Caledonia Argus

Farm Bureau president wants ag agent

Posted: 5/18/04

By David Heiller
Argus News Editor

Houston County commissioners heard another plea for bringing a University of Minnesota Extension Service agriculture educator back to the county at its May 11 meeting.

Germain Davison, Hokah, spoke to the board for about 20 minutes as president of Houston County Farm Bureau.

Commissioners eliminated the agriculture educator position from their budget last year as part of budget cutting measures. Several citizens have attended meetings since then to object to the move.

Regional agriculture educators are now located in Rochester. Davison gave many reasons to have an agriculture agent in the county, such as the need for an objective opinion on new products, and to have someone answer technical questions.

Farmers pay about $100 per acre to rent and $100 to plant land, he said. ìJust think of the investment the farmers are putting into the fields today.î

Commissioners defended the cuts for financial reasons. The board also trimmed funding for things like the historical society and nursing service, Kevin Kelleher said.

Commissioner Larry Graf said it was the toughest budget year he had faced in his 11 years on the board.

Commissioner Dave Corcoran said that cost of educators has risen in recent years. What had cost $43,000 in the past now costs $140,000 to $200,000, he said. ìWe will take a look at it down the road,î he said. But he added that not every farmer wants an ag agent, and that ag agents donít know all the answers.

Young farmers need resources, Davison answered. ìWe donít want to be just a park, a couple horses on a 40-acre pasture,î he said. ìWeíve got a few left that want to produce food, and we better not lose them.î

Commissioner Ann Thompson said she hoped the board would look at the issue again now that the dust has settled on the restructuring of the 4-H program.

The board discussed 4-H a little more in an afternoon session with Dr. LuAnn Hiniker, regional director of the University of Minnesota Extension Service.

ìExtension is your open door to the University of Minnesota,î she said. She also gave an update of a book called Atlas of Minnesota that gives a lot of information on the state on subjects like income, agriculture, and education.

This reporter asked Hiniker what the pros and cons were of having an agriculture educator in the county. She answered that a local agent leverages more information from the University of Minnesota. They can do things like set up research plots, field trials, and dairy initiatives in the county, she said.

Itís a question of priorities, Corcoran responded.

ï Tax abatement: The board also approved tax abatement applications for two county businesses, Loken Auto Sales and Service in Houston and Winona Controls in Caledonia.

Loken Auto Salesí plans are to tear down a car wash and build a 10-unit motel in its place. The business, which will be called Lokenís Sawmill Motel, is expected to provide new employment and will have a new market value of $500,000. Its tax abatement cannot exceed $25,500. Owner John Loken said he hopes to start it in June, and complete it by November 1, in time for deer hunting season.

Winona Controlsí plans are to build a new office/shop/warehouse building with a market value of $200,000. The business is a mechanical and business operation. Total abatement cannot exceed $10,000

Each business will receive a 75 percent abatement in years 1-6, and a 50 percent abatement in years 7-10.

Both businesses have also applied for subsidies in the Job Opportunity Building Zone (JOBZ) program, which if accepted, would supercede county tax abatements. Their savings would be more substantial in the JOBZ programs because they would be exempt from paying most property taxes, sales taxes, and corporate taxes.

Top of Page