Relief for drought-stricken farmers and unaffordable health coverage will be respectively addressed by Commissioner of Agriculture, Thom Petersen, and the Chairman of Health Care for All Minnesota, Dr. Mark Brakke, MD, at the 40th Annual Farm Picnic, Sunday, August 22, 1 PM, at Pierz Park, Pierz.
At FarmFest, KMSP news reported that Commissioner Petersen expects relief for draught-stricken farmers to come from both the state legislature and federal government. Some of the aid will be logistical, like opening public lands for grazing, and some will be financial to help cover the gap between losses and what insurance doesn’t cover.
Adding to the distressed farm economy is unaffordable health coverage for farmers and business owners, reported by Minnesota Farmer Union’s Rural Voices Discussions. Dr. Brakke will address the high cost and the work that Health Care for All Minnesota (a partnership of doctors, nurses, farmers, businesses, unions and citizen groups) is doing to alleviate it.
Minnesota COACT and Morrison County Farmers Union co-sponsor the Farm Picnic which annually celebrates family farming and Main Street businesses as pillars of the rural economy.
Serving of the traditional country dinner of ham, sweet corn, and potato salad begins at 1 PM. The Minnesota Farmers Union-NFO Direct Marketing Program is providing the ham, and the Franciscan Sisters of Little Falls are offering the potato salad, fresh-baked bread, and garden vegetables. Morrison County Dairy Princesses will serve milk and ice cream.
Free tickets, compliments of local businesses, are available at businesses displaying Farm Picnic posters and will be available at the Picnic.
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