Legislative Update: Section 179 gets early traction

Posted on February 18, 2020

By Amanda Bilek, senior public policy director for the Minnesota Corn Growers Association

The legislative session is underway in St. Paul. Although the first week was relatively quiet when it came to committee meetings, there was plenty of activity in meeting and connecting with lawmakers to discuss MCGA policy priorities for this session. You can read about our priorities in last week’s update here.

The House Taxes committee had their first meeting of session last week and first up was HF 3023,

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The predictive power of drones in the field

Posted on February 17, 2020

(Graduate student Dorothy Kirsch operates a drone on the University of Minnesota St. Paul Campus)

Written by Jonathan Eisenthal

Farmers today have a number of models and software within reach, but most all of them require expensive hardware, software and services with trained technicians to deliver a crop forecast.

University of Minnesota Associate Professor Candice Hirsch, leading the project supported through the Minnesota Corn Growers Association,

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What to consider prior to Mar. 15 ARC/PLC deadline

Posted on February 17, 2020

The below includes contributions from the U.S. Department of Agriculture

All farm producers with interest in the cropland must make a unanimous election in 2019 of either ARC-CO or PLC on a crop-by-crop basis; or ARC-IC for all covered commodity base acres on a farm. This election will apply to the farm for 2019 through 2023. Program election changes are permitted in crop years 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Failure to make a valid election in 2019 will result in a continuation of the program elected for 2014 through 2018 crop years for all covered commodities with base acres on the farm;

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MN Capitol

Biofuels, tax policy headline 2020 legislative priorities

Posted on February 6, 2020

By Amanda Bilek, senior public policy director for the Minnesota Corn Growers Association

Today the second session of the 91st Minnesota Legislature convened. In the second year of a biennium, the legislative session usually has a focus on capital investment or public works projects and policy initiatives.

Last year, the Legislature adopted a two-year budget for the state but after the February forecast, Governor Walz and Lieutenant Governor Flanagan are expected to submit a supplemental budget request.

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County scholarships open to future ag leaders

Posted on February 6, 2020

County corn grower associations throughout Minnesota are offering scholarships to local students interested in a career in agriculture.

To apply to any of the below, visit mncorn.org/scholarships, select your home county and fill out the online application:

  • Nobles County Corn & Soybean Growers Scholarship
    • Who qualifies: High school seniors residing in Nobles County pursuing a degree in an ag or bio-science related field.
    • Due date: March 6
  • Dodge County Corn &
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