Saturday noon news digest: spring plowing edition

It's a great sunny day, so we're headed out to Swan Lake, Fort Ridgely and the Minnesota River Valley for some afternoon birding as soon as this is up. We hope the sun will dry the fields enough for the farmers to start working.

Not all farmers are doing great. The Post Bulletin reports that USDA to buy surplus pork:

Aiming to boost a sagging American pork market, Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer has committed to $50 million in emergency pork purchases.

The pork products will be used for child nutrition and other domestic foods assistance programs.

On April 10, U.S. Rep. Tim Walz sent a letter to Schafer, urging him to make the purchases to help pork producers, who are being squeezed by high expenses and low hot prices.

"These purchases will help to stabilize hog prices and mitigate the economic losses faced by our producers in southern Minnesota," Walz said Friday.

The ag secretary has the power, under a law passed during the Great Depression, to purchase surplus commodities to support farm prices.

Minnesota's First Congressional District, in the southeast corner of the state, ranks second in the United States in pork production with more than 2,500 pork producers raising 9 million hogs a year. The industry employs 22,500 Minnesotans. . . .

Whether you're buying meat direct from a farmer, from a co-op or at the grocery store, try these roasted pork enchiladas. Mmmmm. These days, it's easy to find queso fresco cheese at any grocery store, though many Minnesotans' taste buds may favor the Monterey Jack.  BTW, Farmers' Markets are opening today throughout Southern Minnesota. In Winona, Scone Lady’ adds flavor to local farmers market. We may have to wait a week or two for asparagus.

And probably that long for the details of the Farm Bill coming out of conference committee. Minnesota Public Radio reports in Farm Bill agreement in hand:

A congressional conference committee will be working through the weekend in an effort to finalize a $300 billion Farm Bill. The legislation pays for farm subsidies conservation, alternative energy, and nutrition programs for the next five years. The process has been contentious and may end with a showdown between Congress and the President. . . .

. . .Peterson expects the Farm Bill to be on the House floor next week. It's expected to have strong bi-partisan support in both the House and Senate.

U.S. Rep. Earl Pomeroy (D-N.D.) is also on the conference committee crafting the final legislation. He says there's been a good faith effort to work with the president, now it's time for a showdown.

"We want the White House to sign this bill, we're trying to accommodate their concerns. But if they don't, this bill will have the full participation by both political parties as it passes the House and Senate," Pomeroy says. "We believe we're going to have a level of support where if veto override is what it takes, veto override is what we're going to give them."

Farmers, conservation groups and social service agencies will all be watching closely as that showdown happens sometime in the next two weeks.

KTTC-TV reports Disabled Veterans Meet in Rochester for the group's annual convention.

Congressman Walz will hold an economic summit in Mankato on June 2.

This event will feature thought-provoking discussions and panels on the most important economic issues facing Southern Minnesota and the country. The Summit offers an opportunity to have a regional conversation about the kind of community, State and Nation we are striving for. The event will gather academic leaders, industry experts, the business community, local residents and policy experts to discuss and debate issues of importance to us all.

When: Monday June 2, 2008

Where:    Alltel Convention Center,  Mankato, MN

The Summit Agenda:

7:15: Registration opens

8:00– 8:15 Welcome by Congressman Tim Walz

8:15 – 8:45 An Analysis of Minnesota’s Economic and Demographic Trends and Outlook?

8:45 – 9:00 Building a Competitive Advantage for Rural Regions/p>

9:00 – 10:15 Panel #1: Healthcare

10:15 – 11:45 Panel #2: Early Childhood and K-12 Education

11:45 – 12:45 Lunch and Keynote Address by U.S. Congressman Tim Walz

12:45 – 2:00 Panel #3: Higher Education

2:00 – 3:15 Panel #4: “Agriculture and Energy: Energizing Rural Economic Growth”

3:15 – 4:30 Capitalizing on our Regional Competitiveness

The event is free and open to the public, although the lunch meal is $15. A registration form is here (Word doc).

Michael Travers' letter to the editor, Walz has earned support for second term, has been published in the Mankato Free Press and the New Ulm Journal. The New Ulm resident writes:

Last weekend, the DFL endorsed Tim Walz as its candidate for Congress in the First District.

Walz deserves to be re-elected for a second term. He has been a fresh breath of air in an otherwise business as usual government. To Walz, good ideas come from both sides of the aisle; from people like you and me.

Walz is a true representative of the people of his district. You and I may not agree on every issue with Walz, but one thing is for sure, Walz will listen.

As a family man, Walz gets it. As you hear his wife, Gwen, speak she’ll tell you that each time she comes home from the grocery store or the gas station she’ll remind him of the price of a gallon of milk or a gallon of gas. The pride he has in his family is evident by the smile on his face.

As a former teacher and coach, Walz understands the importance of the issues that face young people everyday and the impact the decisions we make today will have on their future.

This time, the first congressional district has a keeper. This time, the first congressional district has the representation of a man who is genuine, committed, and will not forget that it is a privilege to serve as your representative.

Congratulations to Irma Marguez of St. James, who has been selected Minnesota's Homecoming Queen.

The Olmsted County DFL will hold its Fifth Annual Dinner tonight in Rochester.