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     BRANDON, Minn. – Farmers across the state recognize the harsh consequences of the drought on their livelihood.
    So, when Mike Roers gave Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz a tour of his bleak corn fields, the state’s leader saw first-hand the unforgiving challenges livestock and crop farmers are faced with because of the lack of rain.
    “This is insidious,” Walz said. “Unlike a tornado, you see it, you hear it; even flooding. Droughts are difficult. We have to make the case for things we can do to help.”
     Walz was joined by Minnesota Department of Agriculture Commissioner Thom Petersen July 29 at Mike and Britney Roers dairy farm in Douglas County near Brandon.
    The purpose of the visit was to hear from area livestock and crop farmers and county and state representatives about the drought conditions and discuss options for assistance from state and federal governments.
    In Roers’ time farming, he has never seen the land this dry.
    “It’s dry,” Mike Roers said. “The rain is hit or miss, all while we’re seeing record high markets for corn and soybeans. We’re going to be missing out on that around here.”
    The Roers couple and their five children – Claire, 10, Ella, 8, Wesley, 7, Eve, 6, and Alayna, 3 – milk 130 cows with robots on their farm site. The family works in partnership with Mike’s dad, Kevin, and his brother, Jacob. An additional 45 cows are milked by Kevin and Jacob on the home farm.
    With a haze settled in the air from the Canadian wildfires, a somber tone was set as Roers explained how his family has been affected by the dry conditions.
    “Usually, we have soybeans that are this high, and this is corn. We’re standing in corn that should be 10-12 feet high. It’s knee high with no cobs,” said Roers showing Walz a corn field with stalks standing only a few feet tall. “Rain won’t make a difference in terms of growing an ear of corn. This (part of the field) is nothing.”
    In a typical year, the Roers family chops up to 120 acres of corn for silage and the remainder of the acreage is used for cash crops. The lack of rainfall during this growing season is forcing the Roers family to use their cash crop acres for forage.
    “We’re going to be chopping a lot of corn,” said Roers, who is planning to take up to 250 acres for corn silage. “We’re fortunate enough we have a dairy and crop operation, but the profits from the soybeans or corn were to supplement buying soybean meal or hay back. The cattle are going to eat, but it’s going to be survival this year.”
    Walz agreed in understanding.
    “When it’s sunny and dry, people in the metro want to go boating. The only worry is that their yards are brown. Well, in a year like this, that’s the least of your worries,” he said. “It’s a cascading effect. … You do things to get by. I worry about the folks that aren’t as established.”
    The Roers family and other area farmers expressed their concerns with current indemnity programs, and their lack of inclusion for livestock producers.
    “The safety nets not extending to livestock have always been a real problem,” Mike said. “We’ve done some things on dairy, but it’s a challenge.”
    Farmers also pushed for the right to hay and graze on protected state and federal lands.
    For instance, Gov. Walz mentioned being in contact with Pheasants Forever to use habitat acres for forage production.
    “We need CRP land but we also need these other lands too. We don’t want to ruin habitats; we’re just asking for them to give us an opportunity here,” Walz said. “It’s about being a good neighbor. These groups have been very understanding about the situation and trying to work with us to understand the bigger picture for cattle and land.”
    Petersen agreed.
    “It’s true, farmers are looking for forage not a check,” he said. “In communicating to the (United States Department of Agriculture), we’re asking what can farmers do. What are their options?”
    At the time of writing, Petersen and Walz were scheduled to speak with President Joe Biden and United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack about options for Minnesota farmers pressured with the drought conditions.
    On the morning of the tour, the USDA released an updated drought monitor for the state. On July 27, 22% of Minnesota was under extreme drought conditions (noted as D3); 4% more than a week prior.
    Much of Douglas County is a part of the D3 region.
    “This is my livelihood,” Roers said. “I’m here for the long haul, milking cows during the good and bad times. But, you’re at the mercy of Mother Nature.”
    Petersen agreed.
    “The drought has been a one-two gut punch,” he said. “It’s the rain, the continued high temp days and humidity have wreaked havoc across our state.”
    On July 28, Walz signed an executive order that waives trucking regulations pertaining to hours of service for those drivers assisting emergency relief efforts by transporting forages. The executive order is effective for 30 days.
    The Minnesota Department of Agriculture also has resources for farmers on their website, including zero interest loans and hay accessibility among other programs.
    “Family farms are the backbone of what we do as a state,” Walz said. “These people feed the world. … This drought matters to them. And for what farmers provide us, it matters to everyone.”

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