Senator Dallas Sams of Staples, Minn., and Representative Tim Finseth of Angus, Minn., visited the Dorothy Day Center in St. Paul to address the current pork industry crisis and serve a recent ham donation to the needy.
Senator Sams, chairman of the Senate Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, acknowledged Minnesota pork producers are hurting. He says several proposals are being discussed in the state Senate and House to ease the pain of area farmers.
“We are looking at property tax relief to give back the first half of a producer's taxes up to a specified level,” says Sams. “We've also talked about programs based on income level -- similar to the renter's credit -- interest buy-downs and financial management and cash-flow assistance.”
Representative Finseth, chairman of the House Agriculture and Rural Development Committee, adds that dozens of bills are being discussed in the state legislature, focusing on direct tax relief and payments to producers and subsidizing different aspects of production.
“We will most likely have a bill passed through the House immediately to give a cash influx to farmers,” he says. “But that is just one piece. Other proposals will follow to collectively help the situation.
“We know that pork producers need help in the next two to three months,” adds Sams.
“We are going to expedite the legislative process. We are meeting with committee members and will be doing the same with the House shortly, trying to develop a strategy.”
Following the press conference, Sams and Finseth served ham lunches to 200- 300 clients at the Dorothy Day Center, a drop-in site for the needy.
Three tons of ham were donated by Pfizer Animal Health to the Second Harvest Saint Paul Food Bank, a network of organizations that distributes food to 57 counties in Minnesota and other rural food bank networks. Twenty cases of ham were forwarded to the Dorothy Day Center.
According to Tom Schmidt, manager, Midwest State Government Relations, Pfizer, the hams were donated to bring attention to the current pork industry crisis and assist food banks with much-needed meat donations.
“Minnesota is the third-largest pork-producing state in the country,” he explains, “and one of the states chosen to receive a portion of the 32,000 pounds of canned hams that are being donated by Pfizer Animal Health in six states.”
Both Sams and Finseth say it is encouraging that a member of the private sector is getting involved to educate people about the pork crisis in greater Minnesota, while helping the needy.
“Those here today need help, food and nourishment. And pork producers need to receive a good price for their product,” say Sams. “This donation brings these two issues together. I would like to thank Pfizer Animal Health and the Dorothy Day Center for their willingness to bring this issue to the people of Minnesota.”
“This is a good example of how private industry can help us bring the agricultural crisis to the forefront,” adds Finseth. “Our farmers are capable of producing a large quantity of top-quality products. We have those products out there, but we have people that cannot afford to buy them. It's just a matter of getting the food to the needy so they can be nourished by it. It is encouraging that people are getting nutrition and protein from what Pfizer Animal Health is doing.”
Meat Industry Insights News Service
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Northport, NY 11768
Phone: 631-757-4010
Fax: 631-757-4060
E-mail: sflanagan@sprintmail.com
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