Local Lawmakers Support Financial Help For Farmers If Special Session Called

(KNSI) – Minnesota lawmakers could hold a special session to pass an emergency relief package for farmers adversely affected by drought.

The National Weather Service says Minnesota is between four and eight inches behind its average rainfall, and drought conditions are worsening. The latest U.S. Drought Monitor report shows 35% of Minnesota in extreme drought, a 13% increase from last week. A large portion of Stearns County and almost all of Sherburne County fall into the extreme drought category.

This week, Governor Tim Walz was at Farmfest in Redwood County and told farmers he would support an emergency financial relief package. St. Cloud Representative Tama Theis (GOP)says she has family farming in the area and says they’re feeling the effects of the drought.

“When I drive around just the St. Cloud area. Man, there’s a lot of fields that are hurting, and a lot of farmers are talking about it, too. I was talking with my cousin who has a farm up by Mayhew Lake and, and I noticed that some of the corn has already been taken down for silage.

Theis says even if the rains start coming over the next couple of weeks, she fears it might be too late.

“Even if we do get a bunch of rain, I think we’re gonna have to talk about it. Because I don’t know that some of these fields can be salvaged. But I definitely would look forward to seeing what what comes up. Will I support something? Yes. If it is a really good package and hits the areas that need it, I will.”

St. Cloud Senator Aric Putnam (DFL) says the need is urgent and touches more than rural Minnesotans.

“I think a lot of people don’t realize just how important agriculture is the state of Minnesota. And it’s not just the areas that have farms, it’s the entire state, the percentage of our economy that’s made up through agricultural industries is absolutely massive. So you know, for sure we need to do something to help people deal with this current weather situation as soon as we can.”

Agriculture officials say livestock and specialty crop farmers are hardest hit because their insurance generally covers less than corn and soybean farmers. Putnam says he will support a special session to get financial help to farmers.

“We need to all come together and help out our agricultural industries here, because it’s about farmers, but it’s also about the rest of us, too. And Minnesotans are good at helping each other out. So, I’m optimistic that that’s what we’ll do.”

Lawmakers would have to decide where the financial help would come from and how much would be needed to help the agricultural industry. Some lawmakers would like to access federal COVID funding for drought relief, while other favor tapping into the state’s rainy day fund.

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