BENTON AG Serving rural Benton, Morrison, Mille Lacs and Kanabec counties
Plus
Sauk Rapids Herald | Saturday, Feb. 4, 2023
Rolling out revenue-based disaster, pandemic assistance programs Agricultural producers can now apply for two new important programs for revenue losses from 2020 and 2021 natural disasters or the coronavirus pandemic. Both programs equitably ll gaps in earlier assistance. First, producers may Farm Service be eligible for assistance Agency News by Ryan Brunn, through the Emergency executive director Relief Program phase for Benton and two if they experienced Mille Lacs counties revenue losses from eligible natural disasters in 2020 and 2021. Producers may also be eligible for the Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program if they experienced revenue losses in calendar year 2020. PARP is addressing gaps in previous pandemic assistance, which was targeted at price loss or lack of market access rather than overall revenue losses. Applications for both new programs are due June 2, and producers can apply for both programs during the same appointment with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency. Historically, FSA programs have been designed to make direct payments to producers based on a single disaster event or for a single commodity loss. For many, this may be the rst revenue-based program they have applied for with FSA. ERP phase two and PARP take a more holistic approach to disaster assistance, ensuring producers not only make it through a single growing season but have the nancial stability to invest in the long-term well-being of their operations and employees.
Brunn page 4B
Letters to a
farm friend
Phillips begins Pen Pal Pets to explore creativity, educate
BY NATASHA BARBER STAFF WRITER If barnyard animals could talk, what would they share? That question led one Princeton resident to her latest endeavor. Emily Phillips, a native of Los Angeles, California, describes herself as an artist and a maker. While attending art school in Ohio, she met her husband, Christopher, who grew up in the Twin Cities metro area. Post college, the two explored living in LA until the birth of their son, Walden, in 2019. However, being new parents in the onset of the coronavirus pandemic led to questions for the Phillips family. “When we were thinking about what does it mean to do important work and what do we want to teach our child about living, we kind of decided to just make this leap,” Phillips said. The family moved to Minnesota and purchased 123 acres in Greenbush Township, Mille Lacs County. While raising ocks of grassfed Katahdin sheep and broiler chickens as well as a ock of
PHOTOS SUBMITTED
egg-laying hens, Phillips began a new creative endeavor to supplement their farm’s income and connect with the community: Pen Pal Pets was born. “We started our ock of sheep with 10 and you name them and you really get to know them,” Phillips said. “Every animal has its own personality.” As Phillips dove head rst into regenerative farm practices meant to rebuild soil health, she began creating stories about her animals as a means of entertainment.
Phillips Farmstead page 2B
Emily Phillips pets her ram lamb, Chunk, while wearing her custom-embroidered Psychic Stitch jacket on the Phillips Farmstead in Mille Lacs County. Phillips pens letters from her animals to others in the farmstead’s subscription-based Pen Pal Pets program.
his gs a chicken on ty. un Walden Phillips hu Co cs in Mille La family’s farmsteadristopher and Emily, Ch s, nt a, to His pare Angeles, Californi moved from Los sota. raise him in Minne
ON THE LOT!
DEER HUNTERS!
Call for Pricing
NEW - JUST IN
Tar River No-Till Drill SAYA-507 Call for Pricing
Mower Conditioners
Rakes
Kuhn 4061, 3561 and 3161
Kuhn SR110 & SR112 • Kuhn 312
1960-2023 Celebrating 63 years!
FLUEGGE’S AG Farm Material Handling Specialist
BA-5-1B-BL
ROD FLUEGGE “the boss”
2040 Mahogany St., Mora, MN 320-679-2981