Nicollet County Ledger March 31, 2024

March 31, 2024 | South Central News & Media

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Amy Klobuchar Visits NIDEC’s Kato Engineering Shop in North Mankato Part of a multicount y tour, Klobuchar also visited businesses in Winthrop, New Ulm and Waseca in addition to Kato Engineering to tout the state’s manufacturing and nation’s defense capabilities in response to global threats like Putin. A NIDEC executive for defense contracts at Kato Engineering credited its workforce and anticipates strong growth.

By Robert Lawson Publisher info@nicolletcountyledger.com

Amy Klobuchar visited Kato Engineering in North Mankato, a defense manufacturing contractor for the U.S. Navy. Executives from NIDEC including Jim Twardowski, city officials and VICE President of Greater Mankato Growth Andy Wilke. Kloburchar toured the shop floor, where International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers build industrial and military electric generators (not pictured).

NORTH MANKATO (March 27) – Senator Amy Klobuchar was chipper and emphatic when speaking to the press on Wednesday about her tour of the electric generator and alternator manufacturing subsidiary of NIDEC, Kato Engineering in North Mankato.

Klobuchar even mentioned Russia in her remarks, referring to Russia’s recently re-elected President Vladimir Putin and his country’s constant provocations, war in Ukraine and braggadociousness about nuclear warheads. Her comments on that subject were combative in the competitive sense. For Klobuchar and NIDEC, the topic is sensitive in nature for obvious reasons but this didn’t deter Klobuchar from marketing the United States’ global military equipment capabilities in her statements.

The press wasn’t allowed to tour the NIDEC shop facility with

Continued on page 5

Courtland Family Farm Recognized by MFB with Sesquicentennial Farm Award Minnesota Farm Bureau

EAGAN - The Minnesota Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) recognized 44 recipients of the Sesquicentennial Farm award for

The Saint Peter School Board discussed the shortfall in the adopted fiscal year 2024 Indepdent School Distrcit 508 adopted budget and how the board will move forward.

NUCAT Launches First TV News Broadcast in New Ulm Over Weekend

By Robert Lawson Publisher info@nicolletcountyledger.com

NEW ULM – Just nine miles away in the community of New Ulm, the team of four at New Ulm Cable Access Television (NUCAT) work on the studio set in the base-

ment of the New Ulm Public Library to produce the town’s first news broadcast program on cable access TV. Michael McMahon directed the first intro, signoff and segments of local, state, national and world news that aired over the weekend on NUCAT. NUCAT Production Coordinator

2024, including one in Nicollet County.

Since the program began in 2008, 559 families have received the honor.

To qualify, a family farm must be in continuous family ownership for at least 150 years, be 50 acres or

larger, and currently be involved in agricultural production.

A commemorative certificate signed by Governor Tim Walz, Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen and MFBF President Dan Glessing will be awarded to qualify-

ing families, along with an outdoor sign signifying Sesquicentennial Farm recognition.

The following farm in Nicollet County received the recognition: Courtland – Gerald and Gloria Firtzner/Firtzner Brothers Inc., 1874.

District 18A House Rep. Jeff Brand, DFL - St. Peter, Works on Microbusiness Tax Reform, IVF Treatment Access and DNR Watershed Monitoring at Capitol in State House

Executive Vice President of Greater Mankato Growth Andy Wilke (left), his daugther Ellie (middle) and State Rep. Jeff Brand (right) providing testimony in the Minnesota House.

By Robert Lawson District 18A State Representative simpler and more fair for very small Publisher Jeff Brand (DFL-Saint Peter) pre- businesses, often called microbusiinfo@nicolletcountyledger.com sented HF 4486 to the House Taxes nesses, like the folks at your local committee in the state legislature at farmer’s market who hand make and the statehouse in St. Paul. “The goal sell your favorite jam” Brand said.

ST. PAUL -- Last week, Minnesota of this bill is to make our tax system Continued on page 5

Robert Lawson, who is also the publisher of the Nicollet County Ledger hosted the NUCAT News program and announced the news of the past month in a pilot program that may continue every other week to start. The project was greenlit by NUCAT’s com- By Robert Lawson munity cable access coordinator, Publisher Continued on page 5 info@nicolletcountyledger.com

North Mankato Moves Ahead on Sherman Street Project and Lobbies at the Capitol for Caswell Sports Complex The North Mankato City Council met on March 18, 2024.

They received the utility funds

Continued on page 3

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Local and State News Local Union Celebrates 45 Years Local Union 343 in LeSueur will celebrate 45 years on April 1, according to The Electrical Worker newspaper, a trade union publication from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. In March, they detailed how the union formed on April 1 in 1979.

The international office granted the power to 25 electricians to create a local IBEW union. The jurisdiction was larger back then.

The original 25 members were listed in the charter. Nearly all original charter members are now deceased. Richard Schnepf died in 2023.

Other members that died in the past year include Maurice Brown, Kevin Chirhart, Louis Downing, Nicholas Eide, Douglas Haines, Bryn Hecimovich, Bruce Johnson, Charles Johnson, Eric Johnson, Mark Landherr, Robert Pollreis Jr., Scott Rennie, Richard Schnepf and Robert Wilson.

The local 343 is still a young union by union age standards.

Each year sees a graduating class of apprentices who become Journeyman Wiremen (JWs) and start their careers. An annual banquet will be held April 14 in Winona to celebrate the local 343’s 45 years.

