Monday, June 30, 2014

Moving agricultural freight in Minnesota Forum


ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is organizing a one day forum on the future of agricultural freight in the state. The goal is to discuss strategies among rail providers and agricultural producers for successfully moving product in the coming years. Agricultural producers have faced challenges securing space on rail, while providers are also feeling mounting pressure to transport more products on their rail lines.

Envisioning the Future of Agricultural Freight in Minnesota is supported by the Minnesota Corn Growers Association, Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council, Minnesota Grain and Feed Association and the Midwest Shippers Association. The forum features experts from railroad companies, agricultural commodity groups and government agencies, including MDA Commissioner Dave Frederickson.

“I hope this forum can spur solutions to our busy freight lines and we can learn from past delays and difficulties to move our agricultural products on rail in the fastest, safest and most cost effective way for farmers and rail providers,” said Frederickson.

The forum is free to attend Thursday, July 10 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Arrowwood Resort in Alexandria, Minnesota. Pre-registration is required by Monday, July 7 by emailing christina.connelly@state.mn.us. The day will feature two expert panels moderated by Don Wick of the Red River Farm Network and Perry Aasness of the Minnesota Agri-Growth Council.

For more information on the event or to register, please visit http://www.mda.state.mn.us/international.

Prairie chicken hunt lottery opens July 1



Starting July 1, hunters can enter a lottery for one of 126 permits available for the 2014 Minnesota prairie chicken season.

Applications are available wherever Minnesota Department of Natural Resources hunting and fishing licenses are sold. The deadline is Friday, Aug. 15.

“Having a prairie chicken hunt raises awareness of this unique species and how heavily these birds rely on healthy prairies and grasslands,” said Steve Merchant, DNR wildlife populations and regulations manager. “Having hunters take an interest in prairie chickens is beneficial because prairie conservation and prairie chickens go hand in hand.”

The nine-day prairie chicken season, which will begin on Saturday, Sept. 27, is open to Minnesota residents only. Hunters will be charged a $4 application fee and may apply individually or in groups up to four. Prairie chicken licenses cost $23. Apply at any DNR license agent; the DNR License Center, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul; online at www.mndnr.gov/buyalicense or by telephone at 888-665-4236. An additional fee is charged for Internet and phone orders.

The hunt will be conducted in 11 prairie chicken quota areas in west-central Minnesota between St. Hilaire in the north and Breckenridge in the south. Up to 20 percent of the permits in each area will be issued to landowners or tenants of 40 acres or more of prairie or grassland property within the permit area for which they applied.

The season bag limit is two prairie chickens per hunter. Licensed prairie chicken hunters will be allowed to take sharp-tailed grouse while legally hunting prairie chickens.

Sharptails and prairie chickens are similar looking species. The general closure on taking sharp-tailed grouse by small game hunters in this area is to protect prairie chickens. Licensed prairie chicken hunters who want to take sharptails must meet all regulations and licensing requirements for taking sharp-tailed grouse.

In 2013, an estimated 96 prairie chickens were harvested, with 60 percent of hunters taking at least one bird. Hunter success varies considerably from year-to-year, especially when poor weather prevents hunters from going out in the field.

“Prairie chickens need large tracts of native prairie and grasslands, but unfortunately prairie conservation is challenging,” said Merchant. “That’s why the DNR has been a partner along with the Minnesota Prairie Chicken Society, The Nature Conservancy and numerous others in developing and implementing the Minnesota Prairie Conservation Plan. This plan aims to protect Minnesota’s remaining native prairie, and restore and manage grasslands, and the prairie chicken should benefit as a result.”

For more information on the prairie chicken, search “prairie chicken” at the DNR’s rare species guide at www.mndnr.gov/rsg. For more information on the Minnesota Prairie Conservation plan, see www.mndnr.gov/prairieplan.

Apply by Aug. 15 for youth deer hunts at state parks and refuges



Minnesota youth have from Tuesday, July 1 until Friday, Aug. 15, to apply for one of 17 special deer hunts in October and November.

“Youth accompanied by a parent, guardian or mentor can hunt in select state parks and other refuge areas during these annual opportunities,” said Mike Kurre, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources mentoring coordinator.

Of the 17 special hunts, 15 are firearms hunts for youth ages 12-15; two are archery hunts for youth ages 12-17.

Participating in a youth deer hunt does not preclude the youth from participating in the regular firearms deer season, but any deer harvested do count against the youth’s season bag limit. An adult parent, guardian or mentor must accompany the youth at all times while hunting, but only the youth may hunt. Youth and their mentor must attend a mandatory pre-hunt orientation clinic.

A limited number of either-sex permits are available for the following hunts:

ARCHERY
  • Camp Ripley Archery Hunt (open to youth 12-17), archery, 175 permits, hunt is Oct. 11-12, clinic is Oct. 10-11.
  • Lake Alexander Preserve (open to youth 12-17), archery, 20 permits, hunt is Oct. 11-12, clinic is Oct. 10.
FIREARMS
  • Afton State Park, firearms, 20 permits, hunt is Nov. 8-9, clinic is Oct. 18.
  • Banning State Park, firearms, six permits, hunt is Nov. 1-2, park will mail clinic information.
  • Blue Mounds State Park, firearms, 10 permits, hunt is Nov. 22-23, clinic is Nov. 21.
  • Buffalo River State Park, firearms, 14 permits, hunt is Nov. 8-9, clinic is Nov. 7.
  • Camden State Park, firearms, 12 permits, hunt is Nov. 1-2, clinic is Oct. 31.
  • Great River Bluffs State Park, firearms, 20 permits, hunt is Oct. 25-26, clinic is Oct. 11.
  • Itasca State Park, firearms, 75 permits, hunt is Oct. 25-26, clinic is Oct. 18 or Oct. 24.
  • Lake Bemidji State Park, firearms, 20 permits, hunt is Oct. 18-19, clinic is Oct. 17.
  • Lake Shetek State Park, firearms, 12 permits, hunt is Oct. 25-26, clinic is Oct. 24.
  • Rydell National Wildlife Refuge, firearms, 20 permits, hunt is Oct. 18-19, clinic is Sept. 20.
  • St. Croix State Park, firearms, 90 permits, hunt is Nov. 1-2, park will mail clinic information.
  • Savanna Portage State Park, firearms, 25 permits, hunt is Oct. 25-26, clinic is Oct. 24.
  • Split Rock Creek State Park (new in 2014), 10 permits, hunt is Oct. 25-26, clinic is Oct. 24.
  • Tettegouche State Park, firearms, 10 permits, hunt is Oct. 18-19, clinic is Oct. 17.
  • Zippel Bay State Park, firearms, 20 permits, hunt is Oct. 18-19, park will mail clinic information.
Youth must apply for the hunt of his or her choice, which can be done at any DNR license agent; the DNR License Center, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, or online at www.mndnr.gov/buyalicense. For archery hunts, apply with code 630; for firearms hunts, apply with code 631.

If the number of applications exceeds the number of permits, a lottery will be conducted. Youth may only apply for one archery hunt and one firearms hunt.

Successful applicants also must meet all firearms safety requirements, purchase all appropriate licenses and follow hunting regulations.

In addition to the 17 application-only hunts in state parks and refuge areas, any youth ages
10-15 can also participate in a special deer season that runs from Thursday, Oct. 16 through Sunday, Oct. 19, in 27 permit areas that encompass portions of southeastern and northwestern Minnesota and portions of the Twin Cities metro area.


For more information, visit www.mndnr.gov/discover and click on youth deer hunts.