Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is proposing a $10 million relief package to reimburse farmers for costs like irrigation and equipment during this year’s drought.
Minnesota Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen says the droughts have severely impacted livestock farmers and specialty crop producers who have no safety net.
“Some of the things that really stand out to me these last couple of weeks is in July in August we lost 20 dairy farms each month,” said Petersen. “So we lost 40 dairy farms and the state is almost down to where we’re going to dip under 2,000 (dairy farms). A lot of farmers had to make tough decisions.”
Minnesota livestock and specialty food producers are sounding the alarm saying help is needed soon.
President of the Minnesota Farmers Union Gary Wertish says more farms will close if legislators fail to act on the $10 million drought relief package.
“If we wait until the legislative session, obviously there’s going to be a few more families that get out of farming,” Wertish said.
If passed, payments from the drought relief package would go directly to farmers, covering costs like equipment and irrigation.
The governor says these funds will not make farmers whole, but will help.
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