Greetings District 10!
Hoping you all have been enjoying our beautiful Minnesota fall weather…soaking up the outdoors is wonderful. This week was National Farmers Day…let’s thank and honor all the hardworking farmers for their contributions to our homes, tables, and economy.
Minnesota Farms—Funds Available to Improve Safety
Minnesota farmers who want to improve safety on their farms can now apply for funding through two programs from the Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) that help with the cost of buying, shipping, and installing eligible safety equipment.
Now in its second year, the Grain Storage Facility Safety Cost-Share program reimburses up to 75% of the cost to buy, ship, and install eligible safety equipment for on-farm grain bins or silos. The program will pay up to $400 per bin or silo, with a limit of $2,400 per farm per year. The first year of the program reimbursed 91 farmers an average of $831 to install guardrails, platforms, auger shields, safety harnesses and more.
The Rollover Protective Structures (ROPS) Rebate Program makes tractor safety equipment affordable and simple to order. Minnesota’s program reimburses farmers and schools at least 70% of the cost to purchase, ship, and install a rollover protection kit, limiting the cost to no more than $500 per tractor. The National ROPS Rebate Program (NRRP) works with farmers to identify and price the appropriate rollover protection kits for their tractors.
Information & apply at MDA’s website: Grain Storage Safety & ROPS
Both programs are accepting applications through June 30, 2022 or until all funds are exhausted. Funding for these programs comes from the Minnesota Legislature and private donations.
Department of Natural Resources 2021 Drought Impacts on Natural Resources
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced this week $13.3 million in funding proposals in response to the significant effects of this summer’s drought on two of the state’s critical natural resources: water and trees.
The DNR proposes $3 million in funding for municipal, tribal, and other community water suppliers to implement proactive water conservation measures related to the built infrastructure, including finding and repairing leaks in pipes, meters, hydrants, and treatment plants, and installing water-efficient equipment.
These proven strategies can help individual cities across the state to conserve millions of gallons of water a year. The proposal also includes $300,000 for an individual and small community well interference fund.
Additionally, the drought has stressed well-established shade trees in communities and caused an extremely high mortality rate for tree seedlings planted in 2021. The DNR proposes $5.5 million in funding to re-plant public and private forest lands where seedlings were irrevocably damaged by the drought and $4.5 million in community shade tree grants. Combined, this funding will be essential to support tree health, carbon storage, habitat, water quality and other benefits of forests and shade trees.
The entire state entered the drought warning phase in mid-July of 2021. With this designation, the Minnesota DNR took a number of measures laid out in the Statewide Drought Plan, including convening the State Drought Task Force, a panel of state, federal, regional and local experts with water-related responsibilities.
DNR’s Drought Response: 2021 Drought Response
Minnesota Temporarily Bans Farmed Deer to Protect Wild White-Tailed Deer Emergency action will provide time to understand connections between known CWD-positive farms & identity & prevent transfer from potentially exposed herds
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has issued an emergency rule that temporarily prohibits the importation and movement of farmed white-tailed deer into and within Minnesota.
This emergency action took effect October 11, 2021 and aims to reduce further spread of chronic wasting disease (CWD) and protect the health of Minnesota’s wild deer. The temporary ban will allow the DNR to determine the previous movements of known CWD-exposed deer and potential additional exposures.
The DNR will work thoroughly on this effort along with the Board of Animal Health, with which it shares concurrent authority to regulate farmed white-tailed deer. The DNR asks for the full support and cooperation of the farmed deer community.
The DNR is taking this action in response to the discovery that a CWD-positive farm in Wisconsin shipped 387 farmed white-tailed deer to farms in seven states, including Minnesota. Three farms in Minnesota ultimately received a total of five deer from the infected farm.
This temporary movement ban will provide time to track the movement of deer from the infected farm and understand the potential risk to other herds. The epidemiological investigations will show connections among known CWD-exposed herds, identify if there were additional exposed herds, and prevent additional transfer from potentially exposed herds. The rule provides exemptions for deer being transported to slaughter and those being transported on a direct route through the state.
The DNR learned on September 27, 2021 that three Minnesota farms ultimately had received a total of five white-tailed deer from the infected Wisconsin farm. Two of those deer went to farms that no longer are in business, and the two animals subsequently moved back to farms in Wisconsin.
The other three deer were moved to a farm in Minnesota that’s currently active. Two of those deer were killed and tested—they did not test positive for CWD. The third deer is still alive and the owner is awaiting payment prior to making the animal available for testing. The farm where this animal lives is currently under quarantine.
DNR Learns of White-Tailed Deer
Cleaning Deactivated Enbridge Pipeline
Enbridge explains the process involved in pipeline deactivation including the use of tools called “cleaning pigs” to scrub, squeegee, and push cleaning solution through the inside of the pipeline that’s been removed from service.
Watch Video: Enbridge Pipeline Cleaning
Goats at Brainerd’s Rotary Riverside Park
There is public parking & routes to walk to the grazing areas
Goats are back to Brainerd Rotary Riverside Park. This week (starting October 13)—160 goats will be grazing at the Brainerd Rotary Riverside Park for just over a week. The Spanish Goats will eat invasive European buckthorn which is classified as an extremely invasive weed by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Removing this invasive weed is very costly and time intensive—goats are a great way to help remove buckthorn from your property.
Goats help open the entire understory of these targeted areas. After the goats are done grazing, native species will be planted to help out-compete the invasive European buckthorn. Returning these areas to its natural state will increase forest health, better habitat for wildlife, pollinator habitat, recreational experiences for park-goers.
Funding for this project was provided through the Outdoor Heritage Fund via Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and the Conservation Partners Legacy Grant Program to restore, protect, and enhance Minnesota’s wetlands, prairies, forests, and habitat for fish, game, and wildlife. Minnesota Native Landscapes, a native restoration company, provided the goats.
Staying in Touch
If you’re looking to hear more from the Capitol, please like me on Facebook.
Have a great start to your weekend!
As always please feel free to contact my office with any questions you might have. My office can be reached by phone at (651) 296-4913 or at sen.carrie.ruud@senate.mn.
Talk to you soon!
Carrie Ruud