By Robert Lawson Publisher info@nicolletcountyledger.com

A bill continued to move forward in the Minnesota House that isn’t exactly popular and calls for the state to award cannabis licenses to businesses using a lottery system.

Opponents argue that it should be permitted just like any other industry. The state doesn’t typically award licenses to any industries through such a method. The state’s cannabis management office, OCM, wants to get temporary licenses available while the state hashes out the licensing starting around 2025, according to their manager, Charlene Briner, who says it still addresses so-called social equity applicants.

“This proposal creates a mechanism for the Office of Cannabis Management to establish an application process as early as this summer for a limited number of early licenses for those social equity applicants,” she said.

She further argued that early licenses such as these will help kickstart things in the state’s cannabis industry by giving applicants ample opportunity to prepare their business, secure capital and gain approval from their respective local governments. Officials in Minnesota anticipate beginning retail sales sometime in 2025 if things go according to plan.

For people interested in starting a business (from the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management):

The Office of Cannabis Management will release applications, issue licenses, and develop regulations outlining how and when businesses can participate in the new adultuse industry in Minnesota. Over the coming months, the new state agency will develop the regulatory framework for legal adult cannabis, and establish processes and timelines to apply for licenses.

Information about buying and selling seeds Effective Aug. 1, 2023, cannabis seed can legally be sold in Minnesota. Cannabis seed as related to the 2023 cannabis legislation will be referred to as marijuana seed to distinguish it from hemp. Marijuana seed will be sold and regulated under the Minnesota Seed Law. More information about buying and selling seed is available at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture’s Fact Sheet Marijuana Seed FAQ (PDF).

Cannabis tax Effective July 1, 2023, all sellers of taxable cannabis products must register with the Minnesota Department of Revenue to remit the new Cannabis Tax. Learn more at Cannabis Tax. Guidance regarding financial services to the cannabis industry The Minnesota Department of Commerce issued guidance regarding its current position and basic responsibilities of financial institutions’ boards and management regarding cannabis banking. Go to the Department of Commerce Guidance Regarding Financial Services to the Cannabis Industry (PDF).

Licenses The legislation establishes the following types of licenses (Note: Applications for business licenses will be available once rulemaking is complete. OCM expects applications for licenses to be available in early 2025.): Cannabis microbusiness (application fee $500; no initial license fee; renewal license fee $2,000) Cannabis mezzobusiness (application fee $5,000; initial license fee $5,000; renewal license fee $10,000) Cannabis cultivator (application fee $10,000; initial license fee $20,000; renewal license fee $30,000) Cannabis manufacturer (application fee $10,000; initial license fee $10,000; renewal license fee $20,000) Cannabis retailer (application fee $2,500; initial license fee $2,500; renewal license fee $5,000) Cannabis wholesaler (application fee $5,000; initial license fee $5,000; renewal license fee $10,000) Cannabis transporter (application fee $250; initial license fee $500; renewal license fee $1,000) Cannabis testing facility (application fee $10,000; initial license fee $10,000; renewal license fee $20,000) Cannabis event organizer (application fee $750; initial license fee $750) Cannabis delivery service (application fee $250; initial license fee $500; renewal license fee $1,000) Lower-potency hemp edible

manufacturer (application fee $250; initial license fee $1,000; renewal license fee $1,000) Lower-potency hemp edible retailer (application fee $250 per retail location; initial license fee $250 per retail location; renewal license fee $250 per retail location) Medical cannabis cultivator (application fee $250; no initial license fee; no renewal license fee) Medical cannabis processor (application fee $250; no initial license fee; no renewal license fee) Medical cannabis retailer (application fee $250; no initial license fee; no renewal license fee) Medical cannabis combination business (application fee $10,000; initial license fee $20,000; renewal license fee $70,000) Social equity The legislation prioritizes applications for business licenses from people who are considered social equity applicants, which includes people who were convicted of possessing or selling cannabis; family members of someone convicted of possessing or selling cannabis; service-disabled veterans, current or former members of the national guard, or any military veteran or current or former member of the national guard who lost honorable status due to an offense involving the possession or sale of cannabis; residents for at least five years of a neighborhood that experienced a disproportionately large amount of cannabis enforcement; emerging farmers; and residents of at least five years of census tracts with high poverty rates.

Local Union 343 in LeSueur will celebrate 45 years on April 1, according to The Electrical Worker newspaper, a trade union publication from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers. In March, they detailed how the union formed on April 1 in 1979.

The international office granted the power to 25 electricians to create a local IBEW union. The jurisdiction was larger back then.

The original 25 members were listed in the charter. Nearly all original charter members are now deceased. Richard Schnepf died in 2023.

Other members that died in the past year include Maurice Brown, Kevin Chirhart, Louis Downing, Nicholas Eide, Douglas Haines, Bryn Hecimovich, Bruce Johnson, Charles Johnson, Eric Johnson, Mark Landherr, Robert Pollreis Jr., Scott Rennie, Richard Schnepf and Robert Wilson.

The local 343 is still a young union by union age standards.

Each year sees a graduating class of apprentices who become Journeyman Wiremen (JWs) and start their careers. An annual banquet will be held April 14 in Winona to celebrate the local 343’s 45 years.

The BDO Zone Initiative has issued an ‘A’ rating for Region Nine for over 1,400,000 bone dry tons per year of underutilized corn stover biomass.

