John Marty's Agenda for Minnesota's Future: Agriculture & Farmers

Vision

John Marty understands that a healthy statewide and rural economy depends on a vital family farm system in Minnesota. Low farm prices coupled with high production costs among other factors, have pushed thousands of family farmers off their land. This decline has created hardships not only for farmers but for rural communities and businesses. Clearly Minnesota must rejuvenate its farm economy. While many of the solutions to the farm crisis require policy changes at the federal level, much can still be done at the state level. John is committed to providing leadership on a number of critical policy initiatives that will ensure farmers have a livable income, promote new markets for products and encourage sustainable agricultural practices. John will work to stop the trend toward fewer and fewer family farmers in our state and provide a strong voice for change nationally. The needs of family farmers will be high on the priority list of the Marty administration.

Record

• 89 percent cumulative Farmer's Union voting record.
• Authored legislation protecting metro farmers from being forced off their land by urban sprawl.

John Marty's Agenda for Minnesota's Agricultural Future

In order for family farmers to survive weather and market fluctuations there needs to be economic policies that provide them stability. Fair farm prices, anti-corporate farm laws, equitable credit and lending policies, and accessible disaster assistance programs are a few examples of policies that contribute to creating and supporting strong family farms.

As Governor, John will:

1. Strengthen the rural economy.
   • Promote fair farm prices. Support and strengthen price protection initiatives for family farmers at the state level, such as the recently enacted Minnesota Premium Price Act for dairy producers. Strongly advocate for federal agricultural policy changes that support a fair price for family farmers and eliminate or reduce state and regional differences that exist within sectors of the farm economy.
   • Adopt an energy policy that cleans up our environment and strengthens our farm economy through aggressive use of ethanol, wind power and biomass for Minnesota's energy needs.
   • Promote new uses for farm products by supporting efforts such as those of the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute (AURI).
   • Strengthen Minnesota's Corporate Farm Act to limit corporations or cooperatives from entering into farm ownership, agricultural production or livestock feeding in Minnesota.
   • Require the Minnesota Department of Agriculture to provide regular reports on the health of Minnesota's family farm economy, including updates comparing cost-of-production with actual prices for farmers, and the impact of family farm loss on employment and tax revenue for rural communities and the statewide economy. This public data is crucial in fighting for adequate farm prices and for developing an effective economic development plan for rural Minnesota.
2. Promote and support family farming.
   • Increase support for the Farm Advocate program. This program provides advice and assistance to farmers facing foreclosure or other economic distress.
   • Support new and begining farmers program. It is essential we provide the means to enable young people to get into farming. To ensure a healthy future for the greater Minnesota economy we must make sure that any young person who wants to get into farming is given the opportunity.
   • Pass a single-payer health care system with universal coverage and comprehensive benefits, financed according to one's ability to pay. Many farmers cannot afford the price of health care insurance and virtually every farmer is forced to pay exorbitant premiums for policies with poor coverage and unacceptably high deductibles. Our current health care system clearly discriminates against family farmers, small businesses and all residents of Greater Minnesota.
   • Reduce reliance on property taxes. Property taxes are inherently unfair and can bankrupt farmers in bad years. John will continue pushing for a shift away from property taxes to fund critical government services such as education and state mandated services, to a greater reliance on progressive income taxes based on one=90s ability to pay.
3. Promote environmentally sustainable agricultural research and farm practices. Many Minnesota farmers are now in the third or fourth generation on the land. They understand the importance of stewardship of natural resources and the need for environmentally sound, sustainable agricultural practices. Minnesota must ensure that there are positive alternatives for farmers that combine sustainable agriculture and profitability.
   • Support and strengthen the Energy and Sustainable Agriculture Program at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, including money for the Mentor program, low-interest loan program and on- farm grant program.
   • Fund and support sustainable agriculture research and extension services at the University of Minnesota, such as those begun by the Minnesota Institute of Sustainable Agriculture.
   • Create a new and beginning farmer pilot project with a sustainable agriculture focus.

Prepared by Minnesotans for Marty, 2161 University Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55114 Telephone/Fax: (612)644-5775/644-4131

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