Reading around greater Minnesota's media, we were surprised to see this copy in the Mark Anthony article at the Voice of Alexandria, House has passes drought-relief package for farmers and other ag producers:
The Minnesota House has passed a drought-relief package for farmers and other ag producers with five million dollars to provide grants up to 10 thousand dollars -- plus five million dollars for loans. The sponsor, Esko Democrat Mike Sundin (sun-DEEN), says his bill will provide “a much-needed lifeline to those who provide our most basic need -- food.”
However, Starbuck Republican Paul Anderson pointed out neighboring Wisconsin’s drought-relief package is 100 million dollars -- ten times more -- and the bill passed last night “just isn’t enough.”
The Starbuck Republican didn't mention the Wisconsin money in the press release he sent out on Friday, Rep. Anderson: House passes drought relief bill, that is linked off his official Minnesota House profile.
In the article about the debate published by Session Daily, Bill offering relief for drought-hit farmers passes House, Rob Hubbard reports:
Anderson ended up supporting the bill, but did say, “There’s a whole lot more damage out there than just $5 million’s worth. … Our neighboring state, Wisconsin, allocated $100 million of federal COVID relief to farmers, the last round in December being $50 million. My point being that we all had pandemic issues and drought issues, and Wisconsin allocated $100 million to farmers in their state.”
That's federal relief, not legislative relief. It seems curious to elide COVID and drought relief into one heap o' cash.
We grew curious about how that COVID relief came to be directed to farmers in Wisconsin. The first thing to pop up on Mr. Google was the Associated Press article published by Madison NBC affiliate WMTV, Evers directs $50 million to Wisconsin farmers, agriculture:
Gov. Tony Evers is directing $50 million in federal coronavirus relief funding to Wisconsin’s farmers and the state’s agriculture industry.
That is in addition to $50 million in federal funding that has already been distributed through the Wisconsin Farm Support Program.
“They’ve always had our back, and now, we need to have theirs. I’m glad to be providing another round of direct aid to farmers to support their recovery and strengthen one of our state’s most important industries,” Evers said.
Applications for the latest round of funding Evers announced Wednesday will open later this year following the fall harvest.
Evers, who is up for reelection next year, has sole control over how to spend the billions of dollars in federal coronavirus relief money the state received.
It seems curious for Anderson to compare federal relief administered by a governor in a nearby state with those he and his legislative colleagues. Even more questionable? Minnesota media turning Wisconsin COVID relief into a drought relief program.
Rather, we would thing that diligent reporters would ask what Minnesota farmers received in federal COVID relief through the Walz administration, for an apples-to-apples comparison. Perhaps they might ask Governor Walz or Department of Agriculture Thom Peterson at their next press conference.
Instead, we get news reports of Walz throwing the DNR under the bus at a virtual advocacy event for farmers on Wednesday. Really, Governor?
And if Anderson thinks COVID-19 relief for farmers from federal funds is a fair comparison, why not look at federal drought relief?
Here's the discussion of the Wisconsin Farm Support Program from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection:
Wisconsin Farm Support Program
Under the direction of Governor Evers, the Wisconsin Farm Support Program provided three rounds of direct aid payments to farmers to help them respond to the challenges presented by COVID-19. In total, the program has provided $100 million to Wisconsin farmers who experienced economic losses associated with the pandemic.
The first round of the Farm Support Program ran from June 15-29, 2020 and nearly 12,000 farmers received a total of $41.6 million in direct payments.
The second round of the Wisconsin Farm Support Program distributed $8.4 million and closed on August 24, 2020.
The third round of the Farm Support Program closed on November 29, 2021 and distributed $50 million to more than 20,000 farmers. You can find a map of county-by-county distribution of each round of funding here. For more information, visit DOR's Farm Support Program page.
Announcements
December 20, 2021: Gov. Evers Announces More Than 20,000 Farmers Receive $50 Million Through 2021 Farm Support Program
November 1, 2021: DATCP Announces Details for Wisconsin Farm Support Program
August 18, 2021: Gov. Evers Announces Additional $50 Million to Support Wisconsin Farmers, Agriculture Industry
September 21, 2020: Wisconsin Farm Support Program distributes over $8 million in second round of funding
August 10, 2020: ICYMI: Wisconsin Farm Support Program Reopens for Applications Today
August 6, 2020: Wisconsin Farm Support Program Reopens for Applications Aug. 10-24
July 27, 2020: Gov. Evers Announces $41.6 Million Distributed Through Wisconsin Farm Support Program
June 25, 2020: DATCP Reminds Farmers to Apply for Wisconsin Farm Support Program by Monday
June 16, 2020: Applications for Wisconsin Farm Support Program Top 3,600 in First Day; Farmers Encouraged to Apply ASAP
June 5, 2020: DATCP Announces Details for $50 Million Wisconsin Farm Support Program
May 20, 2020: DATCP Interim Secretary Applauds Gov. Evers' Action to Fund COVID-19 Response
May 20, 2020: Gov. Evers Goes All In for Agriculture with $50 Million in Relief for Wisconsin Farmers, $15 Million Food Security Initiative
There's more advice for Wisconsin farmers about the program at the Wisconsin Department of Revenue.
The Wikipedia entry for the 2020–22 North American drought notes that drought conditions began to develop in certain parts of Wisconsin by August 2020, so Evers must have been consulting his Magic 8 Ball if we are to trust Anderson's frame.
If the media uses Andersons frame--as it appears to be doing, to the point of misinformation--then let's see a comparison with the use of federal coronavirus relief for farmers on the part of the Walz administration. Fair is fair.
Perhaps the more intrepid investigators might look at the South Dakota grant program using those federal coronavirus funds, where the grants to farm operation were much, much larger, the Associated Press's Stephen Groves reported in Businesses tied to Noem family got $600,000 in virus grants. $500,000 of that would be for Noem family Racota Valley Ranch Partnership. And there's this:
The Legislature approved the grant plan in October, but the family businesses benefitted from adjustments the Republican governor made. The plan initially capped grants at $100,000, but later in the month, with plentiful federal funds at their disposal, Noem’s administration adjusted the grant cap to $500,000. The governor also later opened up a second round of grant applications to businesses hurt by the pandemic from September to November.
As Minnesotans are fond of saying, it could be worse.
Related posts:
- MN House passes drought relief bill 101-33
- House to vote on drought relief Thurs afternoon; Senate burdens its bill with deer farmer aid
- Minnesota House Ways & Means Committee passes drought relief bill while senate dawdles
- Second Walz administration drought relief bill meets with GOP crabfest in committee
Photo: Starbuck Republican state representative Paul Anderson.
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