Farming in the Heartland Fall 2015

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 24

FARMERS! Are You Tired Of Farming Around These?

Would you like to install a Rock Inlet System?

in the

HEARTLAND

Advantages: o Excess surface water is removed as effectively as open inlets. o Less sediment is delivered into the subsurface tile system. o Producers can plant through the rock inlet area without harm to equipment or the inlet. o Subsurface drainage is increased in the area around the inlet. o Freeze up time during cold winter months is shorter allowing drainage to occur in late fall, early winter and early spring. o Suction voids do not form around rock inlets. o Allows venting for the subsurface drainage system.

Farming

The Shell Rock River Watershed District is offering a $300 cost share, per rock inlet, that is installed in the watershed.

Fall 2015

An Agricultural, Farming & Rural Development Supplement Covering Freeborn County, Mower County & Surrounding Areas

Shell Rock River Watershed District

507-377-5785 | 214 West Main St. | Albert Lea, MN 56007

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Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 2

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 23

Running on Empty? Think Ethanol Article submitted by Rick Schwarck, President, Absolute Energy, LLC, Lyle, MN When the fuel gauge is nearing “E,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? How far is the next gas station? Where can I buy the cheapest fuel?

The next time the fuel needle hovers near “E” think about E15. It’s the newest ethanol blend available and it’s one of the lowest-cost fuels on the market.

E15 is a blend of 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent gasoline – that’s just 5 percent more ethanol than the E10 fuel that has been around since 1978.

It’s approved for use in all 2001 and newer cars, trucks and SUVs. E15 will also save you money because it’s priced less than E10 and is significantly cheaper than gasoline without ethanol.

Ethanol-blended fuel has been credited with saving consumers money because blending more cost-competitive ethanol with gasoline lowers the price of fuel. The U.S. renewable fuels program is credited with saving motorists between $0.50 and $1.50 per gallon on fuel purchases. That gives every American more dollars to put toward food, clothing, a night out, or a summer vacation.

This added value is all made possible by the innovation and efficiency of the ethanol industry and local farmers. Combined with the increasing production efficiency of local corn growers, this partnership provides

enough products to both feed and fuel the world. This is all made possible by using less acres because corn yields have doubled over the last 40 years.

And research indicates yields may even double again by the middle of this century.

There is no doubt that enough grain is produced annually to supply the world’s need for food and fuel. Even after accounting for the grain used for biofuels, there is more grain available today for food and feed use than at any time in history. In addition, through the ethanol manufacturing process, one-third of every bushel of corn processed into ethanol is converted into livestock feed. Last year the ethanol industry produced enough livestock feed to provide 7 quarter pound hamburgers for every person on the planet. There is no doubt the world’s grain supply has grown large enough to satisfy both increased demand for food and animal feed, as well as increased biofuel production. All of this boils down to the availability of record food supplies and affordable fuel.

Since there is a correlation between food prices and oil consumption, the more ethanol used, the less impact on food costs. The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) was originally implemented in 2005 to create increased blending of biofuels in our nation’s gasoline. And since that time, food prices have risen more slowly. Food price inflation has averaged 2.8 percent annually since 2005, the year the RFS was enacted, compared to an average 3.5 percent from 1980 – 2004, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The World Bank reports that most of the contribution to food price changes starting in 1997 through 2012, comes from the price of crude oil. Through these years, ethanol production has risen while annual food price inflation has declined. So, ethanol is not only helping keep food prices affordable, it’s also lowering fuel prices.

Ethanol is the lowest-cost, cleanest octane source in the world. This environmentally-friendly, biodegradable octane booster helps prevent some harmful pollutants from reaching the atmosphere. Last year, by using ethanol, motorists helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 million metric tons. That’s the same effect as taking 8.4 million cars off the road.

And that’s not all, ethanol reduces dependence on oil imports. Because ethanol is blended in 98 percent of all the fuel sold nationwide, oil imports have dropped to 28 percent. Last year, ethanol use is credited with replacing 512 million barrels of crude oil – that’s slightly more than the oil imported annually from Saudi Arabia.

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Ethanol. It’s clean, renewable, it’s driving the local economy, it’s saving motorists money at the pump, and it’s helping feed and fuel the world. So, the next time your gas gauge hovers near empty, don’t hesitate to reach for the ethanol handle. You’ll be doing yourself, your family, your car, and the environment a favor. Choose ethanol.

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Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 22

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Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 3

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Income Rider, a rider onBase your isIncome Annuity.your rider benefit. It year for asimple period of upis to 20 years at 7%thesimple The Benefit only Guard used Indexed to determine Qualifications and restrictionswithdrawals apply for activation.

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• Remember some equipment during transportation is actually taller than when in use.

• Another thing you need to be careful of is bumping into the guide wires on electrical poles. This will cause sagging in the overhead lines and will make entanglement more likely.

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1915 – 2015

Entanglement with overhead power lines and farm equipment is one of the most common electrical hazards on the farm. Many types of farm equipment can come in contact with overhead power lines. Tractors with front-end loaders, portable grain augers, fold-up planters, dump truck beds and sprayer booms are all examples of equipment that can easily get caught in overhead power lines.

• Power lines should be at least 18 feet above the highest point of grain bin with which portable augers or other portable filling equipment are used.

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If your equipment becomes entangled in power lines, stay in the tractor or truck unless the tractor or truck starts on fire.

Jump as far from the tractor as possible but land on both feet.

Then hop with feet together to get to safety!

If on fire, contact 911…if you are staying in the vehicle, contact FMCS Operations at 800-734-6421.

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Hi Yield Products Inc. 23282 620th Ave • Alden, Minnesota 56009

2501 Main Street East, Albert Lea, MN This institution is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

Bus: (507) 874-3750 Cell: (507) 383-0874 Email: kevin@hiyieldmn.com

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 4

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 21

Water - A Shared Responsibility In the last few years it seems I’ve been drawn to get involved in the business of water. Water in many different aspects. I guess I could say it’s been more than just recently. I could go back to my first years after high school when Dad bought a tiling machine and we spent what seemed like forever draining the home farm and then a couple other pieces of land he owned at the time. We even did a little work laying tile for some neighbors. The idea was to get rid of it-the water that is.

Not all of it, just the excess. The portion of it that made farming difficult. It caused problems in most springs because our heavy clay soils held water tight and we couldn’t get the crop planted on time.

In the fall I remember getting stuck with the combine and trucks trying to harvest the crop. So we fixed it, we removed the nuisance. That was a long time ago, although we are still benefiting from that drainage system.

Today it seems water is all anyone talks about. In our part of the country it’s

mostly about getting rid of it. Yes we need some of it, after all it is the lifeblood of our existence. Even more so than food. But when there is too much of it, or it comes to us too quickly, it causes problems. So we try to control it.

Slow it down, speed it up, drain it, send it down the river. We’ve been doing this ever since our ancestors settled this area and began to till the rich fertile soil that lies under our feet and build villages and towns along the rivers of our area. Even the federal government helped with this by investing in drainage systems designed to carry away the excess water. It was the right thing to do!

beautiful up north to canoe for miles and miles with only an occasional portage on land, in between lake after lake of clean, drinkably fresh water. There seems to be an endless flow coming into and out of the area.

What I’ve found interesting is the huge difference between areas to the north like the boundary waters canoe area where there is practically nothing but water, and the desert southwest where they are virtually running out of water.

I’ve spent time in both these areas and it amazes me how differently people talk about this valuable resource. It is so

Whether it’s in surplus or shortage, we need to respect water every time we come in contact with it. Whether we are trying to conserve it, control it, or just get rid of it. It seems no matter how we use water, we ultimately contaminate it.

Whether its drinking it, showering with it, flushing a toilet, draining it from our streets and parking lots, watering our crops, lawns and golf courses or draining it from the land, we in some way add something to it. Then we try (as we should) to remove the contamination from it before passing it back into the environment. And there is no perfect way of doing this.

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AUSTIN: 608 1st Ave SW 507-433-4144 WASECA: 118 North State Street (same building as Waseca Family Dentistry) 507-521-2758 OWATONNA: 685 Bridge St. Suite 1B (by Torey’s Restaurant) 507-451-3879

In contrast, the last time I was in the Phoenix area where my parents were spending one of their last winters, my wife and I were politely asked by a shuttle driver not to come to the area when we retire because they are so short of water, and it seems there are no workable plans to supply it to the ever expanding population as they spread further into the desert. I understand their dilemma.

There is a certain amount of guilt to be shared by everyone about how we treat our water. It doesn’t help when we point fingers at others because that finger can be turned around and pointed the other way. We are all somewhat guilty, but most of us are trying to improve the situation. We all share the benefits of water and at the same time share the responsibility to respect it and keep it as clean as possible. This certainly goes for both our towns and rural areas.

Being a part of production agriculture I see real efforts being made to reduce erosion and improve the quality of the water that leaves the landscape. These things are not new to us. We’ve been doing them for a long time. And a lot of these efforts are voluntary, like putting in grass waterways, reducing tillage to leave more residue on the surface of the

Freeborn County Soil Health Team to Host Field Day: Cover Cropping 101

Mike Merten, CCA Pioneer Sales Professional land to reduce erosion, enrolling land in government CRP contracts, etc. And of course we are all aware of some recent successful efforts by our state government to enforce the requirement of buffer strips along our creeks, streams, and rivers. These of course will not be voluntary but none-the-less will help in some areas with water quality. Many landowners have been open to working with our local Watershed Districts and Soil and Water Conservation Districts also. These agencies have numerous programs that can improve water quality and/or help reduce the amount (or speed) of the water that leaves our farmland. I encourage any landowner/operator who has the opportunity (and isn’t already involved), to consider working with them to install these practices. There is money available to get the job done-there just needs to be the willingness to participate.

In the long run it will benefit everyone with better water quality, reduced flooding, and maybe most importantly show the world that we do care about this valuable resource and we will do everything we can to keep it as clean as possible when we send it downstream.

Our business of farming is being scrutinized more and more everyday by people quite removed from agriculture and who have very little knowledge of what we do and what efforts are being made to keep our water clean. If we sit back and don’t get involved with telling our story of the efforts being made, we will be destined to accept more restrictions on, and more regulation of, everything we do in our job of feeding the world.

Using cover crops has been found to help increase soil health and water quality. Since this is a newer farm practice in the Freeborn County area, confusion on how it can influence a farm’s crop insurance, when and how to plant covers, and when and how to terminate has prevented many producers from trying this new practice.

The Freeborn County Soil Health Team will be hosting a field day for producers to learn how to successfully implement cover crops into their Southern Minnesota farms.

Agronomists, soil scientists, and local farmers will be presenting at different stations to teach attendees when the best time to plant is, how to terminate different cover crops, and what a healthy soil should look and act like. A representative from

USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) will also be at the field day to provide the latest information on cover crops and crop insurance.

The field day will begin at 8:30am Wednesday September 23rd and end around 1pm. A free lunch is being provided. The host farm is located three miles south of Geneva, MN on County Road 45. The producer has successfully implemented cover crops into his corn-soybean rotation the past four years. If you are curious how soil health practices and cover crops can fit into your operation, help your net profits, and improve soil and water quality you will want to attend this field day!

