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Issues

Agriculture

Sustainable agriculture as well as the opportunity to become an Organic farm operation is more appealing to many farmers who want to continue to farm in our state. There has been little help for the “little guy” that would like to try their hand at staying sustainable or to venture out into the realm of Organics.

I believe that we are putting all of our eggs in one corporate farming basket, which in my opinion gives we the consumer fewer healthy choices for our families. As Governor I would like to see that change. I would like to offer incentives to farmers who would like to change their operation back from a large feedlot operation to an organic or sustainable farming experience.

The constant use of petroleum based fertilizers and pesticides rob the earth of the nutrients needed to sustain healthy plant and animal life and bring great risk to our streams, rivers and aquifers, with run off that naturally finds its way into those precious water resources.

Large feedlot operations regularly use antibiotics in the feeds they give the livestock to keep them healthy due to the crowded and methane-ridden environment they live in day to day.

I am not stating that farmers shouldn’t have the choice to go the corporate route, only that we need balance by offering the same types of incentives and breaks to those who would like to stay sustainable or move into organic farming. Why should we force the farmer to go corporate so they can stay on their farm, and not allow for other healthier choices?

We need to further protect current organic operations from farms nearby that choose to plant hybrids and biotech crops. Wind drift can cause an Organic farm great risk from these other operations; so agricultural planning for these operations is imperative.

In conclusion, as citizens we need to be more aware of where our food comes from, and support our state economy by buying the meat, poultry, dairy products and fruits and vegetables direct from Minnesota farmers. I believe in creating a state website that would connect citizens in the Metropolitan areas of the state with farmers that are willing to sell their meats and produce directly to the customer.

Entrepreneurs that have a dream to help in these efforts and wish to live the rural life, can move to a small town and assist with the building of local farm cooperative markets that would allow citizens to buy directly from the farm operations in their areas. Small meat packing operations can be designed with the “Buy Local” idea in mind, and revitalize small town and rural life further.

In addition, I think it is time for the Leaders of our State to coalition with the other Midwestern agri-based states to get more done to grow the economy in the rural heartland and protect and restore the prairies and practice land stewardship by resting their fields when needed and planting diverse crops in an effort to revitalize the soil and prevent erosion.

As we build these healthy coalitions, we can become a force in the nation for a true renaissance in agriculture in our region and in our nation as a whole.

We need to educate our children in school and at home about where our food comes from, how it is grown, harvested, and processed before it reaches our table.

As your Governor you can count on me to build these relationships with our sister states and work together to see that the Family Farm thrives on into the century.