen it’s too late to switch career paths.

When I wasn’t busy with the ATA Conclave, Ispent time at the University of Minnesotabooth at the college and career expo center.Here, I staffed the booth and spoke withstudents interested in attending the Universityof Minnesota. I had some great discussionswith high school students about what the U ofM has to offer and why I believe it is such agreat school and state to live in.

I also got to cheer on fellow University ofMinnesota students that were receiving their

American Degree, the National FFA’s highesthonor. I received mine in 2016 and am alwaysso excited to watch fellow peers hard work payoff as it’s no small feat to accomplish.

As a senior in college, this was my lastconvention and I sadly closed the chapter ofmy life of being an active FFA member. But I will certainly be continuing my involvement bybeing an FFA alumni member and encouragingFFA members to take every opportunityavailable. Without the strong support I received,I never would have been an active member andgot to experience everything I did. I wouldn’thave made friends across the state and nation,nor would I have gained half the skills I havetoday. I quite simply wouldn’t be the person I amtoday without the National FFA Organization. I want to ensure that students receive thatsame support for generations to come so theytoo, can develop into the bright and skilledindividuals they’re meant to be.

Emily and Brianna at the National FFA Convention

Minnesota Farmers Union Standing for Agriculture, Working for Farmers 9

NATIONAL FFA CONVENTION

Minnesota Farmers Union Standing for Agriculture, Working for Farmers10

FSA NEWS AND VIEWS

Market Facilitation ProgramAre you a farmer or rancher whosecommodities have been directly impactedby foreign retaliatory tariffs, resulting inthe loss of traditional export markets? The Market Facilitation Program (MFP)was created for producers just like you.

The Market Facilitation Program –administered by the USDA Farm ServiceAgency – will provide direct payments toeligible producers of soybeans, sorghum,corn, wheat, cotton, dairy, hogs, shelledalmonds and fresh sweet cherries.

Producers can submit Market FacilitationProgram applications until the deadline on Jan. 15, 2019. The application is one page,front and back, and shouldn’t take too much ofyour time. You’ll provide some basic contactinformation and specifics about commoditiesthat have already been harvested to date for2018. In the future, we can work with you toadd more commodities to your application asthe information becomes available.

There are several ways to submit the applicationform to meet your needs. If you choose, youcan print a copy of the CCC-910 fromwww.farmers.gov/manage/mfp. Once you’vecompleted the form, you can send it to yourlocal USDA service center via fax, mail or email.

As always, you can apply in person at your localUSDA service center. Stop by and see us, wecan complete the Market Facilitation Programapplication form together.

You can also apply for MFP online bycompleting your MFP application using yourlevel 2 USDA e-Authentication account. Formore information on the e-Authenticationprocess, please read the information includedbelow.

Sign in/Sign up!Farmers, ranchers and agricultural producershave new online options to access U.S.Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs.Through USDA’s new streamlined process,producers doing business as an individual can now register, track and manage theirapplications for the Market Facilitation Program(MFP) and 2017 Wildfires and Hurricanes

Indemnity Program (2017 WHIP) on the secure and convenient www.farmers.gov.USDA e-Authentication does not have themechanism to issue login accounts tobusinesses, corporations, other entities, or foranyone acting on behalf of another individualor entity. Producers doing business as anindividual first need to sign up for Level 2 e-Authentication access.

• Step 1: Create an online account atwww.eauth.usda.gov

• Step 2: Complete identity verification byeither using the online self-service identityverification method or by completing theidentity verification in-person at your USDAService Center

• Step 3: Contact your local USDA ServiceCenter to have your new Level 2 accountlinked with your USDA customer record

• Step 4: You’re enrolled and ready to log in

Users with a secure Level 2 e-Authentication ID,linked to their USDA customer record, canapply for select USDA programs, view and printfarm maps and farm records data. Enrolling iseasy! Visit www.farmers.gov/sign-in to learnmore.