For more information on this field day and to RSVP for meal count, contact the NRCS at 507-373-5607 extension 3.

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Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 20

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 5

4-H Science of Ag helps pave way to careers for youth ST. PAUL, Minn. (6/22/2015) — The first-ever 4-H Science of Agriculture Challenge brought 12 teams of youth from across the state to the University of Minnesota last week to present their research on important agricultural issues, including soil preservation, public opinion on

genetically modified organisms, food waste and more.

The Science of Agriculture program is the first of its kind in the United States. It’s designed to help build the next future agricultural workforce through hands-on learning and

experiences. Over the last nine months, youth have worked with adult mentors and agricultural experts to identify issues and research potential solutions.

At the end of the two-day event at the University’s St. Paul campus, awards were presented to three teams earning highest marks: First place - Meeker County 4-H Hay Waste Team: Kayla Kutzke, Ryan Peterson and Daniel Williamson. The team researched, designed, built and tested a feed bunk to reduce hay waste of beef cattle.

Second place - Washington County 4-H Insects as Food Source Team: Serenna Svanoe, Theo Svanoe, Chloe Brey. The team researched insects as sustainable source of protein for humans and animals, and cultural attitudes, methods and barriers to production and consumption in western nations.

Third place - Le Sueur County 4-H Biodiesel Team: Brian Prchal, Anna Prchal, Tyler Fromm. The team researched and compared the efficiency and environmental impact of conventional diesel, ethanol, kerosene and 100 percent biodiesel made by team, and tested temperature, content and particulate matter.

The top three teams were awarded scholarships toward use in any accredited university, college or trade school. First place team members received $1,000 each, second place received $750 each and third place received $500 each.

“We face a shortage of ag-literate professionals.The United States Department of Agriculture reports that between 2015 and 2020 alone, there will be about 57,900 jobs annually for graduates with bachelor’s or higher degrees in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources or the environment,” said Josh Rice, the University of Minnesota Extension specialist who leads the program. “The 4-H Science of Agriculture Challenge was developed to expose youth to the wide variety of ag-related issues that they can have a role in solving today and in the future.”

The 4-H Science of Agriculture Challenge sponsors were the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Minnesota Farm Bureau, AgStar Financial Services and the Minnesota Soybean Research Council. Judges were Robin Kopel, vice-president of human resources, Jennie-O Turkey Store; Mark Hamerlinck, senior communications director, Minnesota Corn Growers Association; Adam Birr, chief executive officer, Minnesota Corn Growers Association; Ruth Meirick, director, Minnesota Farm Bureau Foundation; and Amy Smith, assistant professor of agriculture education, University of Minnesota.

New Buffer Law for Minnesota As you may be aware the Minnesota State Legislature passed new laws requiring buffers of permanent vegetation on many streams, rivers, drainage ditches, and lakes during the special legislative session in 2015. In short the law reads that public waters shall have a 50 foot wide buffer and that ditches and streams within the benefited area of a public ditch system shall have a 16.5 foot (one rod) buffer. Public waters are identified by the MN Department of Natural Resources and include not only lakes but also streams, rivers, public drainage ditches, and private drainage ditches.

The new buffer law has stimulated a lot of discussion and

controversy. However, what ended up getting passed is not radically different than laws that were currently on the books. In 1969 the Minnesota Shoreland Management Ordinance required 50 feet of perennial vegetation on public waters. In 1977 a law was passed requiring a 16.5 foot buffer on new public ditch systems or public ditch systems that went through a process called a redetermination of benefits. The new law requires 16.5 feet on all ditches whether they were redetermined or not and extends the one rod buffer requirement on private ditches upstream of a public ditch. Deadlines for compliance

of 2017 for public ditches and 2018 for public waters. Administrative penalties for non-compliance by counties, watershed districts, or the MN Board of Soil and Water Resources (BWSR) are specified in the legislation.

A few important things to note are that all existing roads and structures are exempt. Installation and maintenance of tile lines is also exempt. All lawns, forests, conservation reserve program (CRP), pasture, and hayed land is considered permanent vegetation and already in compliance with the law.

Your local Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) can help you determine if your property will be affected by

this new law. We can help you determine what cost share programs may be available to you, if you choose. Two popular cost share programs include the CRP Filterstrips, which pay landowners anywhere from $200 to $400 per acre per year for 10 or 15 years, and the ReInvest in Minnesota (RIM) program which compensates the landowner in exchange for a permanent easement on the property.

Freeborn County residents can contact the Freeborn SWCD at 1400 West Main Street, Albert Lea, MN 56007 – 507 373-5607 and Mower County residents can contact the Mower SWCD at 1408 21st St NW Austin, MN 55912 - 507-434-2603.

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Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 6

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 19

Prevent Flash Fires and Explosions: Watch for Deep-Pit Manure Foam

Investing in Seed Treatment Research Willie Vogt, Farm Industry News The township of Stanton, Minn., is kind of a wide spot in the road, yet it’s known for two interesting features.

First is the airport where gliders are a popular pastime, but the bigger features is the Syngenta field research facility.

Recently, the company broke ground on a $20 million expansion of its North American Seedcare Institute that will bring a new 38,000 square-foot building to the research farm.

The North America Seedcare Institute was already in Stanton, but this expansion brings a new level of research, and training, to the mix. “This is an important day for us,” says Palle Pedersen, head, seedcare product marketing.

“Seedcare products provide plants with a healthy start and help to achieve increased yield, crop quality and profit potential.”

The event, which drew a range of dignitaries, is the start of a significant continued investment in seedcare, a business Syngenta first entered in 1979 with Concep, a seed safener first used in sorghum. The company has pioneered uses of fungicide and other additives during the next 35 years.

The new facility will house high-tech laboratories for research and development, treating, plantability, dust-off and quality assurance. It will also include a scale-up treating area, a treating equipment performance area to simulate real-life experiences for customers, a training facility, seed warehouse and office and meeting space.

Seed treatment popularity Pedersen notes that as many as six active ingredients are now being applied to seed, which pushes up the need for research into maximizing the technol-

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ogy.Ponsi Trivisvavet, regional director, North America, and president, Syngenta Seeds, points to the company’s Good Growth Plan, a global sustainability initiative focused six corporate commitments. “This expansion shows our focus on the first of the six - make crops more efficient,” Trivisvavet says. “Farmers challenges are becoming increasingly complex.”

She pointed to the corporate investment of $1.3 billion in R&D annually, with this latest expansion showing the future commitment the company has.

As for the six commitments of the Good Growth Plan? They include: Make crops more efficient; rescue more farmland; help biodiversity flourish; empower smallholders; help people stay safe; and look after every worker.

Ravi Ramachandran, head of Syngenta’s

North America Seed Care Institute, adds: “Our customers require highly specialized products and services from us. As a result, the solutions we work on today are much more sophisticated than they were five to 10 years ago.

The seed treatment business has evolved, and the products we develop require an increased level of training for our seed company customers, ag retailers, applicators and farmers.”

Syngenta currently operates 10 Seedcare Institutes globally, but an 11th will open in Singapore soon. The global network allows the company to fine-tune application rates, and match products to specific markets. The Stanton, Minn., facility is one of those 11 global sites, and this expansion is a key move for the company in the seedcare business. The facility will be completed by the end of 2016.

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ST. PAUL, Minn. (9/3/2015)—Manure deep-pits under swine barns in the Upper Midwest are getting full in this time of year, and concern over pit foaming is especially high. Pork producers should be vigilant.

Although the frequency of flash fires or barn explosions in deep-pit pig buildings has been significantly reduced since the peak of this problem in 2009, foam still can occur.

Tragically, that resulted in two fatalities earlier in 2015.

To prevent an explosion or a flash fire, ventilate or exchange air in the barn to dilute the concentration of methane gas in the air.

The presence of foam bubbles on top of liquid manure in a deep pit contains about 70 percent methane.

Any activity that disrupts the foam releases this stored methane or natural gas can be dangerous. Methane is extremely explosive when between 4 and 15 percent of the air by volume. If you are not sure if foam is present or if there is only a thin layer, take precautions.

Always check for foam when there is any interruption in normal activities. This includes changing (turning) groups of pigs, running soaking nozzles or power washing, agitating

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and pumping liquid manure in the pit, or any maintenance work (such as welding) inside the barn. These activities disrupt the foam and release methane.

If foam is detected in the manure pit prior to any of these activities, immediately take these precautions: Run the exhaust fans in the barn to at least the mild weather or fall/ spring ventilation rate. This will provide roughly 25 to 35 air exchanges per hour in the barn or, for a grow-finish barn, 30 to 40 cfm/pig.

Use of wall fans are preferable in addition to pit fans, since the airflow rates from pit fans are commonly compromised or reduced significantly by high manure levels in the pit and duct transitions on pit fans.

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When foam is present, eliminate all ignition sources inside the barn: pilot lights or electrostatic spark on water and space heaters, sparking switches on lights and non-enclosed electric motors, welding, grinding, cigarettes, cigars or pipes.

Extension and research personnel from the University of Minnesota, Iowa State University and University of Illinois developed warning stickers in English and Spanish to post inside pig barns. Stickers will be available from pork producer associations in all three states.

For more information, visit http://z.umn.edu/manurestorage

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Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 18

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 7

Safety Information from the MN Dept of Agriculture

FSA Farm Loan Program

Equipment Safety

Article submitted by Adam J Gritz, USDA Farm Service Agency, Fillmore County Farm Loan Manager

Large and powerful equipment can be found all over a farm. This equipment is also a source of many injuries. By developing a “safety first” attitude and following some basic equipment safety guidelines, you can stay out of harm’s way and set a good example for others.

Pay attention to all safety information.

Read operator’s manual and warning decals.

Inspect the equipment and correct any hazards before operating.

Identify hazardous areas on equipment and make sure you stay away from moving parts. Beware of pinch points, shear points, wrap points, pull-in areas, thrown objects, crush points, stored energy hazards and freewheeling parts.

Shut down equipment, turn off the engine, remove key and wait for mov-

ing parts to stop before dismounting equipment.

Keep bystanders and others away from equipment operation area.

Grain Handling Safety Minnesota farmers will be working with large amounts of grain during the harvest season. Automated equipment has made grain handling easy and fast.

But, grain storage structures and handling equipment create hazardous work areas. Farmers should make sure they take the proper steps to put safety first to prevent injuries, illnesses and even death.

Lock entrances to grain handling areas.

Install ladders inside bins.

Do not enter grain bins that are being loaded or unloaded. Flowing grain can trap and suffocate you in seconds.

If it is necessary to enter a bin, shut off

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and lockout power before entering. Use a safety harness and safety line. Have several people available outside the bin to lift entrant out in case of an emergency.

Wear proper dust-filtering respirators when working in and around grain handling areas. High amounts of dust and molds could be present and could be very dangerous.

Livestock Handling Safety The following are some animal-handling practices that can be used to keep farm workers, family members and visitors safe.

