On Tuesday more than 90 local farmers, advocates, agricultural business reps and providers attended a meeting with U.S. Representative Collin Peterson at the Crookston Inn to update the representative about how a wet fall has hindered and, in some cases, shut down the harvest. Peterson told those gathered he wanted the most up-to-date information about the struggle and need for help in the Red River Valley before meeting with Bill Northey, Undersecretary of Agriculture in Moorhead on Friday.
Aaron Hapka, a fifth-year potato grower near Stephen-Argyle said they lost 90 percent of their crop when it froze over the last week to ten days. “Collectively we lost 90 percent of the best crop I’ve ever seen,” said Hapka. “It was the first year that I was going to make any money. The market was high and there was the potential to finally make some money. It didn’t stop raining and it’s a devastating loss.”
Both Hapka and his dad, Brian, expressed dissatisfaction with the agency providing their rain and hail insurance telling Peterson that policies are not being enforced through a lack of oversight by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency (RMA). Peterson said he’s going to ask questions of Northey and the RMA on Friday, adding if he doesn’t like the answers he’ll call for an oversight hearing. “I’m going to have a discussion with Northey on Friday,” said Peterson. “We’ll probably have a discussion with Kansas City where is the oversight of RMA. And if I don’t get the right answers, we’re going to have an oversight hearing and dig into this.”
Hapka said hopefully the crop insurance will cover his bills, but considering this was the first year he was expecting to make money, the loss is devastating. “This year my crop insurance should cover my bills hopefully, but really that’s about it,” said Hapka. “Without disaster relief, I won’t make any money this year and will probably lose money. That doesn’t factor in time, hours, and stress on equipment that we put in all year. It’s just a devastating loss.”
Peterson said he’s been hearing about the potato crop for a while and there is no good spin that can be put on it. “We’ve been talking to people right along,” said Peterson. “But I thought it would be good as I have some time here to come up and listen to people. We’ve been hearing about the potato stuff, and that came up hear again today. It’s a mess, there is no good way to put a spin on this. Hopefully, the crop insurance stuff will get straightened out, so it can get handled the way it should.”
President of the Northern Plains Potato Growers Association, Donovan Johnson told Peterson potato insurance is expensive which means many farmers don’t try to mitigate their risk by spreading their coverage out which is especially hard when some farmers only harvested between 5-45 percent of the crop. He added that Peterson needs to get the message out that this is a disaster. Peterson said he knew that it was, but that U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue doesn’t want to hear that.
Sugar Beet farmers also questioned the crop insurance programs asking why sugar beets are excluded from “whole farm” coverage. Peterson asked American Crystal Sugar Board member Curt Knutson how the cooperative was handling the difference between those who were able to get their crop out and those who haven’t as of yet. Knutson told Peterson it is something the board is working on every day with more haves and have nots. Adding that the board tries to make sure everyone goes out and works as hard as they can, which Knutson said from what he has seen everyone in his neighborhood is going above and beyond.”
The current federal disaster legislation, written for disasters such as wildfires and hurricanes, is capped at $3 billion. Peterson said he was taking a cautious approach to getting help form federal disaster funds but that he believed excessive moisture could be added to the language and he wants to make sure both the crop insurance system and disaster program work the way they are supposed to. “Just make sure the crop insurance system works the way it is supposed to,” said Peterson. “Make sure the disaster program that is in place actually works for these guys. There is one question yet on this extensive moisture issue and I just have to keep on top of it.”
Peterson also shared that he had no idea what the process for the second round of Market Facilitation Payments (MFP) for farmers hurt by the trade war was. He stated he told Perdue it was a mistake not to include input from people like himself, but that Perdue did it anyway. Peterson said, “No one can figure out what the hell is going on.”
Peterson also blasted Trump and the deal he is promoting to benefit farmers with China saying that no information has been shared with anyone in his office or the United States Trade Representative (USTR). He said he asked USTR Ambassador Gregg Doud what those purchases Trump was touting are and when they would be seen saying Doud gave him a smirk and eye roll saying, “we’re working on it.” Peterson told the group he hopes it’s true that the markets come back and it affects prices but that he is skeptical. Peterson also expressed concern that the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) is being used to fund the second round of MFPs. The CCC allows the Ag Secretary to borrow up to $30 billion a year as long as it helps producers. Peterson said that because it’s being used for the MFPs that the Freedom Caucus of Republicans and liberals like “AOC and Omar” [Representatives Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar] want to get rid of that too.”
Peterson said that he worked for more than 20 years to eliminate ad-hoc government payments to farmers while instilling a better safety net only to see it all undone in the last two years with 40 percent of farmer income in 2019 likely coming from the government. While Peterson said he wanted to take a conservative approach to the federal disaster fund, he said it likely won’t matter because North Dakota has already asked for a disaster declaration. “North Dakota is doing it anyway, so I guess it doesn’t make a difference,” said Peterson. “I think people are getting tired of these disasters and I’m worried about a backlash. I might be wrong. I don’t know.”
Peterson also told the group that given all that has taken place recently, he is worried how the government will ever pass another farm bill saying the last three have been tough, but that we need to live with what we have. One bright spot, Peterson said he believes the U.S. Mexico Trade Agreement will be passed shortly after the legislature returns to work. Knutson thanked Peterson for coming up and said that without Peterson “we wouldn’t be on the map when it comes to our issues and problems.” Knutson also said he hopes Peterson lives to be 100 and dies his congressman.
For his part, Hapka said his future as a young grower is uncertain. “The future is uncertain I guess,” said Hapka. “We’ll see what happens. I’m hoping and praying that we do. If not, I guess we’ll buckle up and move on. And see what happens in the future. Right now, at this point, we’re not sure if we’re going to put any potatoes in next year.”