Region Nine has been awarded a Bioeconomy Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone ‘A’ Rating from Ecostrat. This is the state's first ‘A’ rating for corn stover and stretches across a 75-mile drive distance centered in St. James, MN. The Region Nine BDO Zone ‘A’ rating indicates high-quality feedstock supply chains and infrastructure, attributed to the region's abundant and underutilized corn stover. The region is one of the highest-yielding cornproducing areas in the country producing over 1,400,000 bone-dry tons of corn stover per year with no established competition in the region. The

region also benefits from its proximity to major metropolitan areas, onsite utilities, and robust road and rail infrastructure, further enhancing its strategic advantages. This is an opportunity to turn this resource into a revenue source.

“I am, excited about the economic opportunities that will be available in South Central Minnesota as a result of the ‘A’ rating. It will position the region as an attractive area for future investments in sustainable economic development,” said RNDC Executive Director Nicole Griensewic.

Jordan Solomon, Chairman of the BDO Zone Initiative, added, “The ‘A’ rating not only signifies the region's unwavering commitment to regional progress but also reflects their visionary approach to harnessing the nearly 1.5 million tons of abundant and sus-

tainable corn stover for a low-carbon future. This esteemed BDO Zone rating is set to draw global investment interest, positioning Region Nine as a trailblazer, not just within Minnesota but on a global scale."

“This report emphasizes what is possible within our region to utilize our existing resources for greater sustainability and economic improvement. We welcome the opportunity to maximize our use of available corn stover and biomass.” -Andrea Boettger, Council President, City of New Ulm, Vice Chair Region Nine Development Commission.

About The BDO Zone Initiative The BDO Zone Initiative is an economic development platform that enables local communities to deploy powerful economic development tools to drive, accelerate, and catalyze

biobased investment and commercial project development in BDO Zones.

A BDO Zone rating is a standardsbased technical risk assessment of biomass feedstock, supply chain, and infrastructure attributes of a region concerning the feasibility and development potential of new biofuel, renewable chemical, biogas, bioproduct, or clean hydrogen plants.

BDO Zone ratings help regions and communities attract new biobased project development and participate in the growing global bioeconomy by demonstrating the maturity of local biomass supply chains and whether they are developed enough to support biobased manufacturing without excessive risk.

To see the full BDO Zone Rating for Region Nine please visit www. bdozone.org.

Early Cannabis License Lottery System Controversial

1920 — In Old Kentucky Duluth Herald January 1920

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Finstad Leads Prove It Act Legislation Supported by Greater Mankato Growth Inc., Other Chambers of Commerce

REGION NINE ISSUED BDO ZONE ‘A’ RATING FOR CORN STOVER '

Focus on Ag

Current Farm Bill Extended Through 2024

By Kent Thiesse

Farm management analyst kent.thiesse@minnstarbank.com

In mid-November the U.S. House and Senate passed a continuing resolution that provided additional federal funding to avoid a government shutdown at the federal level. The continuing resolution that was passed and signed into law also extends the current Farm Bill for one year through September 30, 2024. This means that the current farm program and crop insurance provisions will remain in place through the 2024 crop year. It also will keep other important federal programs such as the Dairy Margon Coverage (DMC) program, Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP), and other popular USDA programs in place for at least another year.

The extension will also limit any

immediate changes to the Nutrition Title of the Farm Bill, which funds food assistance programs through SNAP, WIC, and the school lunch program.

The current Farm Bill, known as the “Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018”, expired on September 30, 2023. Even though both houses of Congress held multiple hearings and listening sessions during the past year, no formal legislation for a new Farm Bill has been proposed in either house of Congress. Once a formalized Farm Bill is proposed and discussed, it will need to be passed by both houses of Congress and signed by President Biden before it can be enacted. It was not realistic to complete this process on a timely basis in order to avoid gaps in the continuation of some important USDA programs, which is why a one-year extension was passed by

See FOCUS ON AG, page 5

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CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE

State Bonding for Caswell Sports Complex in North Mankato report and the fire department annual report at a council work session that took place at 6 p.m.

The regular meeting started at 7 p.m.

They held a public hearing for proposed assessments on the Sherman Street Improvement Project. They adopted a resolution adopting assessments

for the Sherman Street Improvement Project. They adopted a resolution accepting a bid on the Sherman Street Improvement Project. They also adopted a resolution setting the Firefighter’s Relief Association retirement benefits and establishing funding limitations.

Their upcoming work session is tomorrow, Monday, April 1 at 6 p.m.

in the council chambers. The regular meeting starts at 7 p.m. That will be followed by a regular meeting and work session on Friday, April 15 at the same times respectively. The council chambers are located at 1001 Belgrade Avenue in North Mankato.

Mayor Scott Carlson and city staff visited the state capitol for the Coalition

of Greater Minnesota Cities Legislative Action Day. They talked about a bonding request with Representatives Jeff Brand, Luke Frederick and Brian Pfarr and Senator Karin Housley. They are seeking funding for the Caswell Sports Regional Sporting Complex in North Mankato, near Hwy. 14 and Lookout Drive.

GUSTAVUS ATHLETICS SAINT PETER, Minn. - The Gustavus baseball team opened its conference schedule Friday with a sweep over Augsburg, winning in convincing fashion 7-0 and 15-1. The Gusties improve to 10-5 overall and 2-0 in the MIAC. Gustavus 7, Augsburg 0 Reigning MIAC Pitcher of the Year Mitch Casperson started off the league schedule with a dominant performance, tossing a seven-inning shutout with a career-high 12 strikeouts. Casperson allowed just three hits in the game, faced 26 batters, and only one runner reached second base.