Label livestock handling areas to warn away visitors.

Design livestock pens and handling facilities using recommended plans.

All facilities should be designed to allow workers easy access to and exit from

animals.

Keep children and bystanders out of livestock handling areas.

Animal behavior can change suddenly, so be sure you understand some of the common instincts of animals.

Changes in lighting or shadows can excite or spook them.

• Have sufficient training and/or experience in managing and operating a farm,

Separation from other animals can cause unpredictable behavior.

• Are citizens or lawfully admitted aliens,

Cattle and horses can see everything around them except directly behind their hindquarters.

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• Show repayment ability for the requested loan, • Show sufficient security for the requested loan.

Loans are available for machinery, livestock, crop operating and real estate purposes. Now is the time to discuss 2015/2016 credit needs with your current lender. If Farm Service Agency assistance may be required, contact the Farm Service Agency as soon as possible to be ready for the 2016 operating cycle.

Other eligibility requirements apply to certain loan types. Contact the Farm Service Agency for a full discussion of your circumstances to determine if you may be eligible for loan assistance.

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A strong territorial instinct is common.

Some types of livestock, such as beef cattle, swine and dairy cattle, are colorblind and have poor depth perception.

This causes them to be sensitive to contrasts in light, movement, and noises.

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Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 8

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 17

Making a Gift of Grain Grain farmers have a vital role in moving lives forward, growing food and feed that nourishes our community and the world. The Austin Area Foundation, too, is committed to improving lives and area communities.

Gifts of grain are a unique and underutilized way to make a charitable gift. Using grain to make a gift to the Austin Area Foundation – which may be designated for the purpose you choose –

Farmers Market Place, LLC

can be a wonderful way to invest in the future while achieving tax savings.

Benefits of Gifting Grain For farm operators, gifting grain directly, rather than selling the grain and making a gift from the proceeds, may provide a more significant tax savings.

Contributing grain allows you to avoid the sale of the commodity as income, while the production costs may still be

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deductible. Reducing taxable income may provide advantages such as minimizing or eliminating self-employment tax and reducing adjusted gross income.

Important Things to Consider Be sure the gift is grain commodities, not a grain storage receipt, which could be considered a cash equivalent. The Austin Area Foundation must be able to demonstrate “control and dominion” over the gifted property. Therefore, as a donor, you cannot offer the foundation any guidance as to when to sell the commodity.

To make a gift of grain to a charitable organization, the taxpayer/donor must be a farm operator. There is no recognized income, but the charitable deduction is limited to basis, which is ordinarily zero. Typically, your cost of raising and growing the grain can be deducted as a farm business expense.

Many grain farmers annually certify or document bushels of production with a Farm Service Agency for purposes

Jeff Baldus

Executive Director, Austin Area Foundation of enrolling that grain production in various agriculture subsidy programs.

You should be sure to accomplish the FSA certification before making a gift of grain commodities to any organization.

Please consult your tax professional for advice applicable to your particular tax situation prior to making a gift of grain commodities.

The Farmers Market Place, LLC, is a cooperative effort by several farmers, bakers, and crafters from within a 35 mile radius to bring our farms to you.

All of our products are home grown or homemade. Produce is picked fresh daily by the farmers, without the use of chemicals, and transported directly to the market for you to enjoy. Because our farmers grow specifically for the market, we tend to have a wide variety of fruits and vegetables that are provided.

With our unusual up-and-down weather patterns this year our farmers have encountered some differences from previous years. The harvest came a bit earlier this year for both the garden produce and the apples. Tomatoes have had an exceptionally good year and the abundance of sunshine we had in May and June produced a bumper crop of asparagus. Cucumbers and melons, unfortunately, did not fare as well, as vines withered under the heat. While some

produce, such as lettuce and asparagus, have finished for the year, our market still has a wide variety of options to carry us through the remainder of the market season. In fact, apples and squash, both fall produce, are just getting started. Both the Honey crisp apples and the Sweet 16 apples have been doing well. Strawberries are still available and have not only been doing well grown hydroponically in the greenhouses, but, if everything goes according to plan, may be available into November or December. For our farmers that provide eggs at the market, they find that the weather changes tend to make the chickens temperamental, which affects how many eggs they lay.

Every growing season is not without its problems. One of our farmers had to deal with tomato blight and will have to rotate crops next year to help with the problem. The excess of overcast days we have had this summer has forced our strawberry farmer to keep a

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We are happy to report that the traffic at the Farmers Market Place in Austin continues to grow. We appreciate that people in the community are so supportive of our local farmers and continue to keep the money local. We encourage people to ask our farmers about their growing processes if they are curious or, if they have any concerns, we welcome feedback. Thank you to our customers for helping us bring our produce from our farms to your tables!

Come and visit us in the grass in front of Shopko Monday and Thursday from 4-7 pm and Saturday from 9 am-12 pm.

FMNP vouchers are accepted.

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Our farmers do their best to try and provide the market customers with exactly what they are looking for. This year dill and kohlrabi have been difficult to keep on the tables. Tomatoes and corn continue to be great sellers.

You can’t beat the local fresh fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, and melons.

For apples the popular varieties are the Zestar apples, Chestnut crab apples, sweet despite the crab apple name, and of course the Honey Crisp. Flavors coming in the fall are the Fireside, Connell Red and Haralson apples. With people trending towards healthier eating, some of our farmers are trying new varieties of old favorites, such as the purple potatoes, which are higher in antioxidants.

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closer eye on the possibility of mildew on the plants. Moisture related issues have caused harmless small spots to appear on some of the apples. As always, deer think the farms are all you can eat buffets, and continue to be a problem.

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Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 16

New provisions increase on-farm The Importance of Soilmeats Health storage for dairy, flowers, Article submitted by Bev Nordby

Farm Service Agency busy with program sign-up Article submitted by Kirk W Phelps, Mower County Executive Director, USDA Farm Service Agency The Farm Service Agency is currently working on a few deadlines. September 30 is the final day to sign up for the 2014 and 2015 ARC/PLC (farm program); MPP Dairy program; and CRP acres that expire this year. As a result of doing all the background work for signing up two years at once into the farm program and these other deadlines our office is very busy. Many producers called in and were put on a list for the ARC program,

we ask for your patience as we work through the backlog. We will call when the contracts are run. As long as you have called in, the September 30 ARC deadline does not apply to you.

available may make sense for your operation. Be sure to get signed up if you milk cows.

Conservation Reserve Program rental rates have increased lately; if you have land that could filter water before it goes into a stream or has erosion problems CRP can help. The land usually has a native grass seeding that protects the soil for future years.

Contact today to see how much we can add to your bottom line.

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loans include corn, grain sorghum, rice, soybeans, oats, peanuts, wheat, barley, Soil health has— been buzz word lately, especially with sustainWASHINGTON U.S. aDepartment minor oilseeds harvested as whole grain, ofable Agriculture Farm Agency farming.

LotsService of research has pulse beencrops done—and is being conlentils, chickpeas and dry Administrator Val Dolcini announced peas — hay, honey, renewable biomass, ducted to give producers with information on the importance of in a press release that the Farm Storage fruits, nuts and vegetables for cold storkeeping a program, “healthywhich soil.�provides Continued with a monoculture of Facility Loan agetillage facilities. low-interest financing to producers to Since 2000, more than 35,000 facility cropping systems can be harmful to our rich soils. build or upgrade storage facilities, will loans have been approved totaling $2 now include dairy, flowers and meats as billion in rural investments.

On averUSDA’s Soil Health initiative strives for 2 concepts.

Reduced tillage eligible commodities. age, about 1,600 new loans are made and plants in fields for has extended Both encourage bi-to “For living 15 years, this program each season. year. Producers do not need provided financing, the lack ofcan commercial ologicalaffordable stimulation belowallowthe soilsdemonstrate surface. Cover crops help ing American farmers and ranchers credit availability to apply. The loans the void having another living system after athe mainrange tofill construct or of expand storage on the areroot designed to assist diverse farm,� said Dolcini a press release. of aerial farming operations, including harvested crop. in This can be done by seeding cover crops small “By adding eligible commodities, these and mid-sized businesses, new farminto a standing crop ofeven cornmore or beans.

Cover crops can help fight low-interest loans will help ers, operations supplying local food family farmers and ranchers to expand soil erosion, promote soil health, break up compaction layers and farmers markets, non-traditional on-site storage.� farm products and underserved and potentially most importan, sequestering additional availableproThe new commodities eligible for facil- ducers. leftfloriculture, from crops.

If rye, you areTo interested inabout Soil Health itynutrients loans include hops, learn more the FSAand Farm milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, meat and Storage visit www.fsa. the incentives that come with it, call SteveFacility Lawler,Loan, Resource Spepoultry, eggs and aquaculture (exclud- usda.gov/pricesupport or contact a cialist, Mower SWCD at ing systems that maintain live507-434-2603. animals local FSA county office. To find your through uptake and discharge of water). local FSA county office, visit offices.

Commodities already eligible for the usda.gov.

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horsepower and torque will be less. Refer to the engine manufacturer’s website for additional information. 37HUP OLPLWHG WR \HDUV RU KRXUV XVHG ZKLFKHYHU FRPHV áUVW DQG YDULHV E\ PRGHO 1 30,be See the October LIMITED 30, WARRANTY FORoff NEW TURFSeries AND UTILITY at JohnDeere.com/Warranty www.JohnDeere.ca/TUWarranty for details.

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AgriGuardian Dairy producers need to get signed up into the MPP program. The basic level of coverage is very cheap protection.

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Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 9

We Offer On-Site Repair

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Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 10

Chemical • Fertilizer • Feed • Grain • Seed • Soil Sampling • LP • Refined Fuels

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 15

Scouting for Higher Yields Article submitted by Lynn Lagerstedt, President, Farm-Tech Crop Services/GPS Services

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Spring Valley 507.346.7261 • Wykoff 507.352.5281 • Chester, IA 563.565.2415

The environment of a farm field is always changing. The change is brought about by such things as the crops grown on the field, the tillage practices of the grower and weed and insect control practices implemented to control pests. Species of weeds that were dormant have begun to grow and adapt to changes in the soil environment. Other pest species adapt and become resistant to the pesticides that earlier controlled the pest. The product Roundup, which was once thought to kill all weeds, now has weeds that are resistant to the pesticide. Insects that were www.unitedfsb.com killed by GMO pesticides are now showing resistance to the technology.

To stay on top of the changes in pest species it is necessary to scout crops for Elkton developing problems. Many times the problem can be identified and corrected in 105 Main St., it Elkton, MN 55933 season before becomes a major problem. The weed, waterhemp, has become (507)issue.

584-6441 a major weed Some of the problem is because of its biology which leads to genetic diversity in the species allowing it quickly develop resistance to Roundup Adams and other herbicides. Scouting will allow you to identify the problem earlier and 15 4th St. NW, Adams, MN 55909 implement control programs.

(507) 582-3448 Another problem that has developed in the past few years is deficiency to sulfur.

