The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is hosting an informational meeting for producers impacted by Pipeline Foods, LLC’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.
The Fridley-based company announced on July 9 it had filed for relief under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.
The MDA meeting will be held virtually on Wednesday, July 21 from 1-3 p.m. Those interested in attending can log on by visiting the MDA website at www.mda.state.mn.us/pipelinemeeting.
During the meeting, staff will share available information on the situation, review the state’s bond claim process for grain sellers, and take producer questions.
Those with questions prior to the meeting can contact the MDA’s Grain Licensing Program at 651-201-6011 or grain@state.mn.us.
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has confirmed emerald ash borer (EAB) in Freeborn County for the first time. There are now 28 counties in the state with EAB.
A contractor for a local electric cooperative was doing tree maintenance along utility lines near the city of Alden when they noticed ash trees with signs of EAB. The contractor contacted the MDA through the department’s Arrest the Pest line, and MDA staff were able to find live EAB larvae and collect samples for federal identification.
Emerald ash borer larvae kill ash trees by tunneling under the bark and feeding on the part of the tree that moves nutrients up and down the trunk. Often, the trees show several signs of infestation because of this. Woodpeckers like to feed on EAB larvae and woodpecker holes may indicate the presence of emerald ash borer. Also, the EAB tunneling can cause the bark to split open, revealing characteristic S-shaped galleries underneath.
Because this is the first time EAB has been identified in Freeborn County, the Minnesota Department of Agriculture is enacting an emergency quarantine to limit the movement of firewood and ash material out of the county. The MDA issues quarantines for all counties known to have EAB to reduce the risk of further spreading the tree-killing insect.
Two virtual open houses for residents and tree care professionals in the county will be held on Wednesday, August 11. Experts from the MDA will give a brief presentation followed by a question-and-answer session.
Emerald Ash Borer Virtual Informational Meetings
Wednesday, August 11
10-11 a.m. or 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Register at www.mda.state.mn.us/eab
The public will also have an opportunity to provide input on the proposal to add Freeborn County to the state formal quarantine. The MDA is taking comments on the proposed formal quarantine now through September 3 and recommends adopting the quarantine on September 8. The quarantine limits the movement of ash trees and limbs and hardwood firewood out of the county. The proposed quarantine language can be found at www.mda.state.mn.us/eab.
Comments can be made during the virtual meeting or by contacting:
Kimberly Thielen Cremers
Minnesota Department of Agriculture
625 Robert Street North
St. Paul, MN 55155
Kimberly.TCremers@state.mn.us
Fax: 651-201-6108
EAB was first discovered in Minnesota in 2009.
There is more EAB information on the MDA website at www.mda.state.mn.us/eab.
###
Media Contact
Allen Sommerfeld, MDA Communications
651-201-6185
Allen.Sommerfeld@state.mn.us
The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) may require a contaminated site to be investigated and cleaned up through th
A tax credit for the sale or lease of land, equipment, machinery, and livestock in Minnesota by beginning farmers is still available through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s (MDA) Rural Finance Authority.
To qualify, the applicant must be a Minnesota resident with the desire to start farming or who began farming in Minnesota within the past ten years, provide positive projected earnings statements, have a net worth less than $862,000, and enroll in, or have completed an approved financial management program.
The farmer cannot be related by blood or marriage (e.g., a parent, child, grandparent, grandchild, or sibling) to the person from whom he or she is buying or renting assets. The farmer must provide most of the labor and management of the farm.
The tax credit for the sale or lease of assets can then be applied to the Minnesota income taxes of the owner of the agricultural land or other assets.
Three levels of credits are available:
- 5% of the lesser of the sale price or fair market value of the agricultural asset up to a maximum of $32,000
- 10% of the gross rental income of each of the first, second and third years of a rental agreement, up to a maximum of $7,000 per year
- 15% of the cash equivalent of the gross rental income in each of the first, second or third year of a share rent agreement, up to a maximum of $10,000 per year
The Beginning Farmer Tax Credit is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Applications must be received by October 1, 2021.
Interested farmers should note that they can also apply for a separate tax credit to offset the cost of a financial management program up to a maximum of $1,500 per year – for up to three years.
###
Media Contact
Larry Schumacher, MDA Communications
651-201-6629
Larry.Schumacher@state.mn.us
safeTALK – Training to Prevent Suicide in Agricultural Communities
1125 S State Street
Fairmont, MN 56031
Four short hours that can save a life.
When a neighbor’s tractor gets stuck, you don’t hesitate to help. But when you see a family member, friend, or client stuck in a rut—and possibly suicidal—it can be daunting to try and help and can leave you feeling powerless.
This training focuses teaches in-depth skills you can learn in half a day. You’ll learn how to recognize someone having thoughts of suicide, how to engage them, and how to make sure they get help. This evidence-based training is effective for people as young as 15.
Who should attend? Farmers, lenders, mediators, agency staff, clergy, educators, veterinarians, healthcare and social service providers, and agricultural advisors and businesspeople.
Sponsored by the Martin County Corn and Soybean Growers Association.
Safety Demonstration Pavilion at Farmfest
28366 County Highway 13
Morgan, MN 56266
UMASH (Upper Midwest Agriculture Safety & Health Center) brings the Farm Safety Pavilion back to the attendees of Minnesota Farmfest. The focus is to provide up-to-date safety and health information for farmers, farm workers, and their families in an effort to prevent and/or reduce injuries and illness on farms.
Each day at 9:00 am, 11:00 am, and 2:00 pm, there will be grain handling, ATV and UTV, tractor rollover, and Power Take-off (PTO) safety demonstrations. Exhibit areas in the pavilion will feature giveaways from the Minnesota Farm Bureau Foundation and the MDA, personal protective equipment giveaways, and resources on respiratory protection, grain bin health and safety, mental health, and more.
Read more about 2021 Minnesota Farmfest.
Farmfest 2021 attendees should plan to visit the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s exhibit for information and resources on a wide variety of agriculture-related programs and topics. Farmfest is August 3 – 5, 2021, at the Gilfillan Estate near Redwood Falls, Minnesota.
Tuesday, August 3 – Thursday, August 5 – featured programs:
- Zero % Disaster Loan Program – farmers hit hard by the drought may be eligible for the Rural Finance Authority’s Disaster Recovery Loan Program which can be used to help cover lost revenue or expenses not covered by insurance.
- Ag Weather Station Network – find out how you can get real-time weather information and air temperature inversion alerts to your cell phone via the 29 Minnesota weather stations incorporated into the North Dakota Ag Weather Network (NDAWN).
- Minnesota Ag Water Quality Certification Program – learn how you can become certified in this popular water quality program and obtain regulatory certainty for a period of ten years.
- Rural Mental Health Resources – find out about the people and organizations ready to help farmers and their families deal with stress, depression, and suicide.
Wednesday, August 4 – special appearances:
- 9:30 – 10:30 am – media availability with Ag Commissioner Thom Petersen and Second Harvest Heartland CEO Allison O’Toole to discuss partnering the fight to end hunger in Minnesota through programs such as Farm to Food Shelf.
- 9:00 am – 3:00 pm – COVID-19, drought, low prices, foreclosures? Are you or someone you know dealing with stress or depression? Psychologist Ted Matthews understands issues specific to farm families and will be on hand to visit informally with farmers and other attendees.
The MDA Farmfest Booth is #517S.
###
Media Contact
Margaret Hart, MDA Communications
651-592-6908
Margaret.Hart@state.mn.us