The Gusties wasted no time getting on the board, scoring a pair of runs in the first. Drake Siens singled and scored on a double by Gavin Baker.

Chris Knowles reached on a fielder's choice and later scored on a double by Brady Schmitz.

Gustavus went up 5-0 in the second.

Brayden Kohls led off with a double and scored on a base hit by Sam Schneider. Three batters later, Baker hit a sac fly to score Schneider. Knowles then hit a double to left center, scoring Bryce Novak who reached on a single.

The Gusties plated the final two runs in the fifth as Danny Gavin walked and scored on a double by Kohls. Kohls later scored on a single by Baker.

Baker paced the Gusties at the plate, batting 3-for-3 with three RBI, a double, and a sacrifice.

Gustavus 15, Augsburg 1 (8 inn.)

After two scoreless innings, the Gusties took a 3-0 lead in the third.

Baker hit a sac fly to score Novak,

and Knowles followed with a two-run home run - his sixth of the season - extending his hitting streak to a program record 27 games.

The Auggies scored their lone run of the day in the bottom half after a pair of hits, a walk, and a sac fly.

Gustavus answered with two more runs in the fourth as Schmitz and Kohls scored on a single by Casperson. The score increased to 8-1 in the fifth after an RBI double by Kohls and an RBI single by Novak.

Gustie starter Adam Biewen had another quality start, earning the win after six innings of work. Biewen allowed just one run on three hits with six strikeouts, improving to 2-1 on the season.

Novak plated another run in the seventh with his third hit of the game.

Novak extended his hitting streak to

15 games to start the season and is now eight hits shy of surpassing Tony Konicek '08 for the program record in career hits, which has stood at 228 since 2008.

The game was put well out of reach in the eighth as the Gusties scored six runs on six hits, highlighted by a pinchhit grand slam by Dylan Kopesky, pinch-hit solo homer by Joe Burns, and a pinch-hit RBI double by Isaiah Hasz.

Kohls led the team at the plate, batting 4-for-5 with three runs, a double, and an RBI. Benny Mcdonald and Ben Anderson finished up the game on the mound, each tossing a scoreless inning.

Gustavus is back in action Wednesday at home with a non-conference doubleheader against No. 9 nationallyranked UW-La Crosse.

Gustavus Adolphus College Baseball Opens MIAC Slate with Augsburg Sweep

Congratulations St. Peter Saints

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Here’s what labor policy bills will likely pass in Minnesota — and other labor news State Labor News Minnesota Reformer

Take a seat in the Break Room, our weekly roundup of labor news in Minnesota and beyond. This week: Minnesota’s labor policy package; AG gets temporary injunction for dairy farm workers; Nonprofit hospitals get more than they give; law enforcement’s recruitment crisis; Amazon drivers are employees in Wisconsin; Carnival operator ordered to pay back wages; unions were among top lobbying spenders; and UMD faculty reach

tentative agreement.

The labor policy agenda Minnesota Democratic lawmakers passed a sweeping package of workerfriendly legislation last year, and have a smaller agenda this session. They’ve have combined the labor policies they plan to pass this year in large omnibus bills (HF3947/SF3852) which include: Minimum wage standardized (HF4050/SF3947): Virtually all employees would be entitled to the state’s current minimum wage for large employers of $10.85 an hour. The lower minimum wage of $8.85 an hour

would be eliminated for small businesses, employees under 18 years old and foreign workers on J visas in the hospitality industry.

Salary range disclosure (HF3587/ SF3725): Employers would have to include salary ranges in job postings along with a general description of benefits and other compensation.

Pregnancy accommodations (HF4286/SF4384): Employers must maintain health insurance coverage for employees and their dependents during any required period of leave for pregnancy so long as the employees pay

their share of the costs.

Tips (HF4787/SF4709): Employers may not deduct transaction fees from gratuities made with a credit card or other form of electronic payment.

Captive audience meetings poster (HF3442/SF3495): The Department of Labor and Industry must create an educational poster to inform employees that they can’t be forced to attend anti-union meetings or other employersponsored meetings on religious or political matters. The Legislature banned so-called captive audience meetings last year.

Ban on shadow noncompetes (HF3456/SF3721): Contracts between businesses and customers that restrict workers’ employment choices would be banned. For example, child care centers would not be allowed to prohibit parents from hiring their teachers, and property maintenance companies would not be allowed to prohibit homeowners associations from hiring their workers.

There are other labor bills the Legislature is expected to pass before adjourning in May. Lawmakers are expected to pass a public works (“bonding”) bill to

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fund improvements to roads, bridges and other public infrastructure.

Bills that will have an impact on the state budget — like increasing penalties for misclassification (HF4444/ SF4483) or allowing striking workers to collect unemployment benefits (HF3446/SF3588) — will be considered as lawmakers put together large budget bills later on.

To read the full article go to https:// minnesotareformer.com/2024/03/29/ heres-what-labor-policy-bills-will-likely-pass-in-minnesota-and-other-labornews/

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Ask a Trooper

By Sgt. Troy Christianson of the Minnesota State Patrol Question: I am looking at purchasing my first vehicle but I am worried about scams. Do you have any advice for me? Thank you.