It was not long ago that sulfur fertilizer was said to be the most oversold nutriDexter ent. Because the atmosphere has been cleaned of acid rain, today there is a likely 235 S. Main St., Dexter, MN 55926 shortage of sulfur in growing crops. By scouting crops, sulfur shortages can be 754-5133 the deficiency symptoms in small plants. The good news is identified (507) by knowing Rose Creek can be corrected with a timely application of sulfate forms that sulfur deficiencies of fertilizer.

61255 170th St., Rose Creek, MN 55970 Scouting for weed, insect and nutritional problems is essential to modern crop (507) 437-4678 production. Identifying and correcting problems leads to profitable crop yields.

•Fertilizer •Seed •Grain •Feed •Chemicals

SPECIALIZING IN SEPTIC SYSTEMS DESIGN~INSTALLATION~SEEDING

• Conservation Construction • Land Drainage • Wildlife Ponds • Road Boring • Backhoeing • Consulting

PHILLIP OR MARK MORREIM 71610 263rd St. • Albert Lea • Office (507) 826-3449 Marks Cell (507) 383-6550 or Phil’s Cell (507) 330-1889

Grand Meadow 507.754.5125 Ostrander 507.657.2236

Leroy 507.324.5347 Elkton 507.754.5041 Spring Valley 507.346.7261

Wykoff 507-352-5281 Chester, Iowa 563-565-2415

WE MAKE COMFORT SIMPLE.

lawn & garden 07 stacey

37 Years in Servic e

For more info: w w w. a r m s t r o n g a i r. c o m

Farmers Feed the World 1-507-438-7857

rep.jeanne.poppe@house.mn Paid for by the POPPE for the People committee.

105 3rd St S • Rose Creek, MN

License #062813PM

LEWIS CHARLES CYCLES motorcycle sales, service & accessories

V-Twin & Metric

Mike Owens cell 507.720.4114 shop 507.369.5292 919 west main albert lea, mn

Make the Most of Your Farmland Investment Farmland Sales & Acquisitions • Farm Auctions Appraisals • Professional Farm Management Serving the Midwest for almost 70 years.

2800 4th St. SW, Suite 7 Mason City, IA 50401

641.423.9531

www.Hertz.ag

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 14

CRWD continues to make progress on it's purpose to reduce flooding and improve water quality in the streams and rivers in the District Accomplishments include:

•1 .5 Million in funding coming to the Cedar to Improve Dobbins Creek through targeting high priority locations. Land treatment techniques will be used to hold the soil, detain the flow and protect the streambanks.

•R evision of the Rules . . . watch the newspapers for a public hearing the end of March.

-

Projects completed include: Ravine Stabilization - Basins-holding water for 24 hours Waterways - Controlled Drainage Rock Intents - Buffers along streams Wetland Restorations for Flood Reduction

For more information please contact the Cedar River Watershed District at 507-434-2603 or visit our website at www.cedarriverwd.org 1408 21st Ave NW Austin 507.434.2603

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 11

LAND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT & REALTY, INC

Ron’s Farm Fuel Service Diesel Fuel

507-754-5815 | 800-653-2340

1-800-590-4206 641-592-4206

lrmrealestate.com

RESIDENTIAL • COMMERICAL • FARMS ACREAGE • LOTS • PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Randy Queensland randy@lrmrealestate.com Ryan Queensland ryan@lrmrealestate.com SERVING SOUTHERN MINNESOTA & NORTHERN IOWA

HUMAN + NATURE

At POET, we understand that the needs of our society and a healthy environment are not mutually exclusive.

By combining human ingenuity with nature’s miracle of growth, we can strike a balance. Sustainably.

Serving South Central MN with Agronomy, Petroleum and Heating and Cooling products & services Toll free: 800‐270‐2339 centralvalleycoop.com

Albert Lea Seed House

1414 W. Main, Albert Lea | 507-377-2372 800-352-5247 | www.alseed.com

Have a Safe Harvest!

Maple Island, MN Lake Mills, IA • Buffalo Center, IA • Forest City, IA

Leroy inc.

Lumber

Jim Bottema, Manager Roger Stratton, Outside Sales 201 Main Street | LeRoy, MN

507-324-5101

www.leroylumber.doitbest.com FREE ESTIMATES FREE DESIGN with materials purchased from LeRoy Lumber

507.373.8895 POET.COM/GLENVILLE

FREE DELIVERY

Kibble Equipment is proud to serve farmers and families like yours. We work to keep operations productive and thriving season after season.

匀攀爀瘀椀渀最 氀漀挀愀氀 挀漀洀洀甀渀椀琀椀攀猀

Putting the Farmer First!

猀椀渀挀攀 ㄀㤀㌀㐀⸀ 䄀甀猀琀椀渀 䰀漀挀愀琀椀漀渀㨀 ㈀ ㄀ 圀 伀愀欀氀愀渀搀 䄀瘀攀

㔀 㜀⸀㐀㌀㐀⸀㈀㔀 䄀氀戀攀爀琀 䰀攀愀 䰀漀挀愀琀椀漀渀㨀 ㄀㐀㌀ 圀 䌀氀愀爀欀 匀琀⸀

Checking • Savings • Loans • CDs • IRAs HSAs • Safe Deposit Boxes • Debit/Credit Cards ATMs • Internet/Telephone Banking Offices at:

㔀 㜀⸀㌀㜀㤀⸀㈀㔀㔀㄀

䈀爀椀渀最 礀漀甀爀 戀愀渀欀椀渀最 栀漀洀攀⸀

Sales | Service | Parts

䴀攀洀戀攀爀 䘀䐀䤀䌀

䨀甀猀琀䌀愀氀氀䠀漀洀攀⸀挀漀洀

www.KibbleEq.com

109 W. Park 220 E. William Ave. St. 109 W Ave. Park Ave. 2401 Bridge Ave.2401 Bridge Hollandale, MN 56045 Albert Lea, MN 56007 AlbertMN Lea,56007 MN 56007 Albert Lea, Hollandale, MN 56045 (507)(507) 889-4311 (507) 373-5500 889-4311 (507) 373-8600 (507) 373-8600

www.producestatebank.com

Serving the community since 1926!

MEMBER

FDIC

Contract Engineering Ult

Employee Owners Providing Manufacturing Solutions 505 W Front St. Albert Lea, MN

507-377-8910 innovance.com

facebook.com/lourichinc facebook.com/almco1946

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 12

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 13

HEATH REINDAL 507-874-3863 507-473-0345

HEATH REINDAL For All Your Electrical Needs 507-874-3863 507-473-0345

Bosch. Genuine Parts.

COMPLETE SEPTIC SERVICE

Keep your Bosch-equipped diesel engine running smooth. We stock both new & rebuilt Bosch injection equipment.

QUALITY SERVICE See us for fast, dependable service. We test, calibrate & repair injection pumps, nozzle assemblies & glow plugs. Warranty & normal repair.

INJECTion TECHnology DIESEL SERVICE 641-324-2010

Hwy. 65 Northwood, IA

PROTECT WHAT MATTERS MOST. Our smart security systems protect your home and farm with video surveillance, temperature monitoring, door sensors, & more.

RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURAL • MEDICAL

888.264.6380 | heartlandss.com

P&L Excavating 507-383-3385 | pandlexcavating.com

A SUBSIDIARY OF

Make the holidays more enjoyable...

Let us do some of the work!

Mrs. Gerry’s Premium Mashed Potatoes are made with perfectly cooked Idaho russets and mixed with real grade AA butter and fresh milk with just the right blend of spices. Just heat and serve. It’s that simple.

Try all of our delicious varieties: Country Style, Garlic, Hearty, Loaded and Premium Mashed Potatoes

Request only “the best” at your favorite grocery store!

Albert Lea, MN • 1-800-642-9662 www.mrsgerrys.com

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 12

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 13

HEATH REINDAL 507-874-3863 507-473-0345

HEATH REINDAL For All Your Electrical Needs 507-874-3863 507-473-0345

Bosch. Genuine Parts.

COMPLETE SEPTIC SERVICE

Keep your Bosch-equipped diesel engine running smooth. We stock both new & rebuilt Bosch injection equipment.

QUALITY SERVICE See us for fast, dependable service. We test, calibrate & repair injection pumps, nozzle assemblies & glow plugs. Warranty & normal repair.

INJECTion TECHnology DIESEL SERVICE 641-324-2010

Hwy. 65 Northwood, IA

PROTECT WHAT MATTERS MOST. Our smart security systems protect your home and farm with video surveillance, temperature monitoring, door sensors, & more.

RESIDENTIAL • COMMERCIAL AGRICULTURAL • MEDICAL

888.264.6380 | heartlandss.com

P&L Excavating 507-383-3385 | pandlexcavating.com

A SUBSIDIARY OF

Make the holidays more enjoyable...

Let us do some of the work!

Mrs. Gerry’s Premium Mashed Potatoes are made with perfectly cooked Idaho russets and mixed with real grade AA butter and fresh milk with just the right blend of spices. Just heat and serve. It’s that simple.

Try all of our delicious varieties: Country Style, Garlic, Hearty, Loaded and Premium Mashed Potatoes

Request only “the best” at your favorite grocery store!

Albert Lea, MN • 1-800-642-9662 www.mrsgerrys.com

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 14

CRWD continues to make progress on it's purpose to reduce flooding and improve water quality in the streams and rivers in the District Accomplishments include:

•1 .5 Million in funding coming to the Cedar to Improve Dobbins Creek through targeting high priority locations. Land treatment techniques will be used to hold the soil, detain the flow and protect the streambanks.

•R evision of the Rules . . . watch the newspapers for a public hearing the end of March.

-

Projects completed include: Ravine Stabilization - Basins-holding water for 24 hours Waterways - Controlled Drainage Rock Intents - Buffers along streams Wetland Restorations for Flood Reduction

For more information please contact the Cedar River Watershed District at 507-434-2603 or visit our website at www.cedarriverwd.org 1408 21st Ave NW Austin 507.434.2603

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 11

LAND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT & REALTY, INC

Ron’s Farm Fuel Service Diesel Fuel

507-754-5815 | 800-653-2340

1-800-590-4206 641-592-4206

lrmrealestate.com

RESIDENTIAL • COMMERICAL • FARMS ACREAGE • LOTS • PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Randy Queensland randy@lrmrealestate.com Ryan Queensland ryan@lrmrealestate.com SERVING SOUTHERN MINNESOTA & NORTHERN IOWA

HUMAN + NATURE

At POET, we understand that the needs of our society and a healthy environment are not mutually exclusive.

By combining human ingenuity with nature’s miracle of growth, we can strike a balance. Sustainably.

Serving South Central MN with Agronomy, Petroleum and Heating and Cooling products & services Toll free: 800‐270‐2339 centralvalleycoop.com

Albert Lea Seed House

1414 W. Main, Albert Lea | 507-377-2372 800-352-5247 | www.alseed.com

Have a Safe Harvest!

Maple Island, MN Lake Mills, IA • Buffalo Center, IA • Forest City, IA

Leroy inc.

