News ›
,

Corn farmers talk taxes, biofuels and stewardship at state capitol

March 14, 2014
Reading Time: 3 minutes
Jerry Demmer, Bruce Peterson, Tim Wiersma, Annie Tomschin, Grace Erickson and her father Dan visited with Sen. Dan Sparks, chair of the Senate jobs, agriculture and rural development committee during the Minnesota Corn Growers Association Day on the Hill Thursday.
Jerry Demmer, Bruce Peterson, Tim Wiersma, Annie Tomschin, Grace Erickson and her father Dan visited with Sen. Dan Sparks (Austin), chair of the Senate jobs, agriculture and rural development committee during the Minnesota Corn Growers Association Day on the Hill Thursday.

Repealing the farm machinery repair tax, including farmers on discussions about environmental regulations, and supporting ethanol and biodiesel were just a few of the topics Minnesota corn farmers covered while meeting with more than 50 legislators at the state capitol on Thursday.

“Before we head out into the fields for spring planting, we went to St. Paul to make sure the voices of corn farmers are heard,” said John Mages, a farmer in Belgrade and chair of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association’s (MCGA) government relations committee. “We had several productive visits, and while not every legislator agrees with us on issues important to corn farmers, it’s important to connect with as many as possible to help them understand the important role corn farming plays in our economy and the impact it makes throughout our entire state.”

John Mages and Sen. Torrey Westrom.
John Mages and Sen. Torrey Westrom (Elbow Lake).

A few of the key issues covered included:

  • Repealing new taxes from last session on farm machinery repairs and warehouse storage. The House has already passed legislation to repeal both taxes and the Senate should take up the issue soon.
  • Continued support of renewable energy. Since Minnesota has no fossil fuel sources of its own, most of our petroleum is sourced from the Canadian Tar Sands. Homegrown renewable fuels like ethanol come from a Minnesota corn field, not an environmentally sensitive area like the Tar Sands.
  • Mike Benson
    Lori Feltis and Kevin Welter with Rep. Mike Benson (Rochester).

    Keep farmers involved in discussions on environmental policy and regulations. When it comes to water quality, water management and other environmental stewardship issues, it’s essential that farmers are invited to the table and a key part of the discussion.

  • Pollinators. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture, in partnership with other state agencies,recently released a plan to respond to declining bee populations. MCGA is also taking action on this issue by advising members of best management practices to preserve existing and create new habitat for bees around farmland.
  • MCGA president Ryan Buck also testified in front of the legislature on ethanol’s impact on young farmers.
MCGA president Ryan Buck testifying about ethanol's impact on young farmers.
MCGA president Ryan Buck testifying about ethanol’s impact on young farmers.