Answer: ​Here is some information we recently shared on our Minnesota Department of Public Safety blog. Picture this: You are excited about buying a car. You drive it home, but later find out the odometer had been rolled back thousands of miles, it was stolen, or it had previous damage the seller didn’t tell you about — all devastating news.

Scams like this are happening right here in Minnesota. That’s why our Minnesota State Patrol Investigative Services Section is warning people to be on the lookout for signs the deal might be fraudulent.

“If you’re in the market for a new vehicle, make sure you know what you’re getting and who you’re getting it from,” State Patrol Capt. Jason Bartell said. “Trust your instincts. If it appears too good to be true, it

probably is.”

Buying a new car is a big decision. Our investigators recommend doing your research before handing over any money.

Look up the value of the vehicle you’re looking to buy. There are several sites online that can give you a good idea of what the price should be.

Whether you’re buying from a dealership or a private seller, request a vehicle history report from a company such as Carfax or Autocheck. Look over the previous crashes that vehicle has been a part of and the previous work that’s been done on the vehicle. Make sure the mileage is consistent and doesn’t have any sudden huge changes.

If you’re buying from a dealership:

exceeding 80 percent of the value or the existence of any title brand, which is a label on a vehicle title that depicts its status, such as salvage, flood, junk, etc.

Complete the transaction at the dealer’s place of business.

If you’re buying your newto-you vehicle from a private party:

Look up the business online and review what customers are saying.

Make sure you understand each part of the negotiated deal, including any warranty, and that each part is in writing.

Read all the paperwork. Minnesota law requires the dealer to notify you of prior damage

Be suspicious of any deal requesting you put money down or transfer funds before seeing the vehicle.

Ask if they are the owner and if they possess the title. Verify the name on the title is the person that is selling the vehicle with their state ID, driver’s license or another form of identification.

Look at the title to see if it shows a lien or a security interest on the vehicle. If it states the name of a bank or credit union, then there is a lien.

Be wary. Fraud often occurs with out-of-state titles, and sellers that are not listed on the title.

Make sure each part of the deal is in writing. The bill of sale or receipt should be signed by all

tions. Jason’s vehicle exited the roadway and descended approximately twenty- five feet down an embankment eventually colliding with a tree. Jason had been wearing his seatbelt and was uninjured.

Jason’s vehicle sustained moderate damage.

Assisting Agency: Henderson Fire Department.

On March 24th, 2024 at 2:27PM, the Sibley County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a 2-vehicle crash at the intersection of 411th Avenue (CR 9) and 180th Lane, approximately

4-miles north of Arlington, in rural Green Isle Township. Saul MartinezLopez (27) of Le Sueur was driving a 2010 Ford F150 pickup southbound on 411th Avenue when it collided with a 2020 Kia Telluride sedan traveling northbound (CR 9). Michael Hansen (62) of Arlington was the driver of the Kia sedan. Both drivers reported no injuries. Martinez-Lopez had a 26-year old passenger who was also uninjured. Both vehicles sustained disabling damage from the collision and were towed from the crash scene.

parties and include the names of all seller(s) and purchaser(s), as well as a vehicle description that includes the make, model, year and VIN. Include the date of the sale, the price of the vehicle and the vehicle’s mileage. We recommend getting the document notarized.

Complete the transaction at a safe location and transfer the title at a local deputy registrar’s office together with the seller. If this is not possible, make sure to transfer the title within 10 days as required by state law.

Take the vehicle to a trusted mechanic for an inspection.

You can avoid a ticket — and a crash — if you simply buckle up, drive at safe speeds, pay attention and always drive sober.

Help us drive Minnesota Toward Zero Deaths.

If you have any questions concerning traffic related laws or issues in Minnesota send your questions to Sgt. Troy Christianson – Minnesota State Patrol at 2900 48th Street NW, Rochester MN 55901-5848. (Or reach him at, Troy.Christianson@state. mn.us)

Sibley County Motor Vehicle Crash Reports On March 24th, 2024 at 3:46 P.M., the Sibley County Sheriff’s Office responded to a one-vehicle crash involving a tree located near the 32000 block of Jessenland Road (CR 119) approximately five-miles north of Henderson in rural Jessenland Township. It was learned Jason Schuette, age 45 of Saint Peter, had been traveling southeast down a hill and negotiating a left-hand curve on CR 119 when he lost control of his 2005 Buick Lacrosse sedan due to the poor snow-covered road condi-

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Assisting agencies: Green Isle Fire and Arlington Ambulance On March 22, around 6 a.m. Sibley County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a vehicle crash on 300th Street about a quarter-mile south of Henderson. Jack Boelter, 33, of rural LeSueur was driving a 2024 Chevy Silverado pickup eastbound on 300th Street when it left the roadway and rolled onto its driver side in a shallow ravine. Boelter wasn’t injured and the vehicle sustained moderate damage. Poor road and weather conditions contributed to the crash.

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Nicollet County Ledger

Focus on Ag Continued Amy Klobuchar Visit NIDEC’s Kato From Page 2 Engineering Subsidiary in North Mankato Congress. The continuing resolution that was passed will also maintain funding for most federal agencies, including those that are part of USDA, until either mid-January or early February of 2024.

When most people hear of a “Farm Bill”, they think of the commodity programs and payments that affect crop producers. Some people may be aware that crop insurance and conservation programs are included under the Farm Bill, and some are knowledgeable that Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and food stamps are part of the Farm Bill legislation.