Lumber

Jim Bottema, Manager Roger Stratton, Outside Sales 201 Main Street | LeRoy, MN

507-324-5101

www.leroylumber.doitbest.com FREE ESTIMATES FREE DESIGN with materials purchased from LeRoy Lumber

507.373.8895 POET.COM/GLENVILLE

FREE DELIVERY

Kibble Equipment is proud to serve farmers and families like yours. We work to keep operations productive and thriving season after season.

匀攀爀瘀椀渀最 氀漀挀愀氀 挀漀洀洀甀渀椀琀椀攀猀

Putting the Farmer First!

猀椀渀挀攀 ㄀㤀㌀㐀⸀ 䄀甀猀琀椀渀 䰀漀挀愀琀椀漀渀㨀 ㈀ ㄀ 圀 伀愀欀氀愀渀搀 䄀瘀攀

㔀 㜀⸀㐀㌀㐀⸀㈀㔀 䄀氀戀攀爀琀 䰀攀愀 䰀漀挀愀琀椀漀渀㨀 ㄀㐀㌀ 圀 䌀氀愀爀欀 匀琀⸀

Checking • Savings • Loans • CDs • IRAs HSAs • Safe Deposit Boxes • Debit/Credit Cards ATMs • Internet/Telephone Banking Offices at:

㔀 㜀⸀㌀㜀㤀⸀㈀㔀㔀㄀

䈀爀椀渀最 礀漀甀爀 戀愀渀欀椀渀最 栀漀洀攀⸀

Sales | Service | Parts

䴀攀洀戀攀爀 䘀䐀䤀䌀

䨀甀猀琀䌀愀氀氀䠀漀洀攀⸀挀漀洀

www.KibbleEq.com

109 W. Park 220 E. William Ave. St. 109 W Ave. Park Ave. 2401 Bridge Ave.2401 Bridge Hollandale, MN 56045 Albert Lea, MN 56007 AlbertMN Lea,56007 MN 56007 Albert Lea, Hollandale, MN 56045 (507)(507) 889-4311 (507) 373-5500 889-4311 (507) 373-8600 (507) 373-8600

www.producestatebank.com

Serving the community since 1926!

MEMBER

FDIC

Contract Engineering Ult

Employee Owners Providing Manufacturing Solutions 505 W Front St. Albert Lea, MN

507-377-8910 innovance.com

facebook.com/lourichinc facebook.com/almco1946

507-582-3528

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 10

Chemical • Fertilizer • Feed • Grain • Seed • Soil Sampling • LP • Refined Fuels

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 15

Scouting for Higher Yields Article submitted by Lynn Lagerstedt, President, Farm-Tech Crop Services/GPS Services

Hamilton Auction Co. Call for all your Auction needs!

Grand Meadow 507.754.5125 • Rochester 507.289.4086

507-584-0133 • 130 State Hwy 16 Dexter, MN

Ostrander 507.657.2236 • Leroy 507.324.5347 • Elkton 507.754.5041

www.hamiltonauctioncompany.com

Spring Valley 507.346.7261 • Wykoff 507.352.5281 • Chester, IA 563.565.2415

The environment of a farm field is always changing. The change is brought about by such things as the crops grown on the field, the tillage practices of the grower and weed and insect control practices implemented to control pests. Species of weeds that were dormant have begun to grow and adapt to changes in the soil environment. Other pest species adapt and become resistant to the pesticides that earlier controlled the pest. The product Roundup, which was once thought to kill all weeds, now has weeds that are resistant to the pesticide. Insects that were www.unitedfsb.com killed by GMO pesticides are now showing resistance to the technology.

To stay on top of the changes in pest species it is necessary to scout crops for Elkton developing problems. Many times the problem can be identified and corrected in 105 Main St., it Elkton, MN 55933 season before becomes a major problem. The weed, waterhemp, has become (507)issue.

584-6441 a major weed Some of the problem is because of its biology which leads to genetic diversity in the species allowing it quickly develop resistance to Roundup Adams and other herbicides. Scouting will allow you to identify the problem earlier and 15 4th St. NW, Adams, MN 55909 implement control programs.

(507) 582-3448 Another problem that has developed in the past few years is deficiency to sulfur.

It was not long ago that sulfur fertilizer was said to be the most oversold nutriDexter ent. Because the atmosphere has been cleaned of acid rain, today there is a likely 235 S. Main St., Dexter, MN 55926 shortage of sulfur in growing crops. By scouting crops, sulfur shortages can be 754-5133 the deficiency symptoms in small plants. The good news is identified (507) by knowing Rose Creek can be corrected with a timely application of sulfate forms that sulfur deficiencies of fertilizer.

61255 170th St., Rose Creek, MN 55970 Scouting for weed, insect and nutritional problems is essential to modern crop (507) 437-4678 production. Identifying and correcting problems leads to profitable crop yields.

•Fertilizer •Seed •Grain •Feed •Chemicals

SPECIALIZING IN SEPTIC SYSTEMS DESIGN~INSTALLATION~SEEDING

• Conservation Construction • Land Drainage • Wildlife Ponds • Road Boring • Backhoeing • Consulting

PHILLIP OR MARK MORREIM 71610 263rd St. • Albert Lea • Office (507) 826-3449 Marks Cell (507) 383-6550 or Phil’s Cell (507) 330-1889

Grand Meadow 507.754.5125 Ostrander 507.657.2236

Leroy 507.324.5347 Elkton 507.754.5041 Spring Valley 507.346.7261

Wykoff 507-352-5281 Chester, Iowa 563-565-2415

WE MAKE COMFORT SIMPLE.

lawn & garden 07 stacey

37 Years in Servic e

For more info: w w w. a r m s t r o n g a i r. c o m

Farmers Feed the World 1-507-438-7857

rep.jeanne.poppe@house.mn Paid for by the POPPE for the People committee.

105 3rd St S • Rose Creek, MN

License #062813PM

LEWIS CHARLES CYCLES motorcycle sales, service & accessories

V-Twin & Metric

Mike Owens cell 507.720.4114 shop 507.369.5292 919 west main albert lea, mn

Make the Most of Your Farmland Investment Farmland Sales & Acquisitions • Farm Auctions Appraisals • Professional Farm Management Serving the Midwest for almost 70 years.

2800 4th St. SW, Suite 7 Mason City, IA 50401

641.423.9531

www.Hertz.ag

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 16

New provisions increase on-farm The Importance of Soilmeats Health storage for dairy, flowers, Article submitted by Bev Nordby

Farm Service Agency busy with program sign-up Article submitted by Kirk W Phelps, Mower County Executive Director, USDA Farm Service Agency The Farm Service Agency is currently working on a few deadlines. September 30 is the final day to sign up for the 2014 and 2015 ARC/PLC (farm program); MPP Dairy program; and CRP acres that expire this year. As a result of doing all the background work for signing up two years at once into the farm program and these other deadlines our office is very busy. Many producers called in and were put on a list for the ARC program,

we ask for your patience as we work through the backlog. We will call when the contracts are run. As long as you have called in, the September 30 ARC deadline does not apply to you.

available may make sense for your operation. Be sure to get signed up if you milk cows.

Conservation Reserve Program rental rates have increased lately; if you have land that could filter water before it goes into a stream or has erosion problems CRP can help. The land usually has a native grass seeding that protects the soil for future years.

Contact today to see how much we can add to your bottom line.

6$9( 21 32:(5)8/

3(5)250$1&( 3(5)250$1&( 6$9( 21 32:(5)8/

Kirk Phelps Call or stop in today!

Full Sales & Service for

Call or stop in today!

Formerly American Bank Grain Handling Full Sales & Service Equipment for

217 S. Newton Ave. 195 N. Broadway Ave. Albert Lea, MN 56007 Alden, MN 56009 RON’S Grain Handling 507-377-7000 seeing ? IfEquipment so, it’s 507-379-6060

Does your seed bill have you RED ELECTRIC time to contact AgriGuardian, your local www.americanbankmn.com independentMOTOR full RON’S REPAIR ; 6LJQDWXUH 6HULHV Call or stop in today!

ELECTRIC service seed dealer.

AgriGuardian carries a full line up of ĹŹ KS FF N:

; 6LJQDWXUH 6HULHV Call or stop in today!

MOTOR REPAIR GLHVHO HQJLQH Call or stop in today! seed,ĹŹ )XOO WLPH :' from organic to SmartStax we have you covered. ĹŹ KS FF N:

Call or stop today! orinstop in today!

Full Sales &Call Service Impact 2015

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1005 N. Main St., Blue Earth, MN 56013 24-Hour Emergency Service UL Listed 507-526-3060

Full Sales & Service Downtown for Full Sales & Service 1/8 Full Sales for & Service Grain Handling Equipment Grain Handling for

loans include corn, grain sorghum, rice, soybeans, oats, peanuts, wheat, barley, Soil health has— been buzz word lately, especially with sustainWASHINGTON U.S. aDepartment minor oilseeds harvested as whole grain, ofable Agriculture Farm Agency farming.

LotsService of research has pulse beencrops done—and is being conlentils, chickpeas and dry Administrator Val Dolcini announced peas — hay, honey, renewable biomass, ducted to give producers with information on the importance of in a press release that the Farm Storage fruits, nuts and vegetables for cold storkeeping a program, “healthywhich soil.�provides Continued with a monoculture of Facility Loan agetillage facilities. low-interest financing to producers to Since 2000, more than 35,000 facility cropping systems can be harmful to our rich soils. build or upgrade storage facilities, will loans have been approved totaling $2 now include dairy, flowers and meats as billion in rural investments.

On averUSDA’s Soil Health initiative strives for 2 concepts.

Reduced tillage eligible commodities. age, about 1,600 new loans are made and plants in fields for has extended Both encourage bi-to “For living 15 years, this program each season. year. Producers do not need provided financing, the lack ofcan commercial ologicalaffordable stimulation belowallowthe soilsdemonstrate surface. Cover crops help ing American farmers and ranchers credit availability to apply. The loans the void having another living system after athe mainrange tofill construct or of expand storage on the areroot designed to assist diverse farm,� said Dolcini a press release. of aerial farming operations, including harvested crop. in This can be done by seeding cover crops small “By adding eligible commodities, these and mid-sized businesses, new farminto a standing crop ofeven cornmore or beans.

Cover crops can help fight low-interest loans will help ers, operations supplying local food family farmers and ranchers to expand soil erosion, promote soil health, break up compaction layers and farmers markets, non-traditional on-site storage.� farm products and underserved and potentially most importan, sequestering additional availableproThe new commodities eligible for facil- ducers. leftfloriculture, from crops.

If rye, you areTo interested inabout Soil Health itynutrients loans include hops, learn more the FSAand Farm milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, meat and Storage visit www.fsa. the incentives that come with it, call SteveFacility Lawler,Loan, Resource Spepoultry, eggs and aquaculture (exclud- usda.gov/pricesupport or contact a cialist, Mower SWCD at ing systems that maintain live507-434-2603. animals local FSA county office. To find your through uptake and discharge of water). local FSA county office, visit offices.

