Marshall Independent

By Deb Gau

COTTONWOOD — Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., went on a field trip to a Lyon County farm Thursday for an up-close look at the agriculture industry hoping to bring back ‘real examples’ back to Washington, D.C.

Jonathan and Carolyn Olson shared with the U.S. senator the issues they face and needs as organic farmers.

“It helps me to use real examples like this,” Klobuchar said of her visit. Getting a chance to see what farmers were dealing with in the real world – from their equipment to the weather – could help inform legislation, she said.

Klobuchar toured the Olsons’ farm south of Cottonwood on Friday. As part of the tour, the Olsons answered questions about their crops and operations, and spoke about the history of the farm.

The Olson farm, which is registered as Fairview Farm, dates back to 1913. Today, the Olsons farm about 1,100 acres. The Olsons said they started growing organic crops in the 1990s.

“So you got started early on,” Klobuchar said.

Jonathan Olson said they typically rotate crops of wheat, corn and soybeans.

“We like to have a third crop. It spreads out our workload,” he said. They also use cover crops, he said.

Olson said his grandfather started raising crops for seed in the 1930s, and the family has continued that business. Today, Fairview Farm produces seed for Albert Lea Seed.

The Olsons said the wet weather this year hadn’t necessarily been great for their crops.

“The yields aren’t as great,” Carolyn Olson said.

“The weeds had maybe too much water,” Jonathan Olson said.

Growing organic crops brings some challenges in terms of controlling weeds, because chemicals can’t be used on the fields, the Olsons said. They showed Klobuchar a harrow and finger weeder, that helps remove weeds without disturbing crops.

“We build these in the winter,” and sell them to other organic farmers, Carolyn Olson said.

The farm tour offered jumping-off points for talking about agriculture needs and policy. Carolyn Olson said being able to repair farm equipment was important for all farmers. There’s a need for skilled workers like diesel mechanics and welders to help support the agriculture industry, she said.

“Supply chain issues are also a big thing,” Olson told Klobuchar. Sometimes it could be hard to find specialized parts for farm equipment.

Olson said workforce needs was a topic that the Minnesota Farm Bureau and other agricultural organizations met to talk about. They wanted to work to fill the need with a “people first” approach, she said.

“We figured, people first. Start at that level, and get more people involved,” Olson said.

Supporting technical education was one way to help encourage people to go into fields like welding and mechanics, Olson said. While there were lots of options for community and technical colleges in southwest Minnesota, she said there were fewer options available in the northern part of the state.

“Getting people in those jobs is, I think, a bigger issue than a lot of people realize,” she said.

Klobuchar also spoke with the Independent on Friday about the possibility of a new Farm Bill being passed. Klobuchar said she believed there was still a chance for a bill to pass this year.

“We are closer than people think,” Klobuchar said. The differences that had to be settled on the Farm Bill were down to money and where it goes, she said.

Klobuchar said the challenge would be to try and pass a new Farm Bill before the end of the year. This fall’s elections would bring a change of leadership, and that change could slow down the progress of the bill.

“The challenge is just the uncertainty of next year, no matter who wins,” she said.

Klobuchar said she hoped that negotiations could get going again for the Farm Bill. “I would much rather get it done” before January, she said.