I recently traveled to St. Paul talking to my legislators as a representative of Minnesota Farm Bureau. I am a strong proponent that we need to stay in contact with our representatives. Is there a problem with that? Most would say not, but . . . Are We Talking to the Choir? We are talking to the choir. Because they…
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Right in the middle of Minnesota’s agriculture community is Martin County. Located in south-central Minnesota, Martin County is rich in agriculture resources. In fact, the county is the largest pork-producing county in Minnesota. We celebrate our strong agriculture community through an event called From the Ground Up. What is From the Ground Up? From the Ground Up is a yearly…
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It was August, 1991 and I was attending the local county fair with my three daughters. The two oldest were competing in the local kid’s tractor pull. They had a bit of a knack for tractor pulls where they typically would place at the competitions. As a mom, I am cheering them on. And, perhaps, maybe a little too much….
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OpEd By Cara Harbstreet How many fruits and vegetables do you eat each day? If you just sheepishly looked away, you’re not alone. According to the CDC, only one in ten Americans consumes the recommended daily serving of fruits and vegetables. This hasn’t changed much in recent years, with the number of eating occasions for vegetables remaining flat for at least…
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I am going to be very upfront. I have been pushed to the edge with the force our government is taking in controlling our lives. The unapologetic push for electric vehicle mandates is at the top of the list of unnecessary government controls. Let’s look at what’s going on. California and Minnesota’s Electric Vehicle Mandates In 2021, the state of…
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Blue earth origins Traveling through southern Minnesota along I90, you may notice a town by the name of Blue Earth. You may ponder the unique name. Why is the town called “Blue Earth.” Is the earth really blue? Let me explain. They named the town after the Blue Earth River, which surrounds the town. They named the river after the…
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What do tires, shoes, and diesel fuel all have in common? Besides helping us get from place to place, they are all produced using soybean oil. When soybeans are harvested in the fall and crushed, 80% of the soybean is made up of protein – or meal. Roughly 97% of U.S. soybean meal is used as a protein source when…
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While most Minnesotans want to combat climate change, there is considerable opposition to the approach Governor Tim Walz is taking on both energy policy and electric vehicles. That was the key finding of a new poll released by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, a nonpartisan government agency. Several voices have criticized the governor’s plan to change the state’s transportation sector, including…
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It’s very concerning when people vote on issues when they don’t understand the ramifications. There is no clearer example than the approved California ballot initiative–Proposition 12. Proposition 12 addresses farm animal housing standards. The problem? Unfortunately, Californians didn’t have enough knowledge to make a good, educated decision. The only way our type of government works properly is if we have…
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We are living in unsettled, stressful and uncertain times. I struggle to find ways to process everything that is going on in our world. I resign to the fact that I can’t figure it out. War is looming that we haven’t seen since WWII and will impact every one of us. It makes me sad. Some of you may say,…
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