Commodities already eligible for the usda.gov.

1005 N. Main St., Blue Earth, MN 56013 24-Hour Emergency Service UL Listed 507-526-3060

AgriGuardian also carries alfalfa, small grains, grasses, cover crops and many Equipment Grain Handlingmore.

Grain Handling

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ELECTRIC MOTOR REPAIR

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1005 N. Main St., Blue Earth, MN 56013 24-Hour Emergency Service UL Listed 507-526-3060

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1005 N. Main St., Blue Earth, MN 56013 24-Hour Emergency Service UL Listed 507-526-3060

2VDJH ,$ 2197 Hwy 218 E

2ZDWRQQD 01 2VDJH ,$ %HOOH 3ODLQH 01 +ROODQGDOH 01 1RUWKZRRG ,$ (507) 451-4054 (641) 732-3719 (952) 873-2224 (507) 889-4221 (641) 324-1154 3555 SW 18th St 2197 Hwy 218 E 1051 Old Hwy 169 Blvd West Hwy 251 1806 Central Ave Offer ends October 30, 2015. $700 off any X700 Signature Series Tractor. Price and model availability may vary by dealer. Some restrictions apply; other special rates and terms may be and torque information are provided by the engine manufacturer to be451-4054 used for comparison purposes(641) only. Actual operating available, so see873-2224 your dealer for details. The engine (507) 732-3719 (952) (507)horsepower 889-4221 (641) 324-1154 1

RON’S RON’S ELECTRIC ELECTRIC RON’S MOTOR REPAIR 1005 N. Main St., Blue Earth, MN 56013 MOTOR REPAIR ELECTRIC 24-Hour Emergency Service 1005 N. Main St., Blue Earth, MN 56013 RON’S UL Listed 507-526-3060 24-Hour Emergency Service MOTOR REPAIR UL Listed 507-526-3060 1005 N. Main St., Blue Earth, MN 56013 24-Hour Emergency Service UL Listed 507-526-3060

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Equipment

Grain Handling RON’S Equipment

1224 Sykes St. • Albert Lea, MN 56007 • 507-373-1559

horsepower and torque will be less. Refer to the engine manufacturer’s website for additional information. 37HUP OLPLWHG WR \HDUV RU KRXUV XVHG ZKLFKHYHU FRPHV áUVW DQG YDULHV E\ PRGHO 1 30,be See the October LIMITED 30, WARRANTY FORoff NEW TURFSeries AND UTILITY at JohnDeere.com/Warranty www.JohnDeere.ca/TUWarranty for details.

Offer ends 2015. $700 anyJOHN X700DEERE Signature Tractor.EQUIPMENT Price and model availability may vary byordealer.

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Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 9

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Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 8

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 17

Making a Gift of Grain Grain farmers have a vital role in moving lives forward, growing food and feed that nourishes our community and the world. The Austin Area Foundation, too, is committed to improving lives and area communities.

Gifts of grain are a unique and underutilized way to make a charitable gift. Using grain to make a gift to the Austin Area Foundation – which may be designated for the purpose you choose –

Farmers Market Place, LLC

can be a wonderful way to invest in the future while achieving tax savings.

Benefits of Gifting Grain For farm operators, gifting grain directly, rather than selling the grain and making a gift from the proceeds, may provide a more significant tax savings.

Contributing grain allows you to avoid the sale of the commodity as income, while the production costs may still be

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deductible. Reducing taxable income may provide advantages such as minimizing or eliminating self-employment tax and reducing adjusted gross income.

Important Things to Consider Be sure the gift is grain commodities, not a grain storage receipt, which could be considered a cash equivalent. The Austin Area Foundation must be able to demonstrate “control and dominion” over the gifted property. Therefore, as a donor, you cannot offer the foundation any guidance as to when to sell the commodity.

To make a gift of grain to a charitable organization, the taxpayer/donor must be a farm operator. There is no recognized income, but the charitable deduction is limited to basis, which is ordinarily zero. Typically, your cost of raising and growing the grain can be deducted as a farm business expense.

Many grain farmers annually certify or document bushels of production with a Farm Service Agency for purposes

Jeff Baldus

Executive Director, Austin Area Foundation of enrolling that grain production in various agriculture subsidy programs.

You should be sure to accomplish the FSA certification before making a gift of grain commodities to any organization.

Please consult your tax professional for advice applicable to your particular tax situation prior to making a gift of grain commodities.

The Farmers Market Place, LLC, is a cooperative effort by several farmers, bakers, and crafters from within a 35 mile radius to bring our farms to you.

All of our products are home grown or homemade. Produce is picked fresh daily by the farmers, without the use of chemicals, and transported directly to the market for you to enjoy. Because our farmers grow specifically for the market, we tend to have a wide variety of fruits and vegetables that are provided.

With our unusual up-and-down weather patterns this year our farmers have encountered some differences from previous years. The harvest came a bit earlier this year for both the garden produce and the apples. Tomatoes have had an exceptionally good year and the abundance of sunshine we had in May and June produced a bumper crop of asparagus. Cucumbers and melons, unfortunately, did not fare as well, as vines withered under the heat. While some

produce, such as lettuce and asparagus, have finished for the year, our market still has a wide variety of options to carry us through the remainder of the market season. In fact, apples and squash, both fall produce, are just getting started. Both the Honey crisp apples and the Sweet 16 apples have been doing well. Strawberries are still available and have not only been doing well grown hydroponically in the greenhouses, but, if everything goes according to plan, may be available into November or December. For our farmers that provide eggs at the market, they find that the weather changes tend to make the chickens temperamental, which affects how many eggs they lay.

Every growing season is not without its problems. One of our farmers had to deal with tomato blight and will have to rotate crops next year to help with the problem. The excess of overcast days we have had this summer has forced our strawberry farmer to keep a

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Our farmers do their best to try and provide the market customers with exactly what they are looking for. This year dill and kohlrabi have been difficult to keep on the tables. Tomatoes and corn continue to be great sellers.

You can’t beat the local fresh fruits such as strawberries, raspberries, and melons.

For apples the popular varieties are the Zestar apples, Chestnut crab apples, sweet despite the crab apple name, and of course the Honey Crisp. Flavors coming in the fall are the Fireside, Connell Red and Haralson apples. With people trending towards healthier eating, some of our farmers are trying new varieties of old favorites, such as the purple potatoes, which are higher in antioxidants.

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Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 18

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 7

Safety Information from the MN Dept of Agriculture

FSA Farm Loan Program

Equipment Safety

Article submitted by Adam J Gritz, USDA Farm Service Agency, Fillmore County Farm Loan Manager

Large and powerful equipment can be found all over a farm. This equipment is also a source of many injuries. By developing a “safety first” attitude and following some basic equipment safety guidelines, you can stay out of harm’s way and set a good example for others.

Pay attention to all safety information.

Read operator’s manual and warning decals.

Inspect the equipment and correct any hazards before operating.

Identify hazardous areas on equipment and make sure you stay away from moving parts. Beware of pinch points, shear points, wrap points, pull-in areas, thrown objects, crush points, stored energy hazards and freewheeling parts.

Shut down equipment, turn off the engine, remove key and wait for mov-

ing parts to stop before dismounting equipment.

Keep bystanders and others away from equipment operation area.

Grain Handling Safety Minnesota farmers will be working with large amounts of grain during the harvest season. Automated equipment has made grain handling easy and fast.

But, grain storage structures and handling equipment create hazardous work areas. Farmers should make sure they take the proper steps to put safety first to prevent injuries, illnesses and even death.

Lock entrances to grain handling areas.

Install ladders inside bins.

Do not enter grain bins that are being loaded or unloaded. Flowing grain can trap and suffocate you in seconds.

If it is necessary to enter a bin, shut off

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and lockout power before entering. Use a safety harness and safety line. Have several people available outside the bin to lift entrant out in case of an emergency.

Wear proper dust-filtering respirators when working in and around grain handling areas. High amounts of dust and molds could be present and could be very dangerous.

Livestock Handling Safety The following are some animal-handling practices that can be used to keep farm workers, family members and visitors safe.

Label livestock handling areas to warn away visitors.

Design livestock pens and handling facilities using recommended plans.

All facilities should be designed to allow workers easy access to and exit from

animals.

Keep children and bystanders out of livestock handling areas.

Animal behavior can change suddenly, so be sure you understand some of the common instincts of animals.

Changes in lighting or shadows can excite or spook them.

• Have sufficient training and/or experience in managing and operating a farm,

Separation from other animals can cause unpredictable behavior.

• Are citizens or lawfully admitted aliens,

Cattle and horses can see everything around them except directly behind their hindquarters.

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• Show repayment ability for the requested loan, • Show sufficient security for the requested loan.

Loans are available for machinery, livestock, crop operating and real estate purposes. Now is the time to discuss 2015/2016 credit needs with your current lender. If Farm Service Agency assistance may be required, contact the Farm Service Agency as soon as possible to be ready for the 2016 operating cycle.

Other eligibility requirements apply to certain loan types. Contact the Farm Service Agency for a full discussion of your circumstances to determine if you may be eligible for loan assistance.

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Some types of livestock, such as beef cattle, swine and dairy cattle, are colorblind and have poor depth perception.

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Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 6

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 19

Prevent Flash Fires and Explosions: Watch for Deep-Pit Manure Foam

Investing in Seed Treatment Research Willie Vogt, Farm Industry News The township of Stanton, Minn., is kind of a wide spot in the road, yet it’s known for two interesting features.

First is the airport where gliders are a popular pastime, but the bigger features is the Syngenta field research facility.

Recently, the company broke ground on a $20 million expansion of its North American Seedcare Institute that will bring a new 38,000 square-foot building to the research farm.

The North America Seedcare Institute was already in Stanton, but this expansion brings a new level of research, and training, to the mix. “This is an important day for us,” says Palle Pedersen, head, seedcare product marketing.

“Seedcare products provide plants with a healthy start and help to achieve increased yield, crop quality and profit potential.”

The event, which drew a range of dignitaries, is the start of a significant continued investment in seedcare, a business Syngenta first entered in 1979 with Concep, a seed safener first used in sorghum. The company has pioneered uses of fungicide and other additives during the next 35 years.

The new facility will house high-tech laboratories for research and development, treating, plantability, dust-off and quality assurance. It will also include a scale-up treating area, a treating equipment performance area to simulate real-life experiences for customers, a training facility, seed warehouse and office and meeting space.

Seed treatment popularity Pedersen notes that as many as six active ingredients are now being applied to seed, which pushes up the need for research into maximizing the technol-

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ogy.Ponsi Trivisvavet, regional director, North America, and president, Syngenta Seeds, points to the company’s Good Growth Plan, a global sustainability initiative focused six corporate commitments. “This expansion shows our focus on the first of the six - make crops more efficient,” Trivisvavet says. “Farmers challenges are becoming increasingly complex.”

She pointed to the corporate investment of $1.3 billion in R&D annually, with this latest expansion showing the future commitment the company has.

As for the six commitments of the Good Growth Plan? They include: Make crops more efficient; rescue more farmland; help biodiversity flourish; empower smallholders; help people stay safe; and look after every worker.

