Dear Editor,

Over the years, I have done what you said in your August 2018 column, “Show up and speak up,” and I have paid a big price.

I have had university staffers ask why you publish my comments. I have had unsubstantiated letters written about me by large farm organizations. Yes, I do admit I am kind of a loose cannon, much like the guy that occupies the White House.

When I am asked by my critics who I represent, I scare them by saying I represent the working farmer. I do not represent a farm organization or a commodity group. What keeps me going is that the media do not interview real farmers for their stories. They always go to a farm organization or commodity group. I know these people very well, and they represent their organization or their group, but not me, a working farmer. They are struggling to keep their organizations and their groups going because there are fewer farmers, and the farm economy is a little short on money.

Farmers are not showing up because government agencies aren’t listening. Government today is only listening to big money. I believe that Minnesota ag Commissioner Dave Frederickson is the closest to a good ag commissioner since the last great ag Commissioner Jon Wefeld, under Gov. Wendy Anderson in the 1970s.

My last visit with Commissioner Frederickson and his assistant, Matt Wohlman, left me with the feeling they are of the same opinion. There is nothing that can be done because of the influence of big money. The commissioner is a good enough friend of mine that I really believe he wants to do it right for the Minnesota farmer.

Gyles Randall, a retired University of Minnesota researcher, had the answers to the nitrogen in groundwater 20 years ago. His research almost got him fired. Another University of Minnesota researcher had good research on BST in dairy cattle that showed the negative effect it had on the dairy cow. When he was about to publish his research, he was stopped, and then he decided to retire. I remember when a West Bank U-M professor challenged the influence of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association on research being done at the university. In all cases, we learned that big money controlled unbiased, research-based university information.

Recently, I was challenged and prosecuted by the Minnesota Department of Agriculture and Minnesota Attorney General Laurie Swanson for selling alfalfa and grass hay as a New Animal Drug. I marketed my products saying that my alfalfa/grass biscuits would reduce or eliminate gastric ulcer, laminitis and colic. They said my product should be considered a New Animal Drug, and that I needed to follow FDA standards to sell my alfalfa/grass biscuit. I had the research to back up the health claims of my products. Even though “big money” weighed in with the original complaint, the lowly hay farmer won this one.

Frightening times
I personally have never been so scared for Minnesota farmers. I know someone that personally knew Adolf Hitler and another businessman that lived and worked in pre-1930 Germany. No one was listening then, just as no one is listening to the individual farmers today.

I recently told a friend of U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar that her support for the present version of the 2018 USDA Farm Bill will lead to the American Holocaust. The proposed bill would eliminate small, diverse forms of farming by supporting programs for mega-farms. Crop insurance keeps mega-farms operating when they cannot be as efficient as smaller farms.

If you are a Minnesota farmer raising $1.85/bu. oats, $5.85/bu. wheat, $3.05/bu. corn, $8.20/bu. soybeans, $15.00/cwt milk, etc. in 2018, who are you to trust?

I have brought my concerns for these prices and the concerns of beginning farmers to our congressmen and senators, and was ignored.

Who will listen? With these prices, do we really need any more help from farm organizations or commodity groups?

After nearly 50 years of showing up and speaking up, I am reminded of what Patrick Henry is quoted as saying, “Give me liberty or give me death.” If anyone is listening, give the Minnesota farmer a chance to farm with no farm bill (SNAP, welfare bill).

The nitrogen in your groundwater may go away if farmers raised crops other than corn and soybeans.

Can you hear me now?

Respectfully,
Harlan R. Anderson,
Cokato, Minn.