Minnesota commodity councils elect new leadership

ST. PAUL, Minn. – Agriculture producers in Minnesota have elected new members to serve on the barley, corn and soybean commodity research and promotion councils.  Each board membership position serves a three year term.

The councils play an important role in developing and promoting Minnesota farm products, including grains and meats.  “Commodity council elections allow producers a say in how their check-off dollars are spent. It’s very important they take advantage of this opportunity and I want to thank all the candidates and producers who took the time to cast a ballot,” said Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner, Dave Frederickson.

2014 commodity council elections for barley, corn and soybean:

Barley Research and Promotion Council

Brian Lacey, Wendell

Corn Research and Promotion Council

District 1, 2 & 4 - Dwight Mork, Bellingham

District 7 - Richard Peterson, Mountain Lake

District 8 - Jerry Demmer, Clarks Grove

District 9 - Marty Amundson, Zumbrota

Soybean Research and Promotion Council

District 1, 2 & 3 - Drew Parsley, Warroad

District 4 - Patrick O’Leary, Benson

District 5 & 6 - Patrick Sullivan, Franklin

District 7 - Craig Bangasser, Garvin

District 8 - Rochelle Krusemark, Trimont

Minnesota beef check-off price increase proposed

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Beef Research and Promotion Council (MBRPC) is proposing a voluntary beef check-off price increase of $1.00 per head.  It’s been more than a decade since the last referendum request to garner more funds to support the council’s efforts to increase value for beef producers.  The current $1.00 per head check-off is split evenly between state and national beef promotion councils.  The proposed increase would remain in the state for Minnesota promotion efforts.

Cattle owners selling their livestock in Minnesota would be eligible to receive a refund of the automatic $1.00 per head increase if the referendum passes and they request it after the sale of their cattle.  The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) is holding information hearings across the state on December 5, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. via videoconference.  Here, producers will have a chance to review the proposal and share their feedback before the February, 2014 mail ballot election.

If you’d like a ballot you can request it from the MDA’s website, you can also request a ballot from the MBRPC.  The videoconference will be held at the following locations:

Willmar: MN Dept. of Human Services 2200 23rd Street NE Willmar, MN 56201	Brainerd: Central Lakes College, Room C224 501 College Drive W Brainerd, MN 56401	Rochester: Olmsted County EMD 1421 3rd Ave S, Basement Room Rochester, MN 55904
Detroit Lakes: Becker County Human Services 712 Minnesota Avenue Detroit Lakes, MN 56502	Marshall: Southwest HHS, Suite 100 607 W Main Street Marshall, MN 56258	Red Lake Falls: MN Wheat RPC 2600 Wheat Drive Red Lake Falls, MN 56750
Mankato: MN Dept. of Health Mankato Place 12 Civic Center Plaza, Suite 2105 Mankato, MN 56001	St. Paul: MN Dept. of Agriculture 625 Robert Street N St. Paul, MN 55155

MDA’s annual Greenbook highlights sustainable innovations in agriculture

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA) has just released its 2013 edition of the Greenbook, highlighting the results of innovative projects that test new approaches to raising crops and livestock in Minnesota. The projects are funded by the MDA’s Sustainable Agriculture Demonstration Grant Program, with the aim of promoting environmental stewardship and conservation of resources.

MDA Commissioner Dave Frederickson says the Greenbook is a valuable resource for farmers, researchers, and others seeking to improve profitability and quality of life on farms and in rural areas.

“The Greenbook provides farmers with insights into the successes and occasionally the failures of hundreds of new projects,” says Frederickson. “It enables them to evaluate what sustainable farming systems may work for them and as a result they can more quickly adopt alternative practices.”

Editor Jean Ciborowski says the new edition features nine sustainable agriculture projects in three major topic areas: cropping systems and soil fertility; fruits and vegetables; and livestock.

To view the Greenbook 2013 go to the MDA’s web site: http://www.mda.state.mn.us/greenbook or call 651-201-6012 to request a free copy.

Look for the 2014 Sustainable Agriculture Grant Application on the MDA website in mid-September at www.mda.state.mn.us/grants/grants.aspx.

NDSU Horticulture Research Field Day Set for Aug. 20

If you are interested in learning more about woody landscape plants, tree diseases and small-fruit research, plan to attend the North Dakota State University Horticulture Research Field Day.

The tour begins at 5 p.m. at the NDSU Horticulture Research Farm and Dale E. Herman Research Arboretum near Absaraka. Beverages and cookies will be provided.

The tour will include NDSU tree and shrub selections, ongoing research, common and exotic species, and the dwarf conifer collection. Research trials on Juneberries and grapes will be featured. Information on hybrid poplar diseases, emerald ash borer and pine/spruce diseases also will be presented.

The 80-acre farm includes the 35-acre Dale E. Herman Research Arboretum, which has the largest collection of woody plants in the northern Plains, plus additional plot research areas.

Todd West, NDSU associate professor in woody plant selection and introduction research; Harlene Hatterman-Valenti, NDSU professor in high-value crop research; and Jared LeBoldus, NDSU assistant professor in tree pathology research, will do presentations on their research activities.