Ravi Ramachandran, head of Syngenta’s

North America Seed Care Institute, adds: “Our customers require highly specialized products and services from us. As a result, the solutions we work on today are much more sophisticated than they were five to 10 years ago.

The seed treatment business has evolved, and the products we develop require an increased level of training for our seed company customers, ag retailers, applicators and farmers.”

Syngenta currently operates 10 Seedcare Institutes globally, but an 11th will open in Singapore soon. The global network allows the company to fine-tune application rates, and match products to specific markets. The Stanton, Minn., facility is one of those 11 global sites, and this expansion is a key move for the company in the seedcare business. The facility will be completed by the end of 2016.

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ST. PAUL, Minn. (9/3/2015)—Manure deep-pits under swine barns in the Upper Midwest are getting full in this time of year, and concern over pit foaming is especially high. Pork producers should be vigilant.

Although the frequency of flash fires or barn explosions in deep-pit pig buildings has been significantly reduced since the peak of this problem in 2009, foam still can occur.

Tragically, that resulted in two fatalities earlier in 2015.

To prevent an explosion or a flash fire, ventilate or exchange air in the barn to dilute the concentration of methane gas in the air.

The presence of foam bubbles on top of liquid manure in a deep pit contains about 70 percent methane.

Any activity that disrupts the foam releases this stored methane or natural gas can be dangerous. Methane is extremely explosive when between 4 and 15 percent of the air by volume. If you are not sure if foam is present or if there is only a thin layer, take precautions.

Always check for foam when there is any interruption in normal activities. This includes changing (turning) groups of pigs, running soaking nozzles or power washing, agitating

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and pumping liquid manure in the pit, or any maintenance work (such as welding) inside the barn. These activities disrupt the foam and release methane.

If foam is detected in the manure pit prior to any of these activities, immediately take these precautions: Run the exhaust fans in the barn to at least the mild weather or fall/ spring ventilation rate. This will provide roughly 25 to 35 air exchanges per hour in the barn or, for a grow-finish barn, 30 to 40 cfm/pig.

Use of wall fans are preferable in addition to pit fans, since the airflow rates from pit fans are commonly compromised or reduced significantly by high manure levels in the pit and duct transitions on pit fans.

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When foam is present, eliminate all ignition sources inside the barn: pilot lights or electrostatic spark on water and space heaters, sparking switches on lights and non-enclosed electric motors, welding, grinding, cigarettes, cigars or pipes.

Extension and research personnel from the University of Minnesota, Iowa State University and University of Illinois developed warning stickers in English and Spanish to post inside pig barns. Stickers will be available from pork producer associations in all three states.

For more information, visit http://z.umn.edu/manurestorage

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Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 20

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 5

4-H Science of Ag helps pave way to careers for youth ST. PAUL, Minn. (6/22/2015) — The first-ever 4-H Science of Agriculture Challenge brought 12 teams of youth from across the state to the University of Minnesota last week to present their research on important agricultural issues, including soil preservation, public opinion on

genetically modified organisms, food waste and more.

The Science of Agriculture program is the first of its kind in the United States. It’s designed to help build the next future agricultural workforce through hands-on learning and

experiences. Over the last nine months, youth have worked with adult mentors and agricultural experts to identify issues and research potential solutions.

At the end of the two-day event at the University’s St. Paul campus, awards were presented to three teams earning highest marks: First place - Meeker County 4-H Hay Waste Team: Kayla Kutzke, Ryan Peterson and Daniel Williamson. The team researched, designed, built and tested a feed bunk to reduce hay waste of beef cattle.

Second place - Washington County 4-H Insects as Food Source Team: Serenna Svanoe, Theo Svanoe, Chloe Brey. The team researched insects as sustainable source of protein for humans and animals, and cultural attitudes, methods and barriers to production and consumption in western nations.

Third place - Le Sueur County 4-H Biodiesel Team: Brian Prchal, Anna Prchal, Tyler Fromm. The team researched and compared the efficiency and environmental impact of conventional diesel, ethanol, kerosene and 100 percent biodiesel made by team, and tested temperature, content and particulate matter.

The top three teams were awarded scholarships toward use in any accredited university, college or trade school. First place team members received $1,000 each, second place received $750 each and third place received $500 each.

“We face a shortage of ag-literate professionals.The United States Department of Agriculture reports that between 2015 and 2020 alone, there will be about 57,900 jobs annually for graduates with bachelor’s or higher degrees in food, agriculture, renewable natural resources or the environment,” said Josh Rice, the University of Minnesota Extension specialist who leads the program. “The 4-H Science of Agriculture Challenge was developed to expose youth to the wide variety of ag-related issues that they can have a role in solving today and in the future.”

The 4-H Science of Agriculture Challenge sponsors were the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Minnesota Farm Bureau, AgStar Financial Services and the Minnesota Soybean Research Council. Judges were Robin Kopel, vice-president of human resources, Jennie-O Turkey Store; Mark Hamerlinck, senior communications director, Minnesota Corn Growers Association; Adam Birr, chief executive officer, Minnesota Corn Growers Association; Ruth Meirick, director, Minnesota Farm Bureau Foundation; and Amy Smith, assistant professor of agriculture education, University of Minnesota.

New Buffer Law for Minnesota As you may be aware the Minnesota State Legislature passed new laws requiring buffers of permanent vegetation on many streams, rivers, drainage ditches, and lakes during the special legislative session in 2015. In short the law reads that public waters shall have a 50 foot wide buffer and that ditches and streams within the benefited area of a public ditch system shall have a 16.5 foot (one rod) buffer. Public waters are identified by the MN Department of Natural Resources and include not only lakes but also streams, rivers, public drainage ditches, and private drainage ditches.

The new buffer law has stimulated a lot of discussion and

controversy. However, what ended up getting passed is not radically different than laws that were currently on the books. In 1969 the Minnesota Shoreland Management Ordinance required 50 feet of perennial vegetation on public waters. In 1977 a law was passed requiring a 16.5 foot buffer on new public ditch systems or public ditch systems that went through a process called a redetermination of benefits. The new law requires 16.5 feet on all ditches whether they were redetermined or not and extends the one rod buffer requirement on private ditches upstream of a public ditch. Deadlines for compliance

of 2017 for public ditches and 2018 for public waters. Administrative penalties for non-compliance by counties, watershed districts, or the MN Board of Soil and Water Resources (BWSR) are specified in the legislation.

A few important things to note are that all existing roads and structures are exempt. Installation and maintenance of tile lines is also exempt. All lawns, forests, conservation reserve program (CRP), pasture, and hayed land is considered permanent vegetation and already in compliance with the law.

Your local Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) can help you determine if your property will be affected by

this new law. We can help you determine what cost share programs may be available to you, if you choose. Two popular cost share programs include the CRP Filterstrips, which pay landowners anywhere from $200 to $400 per acre per year for 10 or 15 years, and the ReInvest in Minnesota (RIM) program which compensates the landowner in exchange for a permanent easement on the property.

Freeborn County residents can contact the Freeborn SWCD at 1400 West Main Street, Albert Lea, MN 56007 – 507 373-5607 and Mower County residents can contact the Mower SWCD at 1408 21st St NW Austin, MN 55912 - 507-434-2603.

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Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 21

Water - A Shared Responsibility In the last few years it seems I’ve been drawn to get involved in the business of water. Water in many different aspects. I guess I could say it’s been more than just recently. I could go back to my first years after high school when Dad bought a tiling machine and we spent what seemed like forever draining the home farm and then a couple other pieces of land he owned at the time. We even did a little work laying tile for some neighbors. The idea was to get rid of it-the water that is.

Not all of it, just the excess. The portion of it that made farming difficult. It caused problems in most springs because our heavy clay soils held water tight and we couldn’t get the crop planted on time.

In the fall I remember getting stuck with the combine and trucks trying to harvest the crop. So we fixed it, we removed the nuisance. That was a long time ago, although we are still benefiting from that drainage system.

Today it seems water is all anyone talks about. In our part of the country it’s

mostly about getting rid of it. Yes we need some of it, after all it is the lifeblood of our existence. Even more so than food. But when there is too much of it, or it comes to us too quickly, it causes problems. So we try to control it.

Slow it down, speed it up, drain it, send it down the river. We’ve been doing this ever since our ancestors settled this area and began to till the rich fertile soil that lies under our feet and build villages and towns along the rivers of our area. Even the federal government helped with this by investing in drainage systems designed to carry away the excess water. It was the right thing to do!

beautiful up north to canoe for miles and miles with only an occasional portage on land, in between lake after lake of clean, drinkably fresh water. There seems to be an endless flow coming into and out of the area.

What I’ve found interesting is the huge difference between areas to the north like the boundary waters canoe area where there is practically nothing but water, and the desert southwest where they are virtually running out of water.

I’ve spent time in both these areas and it amazes me how differently people talk about this valuable resource. It is so

Whether it’s in surplus or shortage, we need to respect water every time we come in contact with it. Whether we are trying to conserve it, control it, or just get rid of it. It seems no matter how we use water, we ultimately contaminate it.

Whether its drinking it, showering with it, flushing a toilet, draining it from our streets and parking lots, watering our crops, lawns and golf courses or draining it from the land, we in some way add something to it. Then we try (as we should) to remove the contamination from it before passing it back into the environment. And there is no perfect way of doing this.

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AUSTIN: 608 1st Ave SW 507-433-4144 WASECA: 118 North State Street (same building as Waseca Family Dentistry) 507-521-2758 OWATONNA: 685 Bridge St. Suite 1B (by Torey’s Restaurant) 507-451-3879

In contrast, the last time I was in the Phoenix area where my parents were spending one of their last winters, my wife and I were politely asked by a shuttle driver not to come to the area when we retire because they are so short of water, and it seems there are no workable plans to supply it to the ever expanding population as they spread further into the desert. I understand their dilemma.

There is a certain amount of guilt to be shared by everyone about how we treat our water. It doesn’t help when we point fingers at others because that finger can be turned around and pointed the other way. We are all somewhat guilty, but most of us are trying to improve the situation. We all share the benefits of water and at the same time share the responsibility to respect it and keep it as clean as possible. This certainly goes for both our towns and rural areas.

Being a part of production agriculture I see real efforts being made to reduce erosion and improve the quality of the water that leaves the landscape. These things are not new to us. We’ve been doing them for a long time. And a lot of these efforts are voluntary, like putting in grass waterways, reducing tillage to leave more residue on the surface of the

Freeborn County Soil Health Team to Host Field Day: Cover Cropping 101

Mike Merten, CCA Pioneer Sales Professional land to reduce erosion, enrolling land in government CRP contracts, etc. And of course we are all aware of some recent successful efforts by our state government to enforce the requirement of buffer strips along our creeks, streams, and rivers. These of course will not be voluntary but none-the-less will help in some areas with water quality. Many landowners have been open to working with our local Watershed Districts and Soil and Water Conservation Districts also. These agencies have numerous programs that can improve water quality and/or help reduce the amount (or speed) of the water that leaves our farmland. I encourage any landowner/operator who has the opportunity (and isn’t already involved), to consider working with them to install these practices. There is money available to get the job done-there just needs to be the willingness to participate.

