Murray County FSA to have third county committee election informational meeting

Murray County USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) reminds farmers and landowners that FSA is hosting an informational meeting regarding the 2017 County Committee election process at 10 a.m. Aug. 21, in the north front entrance to the Market Street Mall in Marshall. Producers, including minority, women and new farmers, are encouraged to attend the meeting and participate in the 2017 election.

For election purposes, counties are divided into local administrative areas (LAA). Each LAA nominates and elects one producer to serve a three-year term on the FSA County Committee.

Each year, an election is held in an LAA where a committee member’s three-year term is expiring. This year’s election will be held in area 1 which include the townships of Amiret, Custer, Lyons, Monroe, Rock Lake, Shelburne and Sodus. Ballots will be mailed the first week of November with the election concluding in early December.

Nationwide, there are approximately 7,800 farmers and ranchers serving on FSA county committees. These individuals make decisions on disaster and conservation programs, emergency programs, commodity price support loan programs and other agricultural issues. Committees consist of three to 11 members that are elected by eligible producers.

Persons with disabilities who require accommodations to attend or participate in this meeting should contact David Schreiber at 507-537-1401, ext. 4320, or Federal Relay Service at 1-800-877-8339, by Aug. 18.

Temp farmworkers who claim they were mistreated leaving US

SEATTLE (AP) — About two dozen temporary farmworkers who claim they were mistreated by a north Washington farm are getting ready to leave for Mexico.

The Seattle Times reported the 25 workers were brought with a group of about 600 to pick blueberries at Sarbanand Farms in Sumas as part of the H-2A visa program. The workers say they were forced to work long hours under hot temperatures and smoky air, were underfed and provided with no medical care. A protest was sparked earlier this month after one farmworker died. Several workers who joined the protest were fired.

Representatives from the farm said the workers were not mistreated.

Lawyers and advocates for the group said the 25 workers will leave this week fearing that they will be blacklisted from the visa program.

South Dakota farmers, ranchers get some drought relief

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Rain has brought South Dakota farmers and ranchers some relief from the drought.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said rain and cooler temperatures last week brought drought relief to parts of South Dakota. But rainfall totals varied widely and left some areas with little to no precipitation. Moisture conditions remain short to very short for a majority of the state.

South Dakota’s winter wheat harvest remains on pace with last year, at 95 percent complete, and ahead of the five-year average of 89 percent.

The spring wheat crop is 96 percent mature. The spring wheat harvest is slightly behind last year at 79 percent complete but well ahead of the 59 percent average.

More than half of South Dakota’s pasture and rangeland is rated in poor or very poor condition.

Rainfall benefits North Dakota row crops, pastures

FARGO, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota row crops and pastures are getting a boost from recent rainfall.

The federal government’s weekly crop report says moisture and cooler temperatures brought relief to most of North Dakota. Rainfall amounts ranged from one-half to one-and-a-half inches, with some areas getting over three inches. But the effects of earlier drought conditions are still being felt in the state. More than half of North Dakota’s topsoil moisture supplies are rated short or very short.

Temperatures across the state last week averaged 2 to 8 degrees below normal.

The winter wheat crop is 98 percent mature. Harvesting was 75 percent complete, lagging behind last year’s pace of 85 percent.