To locate a service center near you or useonline services not requiring e-Authenticationaccess, visit www.farmers.gov. For technicalassistance, call the e-Authentication help deskat 1-800-457-3642.

USDA is an equal opportunity provider, employer and lender. To file a complaint of discrimination, write: USDA, Office of the AssistantSecretary for Civil Rights, Office of Adjudication, 1400 IndependenceAve., SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (866) 632-9992 (Toll-freeCustomer Service), (800) 877-8339 (Local or Federal relay), (866) 377-8642 (Relay voice users).

DAN MAHONEY, CEDSIBLEY COUNTY FSAdaniel.mahoney@mn.usda.gov

Minnesota Farmers Union Standing for Agriculture, Working for Farmers 11

MEMBERS IN FOCUS: WOLCYN FAMILY, ISANTI COUNTY

Behind the evergreen trees that adorn our homesduring the holiday season are hardworking familyfarmers – and years of planning.One of those farm families is the Wolcyn family,MFU members operating a Christmas tree farm andnursery between Cambridge and Princeton onMinnesota Highway 95. Adie Wolcyn, the matriarchof Wolcyn Tree Farms and Nursery, said they have toplan for a market that’s 8-12 years away when theyplant their trees. And, like most farmers, they haveto optimize growing conditions for the trees.“People just think we plant them and they grow,”Adie said. “We have to go in and mow or sprayweeds, we have to fertilize the trees and we have toshear them. We water them if there’s a drought, andwe don’t know when the drought’s going to be.”The farm has been a labor of love for nearly 50 yearsnow for Adie’s husband Tom Wolcyn, whose parentsbegan the business as a hobby. Tom grew up in St. Paul, and his parents purchased 80 acres of theIsanti County land.“I started shearing the trees when I was 14,” Tomsaid. “I sold my first trees when I was 16. I’m 65 now.”The decades Tom, Adie and their family have spentin the Christmas tree and nursery business haverewarded them with strong relationships withcustomers and industry friends. Folks visiting thefarm can choose and cut their own Balsam Fir orFraser Fir trees, an experience that earned theWolcyns a Viewer’s Choice award from WCCO-TV in2014 as “Best Place to Cut Down Your Own Tree.”

Why Christmas trees?That was the question Adie asked Tom when theyfirst met on a blind date. Growing up in Wisconsinaround friends who were dairy farmers, she hadnever considered the idea of growing trees.

“The nice thing about trees is that you don’t haveto be there all the time, and they stay where theywere put,” Adie said. “Plus, when you go insideafter working, you smell good.”

Invested early in trees, Tom studied forestry at theUniversity of Minnesota, alongside an athleticcareer.

“I played baseball for the Gophers in the 1970s,”Tom said. “I was also the head baseball coach atBethel College for awhile. I had planned to jointhe staff of the UMN campus Crusade for Christ. Icoached at UMN for awhile and led the Fellowshipof Christian Athletes, but as I got older and hadkids, we had to ratchet up the tree business. So we bought more land. We own 1,200 acres now,which we’ve bought within the last 30 years.”

The athletics interest was passed down to theirfour sons, Nick, Ben, Clint and Bobby, who allplayed football at the University of Northwestern.Nick, Ben and Bobby all work on the farm now,while Clint, who lives in Savage, helps out whenneeded and runs a retail tree lot in Northfield. Tom and Adie also have four daughters-in-law and eight grandchildren.

The regional reach of the Wolcyn business hasmultiplied as well. Tom sold trees just in St. Paul.Now the family has retail lots at the St. PaulFarmers Market, Northfield and Fargo. They alsosell trees for retail at the main farm, in addition tothe choose-and-cut. But those are far from theonly places you can find their trees.

“The retail is the part of the business that mostpeople know us by, but it’s definitely not the partof the business that consumes most of our timeand energy. Most of it is consumed by thewholesale side of the business,” said Nick.

