Dear Neighbor,
One of the most positive things legislators saw during a two-day tour of ag. facilities around the state earlier this week is that Minnesota's turkey industry is recovering from last spring's devastating avian flu outbreak.
The Jennie-O plant at Faribault is recalling workers and also announced this week an expansion at the plant, which was good to hear. Barns that were infected this spring are slowly coming back on-line. At last count, at least 40 have re-stocked with birds and are in business again.
The Hormel pork processing plant in Austin was impressive when we stopped there, too. These companies make Minnesota a world leader in the processing of these foods. They also play a big role in our state's robust economy.
Also on the first day, we toured the REG bio diesel plant near Albert Lea. Using mainly soybean oil, the plant produces the oil that goes into blending our bio diesel. The process adds value to not only soybeans, but also to livestock in the area.
The highlight on the second day of the tour was going through the poultry testing lab in Willmar and getting a report from staff on how it functions. The Legislature appropriated $8.5 million in this year's bonding bill to upgrade the facility so they can do more testing for avian influenza on location, which means the samples wouldn't all have to be sent to St Paul. Plans are currently being finalized on just how that expansion will take place.
We toured the MinnWest Technology Campus, also in Willmar, and heard presentations from several businesses. It's a beautiful setting and it's great to see that many of the buildings at the former state hospital are being used.
The last stops on the tour were the ethanol plant in Granite Falls and the sugar beet processing plant at Renville. Again, these types of businesses add value to the crops that Minnesota farmers grow and give a big boost to the economy, not only in their immediate areas, but state-wide.
On a side note, crops looked excellent along our route both days. Minnesota in the garden-spot of the nation this year, and our corn and soybeans are rated higher here than in any other state. The sugar beets also look very good and should produce a strong yield. We also encountered our share of road construction and detours and delays. Major projects were being worked on west of Litchfield on Highway 12 and also on 212 near Sacred Heart.
Sincerely,
Paul