However, very few people outside of government officials and policy experts are aware that the Farm Bill also covers funding for rural fire trucks and ambulances, export promotion, international food aid, forestry programs, ag research and extension education at land-grant universities, and school lunch programs. The current Farm Bill passed in 2018 was over 1,000 pages in length, and contains 12 separate Titles, which cover a multitude of programs that are administered by USDA. Farm Program for 2024 The recent extension of the 2018 Farm Bill means that the “price loss coverage” (PLC) and “ag risk coverage” (ARC) farm program options for eligible crops will remain in place for the 2024 crop year and will be similar to PLC and ARC programs for the 2019 to 2023 crop years. For 2024, producers will be able to choose between the price-only PLC and revenue-based ARC program choices for the 2024 crop production year. The ARC program choice includes both the county-yield based “ARC-CO” program, which is most popular, and the “ARC-IC” program, which is based on farm-level yields.

If no choice is made, the 2023 farm program choice will remain in place for 2024. The deadline to finalize the farm program choice and to enroll for 2024 farm program benefits will likely be March 15, 2024, at local Farm Service Agency (FSA) offices. As of this writing, USDA has not yet made any official announcements regarding 2024 farm program sign-up.

Crop base acres for 2024 will likely remain at the same levels as 2023 for all crops on most farms, unless there are adjustments in base acres for crop acres that were added via land purchases or rental agreements or acres that are no longer eligible for farm program payments. The 2023 farm program yields on individual farm units, which were last updated in 2020, will be continued to calculate potential PLC payments. The ARCCO “benchmark yields” for 2024 will be based on the “Olympic-average” Risk Management Agency (RMA) county average yields for the 2018 to 2022 crop years. The national “market year average” (MYA) price for each program crop for the years 2018-2022 will be averaged to calculate the 2024 “benchmark price” for the ARC-CO and ARC-IC programs.

The calculation formulas, etc. for the 2024 PLC, ARC-CO and ARC-IC programs will likely remain the same as in previous years.PLC payments for 2024 will be made if the final MYA price for 2024 falls below the reference price for a given crop. ARCCO payments for 2024 will be made if the final county revenue for the year (county yield x final 2024 MYA price) falls below the 2024 benchmark revenue (county benchmark yield x benchmark price) for a given crop. The calculations for the ARC-IC program are the same as for the ARC-CO program, except ARC-IC uses farm-level yield data and considers all crops on a farm unit together for calculation of potential payments in a given year.

PLC and ARC-CO payments are paid on 85 percent of crop base acres, while ARC-IC payments are paid on only 65 percent of base acres.

The 2014 Farm Bill established “statutory reference prices” for all

crops that were used to calculate PLC payments. The 2018 Farm Bill set the fixed statutory prices as minimum reference prices and added the possibility for “effective reference prices” (ERP).

The ERP allows the reference price to increase by as much as 15 percent above the fixed reference price (fixed price x 115%). The final ERP for a given year is the higher of the fixed statutory price or the 5-year “Olympic average” price for a commodity times 85 percent (.85). The “Olympic average” price is calculated by taking the market year average (MYA) price for the five previous years (not including the current marketing year), dropping the high and the low price, and then averaging the other prices for the other three years. For the 2024 crop year, the “Olympic average” price is based on the MYA prices for the years 2018 to 2022, which is then multiplied by 85% (.85) to determine the final ERP price.

The final effective reference prices (ERP) for the 2019 to 2023 crop years were at the minimum statutory levels of $3.70 per bushel for corn, $8.40 per bushel for soybeans, and $5.50 per bushel for wheat, meaning that calculation for higher ERP levels was not triggered for any of those three crops.

MYA prices have been high enough in recent years to likely result in higher 2024 PLC reference prices for corn and soybeans; however, the wheat reference price will likely remain at the minimum level. The higher reference prices for corn and soybeans potentially increases the likelihood of PLC payments for the 2024 crip year, especially for corn if average market prices continue to decline during the 2024-25 marketing year. (Please refer to the attached Table.) Following are the estimated 2024 PLC reference prices: Corn = $4.02 per bushel (maximum is $4.26/bu. and minimum is $3.70/bu.)

Soybeans = $9.26 per bushel (maximum is $9.66/bu. and minimum is $8.40/bu.)

Wheat $5.50 per bushel (maximum is $6.33/bu. and minimum is $5.50/ bu.)

The 2024 benchmark (BM) prices that are used for the ARC-CO and ARC-IC programs are also based on the five-year “Olympic average” MYA prices for 2018 to 2022; however, the ARC benchmark prices are not factored downward by 85 percent (x .85).

The minimum BM price is the statutory reference price for a given crop.

Following are the estimated ARC-CO and ARC-IC benchmark prices for the 2024 crop year: Corn = $4.75 per bushel $3.98/bu.in 2023) Soybeans = $10.89 per bushel ($9.57/bu.in 2023) Wheat $6.21 per bushel ($5.50/bu. in 2023) BOTTOM – LINE Another provision in the 2018 Farm Bill allows farm operators to make year-to-year decisions between PLC, ARC-CO and ARC-IC for each eligible crop on an FSA farm unit.

Assuming that the PLC and ARC-CO farm program provisions and calculations in 2024 stay relatively similar to recent years, farm operators will want to do a bit more analysis before finalizing year-to-year farm program decisions for various crops. The potential for higher PLC reference prices and increasing benchmark prices will make that decision a bit more challenging for 2024 than in recent years.