The Wolcyns have developed longtime customerrelationships in their wholesale business, withgroups such as the UMN Forestry Club, which has bought their trees for 50 years and sell themon campus. Tom said 80 percent of trees go tocustomers they’ve worked with for more than 25 years.

Harvesting and shipping the trees mostly takesplace during October and November, afternursery season winds down. Tom said they shipabout 20,000 trees in ten days during that period.

“The biggest problem is getting good workers,”Tom said. “We’re fortunate we got some reallygood ones, but we could always use more duringthe peak season. We’ve mechanized more too.”

Mechanization is especially useful when it comesto dealing with big, heavy trees. The Wolcyns grow

their biggest trees, which are used in buildingssuch as churches and those with vaulted ceilings,at their flagship location. Most of their acres arewithin three miles of the main farm in Cambridge.

Diversifying markets

If a tree is too big to sell, not all is lost – its boughscan be used for wreaths and other decorations.“We ship more than 150,000 pounds of boughseach year,” Tom said. “It gives us a secondarymarket.”Some of those boughs end up at big stores likeFleet Farm and Costco, or get made into wreathson the farm.The nursery business side has expanded quite abit as well, with consumer demand for deciduousornamental trees, shade trees and fruit trees. Itkeeps them active beyond the season ofChristmas trees.“Christmas trees are actually only 30 percent ofour gross sales now,” Tom said.The Wolcyns keep about 30-40 employees duringthe spring through the fall, until Christmas treeharvest and shipping are complete, and about fivethrough the winter.

Why MFU?As the Wolcyns have developed long-termrelationships with customers, they’ve alsodeveloped relationships with others in agriculture.That’s why being a part of MFU and otheradvocacy groups is important to them.“It’s so important to know everyone in thebusiness, and even in other businesses, becauseyou don’t know when they’re going to need youor you’re going to need them,” Adie said. Adie said she heard about our organizationbecause of the agritourism liability signs wedistribute, which explain to people touring farmsof the inherent risks of being on a farm. The familyrealized they should be part of the group, too.They’re also members of Minnesota Grown, theMinnesota Christmas Tree Association and theMinnesota Nursery and Landscape Association.They’ve found that in their industry, therelationships between producers are cooperative,not cutthroat competitive.“We don’t think of other Christmas tree growers as competitors,” Adie said. “We think of them asfriends.”

Minnesota Farmers Union Standing for Agriculture, Working for Farmers12

RESOURCES

Honey & Rye Bakehouse & York FarmCherry Madeleines with Cherry Glaze

Yield: 24 cookies

Special equipment: madeleine pan

For cookies:

1 c butter2 c pastry flour2 t baking powderpinch of salt1 c granulated sugar2 T brown sugar2 T honey5 eggs1 c chopped cherries, patted dry

Pre-heat oven to 375°F.

Melt butter; reserve. Sift dry ingredients(flour, baking powder, salt); reserve. Chopcherries into small pieces; reserve.

Whisk sugars, honey, and eggs in a bowl, just to incorporate.

Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients in 2-3 batches, until just incorporated. Add melted,slightly cooled butter (not hot!); fold in just toincorporate. Gently fold in chopped cherries,just to incorporate.

Chill before baking (30 minutes or overnight).

Spoon or scoop batter into butteredmadeleine pan, filling each cup about 3⁄4 full.

Bake approximately 10-12 minutes, rotatingpan halfway through. Cookies are done whenthere is browning around edges and asignature “bump” in center. They shouldspring back when gently pressed. Removefrom pan.

For cherry glaze:

2 c powdered (confectioners) sugar

1⁄4 c mashed cherries

2-4 T hot water, use as needed to thin glazeto consistency

juice of 1⁄2 lemon

Sift powdered sugar. Mash cherries in sugarand allow juices to release. Add water asneeded to achieve pourable consistency – if too thin, add more sugar; if too thick, addmore water. While cookies are still warm (but not pipinghot!), dip half in cherry glaze to coat the top.

