Farmers get more leverage

By FRITZ BUSCH

Journal Staff Writer

SLEEPY EYE -- Farmers could buy lower-cost health insurance through a coop as of Aug. 1, 2003 according to legislation passed this year in St. Paul.

Minnesota District 21B Rep. Brad Finstad (R-New Ulm) talked about the Purchasing Alliance bill he sponsored at the Brown County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting Monday night at Allison Park. Under the legislation, farmers would be able to buy cheaper health insurance at group rates through coops, effective Aug. 1.

A member of the Commerce Committee besides several agricultural committees, Finstad said the bill came about with the help of MFAFM (Minnesotans For A Free Marketplace).

Farm Bureau member Charles Guggisberg asked Finstad how rising health and human services costs could be controlled. "It's an 800-pound gorilla," Guggisberg said.

Finstad said some states are holding down by being less involved with health and human services. Minnesota H&HS costs grew 11 percent instead of the proposed 22 percent this year, which wasn't really a cut, just less "fast and furious increase," Finstad added.

Tort (legal) reform was another way to contain rising costs, which was done last session, Finstad said.

An example of excess was that fact that until this fiscal year, the Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources had 2,100 vehicles for its 2,300 employees.

"What a time to get into the legislature," Finstad said. "It's time for the state to be financially and fiscally responsible and define core services. It was no easy task."

Many legislators needed to learn more about how agriculture really works instead of making decisions by what they see and smell, according to Finstad.

"We need to teach them that manure can be profitable and valuable as fertilizer, not a liability," Finstad said. "Laws need to be based on sound science."

The Farm Bureau also:

* Approved a resolution -- initiated by Greg Bartz of Sleepy Eye -- to get more skilled U.S. trade negotiators that will stand up for agriculture instead of just using it to spice up their resume.

Brown County Farm Bureau President Dennis Broste agreed, saying the European view that genetically-modified (Frankenstein) food is harmful is wrong and artificial barriers on food are not free trade.

* Elected a new board including Bartz, Dennis Broste, Michele Dammann, Lucy Gluth, Todd Miller, Don Guhlke, Brian Stueber, Gerald Woodley and Harley Vogel.

Broste resigned, explaining that he will marry a Texas woman next weekend and will be spending lots of time out of state. He said he would help out on the board if elected, when he was able to do so.

Dammann resigned in favor of a human resources job with Christensen Family Farms of Sleepy Eye.

* Learned of Century Farmers to be honored at the Brown County Fair: Walter and Delores Haas of Sigel Township, Albert and Erna Wellnitz and John and Sonya Wellnitz of Home Township, Karen Kastner of Mulligan Township, Alan and Evelyn Hagen of Albin Township, Ione Peterson of Lake Hanska Township and Meryl Anderson of Linden Township.