USDA has not yet announced the 2024 farm program details and sign-up dates at local FSA offices.

Note — For additional information contact Kent Thiesse, Farm Management Analyst and Sr. Vice President, MinnStar Bank, Lake Crystal, MN. (Phone — (507) 381-7960) E-mail — kent.thiesse@minnstarbank.com) Web Site — http://www. minnstarbank.com/

Klobuchar Continued From Page One

Klobuchar due to the secure and sensitive information and equipment that is built for various branches of the military including aircraft carriers, submarines and the like. Full disclosure: I recently worked as a rotor winder on the union shop floor, represented by the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). There are, in fact, areas of the shop that even the CEO cannot see due to his Japanese citizenship status and lack of security clearance with the U.S. Military.

The press conference was held in the front office lobby area of Kato Engineering, an opportunity for NIDEC’s executives to showcase their brand, part of a Japanese company whose shares are owned mostly by The Master Trust Bank of Japan, Ltd. They own roughly 14 percent of the company. Shigenobu Nagamori is the founder of NIDEC and the next largest shareholder with just over 8 percent ownership. He is a Japanese billionaire businessman, and the chairman and CEO of Nidec, the world’s largest manufacturer of micromotors for hard disks and optical drives. A few other Japanese banks own other smaller chunks of the company and The Bank of New York Mellon owns around 2.5 percent. Within these numbers, NIDEC’s holding of just over 21 million treasury stock is excluded from a list of major shareholders provided by the company. The shareholding ratio was calculated excluding treasury stock. Treasury stock does not include shares of the Company held by the BIP (Board Incentive Plan) Trust and the ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan) Trust. Kato Engineering was acquired by NIDEC in 2017, but has its local roots as a company providing electric motors since 1926 when it was founded by Elmer Jensen and Lewis Wilkinson. They manufactured power supplies for radios.

Cecil Jones joined the company less than a year later and soon after took over as owner and president of Kato Engineering for forty years.

Klobuchar does not sit on any committees related to the armed

forces currently. Although she recently won an award for her work on veterans’ issues from the American Legion, she doesn’t have any clear experience with the military directly. She also doesn’t have much experience in the way of manufacturing, healthcare or agriculture outside her typical story of her grandfather who worked in Ely mining iron ore to send her folks to college, one of whom was a sportswriter and the other a teacher. She has family in Mankato as well. So she knows the backdrop of these industries and has experience regulating them more than anything else.

Her committee assignments currently include Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee; Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee; and Joint Economic Committee among a couple others unrelated to any specific private industry. Klobuchar is generally seen on the national stage as a working class moderate pro union Democrat politician from Minnesota. However, at NIDEC, there was no clear union presence or representation in the lobby adjacent to the sales, engineering, human resources and executive teams work, separate from the union shop floor. Several excited executive and office staff were clearly present for the press conference post tour though.

“For 90 years, Kato Engineering has been on the cutting edge of engineering and on the cutting edge of bringing in new employees,” Klobuchar said.

Klobuchar touted the products at Kato Engineering and the company’s contracts secured with the U.S. Navy.

“You get those contracts if you have the most cutting edge technology and ability to keep our armed forces safe and help us to lead the world,” she said.

She also took the time to compliment Ukraine in their response to Putin’s invasion of the country.

“Everyone had counted out Ukraine,” She said. “When in fact, they have shown their prowess with technology, not just from the United

States, but from our allies from all over the world, one of them being Japan, which is involved with Kato Engineering as well.”

Klobuchar arrived a bit later than expected to North Mankato from another nearby community, which she mentioned on X (formerly Twitter): “I was at the New Ulm Regional Airport to meet with community leaders and hear about how federal funds are being used to make important runway upgrades that will improve air travel. This airport provides an economic boost for the region and is a vital link for local businesses.”

Senator Tina Smith also recently visited New Ulm a week prior to meet with officials and discuss the airport and runway both Senators are working together to seek funding for. Klobuchar also visited the Heartland Corn Products ethanol plant in Winthrop.

“I’m working to maintain a strong Renewable Fuel Standard,” she said of the trip.

When prodded about whether NIDEC would see continued growth as a result of the circumstances surrounding a series of world events and competing global interests, a question posed to both the Senator and the company, NIDEC’s Vice President of Defense Business for Kato Engineering and Leroy-Somer, Electric Power Generation Americas Jim Twardowski said the following.

“The purse strings really aren’t ours, so we will fulfill any contracts that come our way and any developments that we can participate in,” he said. “We do see that the business is pretty robust today and the ongoing programs, which take years in the making and see support in the Congress, is something we like to see. So our outlook from the business point of view is strong.”

He also responded to a question regarding growth in the ever evolving electrification model in modern transportation, infrastructure and manufacturing.

“That’s where we see some really great potential gains here at Kato

Engineering,” Twardowski said. “All of our existence when we talk U.S. Military sales, it’s U.S. Navy, but now with the electrification of the Army and we’re seeing some programs around the tanks and the armored vehicles and all that, there is some new programs and some new areas that we as NIDEC, as Kato, are already in discussions on, so trust that the pie gets bigger and we have more opportunities that we can grow with.”

Klobuchar simply said the U.S. needs to stay on the cutting edge and make investments in companies like NIDEC. “We know that we have to be strong as a country and that means smartly investing … in our own defense and that’s a lot of what this company is about” she said.

Klobuchar also mentioned that investing in military technologies has the advantage of also producing new consumer products that were introduced from former military origins.

