St. Cloud Times Editorial
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3/15/05

Our view: Agricultural open houses miss other side of farm issues

Times editorial board

When you talk about livestock farming in Minnesota, two issues quickly dominate the discussion. First, Minnesota is facing a crisis. Second, and far more divisive, is how to resolve that crisis.

A new group, the Minnesota Farm and Food Coalition, came last week to St. Cloud to have the first of several open houses statewide it proclaimed will educate the public, air viewpoints and try to find consensus on how to improve livestock farming in Minnesota.

While such educational efforts are generally applauded, Minnesotans might want to think twice about potential solutions stemming from these open houses. Why? Because if St. Cloud's open house is any indication, participants won't be getting the full story on this critical issue.

The coalition represents essentially the same groups that developed Gov. Tim Pawlenty's Livestock Task Force Report. While that's not necessarily a bad thing, it is worth noting that the report has caused an agricultural rift in Minnesota because of its suggestions that local governments have less say on such issues as land use.

In fact, the Citizens Task Force on Livestock Farming in Rural Communities is a coalition of several organizations opposed to many of the solutions the task force offers. Members include the Minnesota Farmers Union, Minnesota National Farmers Organization, Land Stewardship Project and Sustainable Farming Association of Minnesota. Yet none of those groups was invited to be presenters at the open house in St. Cloud.

Instead, the event featured these groups, all of which had members on the governor's task force: Minnesota Milk Producers Association, Minnesota Agri-Growth Council, Land O'Lakes, Minnesota Pork Producers Association, AgStar Financial Services, Minnesota Farm Bureau, Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Minnesota Soybean Growers Association and the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association. Also involved Thursday but not part of the task force were the Broiler and Egg Association, Minnesota Veterinary Medical Association and Minnesota State Cattlemen's Association.

Government agencies involved in both were the University of Minnesota, state Department of Agriculture and Minnesota Pollution Control Agency.

The natural question then is how can the Minnesota Farm and Food Coalition bill this meeting and others as objective efforts to educate Minnesotans and encourage statewide participation? More importantly, how can Minnesotans offer ideas if they are not given the whole story?

Daryn McBeth, executive director of the agri-growth council and leader of the open houses, acknowledged Monday that upcoming open houses must involve all sides of the debate and said the coalition would reach out to all sides.

It better. The state has a lot to lose. The livestock industry plays a huge part in Minnesota's economy. Its value in 2001 was estimated at $10.7 billion, and it is credited with supporting almost 100,000 jobs statewide. But in the past 10 years alone, Minnesota has lost 173,000 dairy cows and an accompanying $235 million in economic activity. Lost corn and soybean sales due to this drop are projected to hit $20 million within five years.

Those statistics show why it's so important Minnesotans work together to find solutions to animal agriculture's challenges. We're confident residents can do that — as long as they know the full story from the start.

What you can do
The Minnesota Farm and Food Coalition's upcoming open houses include:

March 24, Ridgewater College, Willmar.

March 31, Marshall, site to be determined.

April 5, Mankato, site to be determined.

April 14, Rochester, site to be determined.

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