In the long run it will benefit everyone with better water quality, reduced flooding, and maybe most importantly show the world that we do care about this valuable resource and we will do everything we can to keep it as clean as possible when we send it downstream.

Our business of farming is being scrutinized more and more everyday by people quite removed from agriculture and who have very little knowledge of what we do and what efforts are being made to keep our water clean. If we sit back and don’t get involved with telling our story of the efforts being made, we will be destined to accept more restrictions on, and more regulation of, everything we do in our job of feeding the world.

Using cover crops has been found to help increase soil health and water quality. Since this is a newer farm practice in the Freeborn County area, confusion on how it can influence a farm’s crop insurance, when and how to plant covers, and when and how to terminate has prevented many producers from trying this new practice.

The Freeborn County Soil Health Team will be hosting a field day for producers to learn how to successfully implement cover crops into their Southern Minnesota farms.

Agronomists, soil scientists, and local farmers will be presenting at different stations to teach attendees when the best time to plant is, how to terminate different cover crops, and what a healthy soil should look and act like. A representative from

USDA Risk Management Agency (RMA) will also be at the field day to provide the latest information on cover crops and crop insurance.

The field day will begin at 8:30am Wednesday September 23rd and end around 1pm. A free lunch is being provided. The host farm is located three miles south of Geneva, MN on County Road 45. The producer has successfully implemented cover crops into his corn-soybean rotation the past four years. If you are curious how soil health practices and cover crops can fit into your operation, help your net profits, and improve soil and water quality you will want to attend this field day!

For more information on this field day and to RSVP for meal count, contact the NRCS at 507-373-5607 extension 3.

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Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 22

M & S OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 3

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Take advantage of potential growth opportunities Taketied advantage of potential growthyour opportunities to market gains while protecting investment tiedagainst to market marketgains losses.while protecting your investment against market losses.

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1. 7% simple interest is earned by activating the InfiniLife Income Rider, a rider on your Income Guard Indexed Annuity.

Qualifications and restrictions apply for activation. When the rider is activated, the Benefit Base is established and will increase

1. 7% interest earned by activating InfiniLifeinterest.

Income Rider, a rider onBase your isIncome Annuity.your rider benefit. It year for asimple period of upis to 20 years at 7%thesimple The Benefit only Guard used Indexed to determine Qualifications and restrictionswithdrawals apply for activation.

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Not FDIC each year for a period of up to 20 years at 7% simple interest. The Benefit Base is only used to determine your rider benefit. It is notInsurance available forCompany*/West discretionary withdrawals or surrenders.

There is a charge for this rider once it is activated.

FDIC A136-ML-1 Life Des Moines, IA. *Company provider of Farm Bureau FinancialNotServices Mon-Fri 8am-5pm • Thurs 8am-6pm Bureau (7-14) insured, not bank guaranteed, may lose value, not a deposit, not insured by any federal or state government agency. Farm Bureau Life Insurance Company*/West Des Moines, IA. *Company provider of Farm Bureau Financial Services A136-ML-1 Closed Saturdays (7-14)

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Judy & David Laskewitz have NOT retired from Olde Tyme Antiques, in fact they are looking forward to having much more time to be in their shop.

Come in and see us and make sure to mention this ad to get a discount.

How do you get there? Go 4 miles North of Austin on Hwy 218, then 2.5 miles west on 262nd Street. Just follow the road. When we are home, we are open, even early or late. Just Call First!

507-437-3343 or 507-438-7070

• Remember some equipment during transportation is actually taller than when in use.

• Another thing you need to be careful of is bumping into the guide wires on electrical poles. This will cause sagging in the overhead lines and will make entanglement more likely.

www.unitedfsb.com

• Always stay alert and never take unnecessary risks.

HIGHEST PRICE FOR ALUMINUM CANS

Local

• LOOK UP! before moving or transporting equipment especially around buildings, grain bins or entrance/exiting fields and farms.

Darrell Ingvaldson, Darrell Ingvaldson, 100 S Mill Street 100 S Mill Street Brownsdale, MN 55918 Brownsdale, MN 55918 507-567-2296 507-567-2296

Olde Tyme Antiques is OPEN

50422 262nd Street, Austin, MN

Recommendations:

Give meme a call to see Give a call to see how I can helphelp you turn how I can you turn upupthethe heat today. heat today.

Had Enough of D.I.Y. Pest Control?

1915 – 2015

Entanglement with overhead power lines and farm equipment is one of the most common electrical hazards on the farm. Many types of farm equipment can come in contact with overhead power lines. Tractors with front-end loaders, portable grain augers, fold-up planters, dump truck beds and sprayer booms are all examples of equipment that can easily get caught in overhead power lines.

• Power lines should be at least 18 feet above the highest point of grain bin with which portable augers or other portable filling equipment are used.

BUYERS OF ALL TYPES OF METALS

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Adams: 15 4th St. SW Adams, MN 55909 507-582-3448 Dexter: 235 S. Main St Dexter, MN 55926 507-584-6441 Rose Creek: 61255 170th St Rose Creek, MN 55970 507-437-4678

See us for all your LP Gas needs

If your equipment becomes entangled in power lines, stay in the tractor or truck unless the tractor or truck starts on fire.

Jump as far from the tractor as possible but land on both feet.

Then hop with feet together to get to safety!

If on fire, contact 911…if you are staying in the vehicle, contact FMCS Operations at 800-734-6421.

We do installation, leak detection, and testing.

We can help with your fertilizer and chemical needs.

We also offer variable rate fertilizer.

- Kevin Reed

Brought to you by:

www.fmcs.coop

Hi Yield Products Inc. 23282 620th Ave • Alden, Minnesota 56009

2501 Main Street East, Albert Lea, MN This institution is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

Bus: (507) 874-3750 Cell: (507) 383-0874 Email: kevin@hiyieldmn.com

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 2

Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 23

Running on Empty? Think Ethanol Article submitted by Rick Schwarck, President, Absolute Energy, LLC, Lyle, MN When the fuel gauge is nearing “E,” what’s the first thing that comes to mind? How far is the next gas station? Where can I buy the cheapest fuel?

The next time the fuel needle hovers near “E” think about E15. It’s the newest ethanol blend available and it’s one of the lowest-cost fuels on the market.

E15 is a blend of 15 percent ethanol and 85 percent gasoline – that’s just 5 percent more ethanol than the E10 fuel that has been around since 1978.

It’s approved for use in all 2001 and newer cars, trucks and SUVs. E15 will also save you money because it’s priced less than E10 and is significantly cheaper than gasoline without ethanol.

Ethanol-blended fuel has been credited with saving consumers money because blending more cost-competitive ethanol with gasoline lowers the price of fuel. The U.S. renewable fuels program is credited with saving motorists between $0.50 and $1.50 per gallon on fuel purchases. That gives every American more dollars to put toward food, clothing, a night out, or a summer vacation.

This added value is all made possible by the innovation and efficiency of the ethanol industry and local farmers. Combined with the increasing production efficiency of local corn growers, this partnership provides

enough products to both feed and fuel the world. This is all made possible by using less acres because corn yields have doubled over the last 40 years.

And research indicates yields may even double again by the middle of this century.

There is no doubt that enough grain is produced annually to supply the world’s need for food and fuel. Even after accounting for the grain used for biofuels, there is more grain available today for food and feed use than at any time in history. In addition, through the ethanol manufacturing process, one-third of every bushel of corn processed into ethanol is converted into livestock feed. Last year the ethanol industry produced enough livestock feed to provide 7 quarter pound hamburgers for every person on the planet. There is no doubt the world’s grain supply has grown large enough to satisfy both increased demand for food and animal feed, as well as increased biofuel production. All of this boils down to the availability of record food supplies and affordable fuel.

Since there is a correlation between food prices and oil consumption, the more ethanol used, the less impact on food costs. The Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) was originally implemented in 2005 to create increased blending of biofuels in our nation’s gasoline. And since that time, food prices have risen more slowly. Food price inflation has averaged 2.8 percent annually since 2005, the year the RFS was enacted, compared to an average 3.5 percent from 1980 – 2004, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The World Bank reports that most of the contribution to food price changes starting in 1997 through 2012, comes from the price of crude oil. Through these years, ethanol production has risen while annual food price inflation has declined. So, ethanol is not only helping keep food prices affordable, it’s also lowering fuel prices.

Ethanol is the lowest-cost, cleanest octane source in the world. This environmentally-friendly, biodegradable octane booster helps prevent some harmful pollutants from reaching the atmosphere. Last year, by using ethanol, motorists helped reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 million metric tons. That’s the same effect as taking 8.4 million cars off the road.

And that’s not all, ethanol reduces dependence on oil imports. Because ethanol is blended in 98 percent of all the fuel sold nationwide, oil imports have dropped to 28 percent. Last year, ethanol use is credited with replacing 512 million barrels of crude oil – that’s slightly more than the oil imported annually from Saudi Arabia.

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Ethanol. It’s clean, renewable, it’s driving the local economy, it’s saving motorists money at the pump, and it’s helping feed and fuel the world. So, the next time your gas gauge hovers near empty, don’t hesitate to reach for the ethanol handle. You’ll be doing yourself, your family, your car, and the environment a favor. Choose ethanol.

Sept. 15 - Nov. 15, 2015

GET MORE THAN YOU PAY FOR THIS FALL! Purchase any gas chainsaw (excluding the 240) or a qualifying 300 or 500 series backpack blower and receive: •

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Supplement to The Freeborn & Mower County Shoppers/Tuesday, September 15, 2015/Page 24

FARMERS! Are You Tired Of Farming Around These?

Would you like to install a Rock Inlet System?

in the

HEARTLAND

Advantages: o Excess surface water is removed as effectively as open inlets. o Less sediment is delivered into the subsurface tile system. o Producers can plant through the rock inlet area without harm to equipment or the inlet. o Subsurface drainage is increased in the area around the inlet. o Freeze up time during cold winter months is shorter allowing drainage to occur in late fall, early winter and early spring. o Suction voids do not form around rock inlets. o Allows venting for the subsurface drainage system.

Farming

The Shell Rock River Watershed District is offering a $300 cost share, per rock inlet, that is installed in the watershed.

Fall 2015

An Agricultural, Farming & Rural Development Supplement Covering Freeborn County, Mower County & Surrounding Areas

Shell Rock River Watershed District

507-377-5785 | 214 West Main St. | Albert Lea, MN 56007

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Thrivent Financial representatives are licensed insurance agents/producers of Thrivent Financial, the marketing name for Thrivent Financial for Lutherans. Neither Thrivent Financial nor its respective associates provide legal or tax advice.

For complete details, consult with your tax advisor or attoney. Thrivent Financial and its respective associates and employees cannot provide legal, accounting, or tax advice or services. Work with your Thrivent Financial representative and, as appropriate, your attorney and/or tax professional for additional information.

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