“That’s been a longstanding part of Minnesota’s economy,” she said.

She stressed that defense related alliances between countries like Japan go beyond defense. It’s also about trade and jobs.

In regards to workers, Twardowski seemed to emphasize the importance of the company’s workers more than Klobuchar, at one point cutting her off apologetically to mention their significance while also praising the senator with appreciation.

“We also have a great workforce, and when you have a visit like you saw today, it was very inspiring,” he said.

Andy Wilke, Executive Vice President of Greater Mankato Growth Inc. also commented and said Mankato is a growth hub for manufacturing and health care industries that use high tech and precision electronics, not to mention agriculture. Klobuchar agreed and mentioned local universities like Gustavus and Minnesota State University that will need STEM students to meet the demand for industry.

Currently, Minnesotans who sell certain homemade food products are exempt from having to obtain a food handler license to sell. When these cottage food producers sell at farmers markets or directly to consumers, currently, they have to deal with a complicated and confusing structure to determine what food is taxable and what is not, and are often required to collect and pay tax on items that are tax-free at larger retailers like grocery stores.

“This bill would exempt these small sellers from sales tax, so our friends and neighbors can continue to bring us delicious homemade jams, jellies, bread, and more to our local farmer’s market, and have an easier time doing so,” Brand said.

The last action on the bill was on

March 21, for the introduction and first reading referred to the Transportation Finance and Policy committee.

Brand also introduced the Advancing the Minnesota Building Families Act in the House.

“My bill to require insurance coverage for fertility treatments, known as the Minnesota Building Families Act, is continuing to make progress in the House,” he said. “I want to thank Andy Wilke from Greater Mankato Growth, and his daughter, Ellie, who was born thanks to IVF treatment, for testifying about how life-changing this legislation will be for many Minnesotans.”

Brand has two children, aged 9 and 12. He spoke about other families that have reached out to him and countless others in the state who may not have

yet had the chance.

“There are so many Minnesotans who want nothing more than to start or build their families, but are having trouble with fertility,” he said. “In the United States, infertility is about as common as diabetes. It’s not a rare disorder affecting a small number of people – it’s a real and present struggle for someone you know. We’re working hard to send the Minnesota Building Families Act across the finish line.”

Brand provided an update this week on efforts with the DNR to support watershed monitoring.

“This week, my bill to support watershed monitoring in the Minnesota River Valley was heard in the Environment and Natural Resources committee,” he said.

The bill would grant $150,000 to the DNR to expand the water quality and watershed monitoring partnership they have with 25 schools in the Minnesota River Valley region.

“This gives our students the chance to do real field work and helps support the monitoring of less studied waterways in Minnesota. I remember participating in something similar when I was in high school, and it was one of the coolest classroom experiences. Getting young learners interested in environmental sciences is the best way to ensure Minnesota’s natural resources are protected for generations to come.”

Many constituents have visited Brand’s office at the capitol in the past few months to advocate for their priorities in District 18A.

Steven Sherman after Lawson prepared a proposal and program outline to air a maximum of 30 minutes. The first program runs about 15 minutes in length and covers a variety of topics like local events and current affairs mixed with state news and politics and topped off with national and world headlines and news briefs.

Lawson produces the NUCAT News program and edits the footage captured in the NUCAT television studio, taking shot, scene and performance direction from McMahon.

Sherman said NUCAT is always looking for fresh programming and Lawson had the news and media experience to plan a program that is both interesting and locally unique. For instance, the team started recently adding high quality video series and other episodes

to programming that is available from NASA’s archives. If you’re interested in space exploration and/or astro-related science, these programs offer education, history, beauty and wonder.

“We’re always looking for new quality programming for the community,” Sherman said.

McMahon developed the theme and branding of the program with custom motion graphics and visual images used in the program. NUCAT already films public government meetings such as city council, county board and various commissions but they also film community events and television interview programs and presentations from the Brown County Historical Society, League of Minnesota Women Voters, State Street Theater and local arts programs like “Something Artsy”. Other

programming at NUCAT includes public domain films, local church programs, Democracy Now and several programs submitted by various nonprofit groups and individuals in the community.

McMahon explained how important a local cable access television station is in a community like New Ulm. “New Ulm doesn’t have an equivalent to something like KEYC [FOX/ CBS affiliate] and we try to do what we can to provide as much good quality television programming as we can,” McMahon said.

Andrez Knapper-Wiesse is also a production technician at NUCAT that started the same day as Lawson. He is soon to graduate from South Central College in North Mankato, a campus directly across the street from KEYC/

Grey Television. Knapper-Wiesse said it is unique for a community that lacks its own private local television station and relies on nearby Mankato for local TV news coverage to work at a cable access channel that puts such a strong emphasis on unique quality programming.

“There’s actually quite a lot going on in New Ulm and NUCAT is a good resource for filming the town’s events and government meetings but also just the fact that we provide the studio to the community and air all sorts of different programs is just really unique for a town like this,” Knapper-Wiesse said.

In addition to NUCAT News, the cable access channel, which airs on both Nuvera and Comcast providers in New Ulm, also airs videos from the Nicollet County Ledger from time to time.

House Rep. Jeff Brand From Page One

NUCAT News TV From Page One

Ledger Comic Strips

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Page 6

Nicollet County Ledger

Sunday, March 31, 2024

Photos: St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Saint Peter

Photos by Jamie Berg.

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