On Wednesday, Tim Krohn reported for the Mankato Free Press in Foreign ag attachés visit Wells farm:
Technology, precision farming and conservation were of high interest to a group of agriculture trade officials from around the world as they visited a corn and soybean farm near Wells.
Forty agricultural attachés representing 20 countries were at one of the Johnson family farms Wednesday to get an up close look at the operation from Darrin Johnson.
Each year, the USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service organizes a trip to showcase United States crops to agricultural attachés and this year brought a group to Minnesota.
Johnson, who serves as vice president of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association, has had many trade groups visit his farm, including from China, Taiwan and the Philippines, but this is the first time for a visit from the Foreign Ag Service. . . .
The attachés are in the state for the week and will visit ag-related venues across Minnesota. Earlier on Wednesday they visited a commercial tomato greenhouse near Owatonna and Hormel in Austin, including the Spam Museum, where many bought Spam-related sweatshirts and other items. . . .
We were certain that we'd read about a visit to the Johnson family farm before. Sure enough, back in January 2020, Krohn reported in Presidential candidate Bloomberg visits Wells farm:
Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg made his first Minnesota campaign stop Wednesday, touring the Darin and Rachel Johnson farm near Wells.
Darin Johnson stressed the importance of good broadband service in rural areas, told of the long-term damage from the loss of trade with with China, and gave the former New York City mayor a primer on the high-tech nature of farming and farm machinery.
“Rural broadband is extremely important to us. These machines run on it,” Johnson said, pointing to the giant combine, sprayer and tractor parked behind them inside his machine shed.
“Is it fair to say instead of (using) a pitchfork, you’re sitting in front of a computer?” Bloomberg asked. . . .
Despite the different spelling of Mr. Johnson's first name Darrin vervus Darin in the two articles, Bluestem believes that this is just one farmer.
We posted about the Bloomberg visit in Minnesota Soybean Growers Association edits Bloomberg roundtable participant roster.
Bluestem does have to wonder: can't the Soybean Growers or another commodity group find another farm to show off to visitors?
Photo: A roundtable discussion in a machine shed near Wells, Minnesota. Photo by Pat Christman in the Mankato Free Press gallery, PHOTOS: Michael Bloomberg makes campaign stop in Wells. Minnesota Public Radio's Tim Pugmire reported about the visit's purpose:
Jim Anderson, a Bloomberg senior campaign adviser, told reporters the visit was part of a series of campaign stops to highlight various sectors of the United States economy that are struggling.
Via our January 19, 2020 post, Struggling farmers not what they used to be.
If you appreciate Bluestem Prairie, you can mail contributions (payable to Sally Jo Sorensen, 600 Maple Street, Summit SD 57266) or use the paypal button in the upper right hand corner of this post.
Or you can contribute via this link to paypal; use email [email protected] as recipient.
I'm on Venmo for those who prefer to use this service: @Sally-Sorensen-6
Comments