The Great Christmas
See pages 24 and 25 of this section for details!
“GRAND” PRIZE
GIVEAWAY
DAIRY ST R
Health insurance: what to know before enrolling By Jennifer Coyne jenn@dairystar.com
BLOOMINGTON, Minn. – Dairy farming is one of America’s highest risk occupations, yet dairy farmers are also among the highest rate of uninsured individuals for health insurance. In the United States Department of Agriculture’s most recent study of health insurance coverage, it was reported that more than 40% of dairy household members were uninsured in 2015, compared to 10.7% of all farm household members. “I’ve had a few farmers drop their coverage this year and that scares the heebie jeebies out of me,” Char Vrieze said. “With this profession and other supporting businesses in agriculture, you’re naturally at a higher risk. You’re not invincible. … It’s too dangerous to go without coverage.” Vrieze is the executive director of 40 Square Cooperative Solutions and has more than 20 years of experience in the health insurance eld. Most Americans receive coverage from an employeebased plan, including farm households; however, dairy farm families continue to be an exception with only 36% of dairy household members being covered by employee-based plans in 2015, according to the USDA. “If you can get employee sponsored insurance, then that’s your best option,” Vrieze said. “Nobody is paying the full freight, but you’ll be better off cost-wise than any other coverage plan.” For those who do not qualify for an employee-based plan, there are coverage options available to meet the needs of farmers and their families. “Basically, it comes down to income level and if you qualify for federal subsidies on the exchange,” Vrieze said. As the structure of health
November 23, 2019
“All dairy, all the time”™
Volume 21, No. 19
A bittersweet hunting season for Millers Family remembers avid outdoorsman son, brother By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
KELLOGG, Minn. – Opening morning of deer hunting season has always been an exciting time for the Miller family. This year was different. “It was tough this year,” Dan Miller said. “The excitement wasn’t there like it normally was.” That is because Dan and Karen Miller’s son, Aidan, was not there with the family to don the blaze orange clothing and watch for the perfect buck from a stand on their family’s 70-cow dairy near Kellogg. At the age of 16, Aidan passed away July 22 from a cardiac arrhythmia. “It (opening morning) was
KRISTA KUZMA/DAIRY STAR
Karen and Dan Miller hold a picture of their 16-year-old son, Aidan, who passed away from a cardiac arrhythmia July 22. Aidan loved hunƟng with the family on their 70-cow dairy farm near Kellogg, Minnesota.
one of Aidan’s favorite days, even over Christmas and other holidays,” Karen said. Despite the emotions that came with deer opener morning Nov. 9 this year, the family – Dan and Karen along with their other children, Blaine, 28, Garret, 26, Mary Kate, 25, Ellie, 19, and Avalin, 10 – still gathered to hunt, remembering Aidan by attaching patches with his name to their stocking hats and hunting jackets. They progressed with the day as they have in years past. “We always adjust our milking schedule for hunting season,” Dan said. The family started doing chores at 3:30 a.m., 2.5 hours earlier than normal. “We want to be in the woods before the sun comes up in the morning,” Dan said. “Then we come in for breakfast. Karen
Turn to MILLERS | Page 7
Teaching is a part of farming for Mirons
Washington County dairy family awarded producer of the year By Krista Kuzma
krista.k@dairystar.com
PHOTO SUBMITTED
The Miron family – (front row, from leŌ) James, Warren, Mary Ann holding Autumn, and Fran holding Landon and Amelia; (middle row, from leŌ) Mike, Severine, Wendy, Mark holding Carter, Kristy and Paul holding Joy; JusƟn Crowley, KaƟe Crowley, Ann Tauzell, Brian Tauzell, Stacey holding Levi, and Andrew – are the 2019 Minnesota Milk Producer of the Year. Fran and Mary Ann farm together with their sons, Paul and Andrew, and milk 125 cows on their dairy in WashTurn to INSURANCE | Page 6 ington County near Hugo, Minnesota.
HUGO, Minn. – For the Miron family, teaching is a part of farming. “Education is deeply rooted in our family,” Andrew Miron said. “We take a passion in showcasing that. A lot of it comes back to what we do on the farm and being able to show the public a little bit about what that is.” The Miron family will continue teaching others about dairy as the recipient of the 2019 Minnesota Milk Producer of the Year award. Fran and Mary Ann Miron farm together with two of their sons, Paul and Andrew; Paul and his wife, Kristy, have three kids, James, 5, Josephine, 3, and Joy, 11 months; Andrew Turn to MIRONS | Page 5