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has extended its“Crisis Connection” telephone hotline service for another year.

The program has renamed theservice Farm & Rural Helpline,with the toll-free number (833) 600-2670. You areencouraged to call this line if you need any kind ofassistance. It’s available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Farm & Rural Helpline

If you or any farmersyou know would like to speak with TedMatthews, the staterural mental healthspecialist based out of MnSCU, his numberis (320) 266-2390. He meets with farmersone-on-one and free ofcharge. No insurancecard, paperwork orreferral is necessary.

Farm Advocates provide one-on-one assistance for Minnesota farmers who face crisis caused by either a natural disaster or financialproblems. They understand the needs of agricultural families andcommunities. They are trained and experienced in agricultural lendingpractices, mediation, lender negotiation, farm programs, crisiscounseling, disaster programs and recognize the need for legal and/orsocial services. Plus, most of the Farm Advocates are MFU members.

The Farm Advocate Program has been supported by the MinnesotaDepartment of Agriculture since 1984. There is no charge or fee forFarm Advocate assistance.

Farm Advocates

Farm Advocates:Jan Boll Trail (218) 268-4472Bruce Lubitz Perham (218) 346-4866Connie Dykes Lake City (651) 345-5149David Elliason Isle (320) 676-3559David Hesse Comfrey (507) 877-3012Dean Hetland Eagle Bend (218) 639-9302Dan Hunz Monticello (320) 743-5660Ruth Ann Karty Clarkfield (320) 669-7135George Bosselman Fosston (218) 200-9432Steve Zenk Danube (320) 894-2517

www.mda.state.mn.us/about/commissionersoffice/farmadvocates

Minnesota Farmers Union Standing for Agriculture, Working for Farmers 13

THE FARMER’S SHARE

Farmer’s share derived from USDA, NASS “Agricultural Prices,” 2018 | Prices based on September 2018 data.Retail prices based on Safeway (SE) brand except where noted. | *Figure according to U.S. Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service

DID YOU KNOW that farmers and ranchers receive only 14.8* cents of every dollar that consumersspend on food at home and away from home? According to USDA, off-farm costs, includingmarketing, processing, wholesaling, distribution and retailing, account for more than 80 cents ofevery food dollar spent in the United States. Visit nfu.org to learn more.

Minnesota Farmers Union Standing for Agriculture, Working for Farmers14

UPCOMING EVENTS

National Farmers Union Women’s ConferenceThe National Farmers Union (NFU)Women’s Conference will be held Jan.13-17, 2019 in San Diego, Calif.

The theme is “Farming in Community.”

Farming is never a one-woman job – it takes a village to run a successful operation. Thisconference will not only focus on the conceptof agricultural community building, but it willprovide attendees with their own network ofwomen farmers and ranchers they can reachout to throughout the year.

Farmers, policy makers, educators andspecialists will present on a number ofsubjects, including financial management,food safety, innovative marketing,conservation, USDA programs and more.

The convention also includes a half day oflocal farm tours.

2019 Keynote Speakers:

Karen Washingtonhas been a communityactivist since 1985,striving to make theNew York City a betterplace to live. As acommunity gardenerand board member of the New YorkBotanical Gardens, she worked with Bronx neighborhoods toturn empty lots into community gardens. Asan advocate, and former president of theNew York City Community Garden Coalition,she spoke out for garden protection andpreservation. As a member of the La FamiliaVerde Garden Coalition, she helped launcheda City Farms Market, bringing freshvegetables to the community.Karen is a Why Hunger board member, a JustFood board member and Just Food Trainer,leading workshops on growing food andfood justice across the country. Since retiring from Physical Therapy in 2014,Karen is co-owner/rarmer at Rise & Root Farm.