Joseph Zeleznik, NDSU Extension Service forester, and Aaron Bergdahl, North Dakota Forest Service forest health specialist, will provide updates on issues relating to North Dakota's woody plants.

Directions to the NDSU Horticulture Research Farm:

>From the east/west: Take Interstate 94 and turn north at Wheatland exit 324. Follow the pavement to the north. The road curves to the west shortly after passing through Wheatland. Turn north (right) on Cass County Road 5 (paved road). At the Absaraka corner, the road changes to gravel at a slight curve. Go north about three-fourths of a mile (sign posted). Turn east (right) on a field road and proceed one-half mile to the Horticulture Research Farm, which is bordered by trees.

>From the north: Take Interstate 29 south to Argusville exit 79. Go west approximately 20 miles on Cass County Road 4 (paved). Turn south on County Road 5 (gravel, sign posted) for approximately four miles. Turn east (left) prior to the Absaraka corner (sign posted) and proceed one-half mile to the Horticulture Research Farm, which is bordered by trees.

NDSU Center to Hold Nutrient Management Day

The North Dakota State University Carrington Research Extension Center's annual Nutrient Management Day will be held Aug. 13.

The program, formerly known as Compost Day, will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Topics to be covered and the presenters are:

* Containment pond management technologies available to North Dakota producers - E.J. Habrook, K-Line Irrigation Systems of North America, and Lori Frank, Barnes County 319 Watershed program

* Composting mortalities - Mary Berg, livestock environmental management specialist at the Carrington Research Extension Center

* Manure composting demonstration - Emily Kline, livestock environmental management specialist at the center

* Using manure and compost as a fertilizer for crops - Chris Augustin, soil health specialist at NDSU's North Central Research Extension Center

* Microbiology of manure and compost, and the role of microbes in converting manure to composted material - Ann-Marie Fortuna, NDSU soil health assistant professor

Registration is not required but is suggested by Aug. 9 to provide the event's organizers with the number of people attending lunch. The cost of lunch is $9 person. Water will be provided to participants. Morning activities will take place outside, so dress accordingly.

To register or for more information, contact Berg or Kline at (701) 652-2951 or mary.berg@ndsu.edu or emily.m.kline@ndsu.edu. More information also is available at http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/lem.

The Carrington Research Extension Center is 3.5 miles north of Carrington on U.S. Highway 281.

Elections set for two Minnesota commodity research and promotion councils

ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Minnesota Dairy Research and Promotion Council and the Minnesota Turkey Research and Promotion Council will conduct board elections next month.

Ballots for the Dairy Council will be mailed January 11, 2013 and must be returned with a postmark prior to January 28, 2013. There is one position open in each of the districts listed below. Dairy board members serve a two year term.

Dairy Research and Promotion Council Districts

District 2: Aitkin, Carlton, Cook, Itasca, Kanabec, Koochiching, Lake, Mille Lacs, Pine, St. Louis

District 4: Otter Tail (west), Wilkin

District 6: Crow Wing, Morrison

District 8: Includes these Townships in Stearns County: Ashley, Crow Lake, Crow River, Getty, Grove, Lake George, Lake Henry, Melrose, Millwood, North Fork, Oak, Raymond, Spring Hill, Sauk Centre

District 10: Anoka, Benton, Chisago, Hennepin, Isanti, Ramsey, Sherburne, Washington

District 12: Meeker, Wright

District 14: Brown, Nicollet, Sibley

District 16: Goodhue County

District 18: Cottonwood, Jackson, Lincoln, Lyon, Murray, Nobles, Pipestone, Redwood, Rock

District 20: Dodge, Mower, Olmsted

District 22: Fillmore, Houston

Ballots for the Turkey Council will be mailed January 18, 2013 and must be returned with a postmark prior to February 4, 2013. There is one position open in each of the regions listed below, plus three at large positions are open. Turkey board members serve a three year term.

Turkey Research and Promotion Council Regions

Region 1: Aitkin, Anoka, Becker, Beltrami, Benton, Carlton, Cass, Chisago, Clay, Clearwater, Cook, Crow Wing, Douglas, Grant, Hennepin, Hubbard, Isanti, Itasca, Kanabec, Kittson, Koochiching, Lake, Lake of the Woods, Mahnomen, Marshall, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Nicollet, Norman, Ottertail, Pennington, Pine, Polk, Pope, Ramsey, Red Lake, Roseau, St. Louis, Sherburne, Stearns, Stevens, Todd, Traverse, Wadena, Washington, Wilkin, Wright.

Region 2: Big Stone, Blue Earth, Brown, Carver, Chippewa, Cottonwood, Dakota, Dodge, Faribault, Fillmore, Freeborn, Goodhue, Houston, Jackson, Kandiyohi, Lac Qui Parle, Le Sueur, Lincoln, Lyon, Martin, McLeod, Meeker, Mower, Murray, Nicollet, Nobles, Olmsted, Pipestone, Redwood, Renville, Rice, Rock, Scott, Sibley, Steele, Swift, Wabasha, Waseca, Watonwan, Winona, Yellow Medicine.