0% - Thief River Falls Times & Northern Watch

Saturday, March 17, 2012 NORTHERN WATCH ~ SALUTE TO AGRICULTURE Page 7
Governor signs legislation removing
export barrier for Minnesota ag firms
FLEET
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton
signed legislation recently
removing a trade barrier for
Minnesota agricultural businesses
looking to export feed to
Brazil.
Brazilian authorities recently
announced a new set of import
regulations that included a
requirement for companies
sending feed to Brazil to provide
a certificate of Good
Manufacturing Practices compliance.
While the new federal
Food Safety Modernization Act
includes provisions for such a
certificate, they are not expected
to be implemented for several
months. Without a process for
providing the certificate
required by Brazil, Minnesota
companies would be unable to
supply feed to that large and
growing market.
After executives with
Marshall-based RALCO
Nutrition alerted state officials
to this problem, the Minnesota
Department of Agriculture and
state legislators worked together
to develop House File 1926 to
bridge the gap. Minnesota
Agriculture Commissioner Dave
Frederickson said the legislation
signed by Gov. Dayton will
allow Minnesota companies to
meet the new Brazilian import
Available
COLOR
OR
Thief River Falls
COPIES
Times
and
NORTHERN
WATCH
Now At Lower
NORTHERN
Times and
Prices! WATCH
Thief River Falls
Thief River Falls
Times
Thief River Falls
324 Main Avenue North,
Thief Times River Falls, MN 56701
and
NORTHERN
email:
WATCH
trftimes@trftimes.com
218-681-4450
Thief River Falls
Times
and
and
NORTHERN
WATCH
and Commercial Print Shop
NORTHERN
WATCH
requirements until the federal
government implements FSMA
later this year.
“Export markets are very
important for our agricultural
economy,” Frederickson said.
“Thanks to this bill, Minnesota
farmers and feed companies will
not have to worry about losing
access to an important export
market.”
HF 1926 creates a temporary
process for issuing a state certificate
of Good Manufacturing
Practices for Minnesota facilities
producing commercial feed
and feed ingredients. It establishes
criteria for good manufacturing
practices, and gives MDA
authority to inspect facilities
upon request. The legislation
also stipulates that the new federal
rules will be adopted into
state law once they are finalized
later this year.
“This was a great example of
people working together to solve
a problem,” Frederickson said.
“I want to thank the legislators
who worked on this bill, especially
the chief authors Sen.
Gary Dahms and Rep. Chris
Swedzinksi, for helping us make
sure Minnesota farmers and
agricultural firms can continue
supplying high-quality feed to
customers in Brazil.”
Minnesota is the sixth largest
agricultural exporter among the
50 states. Exports contribute
one-third of Minnesota’s total
agricultural sales, and support
more than 40,000 jobs.
According to MDA, each dollar
of agricultural exports generates
an additional $1.36 in economic
and business activities
for the state.
Notice of Annual Meeting
of the
Red Lake County Cooperative Inc.
Brooks, Minnesota 56715
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Brooks Community Center
9 a.m. Breakfast • 10 a.m. Meeting
The purpose of this meeting is to:
1. Review the Operating Statement for the fiscal year 2011.
2. Election of Directors
• District 5, East of Hwy 59 and South of Hwy 92
Director currently serving this area is Lauris (Bud) Kiecker
3. To consider any business that may come before the meeting.
Paying 40% of Dividend In Cash
Dividend Checks will be handed out at this meeting.
Checks that are not picked up at this meeting
will be mailed the first week of April.
Door Prizes.
Red Lake County Cooperative Inc.
Gary Weiss, Chairman Robert Landsverk, Secretary
CLOTHING
Children & Adult
• Jeans • Boots • Coats • Shoes
• Caps• Shirts
G
We Have
Added Versatile
Tractors To Our
Product Line
FARMING
• Livestock Equipment
• Animal Supplies & Feed • Horse Tack
• Tillage Equipment
SUPPLY
III YOUR FARM AND HOME HEADQUARTERS III
(218) 681-2850
HOME & HARDWARE
• Home Decor • Toys
• Lawn & Garden
• Batteries • Tools
Your Farm Operations Growth And
Prosperity Takes A Lot Of Hard
Work, Ingenuity And Vision We Know.
See Us For...
–Price, Quality and Service–
Highway One & 59 West
Thief River Falls
Thief River Falls
Times
and
NORTHERN
WATCH
and Commercial Print Shop
THE HARDEST WORKER
YOU’LL EVER HIRE.
2012 BIG RED®
Nelson Equipment
17270 US Hwy 59 NE, Thief River Falls • www.nelsoneqp.com • (218) 681-1997
©2009 Buhler Versatile Inc. All rights reserved. www.versatile-ag.com
Specials on Remaining
2010 & 2011 Models
www.rvsports.com
(218) 681-1007
1412 3rd St. W. • Thief River Falls
honda.com BIG RED IS ONLY FOR DRIVERS 16 YEARS AND OLDER. MULTI-PURPOSE UTILITY VEHICLES CAN BE HAZARDOUS TO OPERATE. FOR YOUR SAFETY, BE RESPONSIBLE. ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET, EYE PROTECTION
AND APPROPRIATE CLOTHING. ALWAYS WEAR YOUR SEAT BELT, AND KEEP THE SIDE NETS AND DOORS CLOSED. AVOID EXCESSIVE SPEEDS AND BE CAREFUL ON DIFFICULT TERRAIN. ALL MUV DRIVERS SHOULD WATCH THE
SAFETY VIDEO “MULTIPURPOSE UTILITY VEHICLES: A GUIDE TO SAFE OPERATION” AND READ THE OWNER’S MANUAL BEFORE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. NEVER DRIVE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF DRUGS OR ALCOHOL, ON
PUBLIC ROADS OR WITH MORE THAN ONE PASSENGER. DRIVER AND PASSENGER MUST BE TALL ENOUGH FOR SEAT BELT TO FIT PROPERLY AND TO BRACE THEMSELVES WITH BOTH FEET FIRMLY ON THE FLOOR. PASSENGER
MUST BE ABLE TO GRASP THE HAND HOLD WITH THE SEAT BELT ON AND BOTH FEET ON THE FLOOR. RESPECT THE ENVIRONMENT WHEN DRIVING. Big Red ® is a registered trademark of Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (08/11) 12-1154
Variable Rate
Application
Front row (L to R): Crystal Lee, Celeste Leach, Lisa Kolstoe, Traci Kroll, Michelle Benton, Susan Nelson, Tami Dicken
Back Row: Tom Kays, Tom Koppenhaver, Chuck Lundgren, Ray Safranski, Ryan St. Germain
C
P
A
Kays,
Benton,
Safranski
& Co. LLP
Serving Area
Farmers For
Over 66 Years
Certified Public
Accountants 218-681-4287
116 Third Street West, Thief River Falls, MN
Thief River Falls, MN
218-681-8494
St. Hilaire
218-964-5252
Oklee
218-796-5100