Patty Edelburg is adairy farmer in centralWisconsin. Along withher husband and 18-year-old twins,Edelburg owns andoperates Front-PageHolsteins, a registeredHolstein dairy wherethey milk 120 cowsand run 350 acres of corn and alfalfa, mainlyfor forage. The Edelburgs purchased theirfarm in 2008. Beyond milking good qualitycows, they also strive for excellent geneticsthat will do well in the show ring and clubsales. Patty has been an advocate for agriculture for a long time. Most recently, she has beenelected to serve as the National FarmersUnion Vice President. Prior to that she servedfor a short time as the State ExecutiveDirector for the Farm Service Agency inWisconsin and spent 12 years on theWisconsin Farmers Union state board.

Visit NFU.org/Education/WomensConferencefor more information and to register.

Why is working with Farmers Union Insurance Agency and MFUimportant to you? I find working with people to be so rewarding.Everyone’s life has a different path and obstacles along the way.Helping them navigate their insurance needs is what makes me lovewhat I do. Farmers Union Insurance Agency gives me a wide varietyof products and resources to help meet each clients needs. I enjoygetting to know people and sharing in the pride they have for whatthey do and knowing the importance of what we are protecting ifsomething happens. Farmers Union Insurance Agency is built toallow the Agents to best serve our clients.

What community organizations are you passionate about?I have coached football in Fergus Falls for the last 5 years. I am aboard member for the Fergus Falls Young Professionals Network asa branch of the Fergus Falls Chamber of Commerce. We set up sev-eral great opportunities for volunteering/professional development/social networking. I have been on a church committee for the last 3years in helping to show how our church is active in the community.

I am an active participant in the Fergus Falls Dollars For Scholarsprogram in helping deserving students receive local scholarshipsfor further education.

please tell us a little bit about your family life. I was born andraised in Fergus Falls and currently live in town with my wife Mariah and daughter Addison. We are blessed to have severalfamily members in the area and spend a lot of time with them aswell. We take advantage of the wonderful lakes and outdooropportunities that this area has to offer.

What is your #1 concern when reviewing and selling farminsurance? When I visit with a farmer and review their coverage I find too often that the building and equipment values have notbeen updated appropriately. If there was to be a loss and they could not appropriately get their property back it would have a long lasting negative impact and could potentially lead to thefailure of the farm. I never feel that I am selling a coverage to afarmer. When the information is provided by the farmer and webreak down the needs of the operation, it is sharing information for the farmer to become an educated consumer on how and whywe can fill those needs with the products offered.

Grant took over the Fergus Falls Agency in June of 2017. You can see more aboutGrant’s Agency and his community involvement on Facebook at @fergusfallsinsurance. Follow Farmers Union Insurance Agency on social media at MNFUIA, and visit our website at mnfuia.com.

FUIA Agent HIgHlIgHt: grAnt DAvenport

(218) 736-5697grant@mnfuia.com

114 e Washington Ave., Fergus Falls(Please note new Agency location)

Minnesota Farmers Union Standing for Agriculture, Working for Farmers 15

UPCOMING EVENTS

This fall and winter, MFU is partnering withthe Minnesota Department of Agriculture(MDA), University of Minnesota (UMN)Extension, Minnesota Fruit and VegetableGrowers Association (MFVGA), MinnesotaFarmers Market Association (MFMA) and otherpartners to host Food Safety ModernizationAct (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule trainingsaround the state for produce farmers.

The Produce Safety Rule is one of seven partsof FSMA, which is a new federal food safetyregulation. The Produce Safety Rule applies toproduce growers who sell more than $25,000in produce per year (adjusted for inflation).Some farms covered by the rule may alsoqualify for an exemption based on sales,crops grown or the intended use of theproduce.

To comply with this rule, fruit and vegetablefarms that grow, pack, harvest and/or holdproduce and that do not qualify for anexemption or exclusion need to attend thistraining that uses the FDA-approvedcurriculum. To learn if your farm is fullycovered by the rule, view the FDA's Coverageand Exemptions/Exclusions Chart atwww.fda.gov/downloads/Food/GuidanceRegulation/FSMA/UCM472499.pdfor see this fact sheet by UMN at

extension.umn.edu/growing-safe-food/fsma-and-produce-safety-rule-does-rule-apply-me. However, all growers interested in learningabout produce safety, Good AgriculturalPractices (GAPs) and the FSMA Produce SafetyRule are encouraged to attend. Learningabout and implementing good agriculturalpractices protects your farm and business,can help you get a GAP audit if needed andkeeps our local foods safe and healthy. These courses will be co-led by trained fruitand vegetable farmers and staff from UMNExtension and MDA.Register: www.psp.tix.com. Deadline is 10days before each class or until full. Producersare encouraged to register early, as last year 4 of 5 courses were sold out with wait lists.Cost: $25 (this cost is subsidized and willlikely rise in the coming years). Registrationincludes training materials, lunch, refreshmentsand a certificate of attendance issued by theAssociation of Food and Drug Officials (AFDO).Certificate of attendance is good for life.Schedule: Check-in is at 8:30 a.m. Trainingruns from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.Class Size: Limited to 40 participants on afirst-come, first-served basis. No walk-insaccepted.

For more information: Contact the MDAProduce Safety Program at (651) 539-3648 orwww.mda.state.mn.us/food-feed/fsma-produce-safety-rule-grower-training-courses.Visit UMN Extension On-Farm GAPs EducationProgram for more information on GoodAgricultural Practices and the FSMA ProduceSafety Rule at extension.umn.edu/safety/growing-safe-food.

Learn about FSMA:www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/FSMA/ucm334114.htm.

Learn about the Produce Safety Alliance:producesafetyalliance.cornell.edu/

Dates and Locations Dec. 17 St. PaulJan. 9 St. Cloud (day before Minnesota

Organic Conference)Jan. 16 St. Cloud (day before MFVGA/

MFMA conference)Jan. 23 MankatoJan. 25 CloquetFeb. 6 St. CharlesFeb. 20 AndoverMar. 13 MoorheadMar. 20 Farmington

FSMA Produce Safety Rule Grower Trainings

Follow Minnesota Farmers Union on social media to find out about events,policy happenings, photos and more.

Get social with Minnesota Farmers

Union!

Facebook: Minnesota Farmers Union

Twitter: @mnfarmersunion

Instagram: mnfarmersunion

Tag us in posts we should see andwe’ll like and share them.

Look for MFU at these upcoming events! MFU will have a presence at severalconferences, conventions and meetingscoming up in the winter. We welcomemembers volunteering to assist us at these events. Contact MFU Membership &Outreach Director Bruce Miller atbruce@mfu.org if you are interested, or want to know where to find us there.

Dec. 10-11 • Minnesota Association of Soiland Water Conservation DistrictsConvention • Bloomington

Dec. 12-13 • Prairie Grains Conference •Grand Forks

Jan. 10-11 • Minnesota Organic Conference •St. Cloud

Jan. 13-17 • National Farmers UnionWomen’s Conference • Catamaran Resort,San Diego, Calif.

Jan. 17-18 • Minnesota Fruit and VegetableGrowers/Minnesota Farmers MarketAssociation Conference • St. Cloud

Jan. 18-19 • Minnesota Ag Educators Ag-Tech Conference • St. Cloud

Jan. 23-24 • Minnesota Ag Expo • Mankato

Jan. 25-26 • Emerging Farmers Conference •St. Paul

Feb. 5 • MFU Lobby Day Drive-In • MinnesotaState Capitol, St. Paul

Pine County Farmers Union MeetingDec. 19 • 12 noon

Location: Pine City American LegionSpeaker: MFU Government RelationsDirector Thom PetersenFFI: Pine County President Kay Hills, 715-635-9521

Standing for Agriculture, Working for Farmers

Volume 162 No. 12 www.mfu.org December 2018